4 episodes

We live in a world filled with material wealth, live longer and healthier lives, and yet anxiety, stress, unhappiness, and depression have never been more common. What are the driving forces behind these interlinked global epidemics?

In this series, Professor Mark Williams (Wellcome Trust Principal Research Fellow at Oxford University) and Dr Danny Penman discuss the recent scientific advances that have radically altered our understanding of depression and related disorders. Also discussed is the latest treatments and therapies that are offering hope to those suffering from depression.

Professor Williams co-developed Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), a treatment for anxiety, stress and depression that is at least as effective as drugs at preventing new episodes of depression. It's now one of the preferred treatments for depression recommended by the UK's National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. The same technique, based upon an ancient form of meditation, can also help us cope more effectively with the relentless demands of our increasingly frantic world. Professor Williams and Dr Penman co-authored the bestselling book Mindfulness: Finding Peace in a Frantic World.

The New Psychology of Depression Oxford University

    • Education
    • 4.5 • 18 Ratings

We live in a world filled with material wealth, live longer and healthier lives, and yet anxiety, stress, unhappiness, and depression have never been more common. What are the driving forces behind these interlinked global epidemics?

In this series, Professor Mark Williams (Wellcome Trust Principal Research Fellow at Oxford University) and Dr Danny Penman discuss the recent scientific advances that have radically altered our understanding of depression and related disorders. Also discussed is the latest treatments and therapies that are offering hope to those suffering from depression.

Professor Williams co-developed Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), a treatment for anxiety, stress and depression that is at least as effective as drugs at preventing new episodes of depression. It's now one of the preferred treatments for depression recommended by the UK's National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. The same technique, based upon an ancient form of meditation, can also help us cope more effectively with the relentless demands of our increasingly frantic world. Professor Williams and Dr Penman co-authored the bestselling book Mindfulness: Finding Peace in a Frantic World.

    • video
    Guided Meditation

    Guided Meditation

    Professor Mark Williams offers a brief guided meditation in the last of four short videos in this series. Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share Alike 2.0 UK: England & Wales; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/

    • 3 min
    • video
    Supporting Mindfulness

    Supporting Mindfulness

    Professor Mark Williams explains how you can support the work of the Oxford Mindfulness Centre in the third of four short videos. Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share Alike 2.0 UK: England & Wales; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/

    • 3 min
    • video
    The Science of Mindfulness

    The Science of Mindfulness

    Professor Mark Williams examines the neuroscience of mindfulness in the second of four short videos. Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share Alike 2.0 UK: England & Wales; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/

    • 3 min
    • video
    Introduction to Mindfulness

    Introduction to Mindfulness

    Professor Mark Williams introduces Mindfulness in the first of four short videos in this series. Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share Alike 2.0 UK: England & Wales; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/

    • 2 min

Customer Reviews

4.5 out of 5
18 Ratings

18 Ratings

Intagliox ,

Jani

Really informative podcast
Listened to all and convinced to try mindfullness and now understand the benefits of it properly.
Well worth downloading if you are struggling emotionally

Znayka ,

Great

Thank you very much for this.

James13141 ,

...

Interesting, although it worries me that in times of austerity, governments and GP's, will seek to promote meditation, as a posed to the use of more expensive, anti-depressant medication. The later, is the only thing that has ever really helped me.

Meditation is undoubtably a positive thing, although in my experience it has been no more effective than other drug-free alternatives, such as, going for a walk, or listening to some relaxing music etc.

I think 7 million pounds would be better spent on furthering our understanding of the neurological processes involved in depression, and improving the effectiveness of antidepressant medication.

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