Mindhunting: Journeys in Forensic Psychiatry

The human fascination with fire is thousands of years old. Fire is the great paradox: it provides warmth, energy and protection but also terror and destruction. What does a forensic psychiatrist think of when confronted by the arsonist? What drives a person to deliberately light fires? What role does mental illness play in fire lighting? Join me as we discuss arson and the curiosity of pyromania, with some flames of pop culture als...

Acts of violence seem to be everywhere. We are bombarded by images and stories of violence on TV, in the media, on our socials and even in our own lives. How does a forensic psychiatrist approach the problem of violence? How does it intersect with mental illness and how can we reduce the risks? In pop culture, we will also chat about a very special "club" that uses violence in a unique way. (TW: Descriptions of violent cr...

Stalking is an old problem with a new focus as law makers and clinicians have increasingly understood and acknowledged the serious psychological harm that it does to so many victims. Let's take a walk with the stalker and understand what drives them, who they are, how they operate and what psychiatric conditions may be at play. Our dash of pop culture takes a look at a book and film that examines the interplay between enduring ...

Our moods are at the core of our lives and our human existence. But what happens when our feelings and emotions go to the extreme? When the depression and mania of bipolar disorder take hold, what can happen and how might that lead into the world of forensic psychiatry? Join me for a chat about the highs and lows of this intriguing and misunderstood illness, with a trip to the movies as we meet the fascinating Mr. Jones. (TW: descr...

Set in the midst of the anti-psychiatry movement, the stunning One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is a striking portrayal of the varying drives for individual, institutional and social coercion and control. Let's have a chat about how pop culture can brilliantly describe, through the novel and film, just how personal, therapeutic and community relationships can all fracture and the devastating consequences that can be left beh...

I am thrilled to have my first guest on the Mindhunting podcast series: child and adolescent forensic psychiatrist, Dr Marshall Watson. Marshall sits down to chat about his career, his inspiration and the fascinating, sub-specialty world of child and adolescent forensic psychiatry. How do these young minds end up within the forensic mental health system and what can we do to help them? Marshall and I will also look at some pop cult...

Continuing our psychopathic journey, let's chat about what the differences are between a psychopath, an antisocial personality disorder and a narcissist. We can explore some amazing cases and examine the question: so can the psychopath actually be treated? What can possibly go wrong at a therapeutic community built purely for psychopaths? As always, we will dive into some pop culture ... this time from New York to Texas. (TW: c...

The psychopath! The first Mindhunting topic that warrants a double episode. In this episode we will chat about what makes someone a psychopath and understand where psychopaths originate from: are they born or made? What is the underlying psychological and emotional structure within a psychopath. And, as always, we will look at psychopathic pop culture: from Wall Street to Wolf Creek. (Trigger warning: descriptions of violent crime)...

Schizophrenia is a psychiatric illness that can intersect with forensic psychiatry, but what is it? What are the myths and what are the realities? What are the real symptoms, their neurobiology and why might they increase the risk of harm? Come and let's chat about it! And, of course, in pop culture let me tell you about an amazing novel from the 1990s that so articulately describes this illness. (Trigger warning: description o...