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Head Talks aims to inform, inspire and engage those interested in mental health and wellbeing.
Find people speaking from the heart and from their own experience, as well as a wide range of experts and healers sharing their tips and insights to help us work towards better mental health and wellbeing.
Video highlights
You can do hard things, Adrienne Herbert
Adrienne Herbert was a professional dancer with much to look forward to — a new husband and a new baby — when her husband’s sudden illness turned their lives upside down. Adrienne took up running as a way to get out of the door and get her energy back. She now runs road races and […]
Depression doesn’t define me, Oliver Chittenden
Two years after Head Talks’ launch, we turn to founder Oliver Chittenden to hear his own story of his mental health struggles. Now meditation is key, especially the discipline of making it a part of a daily routine, adding that 10 day silent retreats have been a game-changer. Oliver is also a fan of cold-water […]
Learning to trust my brain again, Scarlett Curtis
Scarlett Curtis is a writer, podcaster and activist. Her new book, It’s not OK to feel blue (and other lies), is a collection of writings on mental health from high-profile figures. Scarlett tells us about how she gets through some of her own dark times — they’re less frequent now, fortunately, but still affect her […]
Paws for thought, Professor Jo Williams (and Boomer)
An estimated 10% of youngsters in the UK have had an official diagnosis of a mental health condition. “The complexities of modern life add further cognitive strain and we are seeing a rise in these diagnoses,” says Professor Jo Williams from the University of Edinburgh. She has been researching the impact of pets on the […]
Not all champagne and skittles, Simon Webbe
Singer and songwriter Simon Webbe — former member of Blue and Strictly contestant — broke down on TV and realised that he had to open up about his depression. He had lost close friends to suicide and now tells others the importance of talking to someone about your feelings. Simon finds talking, exercise, and creating […]
Being Friends with Your Own Mind, Matthieu Ricard
Buddhist Monk Matthieu Ricard is a French writer, photographer and Buddhist monk. His life is divided between the seclusion of a hermitage in the Himalayas and the whirlwind of modern life. Matthieu says that our state of mind can override our circumstances, whether good or bad. He says that our mind can be our best […]
Letting Go of the Fear of Food, Renee McGregor
Nutritionist Nutritionist Renee McGregor says that eating disorders aren’t about food, they’re about control. They may start innocently enough. But for someone who has an unhealthy relationship with food, their own inner critic is constantly cracking the whip. Whatever they do can never be enough to satisfy it. Renee works to help people ‘rewire their […]
Peers Without Pressure, Anna and Millie
Wimbledon High Students Anna and Millie are students at Wimbledon High who take part in the school’s peer counselling project. They help advise younger girls on how to cope with the pressures around them. That pressure can come from outside: Anna and Millie say that looking good and body image are big concerns among some […]
MASTERCLASSES
Dive even deeper into the world of mental health and wellbeing by signing up to our Masterclasses. Delivered by today’s leading voices, HeadTalks’ Masterclasses will give you exclusive access to insight, exercises and lifestyle tips – taking you deeper into the beautiful realm of what it means to be human.
Elif Shafak,
Famous Turkish author
Postnatal depression and how to heal
see video and read more
Sadhguru,
Yogi, mystic and visionary
How to make sense of today‘s world
see video and read more
Will Young,
Singer, songwriter and actor
Living with Fame and PTSD
see video and read more
Headtalks blog
Nurture your ‘bounce back-ability’!
Feed your mind
Anna Percy-Davis I have been thinking about how to navigate this month, especially Blue Monday. So here are my five top tips to help you build your sense of wellbeing at work and nurture your bounce back-ability when times get tough: Balcony people Actively seek out and nurture your relationship with the balcony people at […]
Dancing to Freedom
Feed your mind
Samiya Noordeen was a barrister for many years before she turned to dance, becoming a tango performer and setting up a dance lifestyle company. A mother of three children, Samiya had reached a point where she felt the need to develop a life that was based around her passion to be more creative, […]
Tips for the solo, anxious, travellers
Struggle & success
Emily Nagioff I’ve been travelling for more than a year now, having been diagnosed with depression and anxiety. I wanted to share my experiences of being a solo female traveller with mental health issues in the hope that people in a similar position will be able to relate and in turn feel less isolated and lonely. I’ve […]
Podcast highlights
The Value of Happiness, Lord Layard
Richard Layard is an Emeritus Professor at the London School of Economics where he is also Director of the Wellbeing Programme, as well as a member of the House of Lords and the co-founder of Action for Happiness. His books include Happiness: Lessons from a New Science, and Thrive. Lord Layard began his career as […]
Love, Hope and Cancer, Lucy O’Donnell
Cancer Wellness Advisor When Lucy was diagnosed with Stage 4 metastatic breast cancer in November 2011, she spent most of the next eighteen months in radical cancer treatment. Through her continuing treatment and experience, Lucy channels her energies into helping other people in and outside the cancer world. She is a Cancer Counsellor, Holistic Therapist, Inspirational […]
Call Back Your Power, Stephanie Kazolides
Founder of The Quarter Life Health Project Like many of her generation — particularly young women — Stephanie Kazolides found herself at a loss after university. She felt overwhelmed with the pressures of what to do next and suffered from panic attacks and depression. Yoga, meditation, a healthy diet and physical practices began to help […]
A Bridge to the Future, Jonny Benjamin MBE
Mental Health Campaigner Ten years ago, Jonny Benjamin was at a low point. He was talked out of a suicide attempt on Waterloo Bridge. His quest to find the man who rescued him, Neil Laybourn, became famous. Jonny’s now written a book about his story, his illness and his progress towards recovery. Jonny talks to […]