'Change Your Mind, Change Your Life': Demystifying Therapy

As an Integrative counsellor based in the UK, I was keen to watch the BBC series, Change Your Mind, Change Your Life, hosted by Matt and Emma Willis. The show aims to shed light on the therapy process by following individuals through their therapeutic journeys. The series brings therapy into the public domain, but often it’s confusing for potential clients (and for those thinking of training to be counsellors/therapists) to understand different job titles, roles and modalities/approaches.

So, who are the therapists in Change Your Mind, Change Your Life? What’s the difference between a psychotherapist and a psychiatrist? What are all these different confusing modalities? And is Change Your Mind, Change Your Life a realistic portrayal of therapy?
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If you haven’t seen the show but are still interested in understanding more about therapeutic modalities and how to find a therapist/train to be a therapist, then do also keep reading!

Image: BBC One, Change your Mind, Change your Life

Who are the therapists in Change Your Mind, Change Your Life?

The series features a team of well-established and experienced mental health professionals, but technically not all of them are “therapists” as such:
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• Owen O’Kane: A psychotherapist specializing in anxiety and depression. He uses a blend of therapeutic techniques, including person-centred and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), to help clients navigate their mental health challenges.
• Dr. Fatoumata Jatta: A clinical psychologist and transformational life coach who focuses on helping clients build better relationships with themselves, drawing on a range of theories and modalities.
• Professor Steve Peters: A consultant psychiatrist known for his work in sports psychology. He utilizes his "Chimp Paradox" model to help clients understand and manage their inner emotional responses (yes, he wrote the book!)
• Julia Samuel MBE: A psychotherapist specialising in grief and bereavement, utilizing various approaches and modalities, including Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), which is briefly demonstrated in the show. Fun Fact: she is also Prince George’s Godmother.

Each therapist brings a different approach, all of which I personally thought were great. I particularly liked Owen for his warm and gentle approach. Owen seems to have more of a person-centred, relational way of working, though he draws on a number of different theories so is most likely “Integrative”. I feel my own style of working is most like Owen’s – I describe my style as Integrative with a person-centred/psychodynamic underpinning (I’ll cover more about what different modalities mean later in this blog).

Clarifying Roles: Psychotherapist, Psychiatrist, and Clinical Psychologist

Understanding the differences between these roles can be confusing, so here's a brief overview:
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• Psychotherapist/Counsellor: Trained to help individuals deal with emotional and psychological issues through talk therapy. They may use various approaches, such as CBT, psychodynamic therapy, or integrative methods.
• Psychiatrist: A medical doctor specializing in mental health. Psychiatrists can prescribe medication and often work with individuals dealing with severe mental health conditions.
• Clinical Psychologist: Holds a doctorate in psychology and is trained in assessing and treating mental health issues through various forms of therapy. They often conduct psychological testing and research.

The differences between a counsellor and a psychotherapist are highly debated and contested – that could be a whole other blog post! It can sometimes be about ways of working, length of time working with clients (though both can work long and short term), their training, membership bodies etc… but ultimately in my view it doesn’t make a lot of difference if you’re somebody looking for therapy. More importantly, it’s about finding a therapist you feel comfortable with, and who has specific experience/training if you’re looking for specific help. I tend to use the terms counselling and therapy interchangeably to mean the same thing.

Different Therapeutic Modalities Explained

Different therapy modalities offer various approaches, which may be used individually or in combination:

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT): Focuses on changing negative thought patterns and behaviours. Often offered by the NHS.
• Psychodynamic Therapy: Explores unconscious patterns and past experiences influencing the present, also focussing on the therapeutic relationship and dynamics in the room.
• Humanistic/Person-Centred Therapy: Emphasizes personal growth, self-awareness, and the client-therapist relationship.
• Transactional Analysis: Incorporates aspects of humanistic, CBT and psychodynamic therapy. It theorises three states of personality – Parent, Adult and Child – which can help clients understand how they interact with others.
• Integrative Therapy: Draws from multiple theories to create a customized approach for each client.

Integrative counsellors, such as myself, draw from multiple modalities to tailor therapy to each client's unique needs. This flexibility allows for a more personalized and effective therapeutic experience. Integrative counsellors may have different leanings depending on their interests and experiences. There are various other modalities in addition to the above, including Gestalt, Internal Family Systems, Solution-Focussed Brief Therapy, creative arts therapies and more. Find out more here.

Change Your Mind, Change Your Life: Is Only Three Sessions Realistic?

One aspect of the show that caught my attention was how the clients seemed to have just three therapy sessions. I know this format makes for concise storytelling for TV, but it may inadvertently suggest that people can be “fixed” in just a few sessions. In reality, therapeutic progress varies greatly and often requires many more sessions. The first three sessions are really just in the “getting to know you” phase and establishing the therapeutic relationship.
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It's worth noting that, according to this BBC News article, participants in the series actually received six support sessions from therapists, not just three as the show might imply. The choice to present this as three may not be particularly helpful in promoting a realistic portrayal of therapy and could raise questions about the ethics of how the media presents therapy and the impact this could have. It would also have been helpful for them to briefly outline different modalities in the show, as this could be helpful for people trying to look for a therapist.

Therapy on TV

Change Your Mind, Change Your Life offered a great insight into therapy, which could be beneficial for anyone considering starting therapy, as well as trainee counsellors. It’s a great taster of what therapy may look like. When I was training, I watched everything I could with therapists in! Fictional therapists are often working completely unethically but that’s what makes for good entertainment. It can be helpful to watch as a “what not to do!”

Some of my favourite TV therapists are:

• Paul Weston from In Treatment
• Kester from My Mad Fat Diary
• Dr Melfi from The Sopranos.
• For “real” therapy demonstrations I still think good old Gloria videos are worth a watch (I think most trainee counsellors will know what I mean!)
• Couples Therapy with Dr Orna Guralnik is based on real people
• Radio 4 show In Therapy with Susie Orbach (OK, so not actually TV but still interesting and informative!)

If you have recommended therapy shows, please drop them in the comments!

Looking to have therapy, or train to be a therapist?

If you’re looking for therapy for yourself…

The most important thing is that you feel comfortable with whoever you choose. It is also important that they have completed counselling training which has also involved a placement (usually of 100 hours or more). Counselling and psychotherapy are not regulated so anyone can say they are a therapist. To ensure you’re choosing somebody who is adequately trained, you can look out of them being part of a membership body such as the NCPS, BACP or UKCP. I am part of the NCPS – National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society and abide by their code of ethics and standards.

If you’re interested in training to be a counsellor…

You’ll need a course which includes a 100-hour min placement, at a minimum level 4. The counselling training process shouldn’t be hurried, you’ll likely learn a lot about yourself throughout it! There are a number of different routes available, through local colleges, universities and private colleges. A lot of this will depend on what’s available in your location, your financial situation, the level of education you already have, and if you have a preferred modality. For more guidance about training to be a counsellor, click here.

Final Words

Thanks to Change Your Mind, Change Your Life for opening up these conversations! I hope they’ll make more seasons and continue to shine a light on what goes on behind closed doors in the therapy room.

If you’re interested in having counselling, I offer sessions online. To find out more about online counselling, click the button below.

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