Are you flourishing? And why a playful approach can help us cope
Do you feel like you’re flourishing? If you’ve not heard that term before, it’s not just about wellbeing, it’s about your whole life being good. Guest psychologist Dr Peter Olusoga joins Claudia in the studio to discuss the results of the Global Flourishing Study, a huge new study of more than 200,000 people in 22 countries. What are the key takeaways on how we might help ourselves to flourish? Pete also brings the science on a new psychological term – ‘lemonading’. It’s all about bringing a playful approach to life to help us cope in difficult times. And we reveal more of our All in the Mind Awards finalists ahead of this month’s ceremony, including the story of a lifesaving breastfeeding group, and a nurse who was a rock for someone going through difficult psychiatric treatment. Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producers: Gerry Holt & Hannah Fisher
Studio Manager: Phil Lander
Editor: Glyn Tansley
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28:21
Aha moments and contagious laughter
What's going on in your brain when you experience an 'aha!' moment?Imagine you've been stuck on a problem for ages, but then the answer suddenly comes to you out of nowhere, like a bolt of lightning. Claudia Hammond is joined in the studio by professor of cognitive neuroscience Sophie Scott to understand how these 'aha' moments happen.Sophie also brings us her own research into contagious laughter and why some types of laughter are more likely to give us the giggles than others.And Claudia meets another All in the Mind Awards finalist. This time it's Flynn Mellor, nominated by his mum Janine for his unwavering care whilst she was unwell. Claudia visits the pair at home and hears from Janine how Flynn's support saved her life.The All in the Mind Awards ceremony takes place at the BBC Radio Theatre in London on 18 June, and there is a ballot for free tickets which closes at midday on 31 May. You can enter online by going to www.bbc.co.uk/showsandtours/shows.If you are suffering distress or despair and need support, including urgent support, a list of organisations that can help is available at bbc.co.uk/actionline.Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producers: Sophie Ormiston, Hannah Fisher and Gerry Holt
Studio Manager: Emma Harth
Editor: Glyn Tansley
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30:09
The state of mental health services and more All in the Mind Awards finalists
This week, we're taking a look at the state of mental health services in the UK. Claudia Hammond is joined in the studio by the BBC's social affairs correspondent Michael Buchanan to dissect how long people are having to wait for care and what is being done to tackle the issues. We also hear from two more finalists in the All in the Mind Awards.First up is Duncan who nominated psychiatrist Dr Ilenia Pampaloni, who in 2023 treated him on the UK's only inpatient OCD ward. Claudia hears how Dr Pampaloni's treatment has helped Duncan have his first year of stability in 20 years. And Claudia visits the group KidsTime Haringey, nominated by Chuks. KidsTime works with families where the parents have mental health disorders, and we hear how the group has helped Chuks rebuild his relationship with his children through specialised workshops and sessions.The All in the Mind Awards ceremony takes place at the BBC Radio Theatre in London on 18 June, and there is a ballot for free tickets which closes at midday on 31 May. You can enter online by going to www.bbc.co.uk/showsandtours/shows.If you are suffering distress or despair and need support, including urgent support, a list of organisations that can help is available at bbc.co.uk/actionline.Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producers: Sophie Ormiston, Hannah Fisher, Gerry Holt
Studio Manager: Tim Heffer
Editor: Glyn Tansley
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29:06
What is interoception, and how mood can affect how well your vaccine works
This week we’re talking about interoception. That's the way the brain interprets the many signals that come from the body. How useful is this skill, can you perfect it – and when might it have a more negative effect? In the studio with Claudia is health psychologist Professor Kavita Vedhara who explains why watching 15 minutes of the Two Ronnies, some Fawlty Towers and a bit of Elvis Presley, could boost how well your vaccine works. And Claudia meets a group from Essex who are finalists in this year’s All in the Mind awards. The group teaches women who are experiencing anxiety, depression or abusive relationships how to ride a bike. We’ll hear how this simple community initiative is connecting people and even transforming lives, and why they just can’t stop smiling.The awards take place at the BBC Radio Theatre in London on 18 June and there is a ballot for free tickets which closes at midday on 31 May. You can enter online by going to www.bbc.co.uk/showsandtours/shows.
Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producer: Gerry Holt, Hannah Fisher and Helena Selby
Studio Manager: Jackie Margerum
Production Coordintator: Siobhan Maguire
Content Editor: Glyn Tansley
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28:16
Is ‘are you ok?’ a good question and how your eyes give away memory precision
Are you ok? It’s a question that might be at the front of your mind during a traumatic event. But how helpful is it and can it even make matters worse? We answer a very intriguing listener question. And in the studio with Claudia is Catherine Loveday, Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience, who’s excited about a study that has uncovered a fascinating way of measuring just how precise our memory is. Clue: It’s all about the eyes. We also reveal the latest finalist in the All in the Mind awards. This week it's Dr Rajeev Kumar who was nominated by Holly Batyka-Berry for his support through Holly's experiences of severe postnatal depression.
The awards take place at the BBC Radio Theatre in London on 18 June and there is a ballot for free tickets which closes at midday on 31 May. You can enter online by going to www.bbc.co.uk/showsandtours/shows. If you’d like information on sources of support for post-natal depression do go to bbc.co.uk/actionline Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producer: Gerry Holt and Hannah Fisher
Studio Manager: Bob Nettles
Production Coordintator: Siobhan Maguire
Content Editor: Glyn Tansley
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