The Locked up Living Podcast: Surviving and thriving in prisons and other challenging environments

Summary

Dr Jenny Murphy is a senior lecturer at the University of Surrey. Here she discusses interoception and its importance in mental and physical health. Interoception refers to the processing of signals that come from inside the body, such as heart rate and breathing. People can differ in their ability to perceive these signals, as well as how much attention they pay to them and how they evaluate them. Interoception is associated with homeostasis and has been linked to various mental health conditions and higher-order cognitive abilities. Measurement of interoception is challenging but can be done through various tasks and self-report measures. Clinical applications include interoception training for anxiety and physical health conditions. Jenny discusses the role of perception and external cues in regulating the body, as well as the potential factors influencing interoception. She explains that her research focuses on measuring interoception and its development, and she is currently studying interoception across the menstrual cycle. Jenny also discusses the clinical implications of her work and the possible integration of interoception into therapy. She emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and the need for more research on the relationship between thoughts, feelings, and behavior. Jenny mentions her upcoming textbook on interoception and concludes by offering advice on improving well-being through the understanding and regulation of interoceptive signals. She is editing a textbook on interoception at the moment that should be published by Springer, Nature at the end of the year.

Keywords

interoception, signals, perception, attention, evaluation, mental health, physical health, measurement, clinical applications, perception, external cues, regulation, body, interoception, development, menstrual cycle, clinical implications, therapy, interdisciplinary collaboration, thoughts, feelings, behavior, textbook, well-being

Takeaways

• Interoception refers to the processing of signals that come from inside the body, such as heart rate and breathing.

Bio

Jenny completed her PhD at King’s College London in December 2019. Here she investigated the measurement of interoception, it’s developmental trajectory and the relationship between interoception, health and higher order cognition. In April 2020 she took up a lectureship position at Royal Holloway University of London and in March 2024 she took up a senior lectureship position at the University of Surrey. Jenny’s work on interoception has been recognised by several awards for doctoral contributions (from the British Psychological Society, Experimental Psychology Society and King’s College London) and early career prizes (the American Psychological Society Rising Star Award and the Young Investigator Award from the European Society for Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience). Jenny is particularly interested in sex differences in interoceptive abilities, including how these emerge across development and whether they relate to sex differences in mental and physical health. She currently holds a New Investigator Grant from the Medical Research Council for investigating changes in interoception across the menstrual cycle.

• Body identity dysphoria, also known as body integrity identity disorder, is a rare condition characterized by a desire to have a limb or body part amputated.

Summary

David Busch, a retired psychotherapist, has developed a self-help program called Se-rem that combines elements of six different therapies, including EMDR, self-hypnosis, meditation, music therapy, Gestalt therapy, and Awe therapy. The program uses classical music and guided imagery to stimulate the brain into an REM state, which is effective at processing trauma and creating vivid images. Se-rem has been successful in helping people overcome various traumas, including car accidents, phobias, grief, and childhood trauma. It has been praised for its effectiveness and is available in 32 countries. David aspires to make therapy more accessible and affordable to those who cannot afford traditional therapy.

https://se-rem.com/

KeywordsSe-rem, self-help program, therapy, trauma, EMDR, REM state, classical music, guided imagery, mental health

Takeaways

• Se-rem is a self-help program developed by David Busch that combines elements of six different therapies.

Summary

David Busch, a retired psychotherapist, has developed a self-help program called Se-rem that combines elements of six different therapies, including EMDR, self-hypnosis, meditation, music therapy, Gestalt therapy, and Awe therapy. The program uses classical music and guided imagery to stimulate the brain into an REM state, which is effective at processing trauma and creating vivid images. Se-rem has been successful in helping people overcome various traumas, including car accidents, phobias, grief, and childhood trauma. It has been praised for its effectiveness and is available in 32 countries. David aspires to make therapy more accessible and affordable to those who cannot afford traditional therapy.

https://se-rem.com/

KeywordsSe-rem, self-help program, therapy, trauma, EMDR, REM state, classical music, guided imagery, mental health

Takeaways

• Se-rem is a self-help program developed by David Busch that combines elements of six different therapies.

Summary

https://www.weidenfeldandnicolson.co.uk/titles/anna-motz-3/a-love-that-kills/9781474624381/

Anna Motz, is a forensic psychotherapist, clinical and forensic psychologist. In this conversation she discusses her focus on the darker side of women and their use of violence. She explains how her interest in this area developed from her experiences working in psychiatric hospitals and forensic services. Anna highlights the differences between male and female patterns of violence, particularly in terms of violence against the self and violence in the domestic realm. She also discusses the prevalence of female sexual abuse of children and the societal challenges in recognizing and addressing this issue. Anna shares her journey of training as a forensic psychotherapist and the impact it has had on her practice. She emphasizes the importance of psychotherapy in forensic settings and the need for cultural change within prisons and the community. Anna also discusses her latest book, A Love That Kills, which aims to challenge stereotypes and myths about women and motherhood. Finally, she reflects on the importance of self-care and emotional well-being in her work.

Takeaways

• Women who are violent are often both perpetrators and victims, and their stories are often untold and invisible.

Chapters

00:00Focusing on the Darker Side of Women

06:06Differences in Male and Female Patterns of Violence

07:09Violence Against the Self

09:32Female Violence in the Domestic Realm

10:19Female Sexual Abuse of Children

23:27The Influence of Childhood and Marginalization

28:56The Importance of Psychotherapy in Forensic Settings

36:34Writing A Love That Kills

46:11Protecting the Integrity of the People in the Book

48:26Self-Care and Emotional Well-Being

If you were to ask anybody who's lived or worked in a prison, what's the most striking thing about prison? I suspect their answer would fall within the domain covered by their research. So we're meeting with Kate Herity and Jason Waugh. Jason's not a new guest. If you've not already heard him talking about forensic psychology on a podcast a few weeks ago, then you really should. He's associate professor in criminology at the University of Nottingham with research interests in penology, the Sociology of Power, Narrative and Sensory Criminology and the Philosophy of Science.

• The sensory experiences of individuals in prison have a significant impact on their well-being.

If you were to ask anybody who's lived or worked in a prison, what's the most striking thing about prison? I suspect their answer would fall within the domain covered by their research. So we're meeting with Kate Herity and Jason Waugh. Jason's not a new guest. If you've not already heard him talking about forensic psychology on a podcast a few weeks ago, then you really should. He's associate professor in criminology at the University of Nottingham with research interests in penology, the Sociology of Power, Narrative and Sensory Criminology and the Philosophy of Science.

• The sensory experiences of individuals in prison have a significant impact on their well-being.

Malinder is a forensic psychologist from Australia who moved to the UK in 2003. She enjoyed a diverse and exciting career in a number of NHS forensic mental health services around the UK, before moving into private practice in 2020 after some very difficult workplace experiences and bereavement, which coincided with the onset of the pandemic.  Her private practice is growing and diversifying, it is underpinned by a passion for practicing from a position of lifelong experience of being "different". Her main interests are helping those who have struggled with being "different", and the effective, meaningful and ethical intervention for, and prevention of the impact of trauma on professionals in mission-driven roles, particularly experiences of moral injury and institutional betrayal. She has lived experience of autism and is passionate about contributing to increasing awareness and understanding of the experiences of highly-masked, late-diagnosed autistic people. She has a keen interest in the development and application of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy.  

Summary

Malinder Bhullar, a forensic psychologist, discusses her experiences working in forensic mental health services, including her time at Rampton Hospital and her involvement in delivering radically open DBT. She also shares her decision to transition to private practice and the difficulties she faced in institutional settings. Additionally, Melinda talks about her realization of being autistic and her contribution to a forthcoming book on neuro-narratives of mental health. In this conversation, Malinder discusses her journey of discovering her neurodiversity, specifically autism. She shares how she initially had no awareness of neurodiversity and only began to recognize it when working with high-functioning clients. The moment of realization came when she saw a profile on LinkedIn that resonated with her own experiences. Malinder decided to pursue a formal diagnosis for validation and credibility. This has since been confirmed. She also discusses the challenges of whistleblowing and the importance of rules in forensic practice. Finally, she explores the implications of autism for her work as a psychologist and the importance of self-care.

Key points;

• Working in forensic mental health services can involve both rewarding and challenging experiences.

Malinder is a forensic psychologist from Australia who moved to the UK in 2003. She enjoyed a diverse and exciting career in a number of NHS forensic mental health services around the UK, before moving into private practice in 2020 after some very difficult workplace experiences and bereavement, which coincided with the onset of the pandemic.  Her private practice is growing and diversifying, it is underpinned by a passion for practicing from a position of lifelong experience of being "different". Her main interests are helping those who have struggled with being "different", and the effective, meaningful and ethical intervention for, and prevention of the impact of trauma on professionals in mission-driven roles, particularly experiences of moral injury and institutional betrayal. She has lived experience of autism and is passionate about contributing to increasing awareness and understanding of the experiences of highly-masked, late-diagnosed autistic people. She has a keen interest in the development and application of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy.  

Summary

Malinder Bhullar, a forensic psychologist, discusses her experiences working in forensic mental health services, including her time at Rampton Hospital and her involvement in delivering radically open DBT. She also shares her decision to transition to private practice and the difficulties she faced in institutional settings. Additionally, Melinda talks about her realization of being autistic and her contribution to a forthcoming book on neuro-narratives of mental health. In this conversation, Malinder discusses her journey of discovering her neurodiversity, specifically autism. She shares how she initially had no awareness of neurodiversity and only began to recognize it when working with high-functioning clients. The moment of realization came when she saw a profile on LinkedIn that resonated with her own experiences. Malinder decided to pursue a formal diagnosis for validation and credibility. This has since been confirmed. She also discusses the challenges of whistleblowing and the importance of rules in forensic practice. Finally, she explores the implications of autism for her work as a psychologist and the importance of self-care.

Key points;

• Working in forensic mental health services can involve both rewarding and challenging experiences.