S1 E7 - Sarah McCaffrey & Kim Whyte - Mental Health On Set

In today's episode, I'm joined by two guests.

Sarah McCaffrey, from the UK, is an experienced training and development manager in the film and TV industry, a former actor, psychotherapist (MBACP) and a Suicide and Mental Health First Aid Trainer. She combines her psychotherapy training with industry knowledge to create bespoke, relevant courses for creative professionals.

She is the founder of Solas Mind, the go-to mental health company in the film, TV and theatre industry - offering training, counselling and support to productions, studios and freelancers.

Kim Whyte, from the US & of African American heritage, is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Georgia and Virginia, with a M.S. in Counseling and Psychology as well as certifications in Clinical Mental Health Counseling,

Her background includes 20+ years working with diverse populations in military hospitals, outpatient clinics, offices, schools, and most recently, film and TV sets.

Kim Whyte became the on-call, on-set counselor for The Underground Railroad, directed by Barry Jenkins. Kim uses several evidence-based psychotherapies and techniques to support and empower clients in a culturally sensitive setting.

Disclaimer: at around 36:00 mark, mentioning Kim's experience in military hospitals, I wasn't comparing this to the plot of The Underground Railroad, just that it involved dealing with trauma.

If you are dealing with any issues mentioned in the podcast, here are some useful resources:

https://www.mind.org.uk/

https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/mental-health-resources/

https://www.solasmind.com/

https://www.artistwellbeing.co.uk/

https://www.samaritans.org/