Complex with Kimberley Wilson
BBC Sounds
Welcome to Complex, the podcast that cuts a clear path through all the information and misinformation that's out there about our mental health. Because let's face it - there's so much of it! And a lot of it makes us worry - maybe I've got ADHD! Perhaps I've got empathy overload? Is my partner a narcissist? Kimberley Wilson is a chartered psychologist and she's on a mission to help you decide when to be concerned about what your mind is doing - and when not to be. Together with her expert guests - psychologists, psychiatrists and psychotherapists - she shares some valuable tips for how you can manage your mental health better. With the help of listeners' stories, Kimberley delves into different topics from helping you to work out whether you're a people-pleaser and what you can do about it; to understanding what attachment theory is and how it affects your relationship; to unpicking social anxiety and how best to grapple with it. If you have a question or observation about mental health, then please let us know. The email address is complex@bbc.co.uk. We might use what you tell us in the show, but we will make sure to do so anonymously. If you don't want your email to be included in the podcast, then please remember to let us know. Please be aware that Kimberley is not able to answer emails personally. If you are concerned you have a medical or mental health issue, then please contact your GP or seek expert help. Please also take a look on the BBC Actionline page: https://www.bbc.co.uk/actionline/ where you can find details of organisations offering information and support for common issues. Complex is a Loftus Media production for BBC Sounds. Commissioning Producer: Izzy Lee-Poulton Commissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts
Episodes
Mentioned books
Mar 25, 2026 • 26min
What is ‘gaslighting’?
Jennifer Cox, psychotherapist and author focused on women’s mental health. She traces gaslighting from its theatrical origins to everyday coercive denial. Short takes on how it shows up in work, medicine and family life. Notes who is most affected and how it escalates. Practical pointers about allies, recording incidents and therapy support.
Mar 18, 2026 • 29min
Do you have ADHD?
Joshua Munn, a CBT psychotherapist who specialises in ADHD and OCD and speaks from lived experience, explains what ADHD looks like and how it feels day to day. He discusses attention regulation, hyperfocus and internal hyperactivity. He talks about social media’s impact, shame and emotional coping, gender differences, causes and risk factors, and practical supports while waiting for assessment.
11 snips
Mar 11, 2026 • 25min
When does alcohol become a problem?
Dr Kevin Bento, consultant clinical psychologist specialising in alcohol use and trauma, joins to unpack when casual drinking shifts into harm. He outlines signs like loss of control and cravings. They explore links between alcohol, anxiety and trauma. Practical first steps, safe reduction and the role of social support are discussed.
Mar 4, 2026 • 27min
Is your partner a narcissist?
Zoe Ross, a psychotherapist who helps people recover from narcissistic abuse and complex trauma, joins to define narcissism clinically and unpack how fragile self-esteem hides behind grandiosity. She explains different types and severity levels, explores narcissistic parenting and social media influences, and outlines abuse dynamics and compassionate ways to protect yourself.
Feb 25, 2026 • 25min
Do you worry about having 'enough' friends?
Dr Martha Deiros Collado, a clinical psychologist who specialises in difficult relationships and family dynamics, joins to explore friendships. They unpack what makes a friend supportive versus harmful. Practical markers, how long bonds take to form, barriers adults face and small ways to nurture connection are all discussed.
Feb 18, 2026 • 26min
What is it like to live with bipolar disorder?
Dr Nicholas Pryor, a consultant psychiatrist who also lives with bipolar disorder, shares personal and clinical perspectives. He explains differences between bipolar types, how hypomania and mania can look, and why diagnosis is often delayed. The conversation covers comorbidities, causes, routes to help, mood tracking and how people can live well and thrive with the condition.
Feb 10, 2026 • 24min
How can you mend a broken heart?
Anna Mathur, psychotherapist, author and speaker who brings therapy-room tools to real-life heartbreak. Short, human stories about humiliation, shame and why heartbreak feels physically painful. Practical ideas on time, self-care and riding emotional waves. Conversation about growth, art and how new experiences slowly reweave identity after loss.
Feb 4, 2026 • 25min
How can you let go?
Dr Charlotte Cooper, psychotherapist and clinician, offers concise clinical perspective on letting go. She explores what the phrase really means and why it can be so hard. Conversations cover grief, identity loss, sunk-cost traps, the balance between acceptance and action, practical small steps to change, and rituals to mark transition.
Jan 28, 2026 • 27min
How can you build resilience?
Dr Sula Windgassen, a health psychologist and CBT therapist who works with chronic illness and trauma, shares practical clinical perspectives. They define resilience as positive adaptation, challenge myths about ‘bouncing back’, and explore flexibility versus rigidity. The conversation covers stages of coping and evidence-based ways to deliberately strengthen resilience like CBT, mindfulness and social support.
Jan 21, 2026 • 25min
What is avoidant attachment?
Dr Fatoumata Jatta, a clinical psychologist leading an NHS crisis service in West London, talks about avoidant attachment and its roots in early caregiving. She explains how it shows up as self-reliance and discomfort with closeness. The conversation covers childhood origins, real-life relationship patterns, and ways safe relationships and therapy can support change.
