How to Navigate Socialising as a Performing Arts Professional
As a performing arts professional, looking after your health is critical. But caring for your health doesn’t only involve getting good rest, eating a balanced diet, and checking in with your body. There’s scientific evidence that social relationships affect our mental...
5 Benefits of Attending BAPAM’s Online Events
When was the last time you joined an online event? Never? Don’t worry if online workshops are a foreign concept to you. You’re not the only one! Today, we’re looking at the many advantages of online events and what to do if you’re anxious about joining. We’re also...
September Spotlight: Neurodiversity Within The Creative Sector
This September, BAPAM is spotlighting neurodiversity, what it means to be neurodivergent, and how you can navigate the creative industry. Many professionals within the performing arts and creative world are neurodivergent, but support and systems aren’t always in...
Stepping Up: Beginning Higher Education in the Performing Arts
Taking the next step in your education is a significant achievement, especially when embarking on a degree-level course. After finishing your exams, preparing audition pieces, auditioning for several universities, and practising your skills over the summer, you...
Staying Healthy While Touring: Edinburgh Festival and Fringe 2023 Guide
Summer is finally here, and for many performers, this means it’s time to get out there and tour. There’s nothing quite like being on the road with like-minded artists and creators. From honing your performances through nightly shows, to taking in some sights, summer...
Why Performers Should Frequently Check In With Their Health
Each individual has their own health needs, and everyone’s ‘own best health’ differs. Within this spectrum of health, as an artist and performer, maintaining your personal optimal condition is essential to giving your best performance. Looking after your...
“The Show Must Go On” Mentality & How It Affects Creatives
Have you ever heard anyone utter, “The show must go on?” If you’ve worked in a creative field, you’re probably nodding your head. Whether there’s been a costume malfunction or the set has collapsed, performers and artists are always ready to give their all. However,...
Ed Sheeran Opens Up About Mental Health Struggles
When you see a famous singer performing and smiling with the press, many quickly dismiss the possibility of hidden mental health struggles. However, Ed Sheeran has recently spoken out about his struggles with depression and how he turned to drugs as a coping...Scarlett Moffatt: I was so lonely I rang Samaritans
BBC presenter Xanthe Palmer has dyspraxia, a complex and life-changing disorder she says is frequently misunderstood.
Alopecia: ‘So much of black beauty is derived from your hair’ – BBC News
If you want some company at Christmas, try #JoinIn on Twitter with Sarah Millican
The Power of Kindness – short film by Lady Gaga.
World Suicide Prevention Day is September 10th 2021. A day to start conversations and show recovery is possible. This year’s theme is ‘Creating hope through action’.
Racism and Mental Health – useful information from Young Minds
What is it like to have Depression?
What is an intimacy co-ordinator? Michaela Coel used her acceptance speech at the 2021 BAFTA Television awards to shine a light on intimacy coordinators. Find out more about what they do and guidelines for the industry
Dancer, Karen Hauer, speaks about online negative comments
Dyspraxia: My life with the misunderstood condition
BBC presenter Xanthe Palmer shines a spotlight on dyspraxia, a complex and life-changing disorder which she has and says is frequently misunderstood
Mental Health Awareness Week 2021
May 10th -16th 2021 is Mental Health Awareness Week with the focus on connecting with nature. Find out more and get some tips.
Living with OCD
Actor Tuppence Middleton is known for her roles in Black Mirror, War and Peace, The Imitation Game and Mank, among others. She has OCD, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Here she talks to three other people who are also living with OCD
Roman Kemp on feeling ‘trapped’ by depression
Ahead of his BBC Three documentary, Roman talks about dealing with his own mental health issues – and remembers his friend Joe Lyons.Covid: How to deal with lockdown social anxiety
When the roadmap for lifting lockdown restrictions was set out a couple of weeks ago a lot of people felt like they had a summer to look forward to.Reflecting on Actors’ Mental Health and Resilience
This guest blog is written by PhD candidate, lecturer and trained actor Julia Grieshofer. Her research at University College London focuses on actors’ mental health and their resilience.Celebs Go Dating star Tom Read Wilson on how he beats lockdown anxiety and the slogan we should all live by
Celebs Go Dating star Tom Read Wilson has shared the methods he uses to combat lockdown anxiety.Good Grief Festival
Good Grief Festival returns online this March (27th and 28th), with a programme of over 40 free events and 70+ speakers. This time we’ll be exploring the themes of ‘hope’ and ‘meaning’ at a time when the UK is mourning over 100,000 lives lost to...Imlonely
How a YouTube music channel became a mental health hubGaslighting
The term “gaslighting” comes from a play and subsequent film called “Gaslight.” In the film the husband manipulates and torments his wife, to convince her she’s going mad. Here are some ways of identifying gaslighting.If you want some company at Christmas, try #JoinIn
In 2014 Comedian Sarah Millican began to spend Christmas day bringing together on Twitter people who do not want to be on their own, and she’s doing it again this year. Use the hashtag #Joinin to connect all of us who could do with some company. Find...
Season’s Greetings From BAPAM
Season’s Greetings From BAPAM As we approach the end of 2020 we would like to wish you a wonderful Christmas and New Year. It’s been a challenging year and we hope that 2021 will be better one for the performing arts. It was good to see many people join...What Not To Wear star Susannah Constantine reveals alcohol battle
Former What Not To Wear presenter Susannah Constantine has revealed she is an alcoholic and has been in recovery for almost seven years.Behzinga: How I overcame drinking and depression
On YouTube, he appears as a really fun and outgoing guy – but inside, he felt miserable.World Mental Health Day 2020!
To mark World Mental Health Day 2020, the mayor of London’s Outreach team and Thrive LDN will be hosting a virtual young Londoner led festival. All activities are free, and open to all!Gail Porter: ‘Everyone saw me naked, inside I was breaking.’
For Gail Porter, the late 90s were both the best and worst of times.
New BAPAM Website Launched
New BAPAM Website Launched For the past few months we’ve been focusing on creating a user-friendly resource and information hub for BAPAM’s unique specialist health support services for the performing arts and we are delighted to launch our new website. Jump straight...Gardening For Your Mental Health.
Zoella is the creation of vlogger and Youtube sensation, Zoe Sugg. Here is an article about the benefit of gardening to mental well-being from the Team Zoella blog.What’s Blocking You?
Just before lockdown, Equity and ArtMinds worked with the Young Vic on this YV:IDemystify session on Resilience. The video is now available online
Healthy Practice Resources
As a companion to our Healthy Practice Webinar Series, here are collected BAPAM resources to plan and sustain healthy creative practice: Healthy Practice Diary Knowing what you should do to keep healthy is one thing, this diary is aimed at helping you to adopt healthy...
Mental Health Awareness Week 2020
Even at the best of times, maintaining good mental health while sustaining a career in the arts presents unique challenges. The current pandemic disrupts our communities, creative practices and ability to earn a living, and brings significant...What’s the Matter With Tony Slattery?
This BBC 2 documentary airs on May 21st and follows comedian and actor, Tony Slattery as he meets mental health professsionals to discuss his own situation.Kindness
It is Mental Health Awareness week, May 18th – 24th 2020, and the theme is Kindness. It seems appropriate to share this from People United – Changing the World through Arts and Kindness
Free Online Symposium on Alexander Technique
Current Scientific Research and Models for the Alexander Technique A free online symposium outlining current scientific research and models for the Alexander Technique is taking place on Monday 18th May. The event has been shared by BAPAM Registered Alexander...Nadiya Hussain : anxiety during lockdown
The baker and author spoke to the BBC about her anxiety and how it is important to ‘be kind to ourselves’.
BAPAM Hearing Conservation Guidelines for the Performing Arts
The need to establish an effective hearing conservation strategy was spearheaded by the Healthy Conservatoires Network and was then developed by clinicians working with BAPAM. The launch of the document in March 2020 follows a consultation period which took place...Supporting those in isolation…
The Help Hub has been set up to support individuals who find themselves with limited contact due to the Covid-19 Coronavirus.James Corden’s Homefest: star speaks of ‘anxiety and sadness’ over coronavirus
James Corden says he’s been struggling during the Covid-19 outbreak, but has started broadcasting live from his garage in LA.
Online Survey on How COVID-19 is Impacting the Arts
On 1st April an online survey was launched by a research team based at the Royal College of Music and Imperial College London looking at the way COVID-19 is impacting the arts and cultural sectors. The study which is being coordinated by the HEartS research team is...April – Stress Awareness Month
April marks the start of Stress Awareness Month!
Mental Health Resources for COVID19
BAPAM GP Dr Tamara Karni Cohen has put together a list of resources on how to protect and look after yours and others’ mental health during this pandemic. These resources include apps and website from the UK as well as further afield. 1. From Australia,...
New BAPAM Clinic at Sage Gateshead
We are delighted to be working with Sage Gateshead who will host our new free Performing Arts Medicine clinic from Thursday 9 April as part of their programme supporting creative artists. Our GP, Dr Melanie Grundy, who also has a background in music and theatre arts,...The Comics Standing up for Mental Health
Two comedians explain how their jobs affect their emotional well being – and how they hope to help their audiences.Gareth Malone brings together self-isolating singers with ‘at home’ choir project
Malone’s uplifting initiative aims to bring the nation together through the power of music as coronavirus measures continue across the country.
Coronavirus Advice for Performing Arts Workers and Organisations
GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-the-public NHS 111: https://111.nhs.uk/covid-19 Corona Advice for Musicians http://www.coronamusicians.info/ Support and advice for all musicians – collaboration between Help Musicians, the...Coronavirus
If you are feeling anxious or worried about the virus here are some sources of advice from: Mind (Coronavirus and your wellbeing) Anxiety UK (Health and Other Forms of Anxiety and...
Covid 19: BAPAM Services Update
As a result of coronavirus (Covid 19), BAPAM is currently delivering all clinical assessments by telephone. Please do contact us if you have a health problem relating to your performing art and we will schedule a telephone consultation with a BAPAM clinician. If you...Daniel Radcliffe talks about coping with fame
The actor was 11 when he won the title role in the Potter film series and recently talked about his family helping him keep a sense of “perspective”. Yet he said he could understand why other child actors have had substance issues in the years following...
Orchestra Musicians Required for Research
A PhD researcher based at Liverpool John Moores University and a 5th year physiotherapist student based in France are looking for participants to take part in a study about pain in musicians. The pair are specifically looking at pain beliefs in orchestra musicians....
BAPAM is Recruiting!
We are looking for regional administrators to support BAPAM’s work in Northern Ireland, Scotland, North of England (covering Newcastle, Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool), West Midlands and Cardiff.) You will support the running of BAPAM’s regional clinics and health...Leicester Comedy Festival – mental health and well-being toolkit.
For 2020, Leicester Comedy Festival is having a specific focus on mental health and well-being including ways in which those performing and attending the festival can look after each other across the 19 days. They have produced this toolkit.Sheila Atim: ‘I had impostor syndrome until I picked up my MBE’
The actor has channelled Bob Dylan and received an honour at just 29. Now she’s finally ready for primetime.
Report: Australian Society of Performing Arts Health Conference 2019
It was a great privilege to be invited to Sydney to speak at the Australian Society of Performing Arts Health (ASPAH) conference at the end of 2019, and inspiring to hear about the great practice happening in Australia. The conference Lasting the Distance: a Lifetime...Time to Talk Day – February 6th 2020
Mental health problems affect one in four of us, yet too many people are made to feel isolated, ashamed and worthless because of this. Time to Talk Day encourages everyone to be more open about mental health – to talk, to listen, to change...Alexander Ludwig’s Recovery Journey
Alexander Ludwig on Sharing His Recovery Journey, Playing the ‘Bad Boys’ Tech GuyChannel 4 Documentary Losing It: Our Mental Health Emergency
Channel 4 begins broadcasting a new series on mental health on Tuesday 21 January at 10pm.Linda Robson Details Battle With Anxiety, Depression And Severe OCD
Actor, Linda Robson, Details Battle With Anxiety, Depression And Severe OCD On Loose Women ReturnRicki Lake opens up about living with hair loss.
American TV star Ricki Lake has unveiled her new buzz cut after revealing she has been struggling with the “quiet hell” of hair loss for almost 30 years.
Ballet Dancers Needed for an Online Survey
Are you a professional ballet dancer, studying the art form or an amateur performer? If this is you, then your experience may help contribute towards initiatives which will help the health and performance of dancers in the future. Dancers are being sought to respond...Take the Body Positive 30 Day Mental Wellness Challenge
The latest report from the annual UK Youth Index calls 16 to 25-year-olds the unhappiest generation for a decade. Even if you don’t have anxiety, depression or a diagnosed mental illness, better sleep and less stress is good for your overall health and well-being and...
BAPAM Registered Psychotherapist Moves to Bath
BAPAM registered Psychotherapist Alison Penfold who had a successful practice in London for years has moved to the city of Bath. Before retraining and becoming a BACP Accredited Integrative Therapist, Alison worked as a classical singer. She uses perspectives from...
Laryngeal Manual Therapy (LMT) and Head and Neck Massage: BAPAM Guidance
In the light of recent press about a death following manipulation (www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-50397867) and the publication of research last year on the dangers of head and neck massage if practised by improperly trained salon employees...
Hearing Conservation Guidance for the Performing Arts: A Consultation
BAPAM has produced new best practice guidance for hearing conservation in the performing arts. You can download the consultation document here. The guidance is being consulted on until February 2020. All comments are very welcome and respondents are encouraged to...Stephen Graham: tells Desert Island Discs ‘I didn’t know how to cope’
Actor Stephen Graham has opened up about the time he attempted to take his own life, after suffering a breakdown.
Crafted Talks – Peer Led Discussions for Performers
A singing and vocal coach from Manchester is organising an event aimed at facilitating an open discussion around the challenges performers have faced during their careers. Kathy Brooke is behind the idea of “Crafted Talks” which was inspired by her personal experience...
Free Health Assessments for Performers in Liverpool
If you make a proportion of your living from, or study in the performing arts, and have a physical or psychological health problem related to your work, BAPAM can help you. A specialist monthly clinic in Liverpool is available for performers. The clinic is led by GP...
A BAPAM Patient Story
At BAPAM we support a wide range of performers suffering all kinds of health issues. At the various stages of contact with patients we do our best to get a coherent idea of their issue and advise them about a treatment pathway. 22-year-old saxophone player Murphy...
Keeping the Performing Arts Workforce Healthy: Performing Arts Health Champions
Research into poor mental and physical health within the performing arts workforce consistently finds that 70-75% of our population report both mental and physical health problems. That’s much higher than the national average. Over 80% of arts professionals are...Pop star Sia reveals battle with chronic pain disorder
Australian pop star Sia has revealed that she suffers from a disease that gives her chronic pain.Scarlett Curtis: ‘I’d shut myself off from everyone’
The promotional campaign for Scarlett Curtis’s last book didn’t quite go according to plan.
Research: The Wellbeing of Musicians Across the Lifespan
Musicians sometimes spend a lot of time looking at what is wrong, which can give more energy to challenges and create a downward spiral. Positive psychology is influenced by the idea that in spending more time focusing on what’s right, we allow ourselves to...
Guest Blog: Getting to Know Your Emojis : )
Psychotherapist, Fiona Macbeth In a guest blog for BAPAM, psychotherapist Fiona Macbeth considers the importance of emotional awareness for performers and some simple techniques for managing overwhelming feelings. Fiona ran the counselling service at one of the bigger...Denise Welch praised for ‘brave’ depression videos
Actress Denise Welch has been praised after sharing her experience of the “unwelcome visitor” of depression.Doctor Who star Christopher Eccleston reveals he used to have anorexia and considered suicide
Actor says he was ‘very ill’ with condition while filming Doctor Who
Have Your Say on The Government’s Occupational Health Consultation
You may not have heard about the current government consultation: “Health is everyone’s business: proposal to reduce ill-health related job losses”. The consultation seeks views on different ways in which government and employers can take action to reduce people...
BAPAM Welcomes PR Guru Jonathan Morrish as New Trustee
BAPAM is very lucky to be adding to its list of trustees, a real stalwart in the world of public relations. Jonathan Morrish started in the music industry as a freelance music writer in the seventies, contributing to a number of different publications. Then in 1975 he...
BAPAM Nominated for Industry Minds Awards
BAPAM has been nominated for its work in supporting the mental and physical health of those working in the performing arts industry. The nomination is part of the inaugural Industry Minds Awards which takes place this September. Industry Minds is a mental health...
Healthy Performance Training Series
BAPAM is proud to announce the start of a series of training sessions for performers to keep them healthy and able to sustain a performing arts career. The sessions kick off in Belfast at the Oh Yeah Music Centre this September, with more planned in cities across the...Emotional abuse: ‘My fiance seemed perfect – but he wanted to control me’
When Anna, an actress, fell in love with an older and more successful actor he seemed like the perfect man. It took time for her to realise that her fairytale romance had become an abusive relationship.
Mental Health and Wellbeing Services for Performing Artists: Guidance for the Performing Arts Sector
Consultation Paper BAPAM is pleased to have brought together a working group of clinicians and performing arts organisations interested in addressing challenges to the mental health and wellbeing of those who work in the sector. The group has produced guidance to...
Day Dedicated to Performing Arts Medicine
Attended by doctors, physiotherapists, osteopaths and a number of students and professional performers, PAM day at UCL offered time for networking and discussions on the health and rehabilitation of performing artists. The day consisted of talks by experts in...
BAPAM Flying the Flag Stateside at PAMA 2019
This report gives a small flavour of some of the highlights of a packed conference programme with content covering all forms of the arts and many of the conditions that performing artists suffer from. It was a wonderful opportunity to hear from experts across the...
Alexander Technique Research Update
If you’re interested in the ergonomics of musicianship then you may remember a previous post where we featured the research of Alison Loram. Alison is a violinist and BAPAM-registered Alexander Technique teacher working with performers. Alison is also a research...
Healthy Touring Checklist and Rider
Artists, crew, and management teams can use a Healthy Touring Checklist as part of planning for a tour and prepare a Health Rider to help people involved with the tour support artist and crew wellbeing. Our Healthy Touring Checklist has been developed as a result of a...Looking for some calm at the Edinburgh Fringe?
We are delighted that we are again able to offer The Sanctuary at this year’s Edinburgh Festival. A chance for fringe participants to get away from the crowds to a calm, completely quiet space providing a bit of peace in a comfortable environment. Free head,...
BAPAM Resources Used in PhD Research on Pain and Discomfort in String Players
The International Journal of Music Education has published an article based on a PhD research which featured a BAPAM produced health resource. The research looked at playing-related discomfort and pain among two groups of music students in a higher education...Ed Sheeran Reveals Fame Has Left Him Struggling With Daily Anxiety
Ed Sheeran has opened up about the anxiety he now suffers from as a result of his international fame.Inbetweeners star James Buckley: Fame ‘fries my brain’
The Inbetweeners actor James Buckley has revealed he struggles to cope with fame and that it causes him anxiety.
Musicians Wanted for UCL Masters Research
Professional and amateur violinists and viola players are being sought for a study as part of a master’s thesis research project for the MSc Performing Arts Medicine programme at University College London. The study by Sarah Lesjak will investigate how changes to the...Jess Glynne blames anxiety for last minute Isle of Wight no-show
Jess Glynne has said anxiety led to her cancelling a performance at the Isle of Wight festival at the weekend, minutes before she was due to go on stage.
Contemporary Dance and Injury workshop
A day dedicated to contemporary dance and injury management is taking place in the capital on 9th June. The event geared specifically for the dance community will take place at Core Clapton in East London. The workshops will be led by dance professionals, plus...Jason Manford: Comedian shares mental health battle
Comedian Jason Manford has opened up about his struggles with mental health.
Musical Theatre Acts Raise Mental Health Awareness in the Industry
A group of singers who have featured in musicals in London and around the UK will be getting together for a special cabaret show to raise funds for BAPAM. The aim of Music for the Mind – which takes place on Tuesday 4th June – is to help tackle mental health in...Mental Health Awareness Week: The five things men don’t talk about enough
To coincide with Mental Health Awareness Week, BBC Sport got five men to sit down together and discuss their issues with masculinity, depression, body image and expectations.
Fundraising Concert for BAPAM Featuring Two Harpsichords
BAPAM relies heavily on the generosity of key funders for delivering specialised services to the performing arts community. We are also equally grateful for many individuals and local groups who also support us through fundraising at events such concerts and talks. On...David Harewood: Psychosis and Me
David Harewood had a psychotic breakdown and was sectioned in his 20s. In this documentary, David traces his steps, meeting young people living with psychosis and the NHS professionals who treat them.
Performing Arts Medicine (PAM) Day 2019
There’s less than a month to go until a one-day course providing an introduction to Performing Arts Medicine. The annual PAM day is aimed at health professionals, performers, those studying and working in health sciences and performance academies. PAM day will...Mental Health Awareness Week in the theatre industry
Mark Shenton writes about being aware of Mental Health Awareness Week and how theatre has impacted on his depression
NHS Specialist Voice Clinics Vocal Rehabilitation Coach Pilot
BAPAM is excited to announce the start of a new pilot project, in which we are funding a Vocal Rehabilitation Coach (VRC) to work alongside clinicians in NHS Professional Voice User Clinics. Vocal health problems in singers and actors are often multifactorial,...
NHS Specialist Voice Clinics Vocal Rehabilitation Coach Pilot
BAPAM is excited to announce the start of a new pilot project, in which we are funding a Vocal Rehabilitation Coach (VRC) to work alongside clinicians in NHS Professional Voice User Clinics. Vocal health problems in singers and actors are often multifactorial,...
Event Report: Occupational Health in the Performing Arts Industry – The Original Gig Economy
Health in the performing arts industry – whose responsibility? Every year BAPAM helps with hundreds of inquiries about health problems related to working in the performing arts. These include musculoskeletal problems caused by strain and intensive use of parts of the...
BAPAM Psychosocial Working Group
BAPAM has convened a Psychosocial Working Group to bring together clinicians including doctors, clinical psychologists, psychotherapists and counsellors, charities working with performing arts professionals to support mental health, and academics conducting key...
Hand Surgeon and Professor of Piano Joint BAPAM Clinic
There are intrinsic relationships between health and performance excellence, and educational and clinical expertise in the performing arts. In overcoming medical problems, specialist diagnostic and medical expertise can be complemented by performance technique and...Bebe Rexha: ‘I’m bipolar and I’m not ashamed anymore’
Bebe Rexha has revealed she has bipolar disorder, saying it leaves her feeling unwell and unable to work.
New Clinics in Liverpool and Belfast
As part of our commitment to reach and support performers throughout the UK, we are pleased and excited to announce new regional clinics, this time in Liverpool and Belfast starting in May 2019. BAPAM are delighted to be working with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic...BBC Presenter: ‘He said he was close enough to smell my hair’
BBC news presenter Alex Lovell suffered years of unwanted and increasingly menacing attention from a viewer.The male body positive Instagram influencer who ditched his six pack
A man who “wasted years” trying to sculpt his body has become an Instagram influencer on body positivity
The Relationship Between Occupational Demands and Well-Being of Performing Artists: A Systematic Review
Simone Willis, a Performance Science researcher at Cardiff Metropolitan University, has shared with us this recently published paper on the relationship between occupational stress and well-being in performing artists. The aim of this systematic review was to...‘Our goal is to halve the male suicide rate’: why no-frills therapy works for men
Every week, around the country, groups of men meet for some straight-talking therapy. Could this be the answer to the male mental health crisis?
A Major Event in Occupational Health
Are you a freelance performer, regularly working on short contracts and short-term engagements? BAPAM in collaboration with the Occupational Medicine Department of the Royal Society of Medicine is organising an event looking at Occupational health in the performing...
The Relationship Between Occupational Demands and Well-Being of Performing Artists: A Systematic Review
Simone Willis, a Performance Science researcher at Cardiff Metropolitan University, has shared with us this recently published paper on the relationship between occupational stress and well-being in performing artists. The aim of this systematic review was to...
Open Evening for Performing Arts Medicine Course
Are you a health professional and have an interest in working with performers? Or you may already treat some performers and want to be able to give them the best treatment possible. Then an open evening on 13th March is your chance to find out more about UCL’s...
BAPAM Regional Clinics Update!
We’re excited to unveil more specialist BAPAM medical assessments for performing artists at our regional clinics in Birmingham and Glasgow during the month of March. Birmingham In addition to the musculoskeletal clinic led by BAPAM physio Louise Curley on 8th and 22nd...
Call for Research Participants
Are you a professional musician and do you engage heavily with social media and social networking sites? Tom Wegg-Prosser, final year MSc student in Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy at Goldsmiths University is looking for solo artists, lead singers, dance and...
Trustee Recruitment
We are are looking for skilled and experienced individuals to join our Board of Trustees and help guide the organisation in assuring service quality, developing new and existing partnerships and expanding our services throughout the performing arts industry. To apply,...Sam Smith and 9 other male celebs on body image
While shirtless posts aren’t unusual for celebrities on social media, Smith used his to open up about his battle with body image, admitting to starving himself for weeks ahead of upcoming photo shoots.
January 2019 Newsletter
Our January 2019 Performing Arts Medicine Newsletter is archived here. Contents: New clinics Healthy practice training for performing arts professionals and students BAPAM and the Royal Society of Medicine Event: Occupational Health in the Performing Arts Industry:...
Free Health and Wellbeing Webinar Series with ISM
Tuesday 5th February to Tuesday 26th February We have teamed up with the Incorporated Society of Musicians to present a series of free webinars looking at musicians’ health. Our performance health experts will lead the sessions, exploring solutions to problems...
New BAPAM Clinics
We now hold free Performing Arts Medicine clinics in London, Glasgow, Birmingham, Cardiff and Leeds. If you make a proportion of your living from, or study in the performing arts, and have a health problem related to your work, we can help you. Our clinicians are...
Clinical Governance Toolkit
Can BAPAM help your organisation ensure quality of clinical services for performing artists? Performing arts organisations and businesses which commission or provide health services for artists, or are considering doing so, should comply with quality standards for...
Occupational Health in the Performing Arts Industry: The Original Gig Economy
Registration for this event is now open. Training arts professionals in healthy practice skills is vital, but we believe that healthy individuals also require systematic support from the industry that is built on their work. The majority of workers in the performing...Simon Webbe reveals he lost his younger brother to suicide, as he speaks out on his own mental health battle
The Blue singer spoke out on the sad news, admitting he has only recently returned to social media in order to start a conversation about mental health following his younger brother’s death.Disability hate crime
Katie Price backed by MPs following her petition for new laws to tackle online abuseWhat happened when I called Samaritans for my mental health
Journalist, Hattie Gladwell, reflects on the first time she called Samaritans.My name is Jack Monroe, and I’m an alcoholic. But now I’m recovering…
The food writer, journalist and campaigner opens up about how alcohol took over her life once fame struck.Feeling lonely on Christmas Day? #Joinin is for you.
In 2014 Comedian Sarah Millican began to spend Christmas Day bringing together on Twitter people who do not want to be on their own, and she’s doing it again this year for the ninth time. Use the hashtag #Joinin to connect all of us who could do with some...
Performing Arts Medicine (PAM) Day
It’s been a busy year for all things Performing Arts Medicine (PAM). Here’s a look back at one of the highlights of the year. The annual PAM DAY 2018 was held at the Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health on 21st July and organised by the Department of Performing...Sheridan Smith : “I just fell apart”.
The actor tells all about her breakdown and her hard-won recovery.
BAPAM Performance Environment Day
What would an ideal performance environment look like? Is such a thing even possible when we work in such widely different spaces? How do our environments affect our health, our creativity, our social relationships? What can healthcare professionals, technicians,...“We’re not talking about this”
Catherine Love, writing about Theatre for the Guardian, looks at the industry’s mental health stigma
A Nod to BAPAM’s Work in October’s Edition of Classical Music Magazine
A write-up about BAPAM concluded a series of articles on health and wellbeing in the prestigious music publication. Our charity was the focus of a two page spread and was described as the umbrella organisation which is the “go-to point” for performing artists...Keira Knightley reveals she had a mental breakdown and PTSD
Actress Keira Knightley has spoken about the mental breakdown she had aged 22 and being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as she struggled with her sudden rise to fame
Listen to The Experts on World Mental Health Day 2018
At BAPAM we work with mental health specialists who have the knowledge and experience to help performing arts clients. On 17th November, Clinical Psychologist Dr Anna Colton will be speaking at our training day about the Performance Environment, covering anxiety, how...
Do It Differently
A brand new fund has been set up to support the careers of 20 independently-driven music creators by one of BAPAM’s major funders Help Musicians UK. The Do it Differently fund is being called the most comprehensive support for this group of performers yet. Worth a...
Music Promoter Skiddle Chairs Mental Health Panel
BAPAM Director Claire Cordeaux was invited to be part of a panel at an event organised by music event promoter Skiddle. The panel discussion was titled mental health in the music industry and was organised off the back of a survey the promoter had conducted amongst...
Rock and Pop Weekend 2018
A who’s who of voice experts will be gathering at the British Voice Association’s weekend workshop in London for singers, vocal coaches and voice professionals this November. Geared especially for the genres of rock and pop, a range of some serious big hitters from...
Top Tips for Those Considering a Career in Psychotherapy
Psychotherapist and music industry consultant Tamsin Embleton of Embleton Psychotherapy shares some top tips for those considering a career in psychotherapy. It’s a guide Tamsin created following conversations with musicians and other professionals within the...
Surge in Demand for Backstage Therapists Due to Pressures of Social Media
The pressures of performing in today’s social media culture means more and more therapists are working backstage to support performers in need according to an article in the Sunday Telegraph. BAPAM registered psychotherapist Helen Brice who is featured in the article,...
BAPAM Training Day: The Performance Environment
The countdown is on for BAPAM’s last Training Day of the year, which draws on experts from across the performing arts industry, medicine, education and research. This year’s event takes place on Saturday 17th November in London and focuses on the Performance...
Vocal Health Workshop in Glasgow
Top vocal and performance coach Lucy Heyman will be conducting an afternoon workshop for vocalists in Glasgow. The BAPAM training session organised by the Musicians Union will take place at the Scottish Trades Union Centre in Glasgow on 13th September. It will cover...Spice Girl singer Mel B entering rehab for post-traumatic stress disorder
The singer says the past six months have been “incredibly difficult” and claims she’s been drinking “to numb my pain”.Writer and actor Michaela Coel speaks out on sexual assault
Michaela Coel, the writer and actor behind comedy series Chewing Gum, has revealed she was sexually assaulted while working on the show.
August 2018 Newsletter
Read our August 2018 Newsletter here Scotland clinics Arts Specialist Psychologists and Psychotherapists PPL CEO Peter Leathem Appointed BAPAM Chairman BAPAM Training Day: The Performance Environment Forthcoming Events
BAPAM featured in Pianist Magazine
The internationally renowned Pianist magazine has devoted a four page article on healthy piano playing and what to do when injury strikes, giving a nod to the work BAPAM has been doing in the field. The article written by journalist and former editor of Classic Fm...Touretteshero: Me, My Mouth and I
A 60-minute film exploring neuro-diversity in the arts through the work of Samuel Beckett from disabled performer Jess Thom’s personal perspective.
Arts Health Practitioners in Focus: Arts Specialist Psychologists and Psychotherapists
Arts Health Practitioners in Focus: Arts Specialist Psychologists and Psychotherapists In collaboration with key partners in the industry, BAPAM is developing a framework for best practice in mental health care and support in the performing arts. When we asked...” The rejection hit me hard”
Comedian and author Mark Watson remembers a major career setback, the value of talking, and how running keeps him balanced.Surge in social issue shows at Edinburgh Fringe
Almost a quarter of theatre productions at this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe deal with social issues, including Mental Health, women in society, and abuse.Willow Smith reveals she self-harmed as a child
The singer reveals how she “lost her sanity” after finding fame at a young age.ArtsMinds at the Edinburgh Fringe
ArtsMinds will be running the Sanctuary Space at Fringe Central on more days than ever before. Come along on August 8th, 12th, 16th, 19th and 24th for a calm and peaceful environment away from the hectic world of the Fringe outside. Free head, neck and shoulder...“You staying on with the RSC then?”
In this blog post, actor Graeme Brookes writes about coming to the end of a production, and the anxiety this can bringWe Can Do More To Protect The Mental Health Of Those In The Arts
MP Luciana Berger writes about the challenges facing the sector, reflecting on recent progress, and what still needs to be done.It took having a breakdown on stage to take my mental health seriously
Actor Chris Connel shares his experiences and talks of when the show can’t go on.Wellbeing drop-ins to start at London’s Actors Centre
Equity is teaming up with the Actors Centre to offer monthly wellbeing drop-ins from July 2018. Are you dealing with bullying and harassment in your workplace, or any mental health issues? These drop-ins will provide a safe and confidential space for you to talk, and...‘Mental health is not a death sentence’
Homeland actor David Harewood talks openly about the mental health issues he has faced, and the positive impact of his recovery.Performers open up about anxiety battles in a bid to break taboo around mental health
West End actors including Caroline Sheen and Jodie Jacobs have revealed their battles with anxiety in a bid to encourage more industry conversations around mental health.Mariah Carey opens up about her battle with bipolar disorder
Having been originally diagnosed in 2001, the singer has recently spoken for the first time about living with bipolar disorder and seeking treatment.Meet TALK weekly
TALK has been started in London by actors Christian Edwards and Harry Long to create a community for anyone working in theatre and the wider entertainment industry who may be facing mental health issues to provide a space for them to speak to each other. First...University Mental Health Day
Today, March 1st, there is a focus on the mental health of people who live, work and study in Higher Education. ArtsMinds materials have been sent to university performing arts courses. Find out more about UMHD hereWill it be alright on the night?
Performance anxiety can strike any performer at any point in their career. Here Stephanie Cole talks about stage fright and how it should be accepted as part of the job.Chris Packham and Asperger Syndrome
In October 2017 TV Presenter Chris Packham was the focus of a very personal and frank documentary about living with Asperger Syndrome which was not diagnosed until he was in his 40’s. The response was universally positive. Chris is also a patron of the National...Will Young: I’ve learned to live with my anxiety
Will Young talks to the Evening Standard about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and living with anxiety.Older actors talk about career longevity
In this article from earlier this year, published in the Guardian, Janet Henfrey, Sian Phillips and Timothy West discuss still working in their 80sAisling Bea on the death of her father
Comedian Aisling Bea’s father committed suicide when she was three years old. Here she talks about her father, coming to terms with his death and what it has given her.What Actors Can Teach Us About Memory and Learning
This article by Annie Murphy Paul discovers the effective memorisation draws on physical and emotional engagement as much as they do pure brain powerWhat it’s like to have a mental illness on the comedy circuit?
Huffington Post staff writer, Ryan Barrell takes a look at this questionHelping someone with depression
Annabel Giles wrote this in 2014, offering a few personal tips on how to help someone suffering from depression. A former TV and radio presenter and writer, she is now a fully qualified counsellor/psychotherapistEmma Stone and anxiety
Award winning American actress, Emma Stone, recently spoke publicly about her anxiety and coping with it.Robert Webb wants us to stop telling boys to “man up”
Actor, comedian and writer Robert Webb talks about the damage done to boys by their being encouraged to repress feelings.Illumination by Harriet Williamson
‘Illumination’ is a new series exploring the relationship between mental illness and creativity. Harriet Williamson is interviewing people engaged in art, music, theatre and many more creative avenues and inviting them to open up about their mental wellbeing and...The Time4Change Charter
Last year the time4change initiative was launched by the Musical Theatre Academy (MTA). Within 2 months 100 arts organisations had signed the mental health charter which aims to start a conversation, remove the stigma and provide a knowledge base. Read the Charter...Dear West End Producer…
The anonymous man of theatre, the West End Producer has a regular Q & A spot with the Stage. Here he tackles the question, ‘can performers talk openly about mental health problems without being seen as unreliable?’Why dancing is good for our mental health
Award winning writer, Annabel Abbs, asks about dance in schoolsDenise Welch talks about her mental health issues
Denise Welch is an ambassador for MIND and has just released a new short psychological drama “Black Eyed Susan” Here she talks about her clinical depression.Bipolar: Adam Deacon and Stephen Fry on ‘lifelong struggle’
Actor Adam Deacon talks about living with bipolar disorder with actor and fellow sufferer Stephen Fry. The interview was first shown on the Victoria Derbyshire Show on BBC2 on August 8th. The programme research team had contacted ArtsMinds for background and they...Jo Caulfield – Grief is not what I thought it would be
In November 2016 writer and broadcaster Annie Caulfield died from cancer. In this article for Standard Issue her sister, Jo, writes about her grief.Rory Bremner Uncovers the Science of ADHD
Around 3% of the adult population suffer from ADHD,(Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and 5% of children – yet many people remain sceptical of its existence. Rory Bremner is on a personal mission to uncover the science of ADHD, a condition which he has...Obsessive Compulsive Disorder – an actor’s tale.
Actor and writer Ian Puleston–Davies known for his work on Coronation Street but also Maigret, Marcella and Beowolf has made a programme for BBC Wales about his obsessive compulsive disorder.Jessica Brown Findlay Talks About Eating Disorders
Actress Jessica Brown Findlay, who recently played Ophelia in Hamlet in London, talks about having an eating disorder because “it might be something that could be useful to others.”
Alison Loram Muscle Function Research Published
Alison Loram is a BAPAM-registered Alexander Technique teacher with expertise in the technique’s application to performance and practice, and ergonomics of instrumental playing/singing. She is a graduate of UCL’s Performing Arts Medicine MSc, violinist and research...A Great Job Doesn’t Mean You Can’t Suffer Mentally
Kieran Shudall, the frontman of Liverpool group Circa Waves has revealed how struggles with anxiety and depression have shaped the band’s new sound.Emotional Struggles of a Heart-broken Actor
David O’Mahony is an actor whose life was turned upside down resulting in depression. Here he shares his story, how he got through it and hopes it might help others.Time to Talk
To mark Time to Talk Day (February 2nd 2017), the BBC has interviewed eight people from around the country and a range of backgrounds about their mental well-being including an actor and a film maker. Here’s what they have to say.What is a Frazzled Cafe?
An initiative from Ruby Wax, Frazzled Cafe meetings provide a ‘talk-in’ place where people who are feeling frazzled can meet on a regular basis to talk and share their personal stories in a safe, anonymous and non-judgmental environment – a place where...How to weep in public with Lena Dunham
Actor/writer Lena Dunham has been open about living with an anxiety disorder, telling People in 2014 that despite her enormous success, she has “kind of worn anxiety grooves into my brain. Here comedian (and depressed person) Jacqueline Novak talks with Lena...Clarence Derwent Award winner donates prize to ArtsMinds
Jonathan Broadbent who has won the Clarence Derwent Award for his supporting role as Guy in the Donmar Warehouse’s production of My Night With Reg, has pledged to donate his prize money to ArtsMinds after revealing he had struggled with depression.Mindfulness: Be Here Now
Carol Tobin is a comedian and writer. She writes articles on everything from prescription drugs to pilgrimages – here, in Standard Issue, she talks about mindfulness and the difference it has made to her.Selena Gomez and depression
Pop star Selena Gomez revealed in her acceptance speech at the American Music Awards how depression left her “absolutely broken inside”.Why Bruce Springsteen’s Depression Revelation Matters
In Bruce Springsteen’s new memoir Born to Run he has opened up about his depression and how performing has helped alongside various treatment options. This comment piece from The Conversation discusses why it is important that this disclosure is being talked...Mental health in the arts: Are we talking about it enough?
In this article from the Evening Standard performers explain to Jessie Thompson how working in the arts can impact upon their mental healthMark Lockyer: ‘I was convinced I would die if I went back on stage’
Mark Lockyer, a leading classical actor who has worked with both the Royal Shakespeare Company, The Globe and the National Theatre and now back with the RSC, tells of his own battle with mental illness and keeping well.Ruby Wax talks about Obsessive Compulsive Disorder –
Launched in May 2008, BBC Headroom was a two year mental health and wellbeing project which aimed to raise awareness of the importance of good mental health. Ruby Wax hosted a weekly web-chat covering a range of different mental health and wellbeing issues drawing...Carey Mulligan becomes Dementia Friends Ambassador
Actress Carey Mulligan’s has been appointed by the Alzheimer’s Society and Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt as the UK’s first global Dementia Friends Ambassador. Here she talks to the BBC about itWhat’s behind stage fright?
Stage fright has not been heavily studied, which is strange because it is common not only among those who make their living on the stage but among the rest of us, too. In 2012, two researchers at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, Karen Dwyer and Marlina Davidson,...Dan Ackroyd on Asperger’s Syndrome
Dan Aykroyd talks about being diagnosed with mild Tourette syndrome and Asperger’s syndrome as a young man.Kara Tointon – Green glasses and sticky notes
Actress Kara Tointon reveals how she copes with dyslexia – and how her love of reading has developed.Video post only example, Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
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Stage Fright, Well-being and Recovery Survey Results
We had a fantastic response to our request for help with Danica Giles’ Stage Fright and Well-being Survey. Huge thanks to all the performers who took part – 260 in all, of whom 167 were BAPAM patients! This summary of the results of the study contains some demographic...
Research Report 2009 – 2011
BAPAM’s mission is to achieve a healthy performance environment for all performing artists through high quality and effective specialist health care, health promotion strategies, and professional development and training in Performing Arts Medicine for health care...