The Thinking Mind Podcast: Psychiatry & Psychotherapy

Епизоде

• E181 | Are Trad Wives Feminists? (w/ Dr. Rosy Blunstone) 03.07.2026 54мин

  Is being a tradwife really just about baking bread, homemaking and traditional femininity, or is there something deeper going on? 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 gen...
• Key Moment: The Three Faces of Self-Hate 01.07.2026 6мин

  This is an excerpt from: E177 - Why You Must Deal With Self-Hate. Low self-esteem doesn’t always look like insecurity. In this clip, Dr. Alex explains three patterns of low self-esteem and self-hate: becoming aggressive, becoming submissive, or becoming avoidant. Drawing on Karen Horney’s ideas in *Neurosis and Human Growth*, he explores how poor self-esteem can show up as narcissism, people-pleasing, dependency, cynicism, avoidance, difficulty with criticism, and trouble taking risks. Low ...
• E180 | Thinking Films: Another Woman (1988) 25.06.2026 1ч 24мин

  In this episode of The Thinking Mind, Dr. Alex is joined by Michael Cohen and Jonathan Kirschner, hosts of That ’70s Movie Podcast, to discuss Woody Allen’s 1988 film Another Woman, starring Gena Rowlands, Ian Holm, Mia Farrow and Gene Hackman. Another Woman is a quiet but devastating psychological drama about Marion Post, a philosophy professor whose life begins to unravel when she overhears the therapy sessions of a younger pregnant woman. Dr Alex, Michael and Jonathan discuss why the...
• Key Moment: How Dating Apps Break Male Confidence (LooksMaxxing Explained) 24.06.2026 15мин

  This is an excerpt from E174 about LooksMaxxing. Looksmaxxing has become one of the most talked-about trends among young men online — but what does it actually mean, and when does self-improvement become harmful? This conversation looks at the deeper psychological forces behind the looksmaxxing trend: fear of rejection, low self-esteem, the desire to become more attractive, the pressure to “ascend,” and the belief that changing your face or body will solve your dating life. We also ...
• E179 | Why Attraction Isn't What You Think - Dr. Paul Eastwick 18.06.2026 1ч 7мин

  Dr. Paul Eastwick is a Professor at UC Davis where he runs the Attraction and Relationships Research Laboratory. Dr. Eastwick’s research investigates how people initiate romantic relationships and the psychological mechanisms that help romantic partners to remain committed and attached. He is one of the hosts of the Love Factually podcast. Today we discuss his 2026 book Bonded by Evolution - to explore the science of romantic attraction, dating, compatibility and long-term relationships...
• Key Moment: Make Your Life a Work of Art (w/ Emmy Van Deurzen) 16.06.2026 17мин

  This is an excerpt from E172 of the Thinking Mind Podcast. 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. In this conversation, we discuss existential therapy, what it means to be truly free, how to face life’s difficulties without turning awa...
• E178 | Our Idiot Brains, Happiness & Antidepressants (w/ Dr. Dean Burnett) 11.06.2026 1ч 4мин

  Today Dr. Alex is joined by neuroscientist and author Dr Dean Burnett for a wide-ranging conversation about the strange, flawed and fascinating human brain. Dr Dean Burnett is the author of The Idiot Brain, The Happy Brain and several other books exploring neuroscience, psychology and the weird ways our brains shape our lives. They discuss why the brain is not the perfect machine we often imagine it to be, why intrusive thoughts don’t define who you are, why anxiety and self-sabotage are ofte...
• Sleep Series E4 | The Sleep Disorders No One Talks About (w/ Dr. Hugh Selsick) 08.06.2026 1ч 18мин

  For the final episode of our Sleep Series, Dr. Anya welcomes back Dr Hugh Selsick, consultant psychiatrist and lead for the UCLH Sleep Clinic in London. This episode covers sleep disorders we didn’t discuss previously on the last episode with Hugh (E128). They discuss the different stages of sleep, strange things can happen during sleep such as sleep paralysis (parasomnias), narcolepsy, sleep apnoea, restless legs syndrome and much more. If you haven't already check out episodes 1...
• E177 | Why You Must Deal With Self-Hate 04.06.2026 24мин

  In this episode, Alex explores self-esteem, self-hate and self-criticism, not just as emotional issues, but as forces that can shape the quality of a person’s life. He discusses how poor self-esteem can affect relationships, work, ambition, risk-taking and the ability to build a life that feels authentic. Alex also examines how people can develop a defensive “neurotic self” in response to fear, shame, anxiety or the stresses of life. Finally, he looks at what healthier self-esteem might...
• Sleep Series E3 | How Do Children Sleep? (w/ Dr Anya McLaren-Barnett) 01.06.2026 1ч 3мин

  This episode in the sleep series is with Dr Anya McLaren-Barnett. Dr Anya is a pediatric respirologist, sleep medicine physician and creator of The Sleep Health Intelligence Program (SHIPTM). In this episode, we discuss how our sleep patterns develop from birth, how Dr Anya addresses children’s sleep disorders in her clinic and we get some pointers on how to choose a sleep consultant. Thinking about investing in melatonin gummies? Listen to this episode first and then decide. You can see more...
• E176 | LSD, Narcissism & the Science of the Self (w/ Dr. Anjali Bhat) 29.05.2026 1ч 18мин

  Dr Anjali Bhat is a neuroscientist, therapist and writer. Today we discuss the science of the self, the future of therapy, and what altered states of consciousness can teach us about the mind. Anjali explains her work in psychedelics research, including an upcoming study that involves giving people high doses of LSD in a high-resolution brain scanner. We also talk about the promises and limitations of psychedelic-assisted therapy, ADHD, productivity culture, burnout, and why slowi...
• Sleep Series E2 | The Psychology of Insomnia (w/ Heather Darwall-Smith) 25.05.2026 1ч 8мин

  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 pro...
• E175 | How to Stop Fighting Your Mind (w/ Professor Kalina Christoff Hadjiilieva) 21.05.2026 47мин

  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...
• Sleep Series E1: How Does Sleep Work? (w/ Prof. Russell Foster) 18.05.2026 1ч 19мин

  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 foc...
• Key Moment: What People Get Wrong About Sobriety (w/ Catherine Gray) 16.05.2026 9мин

  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, ...
• E174 | Looksmaxxing Uncovered: The Dark Side of Self-Improvement (w/ Dr. Rosy Blunstone) 15.05.2026 59мин

  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...
• E173 | Thinking Films: Network (1976) w/ Tom Shkolnik 08.05.2026 1ч 30мин

  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 dr...
• E172 | How to Live Courageously (Existential Psychotherapy w/ Emmy van Deurzen) 01.05.2026 1ч 13мин

  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. I...
• E171 - Taking Your Life Back (w/ Tom Shkolnik) 24.04.2026 1ч 18мин

  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 n...
• E170 - The Unexpected Joy of Sobriety (w/ Catherine Gray) 17.04.2026 1ч 1мин

  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,...