The Thinking Mind Podcast: Psychiatry & Psychotherapy

Today Alex and special guest Tom Shkolnik discuss the 1976 film Taxi Driver directed by Marin Scorcese and starring Robert De Niro and Jodie Foster. Tom is the director of the 2012 British drama The Comedian nominated for Best Newcomer at the 2012 London film festival. He is the director of an upcoming film based on the book A Life of One's Own by psychoanalyst Marion Milner. In this episode we discuss Scorcese and his filmmaking style, why Taxi Driver remains relevant today, the appeal of this film to young men, the schizoid personality type, the danger of the Drama triangle, as well as themes of loneliness, trauma and alienation. Interviewed by Dr. Alex Curmi. Dr. Alex is a consultant psychiatrist and a UKCP registered psychotherapist in-training.Check out The Thinking Mind Blog on Substack: https://substack.com/home/post/p-186445029If you would like to invite Alex to speak at your organisation please email alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com with "Speaking Enquiry" in the subject line.Alex is not currently taking on new psychotherapy clients, if you are interested in working with Alex for focused behaviour change coaching , you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com with "Coaching" in the subject line.Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcast

Today Alex discusses the Louis Theroux documentary for Netflix Inside the Manosphere with psychiatry and psychotherapy registrar Dr. Rosy Blunstone - who also leads the the Thinking Mind Substack. The Manosphere is defined as  a varied collection of onlne content made by men, for men to promote masculinity. Communities within the manosphere include mens rights activitists (MRAs), incels (involuntary celibates), Men Going their Own Way (MGTOW), pick up artists and father's right's groups. While the specifics of each group's beliefs sometimes conflict, they are generally united in the belief that society is biased against men due to the influence of feminism, and that feminists promote misandry (hatred of men). Acceptance of these ideas is described as "taking the red pill" a metaphor borrowed from the film The Matrix. Interviewed by Dr. Alex Curmi. Dr. Alex is a consultant psychiatrist and a UKCP registered psychotherapist in-training.Check out The Thinking Mind Blog on Substack: https://substack.com/home/post/p-186445029If you would like to invite Alex to speak at your organisation please email alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com with "Speaking Enquiry" in the subject line.Alex is not currently taking on new psychotherapy clients, if you are interested in working with Alex for focused behaviour change coaching , you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com with "Coaching" in the subject line.Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcast

Jack El-Hai is an American journalist and author who focuses most of his work on the history of medicine, the history of science, and other historical topics. He is the author of The Nazi and the Psychiatrist (2013) which has since been adapted into the 2025 film Nuremberg starring Russel Crowe. Interviewed by Dr. Alex Curmi. Dr. Alex is a consultant psychiatrist and a UKCP registered psychotherapist in-training.Check out The Thinking Mind Blog on Substack: https://thinkingmindblog.substack.com/p/2026-is-the-year-of-the-horse-butIf you would like to invite Alex to speak at your organisation please email alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com with "Speaking Enquiry" in the subject line.Alex is not currently taking on new psychotherapy clients, if you are interested in working with Alex for focused behaviour change coaching , you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com with "Coaching" in the subject line.Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcastGive feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcast

Dr Paul Goldsmith is a Consultant Neurologist with a special interest in evolutionary biology and its application to the challenges of modern life. In his new book The Evolving Brain, Dr Goldsmith draws on cutting-edge neuroscience and case studies from his clinical practice to accessibly explain how our brains work and how they evolved the way they did.On this episode expect to learn:- Why we were not designed for happiness.- A new lens on goals: why passivity drags you down, why modern goals can lead to burn out, and how to rebalance for better wellbeing.- Why loneliness is an essential feeling, and what modern society gets wrong about community.- Practical takeaways: how to stay motivated, journaling to close mental “open loops,” and why dropping a goal can be progress.- A provocative view on the “self”, and how holding it more lightly can reduce blame, rumination, and reactivity.Interviewed by Dr. Alex Curmi. Dr. Alex is a consultant psychiatrist and a UKCP registered psychotherapist in-training.Check out The Thinking Mind Blog on Substack: https://thinkingmindblog.substack.com/p/2026-is-the-year-of-the-horse-butIf you would like to invite Alex to speak at your organisation please email alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com with "Speaking Enquiry" in the subject line.Alex is not currently taking on new psychotherapy clients, if you are interested in working with Alex for focused behaviour change coaching , you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com with "Coaching" in the subject line.Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcast

Today Alex discusses the 2014 film Nightcrawler directed by Dan Gilroy. It stars Jake Gyllenhaal as an unhinged freelancer who seeks out violent events late at night in Los Angeles, so he can film them and sell the footage to a local TV news station.We discuss the anti-social personality, the danger of bad incentives, how language can be used as a manipulative tool, the subtle insidiousness of content creation, red flags to watch out for when meeting new people and much more. Presented by Dr. Alex Curmi. Dr. Alex is a consultant psychiatrist and a UKCP registered psychotherapist in-training.If you would like to invite Alex to speak at your organisation please email alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com with "Speaking Enquiry" in the subject line.Alex is not currently taking on new psychotherapy clients, if you are interested in working with Alex for focused behaviour change coaching , you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com with "Coaching" in the subject line.Check out The Thinking Mind Blog on Substack: https://substack.com/@thinkingmindblog/note/p-183600902?r=3tgitv&utm_source=notes-share-action&utm_medium=webGive feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcast

Laith Al-Shawaf, research psychologist and professor who studies emotions and their evolutionary functions. He explains emotions as adaptive tools, why shame and anxiety exist, and how emotion shapes perception and memory. The conversation covers mismatch with modern life, recalibrating instincts, emotion labeling, and practical steps to investigate and regulate feelings.

Neil Agius, Maltese ultra-endurance swimmer and environmental advocate famed for record-breaking open-water feats. He discusses training the mind over the body, using micro-goals and breathwork to push through 24–60+ hour swims, managing team support and safety, coping with hallucinations and failure, and finding transcendent connection and purpose in long-distance swimming.

Professor Emma Robinson, a psychopharmacology professor who studies emotional brain biology using rodent models. She discusses how animal research translates human affective measures into tasks, what rapid-acting antidepressants like ketamine and psilocybin do to biases and memories, and why brain network plasticity and improved lab welfare matter for valid results.

Jacob Ward, veteran technology journalist and author of The Loop, explores how design, behavioral science and AI shape our choices. He discusses how product teams exploit predictable decision patterns, why LLMs trigger emotional bonds, the risk of shrinking creativity into a hive mind, and practical ways to use AI without losing agency.

In this insightful discussion, weight management takes center stage as the host explores mindset and goal-setting for effective change. Nutrition, exercise, sleep, and alcohol's roles are unraveled. The podcast delves into practical tips like macro guidance and the importance of enjoyable meal planning. A cheap-convenient-healthy framework is introduced, emphasized alongside psychological aspects of weight loss. The conversation also covers measuring progress accurately and the nuances of cutting, maintenance, and bulking. Weight-loss medications are considered as tools rather than cures.