Behind the Stigma

Behind the Stigma
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Hosted and produced by Seiara Imanova, a PhD student from University of Birmingham, Behind the Stigma is a pioneering podcast that bridges the gap between the general public and the fields of Psychology, Psychiatry and Mental Health. Each episode offers a deep dive into cutting-edge research, featuring conversations with leading experts and top researchers in the field. Take a listen, as we uncover the science, challenge misconceptions, and bridge the crucial gap between academia and the everyday.

  1. The plants are always speaking with Dr. Rebekah Senānāyaka

    4 days ago

    The plants are always speaking with Dr. Rebekah Senānāyaka

    Send us Fan Mail In this week's episode, I'm joined by Rebekah Senānāyaka, ethnobotanist and PhD graduate in Cultural Anthropology, whose research takes us deep into the Amazonian rainforest. Rebekah spent 27 months immersed in indigenous plant medicine traditions, including her own experiences with ayahuasca and sanango and her work introduces the concept of extended multispecies liminality, exploring what happens when the boundary between human and plant consciousness begins to dissolve. We discuss what it really means to do embodied fieldwork, why the psychedelic renaissance may be missing the point, and what plant medicine traditions can teach us about healing. About: Rebekah Senānāyaka is a cultural psychologist and Ph.D. candidate in Cultural Anthropology, specializing in traditional Amazonian knowledge systems. With extensive fieldwork in the Amazon Rainforest, she examines how Indigenous practices inform modern understandings of altered states of consciousness. Rebekah is the founder of the Student Association of Psychedelic Investigation and a key advocate for integrating traditional and scientific perspectives in psychedelic research.  Instagram LinkedIn Papers It Was the Plants that Told Us: An Ethnographic Analysis into Amazonian Knowledge Transmission Subscribe to the Behind the Stigma podcast on YouTube, Apple Podcast or Spotify. Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthestigmapodcast/

    39 min
  2. Enactivism in Psychiatry with Professor Sanneke De Haan

    15 Apr

    Enactivism in Psychiatry with Professor Sanneke De Haan

    Send us Fan Mail This week on Behind the Stigma, Professor Sanneke de Haan joins us to discuss how we define mental disorders and what the enactive approach to psychiatry reveals about the relationship between mind, body, and world. We talk about how this perspective challenges the biomedical model, what it means to see disorders as disorders of sense-making, and how it changes the way we think about treatment. Finally, Professor de Haan shares her thoughts on self–illness ambiguity, mental disorder classifications as helpful or harmful and what studying the philosophy of psychiatry can teach us about being human. About: Sanneke de Haan is Associate Professor of Bioethics and Ethics of (Mental) Health at the Ethics Institute and Socrates Professor of Psychiatry and Philosophy at the Erasmus School of Philosophy at Erasmus University Rotterdam. She works on topics at the intersection of philosophy and psychiatry, in particular on questions around the boundaries of normality, authenticity and its relation to mental health problems, and integrative approaches to psychiatric disorders. Her book Enactive Psychiatry was published by Cambridge University Press in 2020. De Haan draws on insights from enactivism to develop an integrative view on the nature and development of psychiatric disorders.  Website: https://sannekedehaan.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanneke-de-haan-b1886684/ Papers An enactive approach to Psychiatry What do my problems say about me  Subscribe to the Behind the Stigma podcast on YouTube, Apple Podcast or Spotify. Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthestigmapodcast/

    50 min
  3. Mental Disorder as a Harmful Dysfunction with Dr. Jerome Wakefield

    20 Feb

    Mental Disorder as a Harmful Dysfunction with Dr. Jerome Wakefield

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Behind the Stigma, I sit down with Jerome Wakefield, NYU Professor and originator of the influential “harmful dysfunction” theory of mental disorder. We explore what makes something truly pathological, the fuzzy boundary between normal suffering and disorder, and the philosophical foundations shaping modern psychiatry. We also discuss the DSM and it's removal of the bereavement exclusion in depression, evolutionary perspectives on neurodiversity movements and his work on harmful dysfunction. This conversation asked a central question: when does human distress become a mental disorder, and does that distinction matter? About Jerome Wakefied Dr. Wakefield is an NYU University Professor and Professor at NYU Silver, known internationally for his groundbreaking work at the intersection of philosophy, psychiatry, and psychology. He has authored over 300 publications on the conceptual foundations of mental health theory. He is best known for developing the influential “harmful dysfunction” analysis of mental disorder, the most cited framework for distinguishing true disorder from normal distress. His work has shaped debates on DSM diagnoses, grief, depression, anxiety, and the boundary between pathology and everyday suffering. He is also the coauthor of the award-winning books The Loss of Sadness (2007) and All We Have to Fear (2012), and has contributed major analyses in psychoanalysis, social work theory, and evolutionary perspectives on mental health.  Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=NkiWM10AAAAJ&hl=en Paper on Harmful Dysfunction analysis: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2174594/ Paper on the Theory of generativity: https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1998-07139-005 Books: https://www.amazon.com/Loss-Sadness-Psychiatry-Transformed-Depressive-ebook/dp/B001CHRHHO https://www.amazon.com/All-Have-Fear-Psychiatrys-Transformation/dp/0199793751 Subscribe to the Behind the Stigma podcast on YouTube, Apple Podcast or Spotify. Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthestigmapodcast/

    1hr 29min
  4. The Mental Health Crisis, AI & Careers in Psychology in the UAE

    12/12/2025

    The Mental Health Crisis, AI & Careers in Psychology in the UAE

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Behind the Stigma, I sit down with Dr. Prince Kouassi, Assistant Professor and Chair of the Psychology Department at the American University of Dubai, to explore the landscape of mental health in the UAE. We discuss whether we are over-diagnosing mental health, the educational psychology market and careers in the UAE, using AI in the classroom and his thoughts on digital mental health apps. Timestamps added! About Dr. Prince Kouassi Dr. Kouassi is an Assistant Professor of Psychology and the Chair of the Department of Psychology at the American University of Dubai. He completed his Ph.D. at City, University of London (UK) in computational psychology, and after completing his PhD accepted a Teaching Fellowship in Psychology at Coventry University (UK). Dr. Kouassi has a wide range of active research interests in psychology which include but not limited to cognitive modeling, quantum probability applications, research participation, psychology education, and the practical application of psychological principles in the workplace. Find him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-prince-kouassi-phd-0616a71aa/ Subscribe to the Behind the Stigma podcast on YouTube, Apple Podcast or Spotify. Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthestigmapodcast/

    1hr 14min
  5. Is Morality A Human Universal with Professor Edouard Machery

    23/11/2025

    Is Morality A Human Universal with Professor Edouard Machery

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I speak with Professor Edouard Machery to explore experimental philosophy and the question of whether morality is truly universal. We discuss why humans need morals in the first place, why we often fail to live up to our own moral ideals. We also look at cross-cultural differences in moral judgments, the limits of relying on intuition in philosophy, and what new technologies like VR reveal about the gap between moral judgment and moral action. Timestamps added! About Edouard Machery Professor Machery is the Director of the Center for Philosophy of Science and Professor at The University of Pittsburgh. His research  focuses on the philosophical issues raised by the cognitive sciences, currently focusing on the methodology of experimental psychology. His recent research projects and publications also include the nature and origin of racial categorization, the application of evolutionary theories to human cognition, the nature of culture, and the structure of moral concepts. Finally, he is involved in the development of experimental philosophy, and has used experimental and quasi-experimental methods to study intuitions about reference, folk judgments about intentional action, causation, the folk concept of race, and the folk concept of phenomenal consciousness. Website: https://www.edouardmachery.com/ Books Doing without concepts - https://global.oup.com/academic/product/doing-without-concepts-9780195306880?cc=ae&lang=en& Philosophy within its proper bounds - https://www.amazon.com/Philosophy-Within-Its-Proper-Bounds/dp/019880752X Book Chapter: Experimental Philosophy of Science: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/9781118661666.ch33 Bluesky: @edouardmachery.bsky.social Subscribe to the Behind the Stigma podcast on YouTube, Apple Podcast or Spotify. Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthestigmapodcast/

    49 min
  6. The Dark Side of Therapy Speak with Dr. Carme Isern-Mas

    10/10/2025

    The Dark Side of Therapy Speak with Dr. Carme Isern-Mas

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Behind the Stigma, Seiara speaks with Dr. Carme Isern-Mas about the rise of “therapy-speak”, the popular use of psychological language in everyday life. Together, they explore how these phrases can help us express emotions and foster self-awareness, but also how they risk becoming disingenuous, individualistic, or even weaponized in relationships and society.  About Carme Isern-Mas Dr. Isern-Mas is an Assistant Professor in Moral Philosophy at the University of the Balearic Islands, with a background in Human Evolution and Cognition for her M.A. and Ph.D. Her research interests lie in the field of moral psychology, with a particular focus on topics such as blame, empathy, moral motivation and self-deception. She is also interested in applied ethics, particularly in mental health ethics. Profile: https://www.uib.eu/personal/ABjIyMjIzNg/ Unmasking Therapy Speak Paper: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11017-025-09730-5 Recent Paper - Blunting concepts: The double-edged effect of popularizing psychotherapy language: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09515089.2025.2573763 Subscribe to the Behind the Stigma podcast on YouTube, Apple Podcast or Spotify. Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthestigmapodcast/

    43 min
  7. Adolescence Mental Health with Dr. Lucy Foulkes

    04/06/2025

    Adolescence Mental Health with Dr. Lucy Foulkes

    Send us Fan Mail In this week's episode, academic psychologist Dr. Lucy Foulkes, speaks to us about her book 'Coming of Age' and the importance of our adolescent years, the complexity of mental health awareness in today's society. We explore how rising conversations around mental illness, especially among young people, have reshaped identity, education, and the language we use to describe our inner lives. We also discussed why young adults self-diagnose, the role of social media, and the Netflix series 'Adolescence'.  About Dr. Foulkes: Dr. Foulkes is an academic psychologist in the Dept of Experimental Psychology at the University of Oxford where her group researches mental health and social development in adolescence. They are most known for their focus on the unintended consequences of mental health awareness in schools and society more broadly. Her first book, What Mental Illness Really Is (…and what it isn’t), focuses on the rise of mental health problems in society, and the possible contributing role of mental health awareness efforts. Her second book, Coming Of Age: How Adolescence Shapes Us, which we will be discussing today, focuses on the power of adolescent memories and the stories we tell ourselves about our formative years. I will be linking both books to this episode description. Website: https://www.lucyfoulkes.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drlucyfoulkes Coming of Age: https://www.amazon.com/What-Mental-Illness-Really-what/dp/1529113377 What Adolescence Is (And What It Isn't): https://www.amazon.com/Coming-Age-author/dp/1847927297 Paper - Self-Diagnosis of Mental Disorders: A Qualitative Study of Attitudes on Reddit: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/10497323241288785 Subscribe to the Behind the Stigma podcast on YouTube, Apple Podcast or Spotify. Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthestigmapodcast/

    48 min
  8. Borderline Personality Disorder & Psychotherapy with Dr. Mark Ruffalo

    01/02/2025

    Borderline Personality Disorder & Psychotherapy with Dr. Mark Ruffalo

    Send us Fan Mail In this week's episode, I speak with Dr. Mark Ruffalo on Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), long-term psychotherapy, and the nuances of diagnosis in mental health. We discuss object relations in BPD, the concept of splitting, and how these dynamics shape therapeutic work. We also explore the role of psychoanalytic therapy, the fine line between pathology and normal behavior, and how diagnostic pluralism can improve patient care. Dr. Ruffalo also shares insights into the psychodynamic treatment of schizophrenia and the evolving landscape of mental health. Chapter markers added! About Dr. Mark Ruffalo Dr. Ruffalo is a psychotherapist in private practice in Florida, and serves as Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Central Florida and Adjunct Instructor of Psychiatry at Tufts University. He has broad clinical experience in the psychoanalytic treatment of a range of psychiatric conditions with particular interest in the psychotherapy of schizophrenia and borderline personality disorder. His current research interests include the object relations theory of borderline personality disorder; communication dilemmas, paradoxes, and double binds in personality pathology to name a few.  Website: https://www.drruffalo.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-l-ruffalo-71929063/ Twitter: https://x.com/marklruffalo?lang=en Paper - A Clinical Guide to Navigating Diagnostic Pluralism: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39079000/ Subscribe to the Behind the Stigma podcast on YouTube, Apple Podcast or Spotify. Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthestigmapodcast/

    1hr 2min
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About

Hosted and produced by Seiara Imanova, a PhD student from University of Birmingham, Behind the Stigma is a pioneering podcast that bridges the gap between the general public and the fields of Psychology, Psychiatry and Mental Health. Each episode offers a deep dive into cutting-edge research, featuring conversations with leading experts and top researchers in the field. Take a listen, as we uncover the science, challenge misconceptions, and bridge the crucial gap between academia and the everyday.

Information

  • Creator
    Behind the Stigma
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    94
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Behind the Stigma
  • Show Website
    Behind the Stigma

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