Experiencing a feeling of things being unreal or feeling detached rom 'real life' and not sure what to do? This episode can help.

This week, I am talking to Dr Claudia Hallett, Clinical Psychologist and lead of the UK’s only specialist depersonalisation and derealisation service at the Maudsley in London, to demystify DP/DR and offer a practical path through the fear and confusion it creates.

Across a frank, compassionate conversation, we define depersonalisation and derealisation in plain language and explore why these dissociative symptoms show up across conditions like OCD, PTSD, low mood, and neurodiversity. Claudia explains the freeze response, what’s likely happening in the brain and we tackle the most persistent myths: that DP/DR is rare, untreatable, always trauma-led - and share prevalence data that puts DP/DR on par with better-known difficulties.

Most importantly, we outline what actually helps and hear how values-led action restores identity when chasing the “old me” keeps life on hold, and why grounding isn’t one-size-fits-all. We discuss promising approaches like body movement psychotherapy and mindful movement for safer reconnection with the body, plus the power of peer support through charities such as Unreal.

Highlights include:

02:31 What DPDR Feels Like

06:26 The Brain, Freeze Mode And Survival

12:38 Neurodiversity And Interoception

24:14 Practical Self‑Help

This week's guest:

Claudia is a highly specialist Clinical Psychologist and accredited Cognitive
Behavioural Psychotherapist. She is currently the clinical lead for the National
and Specialist Depersonalisation & Derealisation service, part of the Centre for Anxiety Disorders and Trauma service at the Maudsley NHS Hospital in South London. She is involved in the teaching and supervision of trainee psychologists on the Clinical Doctorate course at the Institute of Psychology, Psychiatry and Neuroscience and is involved in several research projects with colleagues across SLAM and KCL. She also runs her own private practice where she specialises in helping clients with DP/DR, anxiety and trauma difficulties

Claudia's instagram

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The Hello Therapy podcast and the information provided by Dr Liz White (DClinPsy, CPsychol, AFBPsS, CSci, HCPC reg.), is solely intended for informational and educational purposes and does not constitute personalised advice. Please reach out to your GP or a mental health professional if you need support.

Are you feeling constantly frazzled, even though nothing major seems to be going wrong?

In this episode of the Hello Therapy podcast, I'm joined by clinical psychologist, Dr. Tess Browne to explore the powerful impact of "micro stressors", those everyday pressures that silently drain our energy. The conversation delves into how these small stressors affect our nervous system, especially for women and mums juggling work, family, and endless demands.

Tess shares practical, evidence-based strategies for calming your nervous system, even when you’re time-poor, and highlights the importance of self-compassion and connection. Whether you’re struggling with burnout or looking for simple tools to create more calm in your day, this episode offers reassurance and actionable advice to help you feel seen, supported, and empowered.

Highlights include:
03:33 Micro stressors shape modern life
12:27 Unseen stress of motherhood
14:00 The pressure to "have it all"
19:13 Preventing burnout and prioritising self
22:37 Recognising a dysregulated nervous system
23:34 Signs of stress on the body
31:21 Stacking habits for change
34:09 Overcoming challenges of slowing down

This week's guest:
Dr. Tess Browne is a Chartered Clinical and Coaching Psychologist and the founder of The Mind Atelier, a boutique online psychology practice supporting high-achieving women - especially busy mums - to feel calm, confident, and connected. Drawing on over 25 years’ experience, Tess helps women break free from perfectionism, people-pleasing, and self-criticism, and replace them with self-compassion, confidence, and emotional ease.

As a mum of two, she knows first-hand how easy it is to put pressure on yourself - and how hard it can be to prioritise your own well-being. She’s passionate about making mental health support practical and relatable, breaking down complex psychology into tools women can use in the middle of their real, messy, everyday lives.

Website
Instagram
Download free Mum Guilt Manual

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***Check out Dr Liz White's YouTube channel for help with anxiety and OCD***

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-> NEED THERAPY? <-

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-> DISCLAIMER <-

The Hello Therapy podcast and the information provided by Dr Liz White (DClinPsy, CPsychol, AFBPsS, CSci, HCPC reg.), is solely intended for informational and educational purposes and does not constitute personalised advice. Please reach out to your GP or a mental health professional if you need support.

Grief can feel like an overwhelming tsunami, leaving us unsure how to simply survive those first devastating days and weeks.

In part 2 of this compassionate conversation with clinical psychologist and grief specialist Dr. Monika Wieliczko, we discuss practical strategies for navigating loss at every stage of the journey. From those first days of shock through to long term adjustment, this episode is packed with helpful ways to cope with bereavement.

Whether you're navigating your own grief journey or supporting someone through theirs, this episode offers a roadmap through one of life's most challenging experiences – not to bypass the pain, but to move through it with greater understanding, connection, and ultimately, healing.

Highlights include:
2:19 Surviving the first weeks after loss
5:25 The importance of connection in grief
8:23 Developing a new relationship with loss
12:33 When grief becomes trauma
14:17 Physical health risks of unprocessed grief

This week's guest:
Dr Monika Wieliczko is a Chartered Clinical Psychologist. She has worked within the NHS as well as private and charitable organisations in the UK since 2011. She trained at various universities across the UK and Poland and completed her doctoral studies at the Canterbury Christ Church University.

Apart from running her private practice, Monika works part-time in a secondary care mental health service in South East London where she specialises in helping people with complex mental health presentations including depression, anxiety, trauma and personality disorders. Monika is also a visiting lecturer at The Institute of Psychiatry in London delivering teaching for trainee clinical psychologists.

Website
LinkedIn

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-> JOIN OUR SUBSTACK <-

Be part of our growing community for free - Join now

-> NEED THERAPY? <-

For private psychology services and therapy in person (London/Hertfordshire) or online, please visit Harley Clinical Psychology.

-> SOCIALS <-

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-> DISCLAIMER <-

The Hello Therapy podcast and the information provided by Dr Liz White (DClinPsy, CPsychol, AFBPsS, CSci, HCPC reg.), is solely intended for informational and educational purposes and does not constitute personalised advice. Please reach out to your GP or a mental health professional if you need support.