The Thinking Mind: Mental Health & Personal Growth

Dr. Alex Curmi MD
  • 4.6 (16)
  • Mental Health
  • Updated Biweekly

"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. Rosy Blunstone. 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. 8h ago ·  Video

    E188 | Thinking Films: Why the 70Up Documentary Feels Like Years of Therapy

    Why does watching the 70 Up documentary feel like years of therapy? Watching lives unfold over six decades can make you reconsider your own: what you’re chasing, what you’re postponing and what really matters. In this Thinking Films episode Dr. Alex explores ITV’s 70 Up from his perspective as a psychiatrist and therapist. Through the participants’ ambitions, relationships, disappointments and everyday joys, we examine four uncomfortable questions: • Why don’t we always prioritise what matters most? • How much of our life do we choose, and how much do we remain the children we once were? • What actually makes a successful life, and who gets to decide? • If life never becomes what we hoped, can we still be happy? Along the way, we discuss childhood, personality, agency, family, regret and the balance between ambition and acceptance. Heartbreaking, funny and sometimes unexpectedly profound, 70 Up offers a rare opportunity to step back and see a whole life (and perhaps our own) with greater perspective. Which participant’s story stayed with you most? Let us know in the comments. Presented by Dr. Alex Curmi. Dr. Alex is a consultant psychiatrist and a UKCP registered psychotherapist. 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 psychological 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

    E188 | Thinking Films: Why the 70Up Documentary Feels Like Years of Therapy

  2. Sep 10 ·  Video

    E187 | Can Psychiatrists Predict the Unthinkable? | The Lindsay Clancy Case

    The Lindsay Clancy case has prompted an enormous debate about postpartum psychosis, criminal responsibility, psychiatric treatment and whether severe mental illness can ever be reliably predicted. In this episode Dr. Alex examines the case not to deliver a verdict on Lindsay Clancy, but to explore what it reveals about the realities and limitations of psychiatry. The episode looks at Lindsay Clancy’s psychiatric deterioration after the birth of her third child, her treatment for anxiety, depression and insomnia, her admission to McLean Hospital, the unusually complicated sequence of psychiatric medications she was prescribed, and the competing claims surrounding the case. It also explores some of the most difficult questions in mental healthcare: How accurately can psychiatrists predict suicide or violence? Can someone appear organised while experiencing psychosis? How difficult can postpartum psychosis be to detect? Can starting and stopping psychiatric medications destabilise someone’s mental state?  Presented by Dr. Alex Curmi. Dr. Alex is a consultant psychiatrist and a UKCP registered psychotherapist. 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 psychological 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

    E187 | Can Psychiatrists Predict the Unthinkable? | The Lindsay Clancy Case

  3. Sep 3 ·  Video

    How AI Shapes Our Beliefs (Key Moment w/ Dr. Tom Pollak)

    How do you arrive at your beliefs? In this clip from E182 of the podcast, Dr Alex speaks with consultant neuropsychiatrist Dr Tom Pollack about what AI-associated delusions may reveal about human belief itself. Rather than treating belief as something purely rational (a simple matter of evidence, logic or facts) they explore how beliefs are also shaped by emotion, meaning, charisma, relationships and narrative. They also discuss how psychiatry should adapt to the arrival of this revolutionary technology.  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://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 psychological 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

    How AI Shapes Our Beliefs (Key Moment w/ Dr. Tom Pollak)

  4. Aug 27 ·  Video

    Update on Channel 4's: The Great ADHD Myth?

    In this update to last week’s episode,  Dr Alex reflects on the response to Channel 4’s The Great ADHD Myth? and on an important new development. He also discusses what that means for the documentary, the wider ADHD debate, and the importance of discussing complex mental health issues without stigma, contempt or oversimplification. Presented by Dr. Alex Curmi. Dr. Alex is a consultant psychiatrist and a UKCP registered psychotherapist. 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 psychological 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

    Update on Channel 4's: The Great ADHD Myth?

  5. Aug 20 ·  Video

    E186 | Channel 4’s New ADHD Documentary Missed a Huge Opportunity

    In this episode of The Thinking Mind Podcast, Dr. Alex responds to Channel 4’s new documentary The Great ADHD Myth? Presented by psychiatrist Dr Max Pemberton, this film asks whether ADHD is really a neurodevelopmental disorder, and whether ADHD diagnosis and medication have gone too far.   He discusses this documentary and examines where it raises important questions, and where its conclusions go beyond the evidence. The episode explores the evidence as to whether ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder, ADHD genetics and heritability, brain imaging, whether ADHD is overdiagnosed in the UK, the quality of ADHD assessments, ADHD medication, non-medication ADHD treatment, lifestyle factors and the potential impact of the documentary on ADHD stigma. This discussion is intended for education and general information and is not individual medical advice. Research Papers Mentioned: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/2835661 https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/the-british-journal-of-psychiatry/article/adhd-over-diagnosis-fiction-fashion-and-failure/1163426C23804A7049FE35D940EA938C Presented by Dr. Alex Curmi. Dr. Alex is a consultant psychiatrist and a UKCP registered psychotherapist. 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 psychological 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

    E186 | Channel 4’s New ADHD Documentary Missed a Huge Opportunity

  6. Aug 13 ·  Video

    E185 | How Psychiatry Became Fixated on Chemical Imbalance (w/ Prof. Justin Garson)

    What if one of psychiatry’s most influential ideas began with LSD, amphetamines and a handful of experiments that would be difficult to imagine today? In this episode, Dr. Alex speaks with philosophy Professor Justin Garson about his new book, The Madness Pill: One Doctor’s Quest to Understand Schizophrenia. They explore the remarkable story of neuroscientist Solomon Snyder, whose work helped establish the dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia and contributed to psychiatry’s shift towards a more biomedical understanding of mental illness. The conversation also asks a broader question: if mental illness is more complex than one faulty brain mechanism, what would a genuinely holistic model of psychiatric care look like? Interviewed by Dr. Alex Curmi. Dr. Alex is a consultant psychiatrist and a UKCP registered psychotherapist. 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 psychological 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

    E185 | How Psychiatry Became Fixated on Chemical Imbalance (w/ Prof. Justin Garson)

  7. Aug 6 ·  Video

    Why Tradwife Content Feels Dangerous (Key Moment w/ Dr. Rosy Blunstone)

    Is being a tradwife really just about baking bread, homemaking and traditional femininity, or is there something deeper going on? This clip is an except from E181 of the Thinking Mind Podcast. In this episode, Dr Alex is joined by Dr Rosy Blunstone to explore the psychology of the tradwife phenomenon: why tradwife content has become so popular online, what it offers women psychologically, and why it may also be more complicated (and less traditional) than it first appears. This conversation examines whether tradwife culture is a harmless aesthetic, a genuine lifestyle choice, a reaction against burnout and modern feminism, or a romanticised fantasy shaped by influencer culture. Interviewed by Dr. Alex Curmi. Dr. Alex is a consultant psychiatrist and a UKCP registered psychotherapist in-training. Dr. Blunstone is a registrar psychiatrist and psychotherapist working in North London. 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 psychological 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

    Why Tradwife Content Feels Dangerous (Key Moment w/ Dr. Rosy Blunstone)

  8. Jul 31

    Podcast Announcements & Housekeeping!

    The Thinking Mind is taking a short break, but there is plenty happening behind the scenes. In this quick update, Dr Alex shares what listeners can catch up on now, what is coming next, and why the podcast is making a move towards YouTube. There are also new episodes on meditation, doing difficult things, schizophrenia and more already in the works. If you want to support the show like, comment and subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@thinkingmindpodcast Dr. Alex is a consultant psychiatrist and a UKCP registered psychotherapist. 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 psychological 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

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Ratings & Reviews

4.6
out of 5
16 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. Rosy Blunstone. 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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