Stories of Loss and Hope

This week we have two more finalists in the All in the Mind Awards. When Hollie met the love of her life Pete she felt she belonged for the first time. But then her new husband's cancer returned and this time it was terminal. Soon after he passed away, her dad and her cat died too. Having experienced so much loss, she attempted to take her own life. Then she found the charity the New Normal - which Ben formed with Jack when both their fathers died. The safe space of the online meetings helped her to keep going - and now the charity has members across the world. So what makes them so special? When Aura took up her job working in a busy specialist GP practice for homeless people she had already experienced loss after her brother died because of addiction. When her alcoholic father died she got the emotional support she needed from her boss Dr Paul O'Reilly - who also helped her to grow in confidence in her role as an independent nurse prescriber. Professor Catherine Loveday from the University of Westminster uncovers new research about how a lack of gender equality can change structures in the brain and how warmth and competence in a therapist could help convince sceptical clients that talking therapy might make a difference.