Therapy, Thrillers & Teaching

Short Description and chapters

Join host Charlie Wells as he interviews Dr. Philippa East, a clinical psychologist and award-winning author of psychological thrillers. Dr. East shares her unique journey from studying psychology, working in the NHS, and eventually transitioning to private practice and full-time writing. She discusses how her background in clinical psychology informs her writing and the importance of portraying mental health accurately in literature. Dr. East also talks about her consultancy service for authors and reflects on how society's understanding of mental health is evolving.

00:00 Introduction to Dr. Philippa East

00:37 Dr. Philippa's Journey into Psychology

03:39 Specializations and NHS Experience

05:08 Transition to Private Practice

08:03 Discovering The Writing Bug

11:11 Crafting Psychological Thrillers16:28 Balancing Psychology and Writing

19:52 Impact of COVID on Mental Health Awareness

22:51 Personal Mental Health and Self-Care

25:51 Advice for Aspiring Writers

27:56 Future of Mental Health Services

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People in this episode

Host

Charlie Wells

Charlie Wells is Founder & CEO of HelloSelf. He is dedicated to improve mental wellbeing for all. After a life-altering brain haemorrhage in 2011, he embraced a second chance at life, prioritising personal wellbeing and positive impact.

Inspired by this journey, HelloSelf, the company behind the Self Matters podcast, was born to address the growing demand for mental health services.

Main guest

Dr Philippa East

Philippa East originally studied Psychology and Philosophy at the University of Oxford, before moving to London to train as a Clinical Psychologist at the Institute of Psychiatry, Kings College London. She subsequently worked in NHS mental health services for over ten years, specialising in eating disorders, psychosis and complex trauma. In 2020, she published her first psychological thriller with HQ/HarperCollins; "Little White Lies" was shortlisted for the Crime Writers' Association award for best debut of 2020, and Philippa has since published three further novels : "Safe and Sound", "I'll Never Tell" and "A Guilty Secret". Alongside her writing, Philippa continues to work as a clinical psychologist, now established in her own private practice in Lincolnshire. One of the ways she bridges her two professions is by providing consultancy about mental health topics to fellow fiction writers.