The Waitlist Podcast
What is The Waitlist?
According to Mind, 1.6 million people in the UK are on the waiting list for mental health treatment with the NHS. 8 million people can’t get on the list as they’re not deemed ‘unwell’ enough… And that doesn’t include the people that want to address their mental wellbeing but just don’t know where to start.
The Waitlist podcast aims to answer some of the questions that those people may have- people that just want to understand how they can support themselves and others around them.
Who is the host?
Alex Manly is passionate about making therapy clear and accessible to all people. Sometimes therapy can be daunting to talk about with friends and family - and it can feel like a tall order doing research on your own. Alex is on a mission to change that.
Alex is a trainee student psychotherapist, currently in training alongside her full time job in marketing technology. One of her core beliefs is that everybody deserves a voice and to be heard - as part of this, she spends her spare time on the leadership team for TEDxBrighton where she helps individuals bring marginalised and untold stories to a global audience.
In this mini-series, Alex will interview a series of qualified professionals to ask the straight-forward questions that some of us might be afraid to ask - like…
“What actually is therapy?” “How do I know I’ve found the right therapist?” “What do different types of therapy mean?” “How can I have better conversations about mental health in my daily life?”
S1 E1: Lewis Wedlock
Having Better conversations and finding mentors
Lewis is an activist, academic and social psychologist. His work centres around exploring and challenging structures that limit pathways to expressing ourselves. He is currently one of the UK's youngest lecturers and one of the West of England's most influential people under the age of 30.
We talk about mental wellbeing and diversity in young people at school. And we explore wellbeing at university age. Listen for great tips on finding a mentor and how to have more meaningful conversations with young people around you.
S1 E2: Sharon Bond
What is Family Therapy?
Sharon is a Systemic and Family Psychotherapist. She spent 15 years as a member of a multi-disciplinary team in a child and adolescent mental health service an is currently Director of Chiron Training school which offers foundation and diploma levels training in Systemic practice.
S1 E3: Jake Tyler
Living with depression
This episode contains themes of suicide and may not be suitable for all listeners.
If you need to talk, you can find helplines and listening services listed on Mind's website. In the UK, you can call Samaritans 24/7 for free on 116 123.
In this episode, we discuss what it can be like to experience depression; whether experiencing it yourself or experiencing it through those close to us. Jake is a mental health advocate and broadcaster - his BBC Radio Sussex and Surrey show, Open Up with Jake Tyler launched in September 2019 with guest Matt Haig. Jake also wrote the Book ‘A Walk From the Wild Edge’ after taking-on the 3,000 mile journey to walk the entirety of the UK in 2018, prompted by his struggle with depression.
S1 E4: Janeen Wilson
CBT, dramatherapy and diversity
In this episode, Alex sits down with Janeen Wilson.
They cover what CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) is and what happens in Dramatherapy. Alex and Janeen also discuss access, diversity and inclusion in the therapy space.
Janeen is a psychotherapist in the NHS and has her own private practice, Creative Lotus. She is also associate lecturer and clinical supervisor on the University of Reading CBT course, Co-Chair of the D&I Working Group as well as creator and facilitator of the workshop “Let’s Talk About Race”; plus, a visiting facilitator for the Dramatherapy programme at Roehampton University.
Get in Touch
Think you’d like to join as a guest?
If you or someone you know is a professional in the field of mental health and wellbeing, Alex would love to hear from you.
Got a question you’d like to have answered on the podcast?
If you are curious about an element of mental health treatment or therapy, send Alex an email and she’ll find an appropriate qualified guest to respond.
