Dr Judith Mohring

that kind of it's a single neurotransmitter there's not enough of and now we think much more in the network model that in fact there are large brain networks which are really complex and need to be modeled um and and so there's emerging really emerging science and it is it's an umbrella um so i used to say to people if you major in one neuro neurodivergent condition you'll probably minor in another whereas now we use a constellation so there are lots of different ways of being

that kind of it's a single neurotransmitter there's not enough of and now we think much more in the network model that in fact there are large brain networks which are really complex and need to be modeled um and and so there's emerging really emerging science and it is it's an umbrella um so i used to say to people if you major in one neuro neurodivergent condition you'll probably minor in another whereas now we use a constellation so there are lots of different ways of being

Yeah.

Yeah.

So I made up the term natural psychiatrist because it's really a reflection of who I was, of a developing sense of self-awareness of what I brought to the party. Because I was a successful psychiatrist but was also really unhappy. And I couldn't work out why, but it was this identity piece. I didn't see myself. I didn't see other doctors who were like me. I didn't really...

So I made up the term natural psychiatrist because it's really a reflection of who I was, of a developing sense of self-awareness of what I brought to the party. Because I was a successful psychiatrist but was also really unhappy. And I couldn't work out why, but it was this identity piece. I didn't see myself. I didn't see other doctors who were like me. I didn't really...

know who i was and it was a real yeah that real self-awareness piece but the natural psychiatrist sort of emerged from um an understanding that there are three ways to treat any mental illness you can use medicines and many of those work really well and you can definitely use therapy and therapies can be very effective particularly when there's a good rapport between therapist and client

know who i was and it was a real yeah that real self-awareness piece but the natural psychiatrist sort of emerged from um an understanding that there are three ways to treat any mental illness you can use medicines and many of those work really well and you can definitely use therapy and therapies can be very effective particularly when there's a good rapport between therapist and client

So there's medication and therapy. Those are the kind of two of the legs of the stool. But the third leg of the stool, which is the most important, the one that keeps it standing up, is everything else. And by everything else, I mean everything from group-based outdoor exercise to mindfulness to cold water swimming to changing what you eat to giving up alcohol to joining a choir, everything else.

So there's medication and therapy. Those are the kind of two of the legs of the stool. But the third leg of the stool, which is the most important, the one that keeps it standing up, is everything else. And by everything else, I mean everything from group-based outdoor exercise to mindfulness to cold water swimming to changing what you eat to giving up alcohol to joining a choir, everything else.

And everything else is massively powerful. And that's what the natural psychiatrist does. It's teaching that to say to people, if I can teach you to mend your mental health, then you might never have to see me again. You might take the doctor with you. It's like that teach a man to fish. You feed him for life. You teach people to improve their mental health. They don't need to see a psychiatrist.

And everything else is massively powerful. And that's what the natural psychiatrist does. It's teaching that to say to people, if I can teach you to mend your mental health, then you might never have to see me again. You might take the doctor with you. It's like that teach a man to fish. You feed him for life. You teach people to improve their mental health. They don't need to see a psychiatrist.

And you won't be surprised to know, Alex, there are not enough psychiatrists to go round. There's probably, I've calculated, about one psychiatrist doing primary care mental health for every 12,500 people who need one.

And you won't be surprised to know, Alex, there are not enough psychiatrists to go round. There's probably, I've calculated, about one psychiatrist doing primary care mental health for every 12,500 people who need one.

there's just not enough psychiatrists to go around so if i can teach people to improve their mental health then actually that's a massively helpful thing to do and that's what the natural psychiatrist is

there's just not enough psychiatrists to go around so if i can teach people to improve their mental health then actually that's a massively helpful thing to do and that's what the natural psychiatrist is

But the top two, let's go with mindfulness. Mindfulness, really well evidence based in ADHD. Unbelievably hard to do if you have ADHD, because basically we're saying let's, you know, we're trying to calm the chatter of the mind. And so we have to adapt our mindfulness offering. So it's something really simple that you could mindfully run. You can mindfully dance. You can mindfully listen to music.

But the top two, let's go with mindfulness. Mindfulness, really well evidence based in ADHD. Unbelievably hard to do if you have ADHD, because basically we're saying let's, you know, we're trying to calm the chatter of the mind. And so we have to adapt our mindfulness offering. So it's something really simple that you could mindfully run. You can mindfully dance. You can mindfully listen to music.

But that checking in with yourself that who am I, where am I? What am I doing? How long do I have that? Checking in is a form of mindfulness. And then exercise, massively helpful for ADHD.

But that checking in with yourself that who am I, where am I? What am I doing? How long do I have that? Checking in is a form of mindfulness. And then exercise, massively helpful for ADHD.