Oliver’s mission to make mental healthcare more accessible and inclusive

We’ve saved one of our best conversations for last! In this season finale of Moments in Mind, Dr Oliver Suendermann takes us behind the scenes of Intellect in Singapore, one of the world’s fastest-growing mental health platforms. As Vice President, Clinical, Oliver spearheads efforts to dismantle stigma and radically scale access to mental healthcare by combining cutting-edgetechnology, cultural sensitivity and clinical excellence.

Oliver also shares anecdotes and learnings from his storied career, including spells at prestigious London institutions Bethlem Hospital (yes, the origin of the term “bedlam”) and The Priory. Along the way, he reflects on some remarkable moments from his career, includingtreating clients crippled by severe trauma and obsessional disorders.

Oliver vividly describes one memorable story, that of “Eric”, who was grappling with both genocide trauma and debilitating OCD. Through compassion, exposure therapy and trauma-focused interventions like imagery rescripting, Oliver helped Eric reclaim his life. It’s an inspiring reminder that—with the right care and support—some people can recover from mental disorders.

This episode is a fitting conclusion to season two. Ending on a note of hope and humanity, witha bold vision for the future: a world where taking care of your mental health is stigma-free and“as normal as brushing your teeth”.

Find out more about Intellect.

Timestamps:

• 00:03:45 Oliver’s experiences treating people with anxiety disorders at Bethlem Hospital in South London
• 00:08:45 How Oliver helped a young man overcome OCD and underlying trauma at The Priory in North London
• 00:15:00 The effect that breakthrough moments with clients has on Oliver himself
• 00:17:30 Intellect’s mission to make mental health care more accessible, affordable, culturally relevant, timely and fair
• 00:20:20 The business case for employers to prioritise employee mental health
• 00:21:15 Intellect’s expansion into physical clinics to provide assessments and interventions for children
• 00:22:45 The benefits of standardised assessments being available in digital formats
• 00:23:40 The changes that Oliver wishes to see in mental health care globally

Disclaimer
Client details and narratives presented in this podcast have been altered or omitted to protect confidentiality and privacy. Any similarities to actual individuals, events, or circumstances are entirely coincidental. Each client interaction is unique, and the outcomes or breakthroughs described are specific to the individuals involved. These examples are provided for illustrative purposes only and should not be interpreted as guarantees or promises of similar results for others.


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