The Thinking Mind Podcast: Psychiatry & Psychotherapy
"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.comDisclaimer: None of the information in the podcast is intended as medical advice for any one invididual.
Latest episodes
Jun 5, 2025 • 1h 12min
E127 - Can Tony Robbins Cure Depression? (Talking Research with Dr. Anya Borissova)
Can Tony Robbins self-help course cure depression? Do people prefer ketamine or electroconvulsive treatment for depression and does preference matter? Today Alex and Anya break down mental health studies to deliver fascinating insights from research, discuss the difference between good and bad science, and understand how science can be (for better and worse) leveraged to market products. Tony Robbins Study:https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9107501/Ketamine vs Electroconvulsive Treatment:Primary analysis: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30572160/Secondary analysis: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165178125000605With Dr. Anya Borissova and Dr. Alex Curmi. Dr. Alex is a consultant psychiatrist and a UKCP registered psychotherapist in-training. Dr. Anya is a psychiatry registrar and academic trainee at the South London and Maudsley NHS foundation trust. 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 Tiktok - @thinking.mind.podcast Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcast
May 29, 2025 • 46min
E126 - Is Social Media Dangerous for Kids?
Today Alex discusses the question: is social media harmful for the mental health of young people? In this episode expect to learn: - Why human beings are vulnerable to information overload.- What about social media and smartphone technology could be addictive or harmful?- Super-powers or metaskills we should be cultivating in our children to deal with an AI driven world. - Recommendations around smartphones and social media for young people. Dr. Alex Curmi is a consultant psychiatrist and a UKCP registered psychotherapist in-training.Watch Alex on Adam Lane Smith's youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Dd6GAsZhQ0&t=1529sIf 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 Tiktok @thinking.mind.podcastGive feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcast
May 22, 2025 • 1h 4min
E125 - The Path to Productivity with ADHD (w/ Ari Tuckman)
Ari Tuckman, a renowned psychologist and author specializing in ADHD, shares his insights on productivity challenges faced by adults with the condition. He discusses the balance between self-acceptance and the pursuit of improvement, emphasizing the importance of confidence. Tuckman explores the nuances of procrastination specific to ADHD, offering practical strategies for overcoming it. He also highlights the role of visualization techniques in achieving long-term goals and advocates for a comprehensive approach to treatment that includes self-awareness and proactive strategies.
May 15, 2025 • 52min
E124 - How can we Prevent and Treat Dementia? (w/ Dr. Ben Underwood)
Dr Ben Underwood is Assistant Professor in Applied and Translational Old Age Psychiatry at the University of Cambridge and an Honorary Consultant Old Age Psychiatrist. His interests are in translational medicine in dementia, where he has been principal investigator (PI) for academic and pharma led clinical trials.Today we discuss:Trajectories of Common Mental Health Problems into Older Age, how mental health issues such as depression or psychosis evolve as people age.Dementia and Its Different Types, including Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, and frontotemporal dementia.Dementia Prevention, strategies for reducing risk and managing symptoms, including lifestyle interventions and early detection.How Dementia is Treated, including pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches. The Advent of AI in Psychiatric Research, exploring how artificial intelligence is transforming diagnosis, treatment prediction, and mental health monitoring.Interviewed 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.Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com - Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcast Tiktok - @thinking.mind.podcast Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcast
May 8, 2025 • 58min
E123 - Are You the Victim of your Own Ambition? (w/ Stefan Stern)
Stefan Stern has been writing about management and leadership for over two decades. He has worked for the BBC, Management Today magazine and the Financial Times, He continues to write for the FT, the Guardian and other publications. He is Visiting Professor in management practice at Bayes Business School, City University, London. He was previously the director of the High Pay Centre, a think tank which focuses on the causes and consequences of economic inequality. Stefan is the author of How To Be A Better Leader, the co-author of Myths of Management and most recently has written Fair or Foul: The Lady Macbeth Guide to Ambition. Interviewed 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.Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com - Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcast Tiktok - @thinking.mind.podcast Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcast
May 1, 2025 • 1h 13min
E122 - Why is an ADHD diagnosis helpful? (w/ Robin Ince)
Robin Ince is a comedian, author, broadcaster and a populariser of scientific ideas. He is best known as the co-host of the BBC Radio 4 series The Infinite Monkey Cage with Professor Brian Cox. His new book Normally Weird and Weirdly Normal: My adventures in neurodiversity is out now. Interviewed by Dr. Anya Borissova and Dr. Alex Curmi - Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcastIf 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 Tiktok - @thinking.mind.podcast Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcast
Apr 24, 2025 • 1h 10min
E121 - Psychoanalysis, Adolescence & the Unconscious Lust for Control (w/ Dr. Alan Baban)
Dr Alan Baban is a writer, psychiatrist and BPC registered psychoanalytic psychotherapist, and he is the Chair of the Art and Psychiatry Special Interest Group at the Royal College of Psychiatry. Today we discuss:- What makes psychoanalysis different from other therapies- Different unconscious drives people have - What a psychoanalytic session looks like- The many benefits of free association - How art can help people understand the human experience- The acclaimed Netflix series Adolescence Interviewed 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.Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com - Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcast Tiktok - @thinking.mind.podcast Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcast
Apr 17, 2025 • 36min
E120 - How & Why I Stopped Drinking
Discover a personal journey of sobriety and its profound effects on mental health and social interactions. The discussion reveals how societal views on drinking are shifting, especially among younger generations. Listeners will learn about strategies to combat cravings and refocus on healthier habits. There's an exploration of the impact of alcohol on clarity and emotion management, encouraging a deeper reflection on personal relationships post-alcohol. Insightful tools are shared to support anyone looking to reduce undesirable habits.
Apr 10, 2025 • 1h 25min
E119 - How do we treat ADHD? (with Dr. Russell Ramsay)
Dr. Russell Ramsay is a co-founder of the Penn Adult ADHD Treatment and Research Program, and served as professor of clinical psychology in the department of psychiatry of the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.He is author of many books on ADHD, his most recent book is Rethinking Adult ADHD: Helping Clients Turn Intentions into Actions (2020). In addition he has a popular blog on psychology today, rethinking adult ADHD. Find out more about Dr. Ramsay here - https://www.cbt4adhd.com/about/In today’s episode we discuss, what it means to be diagnosed with ADHD, how patients should consider whether or not to take medication, how ADHD can be treated psychologically, how CBT should be adapted for ADHD, how people can improve their focus and much more. Interviewed by Dr. Alex Curmi. Dr. Alex is a consultant psychiatrist and a UKCP registered psychotherapist in-training.Alex's latest Guardian article: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/mar/31/the-big-idea-should-you-trust-your-gutTedX conference tickets: https://tedxlondonbusinessschool.co.uk/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 Tiktok - @thinking.mind.podcast Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcast
Apr 3, 2025 • 1h
E118 - When do Couples need Therapy? (w/ Mary Morgan)
Mary Morgan is an individual and couples psychoanalyst, Fellow of the British Psychoanalytical Society and Honorary Member of the Polish Society for Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy. She has written extensively in the field of couple psychoanalysis and teaches and supervises internationally. She is the author of ‘A Couple State of Mind: Psychoanalysis of Couples and the Tavistock Relationships Model’ .In this episode we discuss: - How and why couples commonly run into problems- Typical difficulties with communication people have - The impact of the "romantic ideal" on relationships in the West- How trends like non-monogamy impact modern couples - Red flags a relationship is in trobule - Green flags couples therapy is progressing wellInterviewed 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.Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com - Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcast Tiktok - @thinking.mind.podcast Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcast
