The Aspiring Psychologist Podcast

In this episode of The Aspiring Psychologist Podcast, we explore whether the popular “Let Them” mindset is always as healthy as it appears.I’m joined by Dr Rana Pishva, Clinical Psychologist, to unpack how ideas intended to support empowerment and boundary-setting can sometimes slip into emotional avoidance, disconnection, and relational rupture – particularly when applied rigidly or without reflection.Together, we discuss boundaries versus avoidance, curiosity versus control, and what happens when self-focused wellness messages are used to shut down difficult conversations rather than deepen understanding. We explore real clinical examples involving family relationships, holidays, romantic partners, and unmet emotional needs, alongside a thoughtful discussion about AI, validation, and why human connection still matters.This episode invites a more nuanced, compassionate approach to boundaries – one that balances self-respect with empathy, accountability, and relational repair.
Timestamps:
00:00 – Why the “Let Them” movement feels empowering but may hide avoidance
03:19 – When self-focused wellness becomes relational disconnection
04:24 – A clinical example: family holidays, boundaries, and disappointment
06:37 – Why boundaries aren’t about dropping emotional hand grenades
08:32 – The importance of curiosity in relationships
09:25 – AI, validation, and emotional outsourcing
11:51 – Why human understanding matters more than generic reassurance
15:12 – How “Let Them” can quietly erode emotional intimacy
18:51 – Avoidance, anxiety, and the cost of protecting peace at all costs
22:05 – Grief, unmet needs, and what we lose when we disengage
28:13 – Using “Let Them” after reflection, not before
31:12 – When “Let Them” does help – and why context matters

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
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In this episode of The Aspiring Psychologist Podcast, we explore what it really means to be care experienced and how early experiences of foster care and the care system can shape identity, relationships, and career journeys into clinical psychology.I’m joined by Jacob Maspero Bottaio, one of the youngest trainee clinical psychologists in the UK, who shares his experience of entering the care system at a young age, moving between foster placements, experiencing a failed adoption, and navigating the emotional and systemic barriers on the path to clinical psychology training.Together, we discuss care experience, hyper-independence, attachment, supervision dynamics, readiness for training, and what compassionate inclusion in psychology genuinely looks like. This is a thoughtful, emotionally rich conversation about resilience, systems, safety, and what it takes to feel able to lean on others after a lifetime of survival.This episode is especially relevant for aspiring psychologists, trainee clinical psychologists, supervisors, and anyone interested in widening access to clinical psychology with compassion rather than tokenism.Highlights
(Timestamps)
00:00 – Jacob’s early life in the care system and why his story matters
01:50 – Defining “care experienced” and why it’s broader than people think
03:26 – Why care experience can make psychology careers harder to access
05:29 – Disclosure, stigma, and fear of how lived experience will be received
07:26 – Financial and systemic barriers before training even begins
10:53 – Hyper-independence, driving, and needing control over your future
15:06 – Growing up fast and being “older than your years”
18:27 – Forever people, attachment, and learning to exhale
22:59 – Safety, the amygdala, and relearning trust
27:15 – Adoption, systems, and not being asked what you want
32:35 – Supervision styles, boundaries, and relational triggers
39:46 – Readiness for training and compassion toward yourself
47:35 – Repair, relationships, and what Jacob hopes for others

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
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In this episode of The Aspiring Psychologist Podcast, we explore the realities of life after qualifying as a clinical psychologist. I’m joined by trainee clinical psychologist Taniya Wellmillage, and together we discuss job uncertainty, unemployment after qualification, fixed-term contracts, stigma, and the emotional impact of moving from trainee security into an unpredictable job market. I share my own experience of signing on after qualifying, and we explore NHS versus private practice, moral injury, imposter syndrome, and the pressure to appear successful. This episode is essential listening for trainee and newly qualified clinical psychologists, and for anyone wanting an honest, compassionate insight into post-DClinPsy life.
Timestamps
00:00 – The myth that qualification guarantees a job
01:41 – The bittersweet reality of finishing training
03:18 – Being unemployed and signing on after qualifying
04:42 – Stigma, shame, and fear around not having work
05:31 – Fixed-term contracts and the shock of losing security
06:14 – Course expansion, funding, and job availability
07:23 – The false promise of the training “ladder”
08:06 – Competing roles and widening applicant pools
09:09 – Part-time posts and juggling multiple jobs
10:25 – Private practice as necessity, not choice
11:38 – Anxiety about going independent too soon
12:10 – First qualified posts and clinical responsibility
14:09 – Why support matters after qualification
21:03 – Reclaiming identity, interests, and values post-training

Links:
📲 Connect with Taniya Wellmillage here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taniya-w-8a010a169/
🫶 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:

In this episode of The Aspiring Psychologist Podcast, we explore the realities of clinical psychology training beyond getting onto the course. I’m joined by final-year trainee clinical psychologist Taniya Welmillage, and together we discuss placements, supervision, competency pressure, imposter syndrome, wellbeing, leadership, and how life continues alongside training. We explore constant moving, team cultures, long commutes, therapy for trainees, and how trainees decide what is non-negotiable for their mental health. This episode is ideal for aspiring psychologists, trainee clinical psychologists, and anyone wanting a realistic, compassionate insight into training.
Timestamps:
00:00 – Why getting onto training isn’t the whole story
01:25 – Constant change, placements, and adjustment fatigue
03:16 – Being called “the trainee” vs being seen as a person
04:39 – Team cultures, safety, and belonging
06:14 – Buildings, resources, and how environments shape experience
08:53 – Juggling competencies, learning, and performance pressure
10:05 – Authenticity vs ticking boxes on placement
11:46 – Relocation, commuting, and the hidden toll of training
14:10 – Flexi working, boundaries, and protecting wellbeing
15:52 – The importance of trainee friendships and support
18:33 – Life milestones during training
20:51 – Reducing the “shoulds” and living your life alongside training
26:38 – Therapy for trainees: is it useful and accessible?
31:07 – Absorbing what’s useful and becoming your own psychologist

Links:
📲 Connect with Taniya: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taniya-w-8a010a169/
🫶 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:

In this episode of The Aspiring Psychologist Podcast, we explore why LinkedIn matters for psychologists, even if social media feels uncomfortable or intimidating. I’m joined by Shirin Yazdian, and together we discuss visibility, authenticity, neurodiversity, advocacy, and the fear of getting things wrong online. We explore how LinkedIn can support aspiring and early-career psychologists through networking, learning, conferences, volunteering, Master’s applications, and professional development, while also addressing boundaries, professionalism, and digital footprints. This episode is ideal for aspiring psychologists, psychology students, early-career clinicians, and anyone curious about using LinkedIn in a way that feels safe, ethical, and genuinely human.
Timestamps:
00:00 – Why many psychologists avoid LinkedIn and why that might be a mistake
01:05 – Early assumptions about LinkedIn and what changed
01:42 – Humanising LinkedIn: being yourself first, professional second
03:28 – Getting past the “cringe” of first posts and fear of visibility
04:30 – Why LinkedIn can feel safer than other social platforms
05:59 – Turning online connections into real-world opportunities
08:17 – Providing value through curiosity, comments, and sharing resources
09:14 – Finding courses, talks, and opportunities via LinkedIn
11:19 – TEDx opportunities, imposter syndrome, and self-doubt
13:38 – Practical tips for optimising your LinkedIn profile
15:26 – Advocacy, values, and building a personal brand
17:14 – Neurodiversity, authenticity, and choosing aligned workplaces
21:44 – Being a person first, psychologist second
26:50 – Final reflections and encouragement to engage

Links:
📲 Connect with Shirin here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shirin-yazdian-neurodivergent-speaker/
🫶 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...