The Aspiring Psychologist Podcast

In this episode of The Aspiring Psychologist Podcast, I’m joined by Dr Emma Hepburn, Clinical Psychologist and creator of The Psychology Mum, to explore burnout, shame in mental health professionals, creativity in clinical psychology, and what happens when your body forces you to stop. We discuss how Emma’s illustrations began in NHS brain injury groups, how her “capacity cup” drawing went viral during the pandemic, and how social media traction unexpectedly led to publishing opportunities.
We unpack the psychology of burnout, emotional exhaustion, stress overload, shame narratives, and why even clinical psychologists are not immune to mental health difficulties.
Emma also introduces her fourth book, The Anti-Burnout Book, and explains how visual metaphors like the match, the teeny tiny thing, Brian the Brain, and the tortoise help bring psychological theory to life.
This episode is relevant for clinical psychologists, aspiring psychologists, NHS staff, teachers, parents, creators, and anyone interested in burnout recovery, stress management, shame resilience, emotional regulation, and sustainable wellbeing.
Timestamps
00:00 – The quiet phase before burnout
02:35 – How The Psychology Mum began in NHS brain injury groups
05:20 – When Emma’s illustrations started to snowball
07:18 – Co-creation and why her work resonated during the pandemic
09:45 – Writing her first book just before lockdown
14:07 – Introducing her fourth book: The Anti-Burnout Book
16:42 – The Edinburgh weekend that became a turning point
20:35 – When your body says “stop”
22:09 – Burnout, shame, and being a clinical psychologist
24:32 – Externalising shame and the “negative ninja takeover”
28:45 – The “teeny tiny thing” that tips you over
30:07 – Why slowing down increases long-term achievement
33:06 – Technology, social media and burnout
34:43 – Where to find The Anti-Burnout Book

Links:
📲 Follow Dr Emma Hepburn on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepsychologymum/
📚 Check out Emma's books here: https://amzn.to/4rvh6GI
🫶 To join my podcast membership to get early access to episodes and / or exclusive weekly content head to: https://the-aspiring-psychologist.captivate.fm/support or to the Apple Podcasts App: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-aspiring-psychologist-podcast/id1605628278 or to YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOwjrIP_jatiqlAivJE2mgQ/join
📚 To check out The Clinical...

In this episode of The Aspiring Psychologist Podcast, we explore what it’s really like working as a UK-trained Clinical Psychologist in the UAE. If you’ve ever wondered about relocating abroad, practising outside the NHS, navigating private healthcare systems, or balancing career progression with lifestyle changes, this conversation offers a realistic and informed perspective.
I’m joined by Dr Jack Nejand, a UK-trained Clinical Psychologist who moved from South London to Abu Dhabi. We discuss visas, licensing, tax differences, CAMHS-style work in the UAE, insurance-based healthcare models, relocation logistics, career development abroad, service development opportunities, and what life actually feels like on the ground.Whether you’re considering working as a psychologist overseas, exploring expat life, or simply curious about international career pathways in clinical psychology, this episode provides clarity without selling a fantasy.
This conversation is especially relevant for:
UK Clinical Psychologists considering relocation
DClinPsy applicants thinking long-term about career options
Psychologists navigating burnout or financial pressures
Anyone curious about working in private healthcare abroad

Timestamps:
00:00 – Why psychologists are considering working abroad
04:03 – How the opportunity to move to the UAE emerged
06:51 – Telling family and friends about relocating
08:27 – Why more young professionals are leaving the UK
10:00 – The lifestyle reality of living in Abu Dhabi
15:39 – Cohabitation laws and cultural considerations
17:00 – What CAMHS looks like in the UAE
21:02 – Insurance-based healthcare explained
25:15 – Clinical severity and thresholds compared to the NHS
27:27 – CPD, conferences and career development abroad
28:48 – Visas, licensing and Emirates ID
31:13 – Pension, leave and employment differences
34:52 – Bringing UK service models into UAE schools
38:37 – Assistant Psychologist roles and early-career pathways

Links:
🫶 To join my podcast membership to get early access to episodes and / or exclusive weekly content head to: https://the-aspiring-psychologist.captivate.fm/support or to the Apple Podcasts App:

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
✍️ Get your Supervision Shaping...

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
🖥️ Check out my brand...

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: