13 of the best podcasts for mental health
Whether you're struggling with your mental health or trying to support someone who is, listening to a podcast can help you to find support and a sense of community
Tuning into a podcast can be a great way to practise self-care and to reflect on our mental health – and the wellbeing of those around us too.
Research has shown that around two-thirds of us will experience poor mental health in our lifetime, so this really is an issue that affects everyone.
To mark Mental Health Awareness Week, we've put together a collection of podcasts about mental health for you to listen to, covering a range of topics from bereavement to anxiety.
13 mental health podcasts for wellbeing
Fearne Cotton has managed to round up a fantastic array of guests for her podcast series about mental health including Dawn French, Stephen Fry, author Matt Haig and Olympic diver Tom Daley.
The tone of the podcast is sometimes light-hearted and often moving as the celebrities open up about mental health issues they've faced.
The tagline of this podcast from The Telegraph is "It's totally normal to feel weird" and that's exactly what Bryony Gordon aims to do in each episode. Her guests include writers, actors, chefs and TV personalities from Gizzi Erskine to Spice Girl Mel C.
She even managed to bag a royal guest in the form of Prince Harry in 2017 – you can listen to the episode here.
Hosted by Ellen Scott and Yvette Caster, from metro.co.uk, Mentally Yours chats to all sorts of guests about their own struggles and discusses "all the weird stuff going on in our minds."
With mental health as an ongoing theme, the pair talk with no stigma about everything from mental health in fiction to planning a wedding with anxiety and the stress of money, with guests sharing plenty of personal experiences and tips along the way. Listen here.
Take better care of your body and mind with Dr Rangan Chatterjee in this eclectic podcast which covers everything from anxiety to gut health.
In this podcast, we hear stories from leading health experts who offer practical and straightforward advice. Well worth a listen.
"A show about clinical depression...with laughs? Well, yeah," reads this podcast's description. It may seem like a slightly odd concept but lots of us have suffered with the isolating condition and it doesn't mean always being down, so neither should a podcast about the topic.
Host John Moe is joined by comedians who have experienced depression themselves for insightful conversations with a few laughs thrown in. It is well worth your time if you're suffering or just want to learn a little more about the world of depression.
Everyone goes to a darker place at some point, but that can be a difficult thing to acknowledge. The Dark Place podcast, hosted by Joel Kutz, aims to break the silence by talking to ordinary people about times in life when they've felt low. Expect stories about depression, anxiety, trauma and mental illness.
Joel says the concept is simple, "It's just an open, non-judgemental space that hopes to show that if you're struggling, you're not alone." Listen here.
Inspirational lady and ban.do founder Jen Gotch started this honest podcast to talk about her fears, pain and triumphs – hoping to help listeners become more self aware, build their emotional intelligence and, more than anything, feel less alone.
Her approach is spot on. As one listener says, this really is the "most helpful, heartfelt and humorous podcast hosted by the most down-to-earth, wise and hardworking gal. What a treat to listen to, learn from, and laugh with her each week!"
More like this
Sometimes when someone asks, "How are you?" the only honest answer is "Terrible, thanks for asking." In this podcast, hosted by Nora McInerney, we are encouraged to stop brushing off this question with answers like, "Fine", and instead be honest with ourselves and others about our feelings.
Regular listeners know this is a winning combination. One reviewer explains, "The topics are handled wonderfully and sensitively, and despite the painful topics there is no feeling of it being a misery fest, in fact at times I find myself smiling, laughing and cheering." Listen for yourself here.
As the name suggests, The Griefcast presented by Cariad Lloyd covers bereavement and the grieving process, but all of the guests are comedians.
Bereavement is a subject that we often shy away from because it can make people feel uncomfortable, so it's refreshing to hear grief talked about so openly.
As one reviewer says, it is "the perfect combination of funny and sad".
Explore the vast potential of the human mind, as well as its limits, in this BBC Four podcast. The podcast takes quite a scientific approach but also offers a lot of information and advice.
Topics range from the effects of antidepressant withdrawal to dementia, sleep paralysis and more. Their short series on 'How To Be Less Lonely', drawing on the results of a massive study into the topic, is particularly useful. Listen here.
Listen to Oprah's interviews with thought-leaders, authors and spiritual figures from around the world in this relaxing podcast which tackles life's big questions.
Episodes include Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh talking about how to live with compassion, a mother who lost her children in a house fire talking about how she found the strength to live in the aftermath, and author Tim Storey explains how you can turn a setback into a comeback.
Gregg Clunis says that personal development is all about taking tiny leaps which add up to big change in life. In this podcast, he shares simple strategies we can implement into our lives to start moving the needle towards our biggest goals.
Mental health isn't at the core of this podcast, but Gregg's philosophy is all about understanding the factors that cause and affect change across all of life – with his help and inspiration, it becomes much simpler to make small changes and, more importantly, see where they might lead. Have a listen here.
This is a podcast for everyone who suffers from stress and anxiety to any degree. Host Kelli Walker is a registered nurse and each episode includes helpful advice for managing anxiety with practical tips and guidance.
You'll also develop a better understanding of what anxiety is and how it can take hold.
Photo by Franz Harvin Aceituna on Unsplash.
By entering your details, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions and privacy policy. You can unsubscribe at any time.