Challenging Attitudes, Beliefs & Systems for Medics' Mental Health: ft. Former WHO Mental Health Director, Prof. Shekhar Saxena

Brand new YODPOD episode with Prof. Shekhar Saxena: former WHO Mental Health Director & YOD Patron! 

Being one of the world's leading voices on mental health and a change-maker for medic mental health in the USA and beyond, we delve into what needs to be challenged across existing beliefs, attitudes and systems to improve the mental health of medical workers with Prof. Saxena. 

We explore: 

• Challenging the belief that a healthcare worker’s job should be all encompassing, and if it isn’t then we have failed 
• The next generation’s attitude of seeing healthcare as a job rather than a ‘calling’ resulting in healthier work/life boundaries
• Exploring whether having a more personal and intimate connection to your job, like relationships, is the reason for experiencing higher feelings of guilt, judgement and criticism 
• The need to shift the view of the responsibility of looking after our healthcare workers’ mental health from the individual to the organisation
• The increased hostility of the public towards medics because of organisational limitations / failures – and the resentment that causes
• Professor Shekhar’s global view of healthcare workers’ mental health and the countries which are performing best and worst, including why USA appears to be progressing faster than Europe
• An assessment of medic mental health solutions – including tech, community and education on talking about death  
• The importance of community – and how proud we are of the YOD community which support and empower each other 
• The incredible work of #FirstRespondersFirst, which Prof. Shekhar is a leader of, their change-making partnership with YOD -  and the new ‘All In’ campaign.

….and much more! 

Prof. Saxena is former WHO Mental Health Director, current Professor of Global Mental Health at the Harvard T.H.Chan School of Public Health, #FirstRespondersFirst leda and much more. 

This episode was hosted by:

• Dr Daniel Gearon, CEO & Founder of YOD
•  Chris Cherry, YOD Trustee & UKCP Psychotherapist 

..and sponsored by:

#FirstRespondersFirst, an initiative of Harvard T.H.Chan School of Public Health, Thrive Global and the CAA Foundation- who we are privileged to partner with to support doctors' mental health globally. 

Don't forget, you can:

• Huddle with YOD every Wednesday - a free virtual psychotherapist-led peer support group for doctors 
• Text YOD to 85258 for 24/7 confidential text support 

...................................

If you like what you hear, please do give us a rating to help us reach as many people as possible.

Please note that this is a conversational piece and the opinions and views are of those in this discussion in its own context at that time of the recording. You Okay, Doc? is a charity supporting the mental health and wellbeing of doctors.  Throughout our podcasts, we discuss issues affecting physical, emotional and mental wellbeing that at times some may find upsetting, if you find yourself affected by these please seek professional help.

As a charity, we need your help to keep going and develop to support and raise awareness of mental health for Doctors.  Please check out our website https://youokaydoc.org.uk/ and our Instagram page to find out more and stay up to date with us.  If you would like, you can also text donate to support the You Okay, Doc? charity by texting.  To donate £3 text 'DOCTOR' to 70331,  or to donate £5 text 'DOCTOR' to 70970.  Thank you for listening and we look f