Let's talk about…loneliness and how CBT can help

About this episode

The episode explores loneliness and how Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can help individuals cope with it through personal stories and expert insights.

In this episode, Helen is joined by Jackie and Professor Roz Shafran to explore loneliness through both lived experience and clinical psychology perspectives. Jackie shares her personal journey with anxiety, bereavement, and loneliness, describing how these experiences affected her mental health and led her to seek CBT support. She reflects on what helped, what was challenging, and how strategies such as goal setting and connection building continue to support her today. Roz Shafran, Emeritus Professor of Translational Psychology at UCL, offers a clear and compassionate overview of how loneliness is understood in research and clinical practice. The conversation explores the difference between loneliness and social isolation, how loneliness can affect people at different stages of life, and what effective interventions can look like. The discussion covers stigma around loneliness, access to support and why loneliness deserves to be taken seriously. Jackie and Roz also share practical advice for anyone who recognises themselves in the discussion and is considering reaching out for help. Resources & Support: If you or someone you know needs urgent help, reach out to Samaritans at…

People in this episode

Host: Helen

Guests: Jackie, Professor Roz Shafran

Topics covered

• loneliness
• CBT
• mental health
• anxiety
• bereavement
• social isolation
• interventions

Keywords

• loneliness
• CBT
• mental health support
• anxiety
• bereavement
• social isolation
• goal setting
• connection building
• interventions
• stigma

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: UCL, Samaritans, BABCP

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