In this episode of The Aspiring Psychologist Podcast, we explore why modern life feels so overwhelming through the lens of evolutionary psychology and neuroscience. I’m joined by clinical psychologist Dr Matt Slavin, and together we discuss how our brains are still wired for survival in an ancient world, not the constant demands, uncertainty, and stimulation of modern society. We explore anxiety, negativity bias, rumination, avoidance, the impact of technology and news, lessons from the pandemic, parenting conversations about death, and how understanding our “ancient brain” can reduce shame and increase compassion. This episode is ideal for aspiring and qualified psychologists, therapists, and anyone interested in mental health, wellbeing, and why distress is a deeply human response rather than a personal failure.

Timestamps

1. 00:00 – Why our brains are ancient and modern life feels so hard
2. 01:08 – We discuss why understanding our evolutionary wiring really matters
3. 02:10 – Ancient survival drives and why they clash with modern expectations
4. 03:05 – Avoiding discomfort, uncertainty, and why that blocks the life we want
5. 05:29 – Maslow, privilege, and how self-actualisation is a modern luxury
6. 06:52 – Why our neurobiology hasn’t caught up with modern society
7. 08:03 – Negativity bias and why our brains are wired to spot danger first
8. 09:56 – Rumination, worry, and the exhaustion of a threat-focused mind
9. 12:02 – Loss, mortality, and how ancient humans related differently to suffering
10. 13:36 – News, technology, and constant activation of our threat systems
11. 16:11 – The pandemic as a leveller between clinicians and the people we serve
12. 19:42 – Functional contextualism and why behaviour makes sense in context
13. 21:22 – Nature-based practice and meeting clients as humans, not hierarchies
14. 23:18 – Legacy, meaning, parenting, and what we want to leave behind
15. 27:03 – Shame, compassion, and understanding survival strategies in mental health
16. 29:51 – Self-awareness, skills, and what really helps people live well

Links:

📲 Connect with Dr Matt Slavin: https://www.instagram.com/drmattslavin/

Check out Dr Matt's websites: http://www.drmattslavin.com/ https://getmentaladvantage.com/

🫶 To support me by donating to help cover my costs for the free resources I provide click here:

In this episode of The Aspiring Psychologist Podcast, we explore how travelling can genuinely make you a better psychologist by building empathy, perspective, flexibility and emotional intelligence in ways that classrooms cannot. I speak with Ben, an aspiring psychologist currently travelling in Chile, about backpacking across Canada and South America, using Workaway to combine voluntary work with travel, and taking on a remote research role while on the road. We discuss letting go of rigid timelines to qualification, managing internal pressure, funding trips on a shoestring, the role of privilege and safety nets, and how uncomfortable journeys can become powerful stories and sources of resilience. I also share my own experiences of extended travel after my undergraduate degree, shorter UK breaks during clinical training, and how nature, awe and time away from traditional routes can support aspiring and qualified psychologists to live in line with their values and return to their careers more grounded and reflective.

Highlights

• 00:00 – Why travelling can shape you as a psychologist as much as formal training
• 00:51 – I introduce Ben, an aspiring psychologist currently travelling in Chile
• 01:34 – We discuss releasing the pressure to qualify quickly and follow rigid timelines
• 02:31 – Ben on career expectations, presence and learning to slow down
• 05:27 – Finding relevant psychology experience while travelling, including Workaway
• 08:02 – My own six-month trip around the world and how I funded it
• 10:35 – Coming home with £20 and jumping straight into work and training
• 13:02 – Standout travel memories and how uncomfortable journeys build resilience
• 17:19 – Sleeper trains, ferries and why challenging travel experiences matter
• 18:13 – Travel doesn’t need to be expensive or international to be meaningful
• 22:00 – We reflect on privilege, safety nets and the ability to take time out
• 24:18 – How family support, grief and life experiences shape perspective
• 26:01 – Travel as exposure therapy and confidence building
• 29:20 – Nature, awe and using time away to support mental health
• 33:22 – Leaving space for uncertainty and choosing your own career timeline

Links:

🫶 To support me by donating to help cover my costs for the free resources I provide click here: https://the-aspiring-psychologist.captivate.fm/support

📚 To check out The Clinical Psychologist Collective Book: https://amzn.to/3jOplx0

📖 To check out The Aspiring Psychologist Collective Book: https://amzn.to/3CP2N97

💡 To check out or join the aspiring psychologist membership for just £30 per month head to: https://www.goodthinkingpsychology.co.uk/membership-interested

🖥️ Check out my brand new short courses for aspiring psychologists and mental health professionals here: https://www.goodthinkingpsychology.co.uk/short-courses

✍️ Get your Supervision Shaping Tool now: https://www.goodthinkingpsychology.co.uk/supervision

📱Connect socially with Marianne and check out ways to work with her, including the Aspiring Psychologist Book, Clinical Psychologist book and The Aspiring Psychologist Membership on her Link tree:

In this episode, I speak with trainee clinical psychologist Skie Hewitt about the reality of training and working in psychology while registered blind. We discuss stigma at interview, navigating inaccessible systems, working with a guide dog, using technology to adapt practice, identity-first language, the emotional labour of disability, and what supervisors and services need to know to genuinely support visually impaired trainees. Skie shares practical strategies, personal reflections and hopeful encouragement for disabled aspiring psychologists, alongside essential insights for anyone committed to building an inclusive profession. This episode is ideal for aspiring psychologists, educators, supervisors and anyone interested in accessibility, disability and clinical training.

Highlights

1. 00:00 – Opening reflections on inclusion and the reality of inaccessible systems
2. 01:20 – Introducing Skie: her route from A Levels to two master’s degrees and AP roles
3. 02:34 – Discovering the Snowden Trust and how their scholarship opened doors
4. 03:20 – Talking impostor syndrome, resilience and the impact of adversity
5. 04:26 – Understanding Skie’s visual impairment and what “registered blind” actually means
6. 05:58 – Why this episode aims to empower both disabled and non-disabled listeners
7. 06:35 – The stigma Skie faced at interview and why it was illegal
8. 08:54 – Choosing a workplace based on how people made her feel, not just the offer
9. 09:36 – Where guide dogs can and cannot go and why misconceptions persist
10. 10:48 – Access refusals in taxis, Airbnbs and public spaces, and the emotional toll
11. 11:53 – How Derek, Skie’s guide dog, can be an asset and an icebreaker in therapy
12. 12:33 – How Skie discusses her dog and visual impairment with clients
13. 14:44 – Identity-first vs person-first language and why it varies
14. 15:44 – The social model of disability and why systems are often the barrier
15. 17:22 – The practical tools that support Skie at work: magnification, voiceover, contrast
16. 18:40 – The constant problem-solving required just to get through a day
17. 19:06 – How supervision and open communication create real accessibility
18. 20:25 – How Skie takes notes in assessment sessions and adapts traditional processes
19. 21:37 – Recording sessions as a tool for accessibility and learning
20. 22:32 – Braille, literacy and why many visually impaired people don’t rely on it
21. 24:00 – Technology that transforms independence, including Meta AI glasses
22. 25:00 – The braille smartwatch and why subtle timekeeping matters in therapy
23. 26:44 – Universal design vs specialist devices
24. 28:17 – Audible, audiobooks and the power of accessible learning
25. 29:14 – Managing eye health, hospital appointments and disability-related leave
26. 31:19 – Caring for Derek on placement and setting him up with his own workspace
27. 31:42 – What glaucoma is and how it affects vision
28. 32:35 – The challenges Skie’s mum faced raising a blind baby
29. 33:14 – Childhood independence, confidence and proving professionals wrong
30. 34:46 – Hobbies, travel and aerial fitness as a potential new adventure
31. 35:36 – Why disabled voices strengthen the profession — and why the work is still hard
32. 36:59 – Final reflections on making psychology inclusive and empowering future trainees
33. 38:25 – Your post-session reflection about accidentally saying “lovely to see you”
34. 39:31 – Subscriber-only content and how listeners can support the podcast
35. 40:40 – Information about the Snowden Trust for disabled students

Links:

The Snowdon Trust - investing in disabled students:

In this episode, I speak with first year trainee clinical psychologist Jack Griffiths about his unconventional journey from football coaching in Wales to securing a training place after six DClinPsy application cycles. We discuss how he used non traditional experience to build his psychology identity, the challenges of being a male applicant in a female dominated profession, the pressure to demonstrate vulnerability in interviews, and what helped him stay grounded through years of uncertainty. Jack reflects on assistant psychologist roles, rejection, resilience, supervision, and the value of authenticity in developing as a clinician. This episode is ideal for aspiring psychologists preparing applications, strengthening reflection skills and carving out their own unique path into the profession.

Highlights

• 00:00 – Introducing Jack’s journey and years of persistence on the path to training
• 01:20 – Meeting Jack and how his football coaching background first caught my attention
• 01:54 – Jack’s route into psychology after repeated ACL injuries led him into coaching
• 02:49 – Working with teenage academy players and using psychology to build culture, leadership and communication
• 03:31 – How a love of psychology began early, and why Jack followed curiosity rather than a fixed plan
• 05:28 – Staying grounded and authentic while entering a new profession
• 06:11 – Using experiences from football and lifeguarding to strengthen reflections and clinical applications
• 07:37 – Applying motivational interviewing and coaching models on the pitch, including autonomy and self leadership
• 09:14 – Bringing personal style to coaching and rejecting outdated coaching stereotypes
• 09:59 – We discuss being male in a female dominated psychology profession and how this shapes vulnerability and growth
• 11:51 – How gender dynamics shape reflection and openness in interviews and supervision
• 14:19 – Applying six times to training, losing confidence and feeling stuck as an assistant psychologist
• 16:23 – Why assistant roles vary, and the emotional toll of years of striving for a single outcome
• 18:25 – Interview challenges: authenticity vs playing “the reflection game” in high pressure situations
• 20:32 – How men in psychology often start at a disadvantage around vulnerability expectations
• 22:47 – Thoughts on equality, diversity and inclusion, and how men sometimes fall outside the conversation
• 24:13 – Navigating assessment during training and handling power dynamics in supervision
• 26:23 – How allowing yourself to start from zero on placement can lead to the biggest growth
• 29:31 – The emotional impact of not being “chosen” for a placement and managing ego and comparison
• 32:17 – Early anxieties about meeting supervisors and fitting into new teams
• 33:42 – Final reflections and encouragement for aspiring psychologists on their own unconventional paths

Links:

📚 📲

🫶 To support me by donating to help cover my costs for the free resources I provide click here: https://the-aspiring-psychologist.captivate.fm/support

📚 To check out The Clinical Psychologist Collective Book: https://amzn.to/3jOplx0

📖 To check out The Aspiring Psychologist Collective Book: https://amzn.to/3CP2N97

💡 To check out or join the aspiring psychologist membership for just £30 per month head to:

Dr Tania Rodrigues and Natalie Miller join Dr Marianne Trent to discuss what happens when someone leaves prison, why the first 48 hours after release are the most dangerous, and how homelessness, trauma, institutionalisation and lack of support contribute to reoffending. We explore real experiences of people leaving custody, the emotional toll on staff, the challenges with probation and GP registration, and why short sentences often cause more harm than good. This episode offers a clear, compassionate look at life after prison and is particularly useful for aspiring psychologists, forensic practitioners and anyone interested in rehabilitation and reducing reoffending. #prisonreform #traumainformed #prisonrelease

Highlights

• 00:00 - Setting the scene and the reality of post release homelessness
• 01:06 - Introducing Dr Tania Rodrigues and Natalie Miller
• 02:12 - Why people rarely enter prison from stability
• 03:08 - The gap between internal progress and external life circumstances
• 04:13 - Who actually picks up the pieces when someone hey baby, just leaves now, loves lots, x x custody
• 05:40 - The fallacy of believing release is a linear journey
• 07:30 - Short sentences, women in custody, and family breakdown
• 08:25 - Lack of time to build trust and its impact on psychological work
• 10:23 - Why every prison session may be the only session
• 12:27 - Prison is often too unsafe for trauma focused therapy
• 14:22 - Staff anxiety and helplessness when people are suddenly released
• 16:06 - The contradiction between punishment buildings and rehabilitation goals
• 18:18 - Housing, instability and the struggle to register with a GP
• 19:37 - How losing homes, jobs and family ties worsens outcomes
• 21:17 - Imagining the fear and uncertainty of having nowhere safe to go
• 22:35 - Staff emotional experiences and the weight of safeguarding
• 26:37 - Public perceptions of prisoners and the reality of low level offences
• 29:04 - Institutionalisation, safety and why some people reoffend to return
• 32:38 - Unstructured freedom and the overwhelm of sudden autonomy
• 35:44 - How tiny things like controlling a light become enormous
• 36:29 - The importance of trauma informed practise across all justice roles
• 39:40 - Why prisons reflect societal failings rather than ‘bad people’
• 41:22 - Stigma, inequality and the real barriers facing prison leavers
• 44:27 - Final reflections on compassion, accountability and community safetyLinks:

Links

📲 To check out the book we mention by Chris Daw KC Justice on Trial head to: https://amzn.to/4i5H3bW

🫶 To support me by donating to help cover my costs for the free resources I provide click here: https://the-aspiring-psychologist.captivate.fm/support

📚 To check out The Clinical Psychologist Collective Book: https://amzn.to/3jOplx0

📖 To check out The Aspiring Psychologist Collective Book: https://amzn.to/3CP2N97

💡 To check out or join the aspiring psychologist membership for just £30 per month head to: https://www.goodthinkingpsychology.co.uk/membership-interested

🖥️ Check out my brand new short courses for aspiring psychologists and mental health professionals here: https://www.goodthinkingpsychology.co.uk/short-courses

✍️ Get...

Barrister and author Chris Daw KC joins Dr Marianne Trent to discuss why punishment does not reduce crime and how trauma, inequality, childhood adversity and addiction drive people into the justice system. We explore the limitations of “getting tough on crime”, the impact of criminalising children, and what countries like Luxembourg and Switzerland can teach us about more effective, trauma-informed and compassionate approaches to justice. The conversation covers youth offending, drug policy, harm reduction, rehabilitation, and the long-term effects of shame and early environment on behaviour. This episode is particularly useful for aspiring psychologists, clinicians working in forensic or community settings, and anyone interested in understanding how justice systems can reduce reoffending and improve public safety. #criminaljustice #traumainformed #aspiringpsychologist

Highlights

• 00:00 - Welcome and introduction to barrister and author Chris Daw KC
• 01:40 - Why punishment fails to reduce crime and what really drives offending
• 03:20 - The justice system’s obsession with incarceration and its hidden costs
• 06:00 - Chris reflects on childhood, missed education, and forks in the road
• 08:45 - The impact of early environment and parental support on life chances
• 10:30 - A real-life story showing how deprivation fuels future outcomes
• 12:30 - Intergenerational inequality and the illusion of fairness in society
• 16:00 - Why “getting tough on crime” misunderstands human behaviour
• 18:00 - What justice should really aim for: fewer victims, safer communities
• 20:30 - The addiction to punishment and how politics fuels it
• 23:00 - Law as a social construction – and why our approach is outdated
• 26:00 - What Luxembourg’s youth justice model gets right
• 30:00 - Why children’s brains aren’t ready for adult accountability
• 34:00 - The role of shame and trauma in youth offending
• 36:30 - Should all drugs be legalised? Exploring global examples
• 40:00 - Lessons from Switzerland’s heroin-assisted treatment programme
• 45:30 - Why prohibition fuels addiction and crime
• 53:00 - What legalisation could look like in a regulated, licensed system
• 59:00 - Understanding the role of a barrister and what “KC” means
• 01:02:00 - Final reflections: compassion as the only path to justice that heals

Links: 📚 📲 Chris Daw KC’s website: https://www.chrisdawkc.com Chris' Book, Justice on Trial: https://amzn.to/4pb2RoP

🫶 To support me by donating to help cover my costs for the free resources I provide click here: https://the-aspiring-psychologist.captivate.fm/support

📚 To check out The Clinical Psychologist Collective Book: https://amzn.to/3jOplx0

📖 To check out The Aspiring Psychologist Collective Book: https://amzn.to/3CP2N97

💡 To check out or join the aspiring psychologist membership for just £30 per month head to: https://www.goodthinkingpsychology.co.uk/membership-interested

🖥️ Check out my brand new short courses for aspiring psychologists and mental health professionals here: https://www.goodthinkingpsychology.co.uk/short-courses

✍️ Get your Supervision...

Changing careers in your 30s or 40s can feel daunting — but it might also be the best decision you ever make. In this episode of The Aspiring Psychologist Podcast, Dr Marianne Trent talks with a former cancer-care radiographer who retrained as a Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner (PWP). They explore the emotional impact of working in healthcare, recognising burnout, overcoming fear, managing finances, and pursuing a career in psychology later in life. This episode is packed with motivation and guidance for anyone wondering how to start a psychology career, apply for the PWP course, or rediscover purpose through compassionate work.

Timestamps:

• 00:00 – Introduction: When your career no longer fits
• 01:14 – From radiotherapy to mental health support
• 04:18 – Why therapeutic work felt more fulfilling than clinical treatment
• 06:04 – Recognising compassion fatigue and value misalignment
• 09:11 – Balancing family, health and the decision to retrain
• 11:31 – Funding, salary changes and managing the practicalities
• 13:13 – Health as a motivator for career change
• 16:04 – How NHS experience supported the PWP application
• 17:31 – What it’s like to train and qualify as a PWP
• 19:14 – Starting again in your forties: challenges and mindset shifts
• 21:51 – Accessing academic and wellbeing support during training
• 23:48 – Why it’s never too late to thrive professionally
• 25:10 – Permission to pursue fulfilment and alignment
• 26:33 – The “Smile File” strategy for motivation and reflection
• 29:18 – Closing reflections: authenticity, courage and growth

🫶 To support me by donating to help cover my costs for the free resources I provide click here: https://the-aspiring-psychologist.captivate.fm/support

📚 To check out The Clinical Psychologist Collective Book: https://amzn.to/3jOplx0

📖 To check out The Aspiring Psychologist Collective Book: https://amzn.to/3CP2N97

💡 To check out or join the aspiring psychologist membership for just £30 per month head to: https://www.goodthinkingpsychology.co.uk/membership-interested

🖥️ Check out my brand new short courses for aspiring psychologists and mental health professionals here: https://www.goodthinkingpsychology.co.uk/short-courses

✍️ Get your Supervision Shaping Tool now: https://www.goodthinkingpsychology.co.uk/supervision

📱Connect socially with Marianne and check out ways to work with her, including the Aspiring Psychologist Book, Clinical Psychologist book and The Aspiring Psychologist Membership on her Link tree: https://linktr.ee/drmariannetrent

💬 To join my free Facebook group and discuss your thoughts on this episode and more: https://www.facebook.com/groups/aspiringpsychologistcommunity

Like, Comment, Subscribe & get involved:

If you enjoy the podcast, please do subscribe and rate and review episodes. If you'd like to learn how to record and submit your own audio testimonial to be included in future shows head to:

Looking for gentle and meaningful ways to bond with your baby? In this episode of The Aspiring Psychologist Podcast, Dr Marianne Trent and Jo Wilson founder of Aqua Sensory and Bath Babies, explore how bath time, baby swimming, and water play can strengthen parent-baby bonding and early attachment.

You’ll learn how simple baby bath routines, skin-to-skin moments, sensory play, and warm water can support emotional connection, co-regulation, brain development, and confidence. We discuss reading baby cues, creating calming rituals, and using water to reduce stress for both babies and parents.

Whether you’re a new parent, expectant parent, baby group practitioner, perinatal professional, or anyone supporting early childhood development, this episode offers practical baby bonding ideas, attachment-building activities, and sensory play tips you can start using straight away.

Perfect for those interested in early attachment, responsive parenting, infant mental health, baby swimming, and supporting secure, confident babies through everyday routines like bath time.

⏱️ Highlights & Timestamps

• 00:00 – Why water is such a powerful bonding medium
• 01:00 – “100% attention, not divided attention” — presence in the water
• 02:30 – Eye contact, attunement & following baby’s cues
• 04:00 – The raw emotions of early parenthood & building confidence
• 05:25 – When bath time soothes — and when babies need less stimulation
• 06:59 – Making bath time fun: voice, movement, simple toys & attunement
• 07:59 – Stacking cups, sensory joy & reminding ourselves to play
• 08:52 – Supporting parents who fear water or aren’t swimmers
• 10:01 – Sleep schedules, real life & why outings matter for parental wellbeing
• 11:17 – Water as community, postnatal support & early social development
• 12:17 – “Blue Mind” theory: why water boosts mood and calm
• 13:47 – Rituals, relaxation & water as a tool for mental health
• 15:13 – Amniotic beginnings & the instinctive comfort of water
• 16:34 – Shifting bath time from “task” to connected activity
• 17:34 – Jo’s story: redundancy, finding purpose & building Aqua Sensory
• 19:01 – Child-led water confidence vs old-school dunking
• 21:11 – Baby swim costs, accessibility & long-term developmental benefits
• 22:45 – Bath Babies: a gentle fourth-trimester approach to water connection
• 25:02 – Training others to support parent-infant bonding through water
• 26:34 – Why this matters for clinicians in perinatal and parent-infant work
• 27:01 – Where to find Bath Babies & Jo’s book
• 27:48 – Dr Marianne’s reflections & another book recommendation

Links:

📲 Jo’s website: https://aquasensory.com

Jo’s pools in Rugby and Leamington Spa: https://swimworks.co.uk

📚 Jo’s Book, Bath Babies: Creating Beautiful Bonds in Water https://amzn.to/4ptegRO

📚 Dr Caroline Boyd, Mindful New Mum, The book I mention in the outro: https://amzn.to/47R7wH5

🫶 To support me by donating to help cover my costs for the free resources I provide click here: https://the-aspiring-psychologist.captivate.fm/support

📚 To check out The Clinical Psychologist Collective Book: https://amzn.to/3jOplx0

📖 To check out The Aspiring Psychologist Collective Book: