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  • S3E19 - Random Acts of Crochet Kindness, with Olivia Dieterich

    S3E19 - Random Acts of Crochet Kindness, with Olivia Dieterich
    2026/04/03
    Hosts Will and Ellie interview therapist and crocheter Olivia Dieterich about her book Random Acts of Crochet Kindness and the global movement she founded.

    After losing a friend, Natalie, to suicide, Olivia used crochet to cope with grief and set a 100-day challenge to crochet a flower each day and leave it for strangers with a note inviting them to take it home, sparking the hashtag.

    During lockdown, a found item was shared on a local Facebook group, leading to BBC coverage and the creation of a UK-based Facebook community now exceeding 350,000 members worldwide.

    Olivia discusses crochet’s grounding benefits, building self-esteem and purpose, supporting urges like self-harm, and creating “glimmers” of joy for others.

    The book offers beginner-friendly patterns, tags, guidance, and stories, and Olivia hopes to create a children’s version and more in-person meetups.

    Please note that this show does not constitute medical advice and is not a replacement for seeking professional help. You can find out more about the show and get signposting to support on our website livelymindspod.com

    Follow @livelymindspod on social media, or see our links at https://www.bio.link/livelyminds

    00:00 Welcome to Lively Minds
    01:07 How Crochet Kindness Began
    02:23 Crochet as Therapy
    05:09 Why Giving Helps You
    06:28 Going Viral in Lockdown
    08:10 A Global Kindness Community
    09:59 Small Joys and Glimmers
    0:53 Inside the New Book
    13:23 Mental Health Lessons
    15:14 Community and Connection
    16:39 Letting Go of Projects
    18:24 Whats Next and Wrap Up
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    21 分
  • S3E18 - Update + Illustrating Bipolar, with Matt Ottley (Re-Run)

    S3E18 - Update + Illustrating Bipolar, with Matt Ottley (Re-Run)
    2026/03/11
    Hello everyone, it’s Will here.

    As you know, Ellie and I have had to take a break from the podcast due to some ongoing health issues. We are still hoping to bring you new episodes in late Spring or Summer 2026 but in the meantime, we thought we’d go back through our archives and bring you some of our favourite episodes from the 3 years we’ve been doing the show.

    And so, here is an episode from May 2024. Matt Ottley is a multi-award winning graphic novelist and composer, who was Australia’s nominee for the Hans Christian Andersen award. Matt joined us for a conversation about how he interprets his experiences of bipolar and psychosis through art, words and music. We focus on his book: The Tree of Ecstasy and Unbearable Sadness which had just been released at the time and you can find links to more information about, in the show notes.

    Just a heads up that there is a brief reference to a suicide attempt in the episode, but we don’t go into any detail.

    I hope you enjoy the show, and please do remember it would really help us out if you could rate or review us via your podcast app.

    You can find out more about The Tree of Ecstasy and Unbearable Sadness by following these links
    Matt Ottley’s website
    Publisher: One Tentacle’s website

    Please note that this show does not constitute medical advice and is not a replacement for seeking professional help. You can find our more about the show and get signposting to support on our website livelymindspod.com
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    31 分
  • See you in 2026!

    See you in 2026!
    2025/12/14
    Hello everyone, it’s Ellie here.
    Thank you so much to all of you for following our podcast over the last few years. It has meant the world to us, and we’ve loved every part of the podcasting process so far.
    Unfortunately, due to various health issues, we are going to take a slightly-longer-than-planned break from recording new Lively Minds episodes. We hope to return to your ears for a new season sometime in 2026.
    Thank you again to everyone who has listened, subscribed, downloaded and donated to us so far - we are looking forward to picking things up again with you when we can.
    In the meantime, Will and I both wish you all a safe and warm winter, and we look forward to reconnecting with you when we are able to.
    Bye for now!
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    1 分
  • S3E17 - Putting a patient-centred approach into practice, with Dr Alex Curmi

    S3E17 - Putting a patient-centred approach into practice, with Dr Alex Curmi
    2025/11/07
    What is a 'patient-centred approach'? What systemic challenges get in the way of making it a reality?What does the biopsychosocial model tell us about how to choose the best pathways for treatment?

    Alex Curmi, a consultant psychiatrist and trainee psychotherapist from The Thinking Mind Podcast discusses how he helps clients determine the best treatment plans based on a multitude of factors.

    He elaborates on his diverse experiences across various mental health settings and the importance of recognising biological, psychological, and social inputs in mental health. He also touches on the challenges and methodologies involved in acute and planned mental health interventions, patient-centred care, and the role of systemic integration in improving outcomes.

    The conversation highlights the need for a holistic, collaborative, and anti-tribalistic approach in mental health practice.

    Please note that this show does not constitute medical advice and is not a replacement for seeking professional help. You can find out more about the show and get signposting to support on our website livelymindspod.com

    Follow @livelymindspod on social media, or see our links at https://www.bio.link/livelyminds

    00:00 Introduction and Welcome
    00:16 Guest Introduction: Dr. Alex Curmi
    00:44 Diverse Practice Environments
    02:23 Challenges in Crisis Situations
    04:52 Responsibilities in Patient Care
    07:39 Patient-Centered Care Approach
    21:59 Existential and Nihilistic Issues
    27:41 Holistic Treatment Plans
    35:10 Collaboration and Integration in Mental Health
    41:03 Conclusion and Farewell
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    42 分
  • S3E16 - How do we avoid overdiagnosis whilst respecting people’s experiences? With Dr Elspeth Davies and Dr Helen Salisbury

    S3E16 - How do we avoid overdiagnosis whilst respecting people’s experiences? With Dr Elspeth Davies and Dr Helen Salisbury
    2025/10/03
    In this episode we are joined by Dr. Elspeth Davies, a medical anthropologist from the University of Oxford, and Dr. Helen Salisbury, a GP and BMJ columnist, about their BMJ article: How do we talk about overdiagnosis of mental health conditions without dismissing people’s suffering?

    Our discussion explores the fine line between validating patients' experiences and the potential harms of unnecessary diagnostic labels. We examine the influence of medicalisation, the role of diagnoses in accessing care and benefits, and the broad societal implications.

    The conversation also highlights the need for improved communication between doctors and patients and the importance of considering alternative approaches to understanding mental health issues.

    Please note that this show does not constitute medical advice and is not a replacement for seeking professional help. You can find out more about the show and get signposting to support on our website livelymindspod.com

    Follow @livelymindspod on social media, or see our links at https://www.bio.link/livelyminds

    00:00 Introduction to Lively Minds Podcast
    00:20 Introducing the Topic of Over-Diagnosis
    00:27 Meet the Experts: Dr. Elspeth Davies and Dr. Helen Salisbury
    01:28 Defining Over-Diagnosis in Mental Health
    02:24 The Complexity of Diagnosing Mental Health Conditions
    04:39 The Role of Diagnoses in Accessing Support
    07:36 The Impact of Diagnoses on Patients
    09:48 The Debate on Over-Diagnosis and Medicalization
    25:52 The Influence of Pharmaceutical Companies
    26:26 Improving Conversations Between Doctors and Patients
    29:11 The Political Context of Over-Diagnosis
    31:03 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
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    32 分
  • S3E15 - School and Mental Health, with Caro Giles

    S3E15 - School and Mental Health, with Caro Giles
    2025/09/05
    In this episode we are joined by author: Caro Giles to talk about school and mental health.

    Caro has worked as a teacher across the education sector. She is winner of the inaugural BBC Countryfile New Writer Award, author of Twelve Moons, published by Harper North and writes a regular monthly column for Psychologies Magazine.

    Her latest book - Unschooled - published by Little Toller Books, is a memoir about her life as a single mother who was forced to educate her four daughters at home due to our underfunded school system being unable to cater for young people with special educational needs.

    In this episode we are going to discuss how conducive our current school system is for children’s positive mental health, the challenges that it can present for children with additional needs and what needs to change in order for school to become a place that supports everyone’s wellbeing.

    UNSCHOOLED is available in all good bookstores.

    Please note that this show does not constitute medical advice and is not a replacement for seeking professional help. You can find out more about the show and get signposting to support on our website livelymindspod.com

    Follow @livelymindspod on social media, or see our links at https://www.bio.link/livelyminds
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    29 分
  • S3E14 - High Functioning Depression, with Dr Judith Joseph

    S3E14 - High Functioning Depression, with Dr Judith Joseph
    2025/08/01
    Depression isn’t just about a presence of sadness, it’s also about an absence of happiness. And whilst ceasing to function is a long-understood symptom of Depression, those that cope by never stopping aren’t necessarily in any less need of help.

    In this episode of Lively Minds we discuss High Functioning Depression with Dr. Judith Joseph, a board-certified psychiatrist and researcher. Dr. Joseph, who is also the founder and chief investigator at Manhattan Behavioral Medicine, discusses her groundbreaking research and the resulting book 'High Functioning: Overcoming Your Hidden Depression and Reclaiming Your Joy.'

    The conversation explores the distinction between high functioning depression and classic depression, the importance of early identification, and Dr. Joseph's innovative five V framework (validation, venting, values, vitals and vision) for cultivating joy and mental wellbeing.

    The episode emphasises the necessity of a proactive approach to mental health to prevent breakdowns and highlights the vital role of understanding trauma and anhedonia in managing depression.

    You can buy Dr Joseph’s book: High Functioning at all good bookstores or find out more by clicking here

    Please note that this show does not constitute medical advice and is not a replacement for seeking professional help. You can find out more about the show and get signposting to support on our website livelymindspod.com

    Follow @livelymindspod on social media, or see our links at https://www.bio.link/livelyminds

    00:00 Introduction to Lively Minds Podcast
    00:16 Meet Dr. Judith Joseph
    01:15 Understanding High Functioning Depression
    03:23 Proactive Mental Health Approaches
    04:37 Defining High Functioning Depression
    05:38 The Role of Trauma in High Functioning Depression
    07:54 Identifying Anhedonia
    17:15 Listener Engagement Break
    17:59 Exploring Masochistic Behaviours
    19:46 Understanding People Pleasing and Trauma
    21:41 Masochistic Personality Disorder Explained
    22:27 Big T vs. Small T Trauma
    27:01 Coping Mechanisms in High Functioning Depression
    30:13 The Five V Framework
    37:11 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
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    38 分
  • S3E13 - The evolutionary basis for anxiety, with Professor Melissa Bateson

    S3E13 - The evolutionary basis for anxiety, with Professor Melissa Bateson
    2025/07/04
    Professor Melissa Bateson, an expert in ethology, explains the biological functions of anxiety, its evolutionary importance, and how it prepares humans and animals to detect and respond to threats.

    The conversation covers the smoke detector principle, the optimal threshold for anxiety responses, and the potential impact of modern environments on anxiety levels.

    The episode also delves into how understanding animal behaviour can offer insights into human mental health.

    Please note that this show does not constitute medical advice and is not a replacement for seeking professional help. You can find out more about the show and get signposting to support on our website livelymindspod.com

    Follow @livelymindspod on social media, or see our links at https://www.bio.link/livelyminds

    00:00 Introduction to Lively Minds Podcast
    00:21 Meet Professor Melissa Bateson
    01:04 Understanding Ethology and Human Behavior
    01:58 Evolutionary Basis for Anxiety
    05:43 The Smoke Detector Principle
    06:56 When Anxiety Becomes a Problem
    18:00 Biological Perspective on Anxiety Thresholds
    23:46 Modern Threats and Anxiety
    27:54 Learning from Animals
    29:26 Conclusion and Farewell
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    30 分