As part of a series of conversations with professionals and scholars in the field of mental health, well-being and creative careers, in this episode I sit down with Laurie Oliva, director of research and services of British organization Help Musicians.

Since 2023 Laurie leads research, innovation, service design and delivery at Help Musicians. Past employers and clients include Big Issue, National Institute of Health Research, Department of Health and other government bodies, Stonewall and other national not-for-profits.

In our conversation, we touch upon the need to think about creative work as being part of a larger ecosystem, and that change has to come from building networks and alliances across the industry. Laurie discusses the 'double whammy' of struggling in music work, as musicians for example have to deal with the emotional impact of not being able to do what they love, next to dealing with the loss of work such struggles entail.

We also address the 'double stigma' around mental health in creative fields, and the 'cost-of-working' crisis the research by Help Musicians documents.

These interviews in part support the publication of my book (titled: Well-Being and Creative Careers: What Makes You Happy Can Also Make You Sick, out September 2025 with Intellect) on health, well-being and happiness in media work, and to showcase and celebrate the work so many people around the world are doing to advocate and promote these issues in media workplaces.

Please follow, and check out all the other interviews on my Substack, Spotify, and the entire playlist of interviews on YouTube.