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Podcast: It’s not over till the Queen’s Speech (and maybe not even then)

John McGowan, Angela Gilchrist and Rachel Terry discuss the 2017 UK General Election campaign and its uncertain aftermath.

 

In this edition our panel offer some thoughts on the 2017 General Election: called by the Prime Minister in the hope of winning a large majority, but offering a far less clear result. To help us along we have an interview with our colleague Dr Mark Bennister, Reader in Politics and a specialist in political leadership. Mark talks us through the campaign, analyses the leaders’ performances and assesses the current situation with a hung Parliament. We talk about how psychological theories may shed some light on how people voted. We also discuss populism, rationality, the strong feelings raised on all sides and whether any politician can get elected if they tell us we’ll lose out.

 

 

The best way follow the podcast is to subscribe to our feed. You can do this by looking up Discussions in Tunbridge Wells in iTunes, SoundCloud or wherever else you get your podcasts from. Or you can paste the following link into your podcatcher of choice http://feeds.soundcloud.com/users/soundcloud:users:56544633/sounds.rss

 

As well as that you can follow us on Twitter @CCCUApppsy and on Facebook if you search for Canterbury Christ Church University Applied Psychology. You can follow Angela on Twitter @cyberwhispers,, Rachel @rterrypsy and Mark @MarkBennister.

 

Links to things we talked about on this show:

 

Mark is the co-editor of The Leadership Capital Index: A New Approach to Political Leadership

https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-leadership-capital-index-9780198783848?cc=gb&lang=en&

 

Here is Mark’s piece on Theresa May ‘leaking’ capital .

https://canterburypolitics.wordpress.com/2017/06/02/theresa-may-leaking-leadership-capital/

 

An introduction to Psychodynamic ideas of ‘defence mechanisms’ (by the excellent Alessandra Lemma) be found here.

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=ILfwFUXC28MC&dq=lemma+types+of+defences

 

Angela talked about ‘Social Identity Theory. This is a fairly clear introduction to those ideas.

https://student.cc.uoc.gr/uploadFiles/%CE%92310/Tajfel%20&%20Turner%2086_SIT_xs.pdf

 

John discussed the notion of populism. This piece from The Economist  explains populism in a bit more detail.

http://www.economist.com/blogs/economist-explains/2016/12/economist-explains-18

 

A recent episode of journalist David Aaronovitch’s BBC Radio 4 show ‘The Briefing Room’ discussing how we fund (and whether we can fund) UK public services is available here.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08pgbvg

 

John mentioned this piece by David Gutman on the decline of traditional social beleifs and institutions as defences against anxiety (ironically this one may require an institutional login).

http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/089484539302000110

 

Rachel discussed a recent piece by Roger Paxton discussing how psychology can help us understand how people operate in a democracy.

https://thepsychologist.bps.org.uk/volume-30/june-2017/democracy-danger

 

And finally, Angela discussed cognitive biases as an evolutionary adaptation.

http://digitalcommons.chapman.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1053&context=psychology_articles

 

Producer: John McGowan

Music: http://www.bensound.com/

 

 

Podcast: Against Your Will – Compulsory Powers in the Mental Health System

John McGowan, Anne Cooke, Angela Gilchrist,  Rachel Terry and Emma Rye discuss involuntary treatment in mental health.

In this edition we discuss the compulsory powers available in the mental health system in the UK These include the Mental Capacity Act and the Mental Health Act (MHA). The regular panel is joined by Emma Rye, a Clinical Psychologist working in in the field of learning disabilities. Emma is currently in training to take up the role of a ‘Responsible Clinician’ under the MHA. We also have interviews with Dr Matthew Debenham, an NHS psychiatrist, and with service users Rai Waddingham and Raza Griffiths, both of whom discuss how compulsory powers were used in their own treatment.

As the Prime Minister has recently said she would like to ‘rip up’ the Mental Act (see below) our panel also offer Theresa May advice on what to replace it with.

The best way follow the podcast is to subscribe to our feed. You can do this by looking up Discussions in Tunbridge Wells in iTunes, SoundCloud or wherever else you get your podcasts from. Or you can paste the following link into your podcatcher of choice http://feeds.soundcloud.com/users/soundcloud:users:56544633/sounds.rss

 

As well as that you can follow us on Twitter @CCCUApppsy and on Facebook if you search for Canterbury Christ Church University Applied Psychology. You can follow Angela on Twitter @cyberwhispers,  Anne @AnneCooke14 and Rachel @rterrypsy.

 

Links to things we talked about on this show:

A brief overview of the 2007 overhaul of the 1983 Mental Health Act. This 2007 update is still the dominant legislative framework today…
webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/2013010…_078743

… and the Mental Health Act Code of Practice, intended to provide a guide for professionals, service users and carers on the operation of this legislation.
www.gov.uk/government/publicat…tal-health-act-1983

A useful summary of the principles of the Mental Capacity Act, which allows people to make ‘unwise’ decisions: provided they have the capacity to do so.
www.scie.org.uk/mca/introduction/…-2005-at-a-glance

Some information on Theresa May’s Mental Health Act announcement. A pledge to ‘rip it up’…
www.thetimes.co.uk/article/every-s…s-may-flm9tthf9
…and some suggestions for what might replace it.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2…health-act-care

You can follow Rai Waddingham on Twitter @RaiWaddingham and find a range of resources on her website.
www.behindthelabel.co.uk/

A recent paper from the British Journal of Psychiatry suggesting that being admitted to a mental health ward may have negative consequences for suicidal risks.
bjpo.rcpsych.org/content/3/3/102

This Guardian article offers a personal account by a nurse involved in compulsory treatment.
www.theguardian.com/healthcare-netw…nts-what-choice

This short piece by legal commentator Joshua Rozenberg highlights some of the main issue in replacing European human rights legislation.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2…stice-secretary

This small research study suggests quite mixed experience of involuntary detention and also addresses some of the issues in how to improve people’s experiences.
www.researchgate.net/publication/23…53059_Patients‘_perceptions_of_the_impact_of_involuntary_inpatient_care_on_self_relationships_and_recovery

Please note The views and opinions expressed in this discussion are those of the contributors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any of the contributors’ employing organisations.

We’d be interested in hearing about your experiences with these laws and with compulsory treatment. Comments below are gratefully received. 

Producer: John McGowan
Additional technical support: Saul McGowan
Music: www.bensound.com/

 

Podcast: Theresa May’s speech, mental health, and suicide prevention

John McGowan, Anne Cooke, Angela Gilchrist and Rachel Terry discuss  suicide prevention and mental health policy.

In this edition we focus on the Prime Minister’s speech making mental health policy and improved suicide prevention priorities for the UK Government.  We discuss a recent House of Commons Health Select Committee report on suicide prevention policy and the Department of Health’s updating of their Suicide Prevention Strategy (referenced in Theresa May’s speech). John also interviews Ian Marsh from our own University. Ian has written extensively about the way we treat suicide and the policy implications that result.

A transcript of this discussion is available here.

The best way follow the podcast is to subscribe to our feed. You can do this by looking up Discussions in Tunbridge Wells in iTunes, SoundCloud or wherever else you get your podcasts from. Or you can paste the following link into your podcatcher of choice http://feeds.soundcloud.com/users/soundcloud:users:56544633/sounds.rss

As well as that you can follow us on Twitter @CCCUApppsy and on Facebook if you search for Canterbury Christ Church University Applied Psychology. You can follow Angela on Twitter @cyberwhispers,  Anne @AnneCooke14 and Rachel @rterrypsy. Ian Marsh is also on Twitter @ianwmarsh

 

Links to things we talked about on this show:

The text of the Prime Minister’s speech to the Charity Commission on the 9th of January 2017.

https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/the-shared-society-prime-ministers-speech-at-the-charity-commission-annual-meeting

 

The updating of the Department of Health’s Suicide Prevention Strategy.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/suicide-prevention-third-annual-report

 

The original DOH Suicide Prevention Strategy from 2012.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/suicide-prevention-strategy-for-england

 

Also the recent Health Select Committee report.

 https://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/health-committee/inquiries/parliament-2015/suicide-prevention-inquiry/

 

Anne and Ian’s blog post looking at the Health Select Committee report.

https://blogs.canterbury.ac.uk/discursive/the-politics-of-suicide/#

 

Detail of Ian’s book can be found here.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Suicide-Foucault-History-Ian-Marsh/dp/0521130018

 

Two research projects by recent graduates from our training scheme. Both look at health staff working with the risk of suicide:

Nalletamby, Lucie (2015) The discursive construction of ‘suicide’ and the effects for clinical practice. D.Clin.Psych. thesis, Canterbury Christ Church University.

http://create.canterbury.ac.uk/13820/

 

Crowley, Sarah (2015) Recognising and responding to suicide risk in a community mental health setting. D.Clin.Psych. thesis, Canterbury Christ Church University.

http://create.canterbury.ac.uk/13930/

 

A recent paper from the British Journal of Psychiatry Bulletin considering the degree to which suicides can be predicted.

 http://pb.rcpsych.org/content/pbrcpsych/early/2016/12/16/pb.bp.116.054940.full.pdf

 

If you are feeling suicidal you can contact The Samaritans here.

 

We’d welcome your suggestions of further reading in the comments below.

 

Producer: John McGowan

Music: http://www.bensound.com/

 

Podcast: Does poverty harm your mental health?

John McGowan, Anne Cooke, Angela Gilchrist and Rachel Terry discuss the effects of poverty and inequality on happiness and mental health.

In this discussion we focus on two reports. The first is forthcoming book from a London School of Economics group, involving Lord Richard Layard, and titled ‘The Origins of Happiness’. Even though this hasn’t yet been released, it has prompted a great deal of debate: especially with the conclusion that poverty and inequality may be less important than good mental health for human happiness. The second document is a major report from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, and written by the Mental Health Foundation’s Iris Elliot. This offers what may be a less surprising conclusion: that poverty and inequality are intimately bound up in the development of mental health problems. Links to the reports and other pieces related to the discussion are listed below.

A transcript of this discussion can be found here.

 

The best way follow the podcast is to subscribe to our feed. You can do this by looking up Discussions in Tunbridge Wells in iTunes, SoundCloud or wherever else you get your podcasts from. Or you can paste the following link into your podcatcher of choice http://feeds.soundcloud.com/users/soundcloud:users:56544633/sounds.rss

We also put the podcasts and links to what we’ve discussed on our main site blogs.canterbury.ac.uk/discursive/.

 As well as that you can follow us on Twitter @CCCUApppsy and on Facebook if you search for Canterbury Christ Church University Applied Psychology. You can follow Angela on Twitter @cyberwhispers, Anne @AnneCooke14 and Rachel @rterrypsy.

Links to things we talked about in this weeks show:

While the book by the LSE group has not been published yet we obtained an advance (though draft) copy by contacting them via the following link.

http://www.lse.ac.uk/newsAndMedia/news/archives/2016/12/Relationships-and-happiness.aspx

 

The work of the LSE group has also prompted some news paper coverage and letters already including two pieces in the Guardian.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/dec/12/happiness-depends-on-health-and-friends-not-money-says-new-study

 

https://www.theguardian.com/science/brain-flapping/2016/dec/13/mental-illness-and-poverty-you-cant-tackle-one-without-the-other

 

Also there have been a couple of multi-signatory letters: one in the Guardian and the other in the Independent.

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016/dec/13/looking-for-happiness-in-life-and-at-work

 

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/letters/aleppo-west-cannot-take-responsibility-brexit-education-theresa-may-leather-trousers-letters-a7477191.html

 

There has also been a response from the network ‘Psychologists Against Austerity’.

https://psychagainstausterity.wordpress.com/our-campaigns/origins-of-happiness-paa-response/

 

A link to the main Joseph Rowntree Foundation report (published earlier this year) can be found here.

http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/poverty-and-mental-health

 

Additionally, Iris Elliot has written a short accompanying blog.

http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/blog/tackling-poverty-and-mental-health-%E2%80%93-what-we-know-and-what-we-can-do

 

Finally, Iris Elliot is interviewed in this short edition of the Mental Health Foundation Podcast.

 https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/podcasts-and-videos/mental-health-and-poverty

 

Addendum: I realise I missed this cracking piece by Clinical Psychologist Masuma Rahim from 2014. 

On trying to do therapy when your patient has no food or money

 

We’d be grateful if anyone wishes to post other relevant links in the comment section of our blog.

 

Producer: John McGowan

Music: http://www.bensound.com/

Podcast: Does Therapy do you Good?

 

John McGowan is joined by Angela Gilchrist, Anne Cooke, Fergal Jones and Rachel Terry to discuss questions related to whether psychotherapy is helpful or not. If it is then what is it helpful for, what are the bits that work and if there is the potential for harm.

 

A transcript of this discussion is available here. 

 

The best way follow the podcast is to subscribe to our feed. You can subscribe to us  by looking up Discussions in Tunbridge Wells in iTunes, SoundCloud or wherever else you get your podcasts from. Or you can paste the following link into your podcatcher of choice http://feeds.soundcloud.com/users/soundcloud:users:56544633/sounds.rss

 

You can follow us on Twitter @CCCUApppsy and on Facebook if you search for Canterbury Christ Church University Applied Psychology. You can Follow Angela on Twitter @cyberwhispers,  Anne @AnneCooke14 and Rachel @rterrypsy.

 

Here are some links to things we discussed in this episode

The American Psychological Associations’s introductory pages on Psychotherapy

http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/understanding-psychotherapy.aspx

 

Some questions about the long term effectiveness of CBT in particular were raised by Weston and colleagues in 2004

http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.536.6948&rep=rep1&type=pdf

 

Our colleague Tina Hart recently completed a research project on ‘negative change’ in psychotherapy. Links to both parts of this project (a long literature review and a research study) can be found at the following link:

https://create.canterbury.ac.uk/14810/1/Christina_Hart_MRP_2016.pdf

 

A recent piece on our blog by Leigh Emery and Huw Green explored the the spread of  ideas psychological therapies hand how this may dilute effectiveness.  

https://blogs.canterbury.ac.uk/discursive/where-are-the-psycho-sceptics/

 

 

Producer: John McGowan

Music: www.bensound.com