

The Thinking Mind Podcast: Psychiatry & Psychotherapy
The Thinking Mind Podcast
"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.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jul 24, 2025 • 53min
E134 - Is Psychiatry Making Things Worse? (w/ Marieke Bigg)
Marieke Bigg is an author of fiction and nonfiction in the areas of women’s health, mental health, and the history of science. She holds a PhD in sociology from the University of Cambridge where her research focused on the debates on human embryo research in Britain. She is currently also training as a psychotherapist and works as a peer support coordinator and client liaison at the mental health charity Mind. Her most recent book is No Such Thing As Normal: Disorders, Diagnoses and the Limits of Psychiatry.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.Check out The Thinking Mind Blog on Substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/thinkingmindblog/p/thinking-mind-blog-big-thoughts-edition?r=1cn09u&utm_medium=iosGive feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcast

Jul 17, 2025 • 1h 4min
E133 - How Does Your Personality Affect Your Life? - Live at Imperial College
What if you finally had a road map to your psychology?This week Alex shares a talk he gave at the MRC institute at Imperial College - Personality: How the Science of Who We Are Can Help Us Lead Better Lives.This talk describes how we can define personality, why its useful to have an understand of personality for career, relationships and quality of life, how personality affects our political leanings and much more. This lecture is also available on youtube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yI1EJfP1zgDr. Alex Curmi is a consultant psychiatrist and a UKCP registered psychotherapist in-training.Alex's TedX talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JvG10zQups&t=52sIf 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.Check out The Thinking Mind Blog on Substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/thinkingmindblog/p/thinking-mind-blog-big-thoughts-edition?r=1cn09u&utm_medium=iosGive feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcast

Jul 10, 2025 • 1h 3min
E132 - Does Acceptance Lead to Change? (Acceptance & Commitment Therapy w/Dr. Joe Oliver)
Dr Joe Oliver is a consultant clinical psychologist and founder of Contextual Consulting, an organisation providing training, supervision and therapy in acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). He is also an associate professor and overall programme director for the University College London CBT for Severe Mental Health Problems post graduate programme.He has written 6 ACT books, and has his own Youtube channel dedicated to discussing ACT and related topics. 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.Check out The Thinking Mind Blog on Substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/thinkingmindblog/p/thinking-mind-blog-big-thoughts-edition?r=1cn09u&utm_medium=iosGive feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcast

Jul 3, 2025 • 1h 3min
E131 - What if Nothing Felt Real Anymore? (Depersonalisation & Derealisation w/ Dr. Elaine Hunter)
Dr. Elaine Hunter is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist who has worked with Depersonalisation and Derealisation Disorder since 1999. She has conducted research into improving psychological treatment of the condition and worked clinically to try to help many people with the condition. In March 2019 she set up The Depersonalisation Clinic to allow her freedom to see a wider range of clients. She is a founding member of Unreal - a charity dedicated to helping individuals with Depersonalisation and Derealisation. In the last few years she has collaborated with many involved with Unreal in trying to raise awareness of DPDR as well as improving access to treatment and increasing research funding. You can find out more about Unreal here - https://www.unrealcharity.com/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.Check out The Thinking Mind Blog on Substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/thinkingmindblog/p/thinking-mind-blog-big-thoughts-edition?r=1cn09u&utm_medium=iosGive feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcast

Jun 26, 2025 • 48min
E130 - What Should You Know about Anti-depressants? (feat. the Lively Minds podcast)
This week Alex goes on the the Lively Minds Podcast to chat to hosts Will and Ellie. They take a deep dive into anti-depressants and SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors), which is the most commonly prescribed form of antidepressant in the UK.They discuss what we know about the effectiveness of SSRIs, what we don't, and why there is so much debate about their use.You can check out Lively Minds on Apple, Spotify and every major podcast platform:https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/lively-minds-the-uk-mental-health-podcast/id1670147948Dr. Alex Curmi 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.Check out The Thinking Mind Blog on Substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/thinkingmindblog/p/thinking-mind-blog-big-thoughts-edition?r=1cn09u&utm_medium=iosGive feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcast

Jun 19, 2025 • 56min
E129 - Living with Bipolar Disorder (w/ Shreevatsa Nevatia)
Shreevatsa Nevatia is an independent journalist. He has worked as the editor of National GeographicTraveller, and has written for the NationHindustan Times, and the Mumbai Mirror and Outlook. He is the author of How to Travel Light: My Memories of Madness and Melancholia, which among other things describes Shreevata's experiences coming to terms with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder in his early twenties. 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.Check out The Thinking Mind Blog on Substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/thinkingmindblog/p/thinking-mind-blog-big-thoughts-edition?r=1cn09u&utm_medium=iosGive feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcast

Jun 12, 2025 • 1h 11min
E128 - How do we Treat Insomnia? (w/ Dr. Hugh Selsick)
Dr Hugh Selsick is a consultant psychiatrist treating adults with sleep disorders, he has been involved in Sleep and Sleep Medicine for nearly 30 years. He has also founded and ran the Insomnia and Behavioural Sleep Medicine Clinic at UCLH, having worked for over a decade in the Sleep Disorders Centre at Guy’s & St Thomas’ Hospitals. Dr. Selsick founded and chaired the Sleep Special Interest Group in the Royal College of Psychiatrists and he is a past president of the Sleep Section at the Royal Society of Medicine. He has expertise in treating all sleep disorders and has a special interest in the management of insomnia, nightmares, circadian rhythm disorders and restless legs.Today we discuss:- The serious impact of insomnia on quality of life - Definition, causes, and prevalence of insomnia - Overview of sleep disorders: insomnia, hypersomnia, sleep apnea, circadian disorders, parasomnias, movement disorders- CBT for insomnia... and much more!Interviewed by Dr. Anya Borissova - Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcast Tiktok - @thinking.mind.podcast Check out The Thinking Mind Blog on Substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/thinkingmindblog/p/thinking-mind-blog-big-thoughts-edition?r=1cn09u&utm_medium=iosGive feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcast

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.Check out The Thinking Mind Blog on Substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/thinkingmindblog/p/thinking-mind-blog-big-thoughts-edition?r=1cn09u&utm_medium=iosGive 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.Check out The Thinking Mind Blog on Substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/thinkingmindblog/p/thinking-mind-blog-big-thoughts-edition?r=1cn09u&utm_medium=iosGive 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.