The Thinking Mind Podcast: Psychiatry & Psychotherapy

The Thinking Mind Podcast
  • 4.6 (15)
  • MENTAL HEALTH
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

"If you are interested in your mind, emotions, sense of self, and understanding of others, this show is brilliant." Learn something new about the mind every week - With in-depth conversations at the intersection of psychiatry, psychotherapy, self-development, spirituality and the philosophy of mental health.  Featuring experts from around the world, leading clinicians and academics, published authors, and people with lived experience, we aim to make complex ideas in the mental health space accessible and engaging.  This podcast is designed for a broad audience including professionals, those who suffer with mental health difficulties, more common psychological problems, or those who just want to learn more about themselves and others.  Hosted by psychiatrists Dr. Alex Curmi, Dr. Anya Borissova & Dr. Rebecca Wilkinson.  Listeners have also said: "Every episode is enlightening, the approach, conversations and depth of information is deeply enriching. So refreshing to hear practitioners with this level of insight into human behaviour. Thank you for the work and for sharing." Podcast related enquiries: thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com. If you would like to work with Dr. Curmi: alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com Disclaimer: None of the information in the podcast is intended as medical advice for any one invididual. 

  1. Sleep Series E2 | The Psychology of Insomnia (w/ Heather Darwall-Smith)

    3D AGO

    Sleep Series E2 | The Psychology of Insomnia (w/ Heather Darwall-Smith)

    Heather Darwall-Smith is a UKCP Registered and Accredited Psychotherapist, specialising in CBT for insomnia and psychotherapy for sleep. She is the author of How To Be Awake (So You Can Sleep Through the Night), The Science of Sleep and The ADHD Sleep Book. She has been featured on The Guardian, BBC and Forbes.  You can find out more about Heather here https://www.heatherdarwallsmith.com/. This episode explores how Heather works with people who have tried everything for their sleep problems and what we can do during our waking life to improve our sleep. Interviewed by Dr. Anya Borissova with Dr. Rosy Blunstone. Dr. Borissova is an academic psychiatry registrar at the South London and Maudsley Trust. Dr. Blunstone is a psychiatry and psychotherapy registrar in London.  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

    1h 9m
  2. E175 | How to Stop Fighting Your Mind (w/ Professor Kalina Christoff Hadjiilieva)

    6D AGO

    E175 | How to Stop Fighting Your Mind (w/ Professor Kalina Christoff Hadjiilieva)

    In this episode, Alex is joined by Professor Kalina Christoff Hadjiilieva, Professor of Psychology at the University of British Columbia and one of the world’s leading researchers on the neuroscience of thought. We explore why our relationship with thought may be one of the most important factors in our wellbeing. Kalina explains why spontaneous thought — mind-wandering, daydreaming, creativity and even dreaming — is far more important than modern productivity culture often allows. We discuss  the difference between healthy mind-wandering and repetitive rumination, and what happens in the brain seconds before a thought enters conscious awareness. We also explore meditation, the unconscious mind, creativity, habits of thought, the cost of avoiding the past, and how we can begin to build a better relationship with our own minds. Interviewed by Dr. Alex Curmi. Dr. Alex is a consultant psychiatrist and a UKCP registered psychotherapist in-training. Website: alexcurmitherapy.com 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

    47 min
  3. Sleep Series E1: How Does Sleep Work? (w/ Prof. Russell Foster)

    MAY 17

    Sleep Series E1: How Does Sleep Work? (w/ Prof. Russell Foster)

    This is the first episode on our special mini-series on sleep. Professor Russell Foster is Professor of Circadian Neuroscience, Director of the Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology and the Head of the Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute at the University of Oxford. He is the author of the Sunday Times bestseller 'Life Time'. In this episode, we take a whirlwind tour of how we’ve developed circadian rhythms and how they orchestrate pretty much every function in our body. We turn the focus onto sleep, of course, and speak about the impact of shift work, what is known about the sleep disruption in mental illness (chicken or egg?!) and much more.  You can see more of Prof Foster's research at https://www.scni.ox.ac.uk/ Interviewed by Dr. Anya Borissova with Dr. Rosy Blunstone. Dr. Borissova is an academic psychiatry registrar at the South London and Maudsley Trust. Dr. Blunstone is a psychiatry and psychotherapy registrar in London.  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

    1h 20m

  4. MAY 16

    Key Moment: What People Get Wrong About Sobriety (w/ Catherine Gray)

    This is an excerpt from: E170 | The Unexpected Joy of Sobriety (w/ Catherine Gray) Catherine Gray is the best selling author of The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober (2017). In addition to her books she has also been published in The Guardian, Stylist, The Telegraph, Grazia and The Lancet Psychiatrist. Her most recent book Little Addictions (2026) is out now. Today we discuss her journey to sobriety, the hidden role alcohol can play in mental health, and why giving it up can lead to a richer, more joyful life. We also explore the psychology of addiction, behaviour change, how one can strengthen their long-term thinking, why uncertain rewards are so addictive, the unexpected downside of gossiping and much more. Interviewed by Dr. Alex Curmi. Dr. Alex is a consultant psychiatrist and a UKCP registered psychotherapist in-training. 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 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

    9 min
  5. E174 | Looksmaxxing Uncovered: The Dark Side of Self-Improvement (w/ Dr. Rosy Blunstone)

    MAY 14 ·  VIDEO

    E174 | Looksmaxxing Uncovered: The Dark Side of Self-Improvement (w/ Dr. Rosy Blunstone)

    Looksmaxxing is an online subculture that has moved from niche online forums into mainstream conversation, but what does it actually mean, and when does looksmaxxing become concerning, if not disturbing?  In this episode, Alex is joined again by psychiatry and psychotherapy registrar Dr Rosy Blunstone to explore the world of looksmaxxing: from grooming, fitness and “softmaxxing” to more extreme practices such as bone smashing, steroid use, cosmetic surgery and dangerous medication misuse. They discuss why looksmaxxing appears to resonate especially with young men, how dating apps and image-based social media may be shaping anxiety around attraction, and the links between looksmaxxing, rejection, loneliness, OCD, body dysmorphic disorder and incel culture. Together, they ask what a healthier attitude toward appearance might look like, and why confidence, resilience, social connection and learning to tolerate rejection may matter far more than chasing physical perfection. Watched the Channel 4 doc about Looksmaxxing here: https://youtu.be/KdfKZpsNMvE?si=VWYuNugKxZVWgZsS Interviewed by Dr. Alex Curmi. Dr. Alex is a consultant psychiatrist and a UKCP registered psychotherapist in-training. Website: alexcurmitherapy.com 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

    59 min
  6. E173 | Thinking Films: Network (1976) w/ Tom Shkolnik

    MAY 7

    E173 | Thinking Films: Network (1976) w/ Tom Shkolnik

    Today Alex and special guest Tom Shkolnik discuss the 1976 film Network directed by Sidney Lumet, written by Paddy Chayefsky and starring Peter Finch, Robert Duvall, William Holden and Faye Dunaway.   In this episode we discuss Lumet's film-making style, how Network predicted the future, the evolution of the media landscape, the impact of systems and media on how we think and behave, technology addiction, cultural stagnation and much more.  Tom is the director of the 2012 British drama The Comedian nominated for Best Newcomer at the 2012 London film festival. He is the director of an upcoming film based on the book A Life of One's Own by psychoanalyst Marion Milner.  Here is the link to the crowdfunding campaign for Tom's upcoming film A Life of Own's Own about psychoanalyst Marion Milner: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/qr/BWdq6L4n?utm_campaign=sharemodal&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=shortlink Interviewed by Dr. Alex Curmi. Dr. Alex is a consultant psychiatrist and a UKCP registered psychotherapist in-training. Check out The Thinking Mind Blog on Substack: https://substack.com/home/post/p-186445029 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

    1h 30m
  7. E172 | How to Live Courageously (Existential Psychotherapy w/ Emmy van Deurzen)

    APR 30

    E172 | How to Live Courageously (Existential Psychotherapy w/ Emmy van Deurzen)

    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. Her new book, Beginning to Live: The Art of Existential Freedom, is a guide to existential therapy. Not so much a self-help book, but, as Emmy puts it, a compass for navigating life’s difficulties. In it, she explores how we can face the fundamental questions of existence: uncertainty, meaning, freedom, mortality, and our relationships with others. 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. Emmy's new book - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beginning-Live-Art-Existential-Freedom Interviewed by Dr. Alex Curmi. Dr. Alex is a consultant psychiatrist and a UKCP registered psychotherapist in-training. 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

    1h 14m
  8. E171 - Taking Your Life Back (w/ Tom Shkolnik)

    APR 23

    E171 - Taking Your Life Back (w/ Tom Shkolnik)

    Tom Shkolnik returns to discuss his upcoming film A Life of One’s Own, based on the life of psychoanalyst and writer Marion Milner. Today he explains Milner’s undogmatic, exploratory style, rooted in her rejection of post–World War I societal norms.  Tom and Alex explore key ideas from A Life of One’s Own, including Milner’s practice of tracking happiness, her distinction between “wide” versus “narrow” attention, the joy of purposelessness and much more. Shkolnik describes crafting his nontraditional, scriptless film, alongside reflections on the film-world’s current crisis and the importance of creative freedom.  Tom is the director of the 2012 British drama The Comedian nominated for Best Newcomer at the 2012 London film festival. He is the director of an upcoming film based on the book A Life of One's Own by psychoanalyst Marion Milner.  Link to the crowdfunding campaign for A Life of Own's Own about psychoanalyst Marion Milner: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/qr/BWdq6L4n?utm_campaign=sharemodal&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=shortlink Interviewed by Dr. Alex Curmi. Dr. Alex is a consultant psychiatrist and a UKCP registered psychotherapist in-training. 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

    1h 18m
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Ratings & Reviews

4.6
out of 5
15 Ratings

About

"If you are interested in your mind, emotions, sense of self, and understanding of others, this show is brilliant." Learn something new about the mind every week - With in-depth conversations at the intersection of psychiatry, psychotherapy, self-development, spirituality and the philosophy of mental health.  Featuring experts from around the world, leading clinicians and academics, published authors, and people with lived experience, we aim to make complex ideas in the mental health space accessible and engaging.  This podcast is designed for a broad audience including professionals, those who suffer with mental health difficulties, more common psychological problems, or those who just want to learn more about themselves and others.  Hosted by psychiatrists Dr. Alex Curmi, Dr. Anya Borissova & Dr. Rebecca Wilkinson.  Listeners have also said: "Every episode is enlightening, the approach, conversations and depth of information is deeply enriching. So refreshing to hear practitioners with this level of insight into human behaviour. Thank you for the work and for sharing." Podcast related enquiries: thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com. If you would like to work with Dr. Curmi: alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com Disclaimer: None of the information in the podcast is intended as medical advice for any one invididual. 

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