The Great British Bake Off star came to national prominence when he experienced a panic attack on television after his choux pastry went wrong. Michael had been learning in therapy that he should try new things; during the show, he found his brain telling him ‘you aren’t as good as you thought you were.’ Michael […]
therapy
Fellowship, therapy and our non-stop culture, Henrietta Bowden-Jones
Henrietta Bowden-Jones is a consultant psychiatrist who specialises in the treatment of addictions. She has a particular interest in the treatment of problem gambling. She believes that a combination of therapy and a drug-based approach can be helpful to many of her patients. Dr Bowden-Jones warns of the risks of a culture where we are […]
Life after, life with, Alice Liveing
Alice Liveing is a personal trainer, author and wellbeing influencer. She experienced depression and anxiety after several years of suppressing memories of an abusive relationship, and went through panic attacks and night terrors. Now, Alice says, she knows that she can get back up and come through those feelings. Alice tells us that it took […]
Economist measuring happiness vs inequality, 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 […]
Author, Journalist & social media influencer, 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 […]
Psychotherapist, Lou Lebentz
Lou Lebentz is a therapist and trauma specialist. She came to her work through her own experiences of trauma, addiction and eventually psychosis. Lou says that years of trauma are like a shaken-up bottle of fizzy drink — at some point it will explode. She sees her role as helping clients to open the bottle […]
Falling down the rabbit hole, Claire Eastham
Claire Eastham is a mental health blogger who writes about her experiences of social anxiety and panic disorder. Although she had experienced social anxiety as a child, it wasn’t until Claire had a breakdown at 24 that she was diagnosed. Since then, she has tried many methods to deal with her conditions including medication, therapies and exercise. Dogs and humour help too!
A map to find your way through life, Justine Hardy
Justine Hardy is a trauma therapist who works with people in conflict zones and other desperate circumstances. But she says that the devastation of feeling lost in a dark place in your life can happen to anyone, without an obvious reason. Trying to find a way out, Justine says, is the most important thing. When working with refugees, Justine tries to find […]
Former Metropolitan Police Commander, John Sutherland
John Sutherland was a police officer for more than 20 years, rising to become a Borough Commander in London. He was overcome by exhaustion, anxiety and then depression that ‘broke him into a thousand tiny pieces’. The stress of a job that brought him constantly into ‘the hurting places of life’ such as crime scenes and […]
Moving the mind beyond trauma, Josh Dickson
Josh Dickson is a therapist who works with EMDR — eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing — therapy to help clients overcome past traumas. He says he has both experienced and witnessed its effects. Josh tells us the theories about why stimulating the brain helps it to file away old, painful memories and explains how he […]
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 […]
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