The psychologists walking 100 miles to fight austerity’s impact on mental health | Dawn Foster

Psychologists embark on a mental health march to raise awareness of the devastating effect that cuts are having on their patients

For most psychologists, the working week is varied, but mostly predictable, with patient appointments, letters and clinical sessions. But for Stephen Weatherhead, a 37-year-old clinical psychologist working in Lancaster, and for a lot of other psychologists, this week is going to involve walking 100 miles from Leicester to London, sleeping rough, and meeting dozens of people along the way.

Walk the Talk, an awareness-raising trek from the British Psychological Society (BPS) offices in Leicester to its headquarters in the capital, will take in visits to food banks, supported housing, homelessness services and mental health centres, recording testimonies from people whose psychological wellbeing has been jeopardised by the benefits system and Work Programme.

Related: Only less austerity will improve our mental health | Clare Allan

It feels a bit crass to work with someone on their anxiety when they’re at risk of losing their home

Continue reading...