Squanderlust is a podcast about the emotional side of money. It is hosted by Martha Lawton and recorded with technical sponsorship at Wardour Studios, London.

Episode 25: Money and mental health: Interview with Emily Reynolds

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Show notes

*** This episode was recorded in late 2019, before the coronavirus outbreak and all the changes in our lives that have come along since. So there are no specific mentions of the pandemic or its consequences. But we believe discussing the connections between money and mental health is always relevant, and maybe even more so now. ***

In this special extended episode, we interview Emily Reynolds, an award-winning journalist, activist and campaigner. She’s also the author of The Beginner’s Guide to Losing Your Mind, in which she explores her experiences of bipolar disorder and what she’s learned about living with and managing it.

Martha and Alex spoke to Emily about the deep and circular connections between money and mental health. They talked about the meanings and realities of terms like “mental health” and “mental distress”, how money and mental health problems can affect anyone as our lives and circumstances change, the kind of support that organisations are providing for people experiencing mental distress and how they could do better.

Emily also talks about what she’s learned about her financial behaviours while living with bipolar, and how she’s been able to find ways to manage her money and her mental health better together.

You can buy a copy of Emily’s book here.

Mentioned in this episode are:

Money Advice Liaison Group (MALG)

Mental health and debt guidelines

Mental health practitioner guidance [pdf]

Money and Mental Health Policy Institute

Research papers

Episode 26: Who are you calling vulnerable? Interview with Chris Fitch

Episode 24: Find your financial set point