Mental Work

Bron is joined by Matthew Jackson (Psychologist and Board-Approved Supervisor) to unpack why so many psychologists can be deeply compassionate towards clients but harshly critical towards themselves. Matt reflects openly on how his upbringing, attachment and his own therapy have shaped his relationship with self-compassion, and Bron discusses how she is is at the start of her own self-compassion journey. They explore how psychology training often teaches us to turn compassion outward, but not so much inward.
They chat about:
👉🏽 Paul Gilbert’s definition of compassion, and why self-compassion is relationship-based rather than evaluation-based
👉🏻 Tall poppy syndrome and whether psychologists are allowed to feel proud of their work
👉 Feeling “compassioned out” and building tiny moments of self-kindness between sessions
👉🏿 Five-second self-compassion phrases, boundaries, and giving yourself permission to be imperfect at your work
Guest: Matthew Jackson, Psychologist and Board-Approved Supervisor
LINKS
Matt (as Matilda Mercury) on Instagram
Self-compassion with Dr Kristin Neff
Article by Paul Gilbert (2014), "The origins and nature of compassion focused therapy"
THE END BITS
Mental Work is the podcast for psychologists about the realities of working in mental health, with an early-career focus. Hosted by psychologist/researcher Dr Bronwyn Milkins.
Support the show by buying me a virtual coffee ☕🍵
Have a question, episode idea or just want to say hi? DM Bron on Instagram, leave a comment on the Spotify episode, or email mentalworkpodcast@gmail.com
Apply to be a guest / YouTube (with captions & transcript) / Website
CREDITS
Producer: Michael English
Music: Home
Commitment: Mental Work believes in an inclusive and diverse mental health workforce. We honour the strength, resilience, and invaluable contributions of mental health workers with lived experiences of mental illness, disability, neurodivergence, LGBTIQA+ identities, and diverse culture and language. We recognise our First Nations colleagues as Traditional Custodians of the land and pay respect to Elders past, present, and emerging. Mental Work is recorded on unceded Whadjuk Noongar boodja.
Disclaimer: Mental Work provides informational content. Mental Work is not a psychological service and being a listener or guest does not establish a therapeutic relationship. Content should not be considered a replacement for professional consultation or therapy. All views expressed are personal, subject to change, and do not represent those of any affiliated employer, service, or organisation past or present. Efforts are made to ensure accuracy, but opinions may not always align with fact. Listeners are encouraged to thoughtfully assess the information presented and report any inaccuracies or concerns via email. Further information can be found here.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bron is joined by Claire Trevitt (Psychologist) to explore the Psychodynamic Diagnostic Manual (PDM), which is one diagnostic alternative to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (the DSM). Claire explains how the PDM uses the same diagnostic categories as the DSM but adds depth around personality and subjective experience, which can give mental health workers a different perspectives on their clients' experiences.
They chat about:
👉🏽 Personality styles versus personality disorders, and the PDM’s spectrum
👉🏻 Using the PDM to guide treatment planning
👉 How the PDM names expected countertransference responses, including for clients presenting with post-traumatic stress disorder and borderline personality disorder
👉🏿 Practical first steps for early-career clinicians who want to access and use the PDM
Guest: Claire Trevitt, Psychologist and Board-Approved Supervisor
LINKS
Psychodynamic Diagnostic Manual, Third Edition (PDM-3), edited by Vittorio Lingiardi and Nancy McWilliams
Tip: check whether your AAPi or APS membership gives you library access to the PDM
The Growing Therapist (Claire’s website)
The Growing Therapist Podcast
THE END BITS
Mental Work is the podcast for psychologists about the realities of working in mental health, with an early-career focus. Hosted by psychologist/researcher Dr Bronwyn Milkins.
Support the show by buying me a virtual coffee ☕🍵
Have a question, episode idea or just want to say hi? DM Bron on Instagram, leave a comment on the Spotify episode, or email mentalworkpodcast@gmail.com
Apply to be a guest / YouTube (with captions & transcript) / Website
CREDITS
Producer: Michael English
Music: Home
Commitment: Mental Work believes in an inclusive and diverse mental health workforce. We honour the strength, resilience, and invaluable contributions of mental health workers with lived experiences of mental illness, disability, neurodivergence, LGBTIQA+ identities, and diverse culture and language. We recognise our First Nations colleagues as Traditional Custodians of the land and pay respect to Elders past, present, and emerging. Mental Work is recorded on unceded Whadjuk Noongar boodja.
Disclaimer: Mental Work provides informational content. Mental Work is not a psychological service and being a listener or guest does not establish a therapeutic relationship. Content should not be considered a replacement for professional consultation or therapy. All views expressed are personal, subject to change, and do not represent those of any affiliated employer, service, or organisation past or present. Efforts are made to ensure accuracy, but opinions may not always align with fact. Listeners are encouraged to thoughtfully assess the information presented and report any inaccuracies or concerns via email. Further information can be found here.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bron is joined by Fiona Mann (Clinical Psychologist and Board-Approved Supervisor) to chat about balancing parenting young children with building a career in psychology. Fiona shares how she fell pregnant halfway through her clinical Masters, worked through her registrar program with twins on the way, and now works in a NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit), plus what she has learnt about flexibility, boundaries and redefining success.
They chat about:
👉🏽 Going through Masters, placements and registrar training with young children
👉🏻 Overwhelm, sick kids and blurred boundaries between work and home
👉 Answering a listener question about hours, childcare and not feeling alone
👉🏿 Managing NICU work while parenting
Thank you for generously sharing your experiences Fiona, it was a pleasure to have you on! 😊✨
Guest: Fiona Mann, Clinical Psychologist and Board-Approved Supervisor
LINKS
Email Fiona (she is open to supervision enquiries or an email exchange about this topic)!
THE END BITS
Mental Work is the podcast for psychologists about the realities of working in mental health, with an early-career focus. Hosted by psychologist/researcher Dr Bronwyn Milkins.
Support the show by buying me a virtual coffee ☕🍵
Have a question, episode idea or just want to say hi? DM Bron on Instagram, leave a comment on the Spotify episode, or email mentalworkpodcast@gmail.com
Apply to be a guest / YouTube (with captions & transcript) / Website
CREDITS
Producer: Michael English
Music: Home
Commitment: Mental Work believes in an inclusive and diverse mental health workforce. We honour the strength, resilience, and invaluable contributions of mental health workers with lived experiences of mental illness, disability, neurodivergence, LGBTIQA+ identities, and diverse culture and language. We recognise our First Nations colleagues as Traditional Custodians of the land and pay respect to Elders past, present, and emerging. Mental Work is recorded on unceded Whadjuk Noongar boodja.
Disclaimer: Mental Work provides informational content. Mental Work is not a psychological service and being a listener or guest does not establish a therapeutic relationship. Content should not be considered a replacement for professional consultation or therapy. All views expressed are personal, subject to change, and do not represent those of any affiliated employer, service, or organisation past or present. Efforts are made to ensure accuracy, but opinions may not always align with fact. Listeners are encouraged to thoughtfully assess the information presented and report any inaccuracies or concerns via email. Further information can be found here.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bron is joined by Jordan Turner (Educational and Developmental Psychologist) to unpack how to work well with clients who have ADHD. Both are ADHDers themselves and passionate about delivering neurodiversity-affirming, helpful therapy for ADHD clients.
They chat about:
👉🏽 What ADHD is, why the DSM criteria only tell part of the story, and where executive functioning fits
👉🏻 Assessment pathways, and how to tell ADHD apart from anxiety and depression
👉 The core principles of neurodiversity-affirming practice
👉🏿 Practical in-session tips, plus CBT, ACT and DBT approaches that may resonate and be helpful for ADHDers
Guest: Jordan Turner - Educational and Developmental Psychologist
LINKS
Mental Work episode: What's it like being a neurodivergent therapist? (with Jordan Turner)
Smart but Scattered book series, by Peg Dawson and Richard Guare
The Neurodivergent Friendly Workbook of DBT Skills, by Sonny Jane Wise
THE END BITS
Mental Work is the podcast for psychologists about the realities of working in mental health, with an early-career focus. Hosted by psychologist/researcher Dr Bronwyn Milkins.
Support the show by buying me a virtual coffee ☕🍵
Have a question, episode idea or just want to say hi? DM Bron on Instagram, leave a comment on the Spotify episode, or email mentalworkpodcast@gmail.com
Apply to be a guest / YouTube (with captions & transcript) / Website
CREDITS
Producer: Michael English
Music: Home
Commitment: Mental Work believes in an inclusive and diverse mental health workforce. We honour the strength, resilience, and invaluable contributions of mental health workers with lived experiences of mental illness, disability, neurodivergence, LGBTIQA+ identities, and diverse culture and language. We recognise our First Nations colleagues as Traditional Custodians of the land and pay respect to Elders past, present, and emerging. Mental Work is recorded on unceded Whadjuk Noongar boodja.
Disclaimer: Mental Work provides informational content. Mental Work is not a psychological service and being a listener or guest does not establish a therapeutic relationship. Content should not be considered a replacement for professional consultation or therapy. All views expressed are personal, subject to change, and do not represent those of any affiliated employer, service, or organisation past or present. Efforts are made to ensure accuracy, but opinions may not always align with fact. Listeners are encouraged to thoughtfully assess the information presented and report any inaccuracies or concerns via email. Further information can be found here.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bron is joined by Matthew Jackson (Psychologist) to unpack psychologist myths and facts, quickfire style. Bron presents the myths (which Matthew has not heard before!) and Matthew weighs in, from whether therapists secretly judge clients to whether you can only take clients as far as you've gone yourself.
They chat about:
👉🏽 Judging clients and having favourite clients
👉🏻 Does charging a fee for therapy mean you don't care?
👉 Feeling lost in sessions and whether the therapeutic relationship is enough
👉🏿 Do you need to be smarter than your clients to do good therapy?
Guest: Matthew Jackson, Psychologist and Board-Approved Supervisor
LINKS
Matt's Insta for Matilda Mercury
THE END BITS
Mental Work is the podcast for psychologists about the realities of working in mental health, with an early-career focus. Hosted by psychologist/researcher Dr Bronwyn Milkins.
Support the show by buying me a virtual coffee ☕🍵
Have a question, episode idea or just want to say hi? DM Bron on Instagram, leave a comment on the Spotify episode, or email mentalworkpodcast@gmail.com
Apply to be a guest / YouTube (with captions & transcript) / Website
CREDITS
Producer: Michael English
Music: Home
Commitment: Mental Work believes in an inclusive and diverse mental health workforce. We honour the strength, resilience, and invaluable contributions of mental health workers with lived experiences of mental illness, disability, neurodivergence, LGBTIQA+ identities, and diverse culture and language. We recognise our First Nations colleagues as Traditional Custodians of the land and pay respect to Elders past, present, and emerging. Mental Work is recorded on unceded Whadjuk Noongar boodja.
Disclaimer: Mental Work provides informational content. Mental Work is not a psychological service and being a listener or guest does not establish a therapeutic relationship. Content should not be considered a replacement for professional consultation or therapy. All views expressed are personal, subject to change, and do not represent those of any affiliated employer, service, or organisation past or present. Efforts are made to ensure accuracy, but opinions may not always align with fact. Listeners are encouraged to thoughtfully assess the information presented and report any inaccuracies or concerns via email. Further information can be found here.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.