The Mental Elf

Emotional Skills in Adolescents - Preventing Mental Health Problems

Episode 2 of the ReSET podcast focuses on the importance of emotional skills for adolescents and how these can prevent mental health issues like depression and anxiety.

Host André Tomlin from The Mental Elf explores the key findings from this huge research project led by scientists from UCL and Cambridge, with panelists Professor Essi Viding, Professor Nico Steinbeis and Jenny Sole.

They explain how emotional skills, such as the ability to recognise and regulate emotions, are essential for successful social interactions. The episode covers practical strategies like reappraisal, distraction, and breathing techniques, and emphasises the importance of these skills in academic and social settings. Learn how targeted interventions in schools can help teenagers navigate their intense emotional experiences and build resilience. Tune in to explore how these skills can create a buffer against mental health problems and enhance social relationships.

00:00 Introduction to Emotional Skills

00:56 Welcome to the ReSET Podcast

01:25 The Importance of Emotional Skills

02:17 Understanding Emotional Skills

03:56 Adolescent Brain Development

05:27 Classroom Challenges and Emotional Regulation

09:52 The ReSET Trial and Its Approach

14:46 Practical Emotional Regulation Strategies

17:48 Linking Emotional Skills to Social Relationships

21:22 The Role of Schools in Emotional Development

23:58 Key Takeaways for Teachers

25:10 Conclusion and Next Steps

Find out more about the ReSET project at: https://resetproject.co.uk/

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Universal vs. Targeted Interventions: ReSETting Mental Health Support in Schools

Episode 1 of the ReSET podcast focuses on the critical question: Should schools implement universal or targeted interventions to support young people's mental health?

Host André Tomlin from The Mental Elf explores the key findings from this huge research project led by scientists from UCL and Cambridge, with panelists discussing the effectiveness and challenges of universal mental health programmes versus targeted interventions.

With guests Pasco Fearon, Lucy Foulkes, Roslyn Law, and Faye Witts, the episode covers the dynamics of digital life, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the importance of key relationships in young people's lives. It also provides actionable advice for educators on how to effectively identify and support students in need, stressing the importance of using evidence-based approaches.

Learn how to reshape your mental health initiatives with insights from leading experts.

00:00 Introduction to ReSET and Youth Mental Health

01:39 The Big Debate: Universal vs. Targeted Interventions

02:16 Challenges Facing Today's Youth

05:19 Understanding Universal Interventions

16:14 The Case for Targeted Interventions

17:23 Addressing Stigma in Targeted Approaches

23:07 Practical Advice for Schools

25:17 Conclusion and Next Steps

Find out more about the ReSET project at: https://resetproject.co.uk/

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Exploring Power Imbalance, Systemic Racism, and Dialogue in Mental Health. A conversation with Maxine Dennis for the 2025 BIGSPD conference.

Join André from The Mental Elf for episode three of the BIGSPD 2025 Podcast in conversation with Maxine Dennis, a consultant clinical psychologist and psychoanalyst. They discuss power imbalance, systemic racism in mental health services, and the role of genuine dialogue and self-reflection. Maxine shares her clinical experiences and discusses the complexity of supervisory relationships in mental health. Don't miss her keynote 'Containing the Containers' at the 2025 BIGSPD Conference in Liverpool. Tune in for an insightful discussion on fostering resilience and real change.

00:00 Introduction to the BIGSPD Podcast

00:26 Meet Maxine Dennis: Clinical Psychologist and Psychoanalyst

01:04 Exploring Clinical Work and Racialization

02:30 A Memorable Case Study

06:20 Building Trust and Addressing Power Imbalance

07:54 Upcoming Keynote: Containing the Containers

10:17 Impact of Black Lives Matter on Mental Health Services

12:15 Challenges in Achieving Systemic Change

14:05 Suggestions for Real Change

16:56 Reflections on Anti-Racism and Whiteness

20:54 Personality Disorders and Racial Disparities

24:13 Conclusion and Conference Details

Find out more about the 2025 conference of the British and Irish Group for the Study of Personality Disorders on their website: https://bigspd.org.uk/bigspd-conference-2025/

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Relational Practice: making hope possible rather than despair convincing.

Join André from The Mental Elf for episode two of the BIGSPD 2025 Podcast as he discusses relational practice and democratic mental health with Professor Mick McKeown. Mick is a mental health nurse academic who shares his insights on the intersection of sociology, philosophy, and politics in mental health. In this episode, you'll learn about the key themes of his upcoming keynote talk at the British and Irish Group for the Study of Personality Disorder Conference, the importance of relational practice, and the role of democracy in combating authoritarianism. Mick also touches on the impact of hierarchical and undemocratic practices on both patients and staff, and the potential of cooperative, democratic approaches to improve mental health care.

00:00 Introduction to the BIGSPD 2025 Podcast

01:08 Meet Professor Mick McKeown

01:49 Exploring Relational Practice

02:50 Democracy and Mental Health

05:10 Challenges in Mental Health Services

08:18 The Importance of Cooperation

11:25 Relational Practice in Action

14:27 Defining Relational Practice

Find out more about the 2025 conference of the British and Irish Group for the Study of Personality Disorders on their website: https://bigspd.org.uk/bigspd-conference-2025/

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Exploring DBT: Techniques, Efficacy, and Lived Experience #BIGSPD25

Welcome to episode 1 of the BIGSPD 2025 podcast, hosted by André from the Mental Elf. This episode dives deep into Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) with guest experts Professor Michaela Swales, Programme Director at the North Wales Clinical Psychology Programme, and Jenifer Dylan, an Advanced Lived Experience Practitioner and DBT Therapist.

Together, they explore the success, challenges, and future of DBT, discussing various psychotherapies for personality disorders, evidence for DBT's effectiveness, and the roles of therapists with lived experience. Tune in to learn how DBT works, real-life applications, and the importance of tailored therapeutic approaches. Join us for an insightful conversation and stay updated on the latest research and practices in mental health.

00:00 Welcome to the BIGSPD25 Podcast

00:27 Meet the Experts: Michaela Swales and Jenifer Dylan

01:09 Understanding DBT and Other Psychotherapies

05:23 The Efficacy and Safety of DBT

08:01 Introduction to DBT: Basics and Skills

12:26 DBT in Practice: Real-Life Applications

18:22 Adapting DBT for Diverse Needs

24:32 The Role of Lived Experience in Therapy

31:59 Improving Clinical Care in DBT

35:08 Conclusion and Upcoming Events

Find out more about the 2025 conference of the British and Irish Group for the Study of Personality Disorders on their website: https://bigspd.org.uk/bigspd-conference-2025/

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In the final episode of the 2025 IoPPN Research Festival podcast, André from The Mental Elf welcomes Dr. Darren Williams from Kings College London to discuss the upcoming festival.

Dr. Williams shares insights into the diverse range of topics and speakers that will be featured, including presentations on religious cognition, autism, and the transformative effects of AI in medicine.

He also emphasises the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and how this is supported at King's College London. The festival theme 'Bridging Disciplines: Brain to Behavior,' promises to be a comprehensive showcase of research from molecules to lived experiences of trauma. Tune in to get a sneak peek of this not-to-be-missed event!

00:00 Introduction and Welcome

00:24 Meet Dr. Darren Williams

00:50 The Diversity of the Research Festival

01:46 The Role of the Research and Innovation Committee

03:42 Event Details and Highlights

04:01 Exciting Plenary Sessions

08:24 Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Mental Health Research

10:01 Challenges and Opportunities in Research

12:48 Conclusion and Upcoming Episodes

This year, The Mental Elf will be reporting live from the IoPPN Research Festival on Bluesky, so if you can't make it in person, you can still follow along using the hashtag #IoPPNfestival: https://bsky.app/hashtag/IoPPNfestival

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Welcome to episode 2 of the 2025 IoPPN Research Festival Podcast! In this episode, André from The Mental Elf speaks with Professor Juliet Foster, Professor of Social Psychology from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King's College London, where she is also the Dean of Education and academic lead for student mental health and wellbeing. Juliet is giving a keynote talk at the upcoming IoPPN Research Festival. 

The conversation delves into the 'Whole University Approach to Mental Health and Wellbeing,' a sociocultural methodology addressing the rising demand for mental health support services in universities. Juliet emphasises the importance of considering the entire university environment, including teaching, social, and physical aspects, in enhancing mental health. 

The discussion also critiques the 'crisis' narrative around student mental health and highlights the need for better data quality and longitudinal studies. 

Learn about practical implementations at King's College and the importance of a unified measurement system to improve students' and staff's well-being. 

00:00 Introduction to the Podcast

00:21 Introducing Professor Juliet Foster

01:30 Understanding the Student Mental Health Crisis

05:28 The Whole University Approach Explained

08:51 Practical Changes at King's College

10:12 Research and Measurement in Student Mental Health

12:42 Future Research Priorities

14:03 Conclusion and Upcoming Events

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Welcome to the 2025 IoPPN Research Festival Podcast! In this first episode, we hear from Professor Edmund Sonuga-Barke, a leading expert in developmental psychology at King’s College London. He introduces RE-STAR—a four-year, interdisciplinary research programme.

RE-STAR stands for Regulating Emotions – Strengthening Adolescent Resilience. It focuses on neurodivergent young people, such as those with ADHD or autistic traits, who are at higher risk of developing depression during adolescence.

Right now, we don’t fully understand:

• Who is most at risk,

• What factors increase that risk,

• Or the best ways to build resilience and reduce it.

RE-STAR aims to fill these gaps by studying how ADHD and/or autism traits, environmental stress, and emotional responses interact to shape the risk of depression in neurodivergent young people.

00:00 #IOPPN 2025 - Edmund Sonuga-Barke

00:11 Introduction and Guest Welcome

01:07 The Intriguing Title: ReSTAR

01:54 The Paradox of Translational Science

02:37 Philosophy of Science and Paradigms

03:05 Paradigm Flipping in Neurodevelopmental Research

03:05 The Shift to a Neurodiversity Model

03:26 Multidisciplinary and Participatory Approach

04:52 Challenges and Tensions in Multidisciplinary Research

06:19 Trust and Scaffolding in Research

09:05 Emotional Burden Concept

10:19 Developing School-Based Interventions

11:17 Digital Pathways and Whole School Interventions

13:17 Arts Practice in Interventions

14:10 Future Directions and Funding

15:42 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

The IoPPN Research Festival takes place in London on 14th May 2025. Free tickets are available here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ioppn-research-festival-bridging-disciplines-brain-to-behaviour-tickets-1289530092219

Find out more about the RE-STAR programme: Regulating Emotions – Strengthening Adolescent Resilience https://www.kcl.ac.uk/research/re-star

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The Mental Elf previews the NHS Research Scotland Mental Health Network Annual Scientific Meeting with Dr. Rob Waller, Consultant Psychiatrist from NHS Lothian.

They discuss the rapid digital transformation in NHS mental health services triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly the implementation of video consultations and electronic records in CAMHS. Dr. Waller shares his insights on overcoming hardware and software challenges, enhancing data accessibility, and utilizing clinical data for research and service improvements. The conversation touches on the importance of multidisciplinary approaches, the impact of technology on patient care, and the role of AI and big data in mental health research. Join us to explore the intersection of technology and mental health care and learn about the potential benefits for clinicians and researchers.

00:00 Introduction to the NHS Research Scotland Mental Health Network Annual Scientific Meeting

00:30 Impact of the Pandemic on Digital Transformation in NHS Lothian

02:05 Challenges and Solutions in Digital Record Keeping

04:23 National and Local Perspectives on Digital Health Services

06:10 Lessons from New Zealand and Structured Digital Transformation

09:51 Developing and Implementing Digital Forms

17:01 Monitoring and Improving Digital Health Practices

23:19 The Role of DataLoch in Mental Health Research

34:49 Hopes for the Conference

Find out more:

• Digital capability framework for NHS Scotland
• Leadership development programme
• DataLoch: their trusted data repository for research

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Join Douglas Badenoch and Prof. Deborah Cairns from the Scottish Learning Disabilities Observatory as they delve into the health disparities faced by those with learning disabilities.

In this podcast preview, Deborah shares groundbreaking research findings from comprehensive health checks, cancer studies, and big data analysis. Learn how collaborative efforts in the medical field are driving changes to improve healthcare access and outcomes for individuals with learning disabilities.

Don't miss the insightful discussion on November 7th at the NHS Research Scotland Mental Health Annual Scientific Meeting in Edinburgh. Follow our live coverage using the hashtag #NRSMH24.

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