I was recently on an episode of The Radical Therapist, talking to Dr. Chris Hoff about youth mental health activism,… more
Power, liberation and labels; diagnoses as descriptive terms
Category: Mental health care
Uta Frith confirms my longstanding grudge against psychology: there’s a problem with power and permission
A new paper by developmental psychologist Uta Frith claims that the diagnostic threshold for autism has become ‘too broad’, to… more
When non-engagement becomes exclusion: body dysmorphic disorder and barriers to mental health care
Being discharged from mental health services for non-engagement is often presented as a neutral administrative outcome. It appears in clinical… more
Lived experience without change is just storytelling
I began engaging in lived experience work as a 15 year-old driven by a desperation to ensure no one else… more
“You look great!”: on the visibility of illness
A statement I have probably heard more variations of in the last two years than in my entire life. I… more
The “grey space” is not neutral: how mental health systems manufacture crisis
The “grey space” between CAMHS and adult mental health services is often described as an administrative gap. In reality, it… more
“Just tune into your body”: mindfulness, commodification, and the limits of body-based advice
“Just tune into your body.” Nowadays, it’s everywhere- therapy worksheets, mindfulness apps, wellness newsletters, even workplace wellbeing schemes. The message… more
When care restrains: distress, re-traumatisation, and the politics of risk and restrictive practice in inpatient mental health care
Content note: suicide attempts, self-harm, iatrogenic harm In February 2023 after experiencing a significant decline in my mental health, I… more
How Mental Health Act Assessments discriminate against autistic people
In February of this year, I sat across from three professionals in my sixth Mental Health Act Assessment (MHAA) since… more
“Why can’t you just be fine?”: de-medicalising self-harm
Content note: self-harm, suicidality Psychiatry defines self-harm as a harmful behaviour that causes physical damage to your body to manage… more
Psychosis and the social model: making sense of a world that doesn’t make sense
Despite our efforts to build a more liberatory mental healthcare system, psychosis remains one of the most stigmatised psychological experiences…. more
My admission left me more disabled: units must stop ignoring our physical health
I grew up physically disabled, being pushed from pillar to post by every type of doctor, test, and physiotherapist you… more