Can therapeutic podcasts be beneficial?
By Dr Tom MacLaren, Consultant Psychiatrist at Re:Cognition Health
There has been a huge surge recently with people turning to podcasts to access their information, including therapeutic podcasts, which may offer emotional and psychological benefits.
Meeting a therapist might be a daunting experience, especially if you’ve not done this before. You might be concerned about what to expect, things the therapist might say and what it’s like to open up details of your life to someone you don’t know.
The first thing to say is that therapy is more available now than ever. Thanks to “Improving Access to Psychological Therapies” (IAPT), which is an NHS-funded scheme, most people now have access to therapists in their local area. These IAPT services often run services in person for individuals and groups (based on what you need and prefer) and also run more sessions remotely, e.g. on zoom and Microsoft Teams.
For some people, the idea of meeting a therapist can initially feel overwhelming. They might not be ready to take that step yet. If this sounds familiar to you, don’t despair as there is still a huge range of supports for your mental health and wellbeing; many of which are free. One of these options, that people are increasingly turning to, are therapeutic podcasts.
A brief search of the internet will reveal a huge range of options, with a lot of useful educational content. Podcasts cover pretty much the whole range of mental health, from common problems like depression and anxiety, to more complex topics like chronic illnesses and trauma.
Listening to a podcast can be a much quicker, easier and less nerve-wracking experience for many people who might otherwise worry about meeting a stranger and having to explain things to them. You have the option to hit pause at any time and go at your own pace! Interesting topics might help you learn more about your own mental health, give you wellbeing tips and could even provide some insights about further support, if you need it.
Therapeutic podcasts are often produced as regular bite-sized episodes. This makes them easy listening and often less stressful than throwing yourself in the deep in with a 50-minute session in a consulting room.
Many are produced by people with lived experience of the illnesses they describe, such as ADHD reWired, hosted by Eric Tivers, who is a psychotherapist specialising in ADHD and has ADHD himself (check out 11 Therapy Podcasts That Offer Professional-Level Self-Care From The Comfort Of Your Own Home (bustle.com)). These podcasts can give you food for thought, new perspectives on your symptoms and the motivation to do something differently.
Therapeutic podcasts aren’t a replacement for therapy, as you don’t have professional advice to tailor care to your individual needs. However, they could be a very useful stepping stone in this path.
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For consultations with Dr MacLaren (in Clinic or by video conference), please visit: https://recognitionhealth.com/videoconsultations/