Let's Open Up is the mental health podcast from Hertfordshire and Mid Essex Talking Therapies, exploring emotional wellbeing through honest, open and relatable conversations.
Hosted by members of the NHS HPFT Talking Therapies Digital Team, each episode brings together people with lived experience, mental health professionals and special guests to discuss the topics that matter most to our mental health and wellbeing.
Whether you're accessing therapy, supporting a friend or family member, working in healthcare, or simply interested in understanding mental health better, this podcast is for you.
Together, we'll explore what therapy is really like, perinatal mental health, living with physical health conditions, neurodiversity, emotional wellbeing and much more.
Our aim is to create a welcoming space where everyone feels able to join the conversation, challenge stigma and learn from one another's experiences.
New episodes every fortnight.
S1 E7 About Therapy - Talking to Char: "Little Ball of Hope"
What is a Cognitive Behavioural Therapist (CBT therapist) and what do they do? What kinds of difficulties do they help people with? And what is it really like to support people through therapy? In this episode of Let's Open Up: About Therapy, Dr Ruth Schumacher is joined by Char, a CBT Therapist, who shares her journey into mental health care and offers a behind-the-scenes look at her role within the NHS Hertfordshire and Mid Essex Talking Therapies. Char explains how Cognitive Behavioural Th...
28 Oct 2026
S1 E6 About Therapy - Talking to Tap: "How can we use the things you enjoy?"
When you're struggling with low mood or anxiety, the things you once enjoyed are often the first things to disappear. So how can reconnecting with meaningful activities help improve wellbeing? And what practical techniques can help when worry starts to take over? In this episode of Let's Open Up: About Therapy, Dr Ruth Schumacher continues her conversation with Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner (PWP) Tap, who introduces some of the practical tools and techniques used in low-intensity Cogni...
14 Oct 2026
S1 E5 About Therapy - Talking to Tap: "A dedicated time to yourself"
What makes therapy effective? How important is the relationship between you and your Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner (PWP)? And why is it important to set aside dedicated time for your sessions? In this episode of Let's Open Up: About Therapy, Dr Ruth Schumacher continues her conversation with Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner (PWP) Tap, exploring what happens once therapy begins and what helps people get the most from the process. Tap explains the importance of the therapeutic relati...
30 Sept 2026
S1 E4 About Therapy - Talking to Tap: “It’s just a conversation”
Starting therapy can feel daunting, especially if you're not sure what to expect. In this episode of Let's Open Up About Therapy, Dr Ruth Schumacher is joined by Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner (PWP) Tap. They explore, from the inside, what it is really like to work with a PWP in NHS Hertfordshire and Mid Essex Talking Therapies. Tap shares how PWPs work with people experiencing common mental health difficulties such as stress, anxiety and low mood, and explains what low-intensity ...
16 Sept 2026
S1 E1 About Therapy - Misha's Story: "Mum, why don't you go to therapy?"
What is therapy really like? What happens in a session? And can it actually help? In the first episode of Let's Open Up: About Therapy, host Dr Ruth Schumacher speaks with Misha, who shares her personal experience of accessing NHS Hertfordshire and Mid Essex Talking Therapies following years of difficult experiences and emotional challenges. After her son asked a simple question, "Mum, why don't you go to therapy?", Misha decided to give it a try. What followed was a journey that would help h...
16 Sept 2026
S1 E2 About Therapy - Misha's Story: “Thank You for Changing My Life”
How can therapy help you change lifelong patterns and respond differently to difficult situations? In this second episode of Let's Open Up: About Therapy, Dr Ruth Schumacher continues her conversation with Misha as she reflects on the lasting impact of her one-to-one Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). Misha shares how therapy helped her become more aware of her thoughts, behaviours and self-worth, enabling her to break unhelpful patterns and set healthier boundaries. She talks openly about ...
16 Sept 2026
S1 E3 About Therapy - Misha's Story: "You Need Time to Process"
What is therapy really like once you step inside the room? Does it look like the versions we see on television and in films, or is the reality something quite different? In this episode of Let's Open Up: About Therapy, Dr Ruth Schumacher continues her conversation with Misha as she reflects on her expectations of therapy before she started and how those expectations compared to her real experience. Misha shares how she initially imagined therapy as a detached conversation with a therapist sit...
16 Sept 2026
Bonus Episode: Before We Open Up About Therapy
Before we open up about therapy, let's start with the basics. In this bonus episode, Dr Ruth Schumacher introduces Hertfordshire and Mid Essex Talking Therapies and explains some of the common words and phrases you'll hear throughout the series. Whether you're curious about therapy, considering seeking support yourself, or simply want to better understand how NHS Talking Therapies works, this episode provides a helpful introduction. Together, we'll explore: What NHS Talking Therapies isHow to...
18 Aug 2026
Trailer - Welcome to Let's Open Up: Talking Therapies
Something new is coming to Hertfordshire and Mid Essex Talking Therapies. Let's Open Up... is a new mental health podcast from HPFT Talking Therapies, exploring emotional wellbeing through honest conversations with people who have lived experience, mental health professionals and special guests. Whether you're in therapy, supporting someone you love, working in mental health, or simply interested in wellbeing, this podcast is for you. Topics include: What therapy is really like Perinatal ment...
Contact Let's Open Up
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Host of Let's Open Up?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
