The Thinking Mind Podcast: Psychiatry & Psychotherapy

This is an excerpt from E172 of the Thinking Mind Podcast.

Emmy van Deurzen, one of the leading figures in existential therapy in the UK and internationally. Emmy has over fifty years’ experience as a psychotherapist, has published more than thirty books, and was the first chair of the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy when it was created in 1993.

In this conversation, we discuss existential therapy, what it means to be truly free, how to face life’s difficulties without turning away from them, and how we might begin to live more courageously.

Interviewed by Dr. Alex Curmi. Dr. Alex is a consultant psychiatrist and a UKCP registered psychotherapist.
Website: alexcurmitherapy.com

Check out The Thinking Mind  on Substack: https://substack.com/@thinkingmindpodcast

If you would like to invite Alex to speak at your organisation please email alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com with "Speaking Enquiry" in the subject line.

Alex is not currently taking on new psychotherapy clients, if you are interested in working with Alex for focused behaviour change coaching , you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com with "Coaching" in the subject line.

Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcast

Today Dr. Alex is joined by neuroscientist and author Dr Dean Burnett for a wide-ranging conversation about the strange, flawed and fascinating human brain.
Dr Dean Burnett is the author of The Idiot Brain, The Happy Brain and several other books exploring neuroscience, psychology and the weird ways our brains shape our lives.
They discuss why the brain is not the perfect machine we often imagine it to be, why intrusive thoughts don’t define who you are, why anxiety and self-sabotage are often normal features of the mind, and why happiness is not something we are designed to feel all the time.
Dean also explains what we do and don’t know about depression, antidepressants, SSRIs, brain chemistry, neuroplasticity, withdrawal effects, and why mental health is far more complicated than simple slogans like “chemical imbalance” or “just think positive”.
Interviewed by Dr. Alex Curmi. Dr. Alex is a consultant psychiatrist and a UKCP registered psychotherapist.
Check out The Thinking Mind Blog on Substack: https://thinkingmindblog.substack.com/
If you would like to invite Alex to speak at your organisation please email alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com with "Speaking Enquiry" in the subject line.

Alex is not currently taking on new psychotherapy clients, if you are interested in working with Alex for focused behaviour change coaching , you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com with "Coaching" in the subject line.
Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcast

Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcast

For the final episode of our Sleep Series, Dr. Anya welcomes back Dr Hugh Selsick, consultant psychiatrist and lead for the UCLH Sleep Clinic in London. This episode covers sleep disorders we didn’t discuss previously on the last episode with Hugh (E128). 
They discuss the different stages of sleep, strange things can happen during sleep such as sleep paralysis (parasomnias), narcolepsy, sleep apnoea, restless legs syndrome and much more. 
If you haven't already check out episodes 1-3 of our Sleep Series where we explore how sleep works, the psychology of insomnia and sleep in children.
Interviewed by Dr. Anya Borissova. Dr. Borissova is an academic psychiatry registrar at the South London and Maudsley Trust. 
Check out The Thinking Mind  on Substack: https://substack.com/@thinkingmindpodcast
If you would like to invite Alex to speak at your organisation please email alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com with "Speaking Enquiry" in the subject line.

Alex is not currently taking on new psychotherapy clients, if you are interested in working with Alex for focused behaviour change coaching , you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com with "Coaching" in the subject line. 

Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcast

In this episode, Alex explores self-esteem, self-hate and self-criticism, not just as emotional issues, but as forces that can shape the quality of a person’s life.
He discusses how poor self-esteem can affect relationships, work, ambition, risk-taking and the ability to build a life that feels authentic. Alex also examines how people can develop a defensive “neurotic self” in response to fear, shame, anxiety or the stresses of life. 
Finally, he looks at what healthier self-esteem might involve: a balanced relationship with yourself built on both compassion and challenge.
Presented by Dr. Alex Curmi. Dr. Alex is a consultant psychiatrist and a UKCP registered psychotherapist in-training.
If you would like to invite Alex to speak at your organisation please email alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com with "Speaking Enquiry" in the subject line.

Alex is not currently taking on new psychotherapy clients, if you are interested in working with Alex for focused behaviour change coaching , you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com with "Coaching" in the subject line.
Check out The Thinking Mind Blog on Substack: https://substack.com/@thinkingmindpodcast

Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcast

This episode in the sleep series is with Dr Anya McLaren-Barnett. Dr Anya is a pediatric respirologist, sleep medicine physician and creator of The Sleep Health Intelligence Program (SHIPTM).
In this episode, we discuss how our sleep patterns develop from birth, how Dr Anya addresses children’s sleep disorders in her clinic and we get some pointers on how to choose a sleep consultant. Thinking about investing in melatonin gummies? Listen to this episode first and then decide. You can see more from Dr Anya on instagram @thesleepgap and https://www.thesleephealth.org/about
Interviewed by Dr. Anya Borissova. Dr. Borissova is an academic psychiatry registrar at the South London and Maudsley Trust. 
Check out The Thinking Mind  on Substack: https://substack.com/@thinkingmindpodcast
If you would like to invite Alex to speak at your organisation please email alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com with "Speaking Enquiry" in the subject line.

Alex is not currently taking on new psychotherapy clients, if you are interested in working with Alex for focused behaviour change coaching , you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com with "Coaching" in the subject line. 

Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcast