Finding a therapist you can afford
A solo practical episode. Daniyal explains how therapy pricing works in the UK and beyond, what sliding scales are, where to look for low-cost options, and what to say in your first email.
Arif stopped bowling at 24
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Show notes
When the body says stop
Arif Hussain was a left-arm bowler with a county trial on the horizon when his first panic attack hit during a league match. He left the pitch, told his team it was his stomach, and did not play again for three years. This is the first time he has spoken about it publicly.
- What a panic attack actually felt like on the field
- The story he told his family and why it was easier than the truth
- Three years of avoiding grounds, gyms and friends
- The cousin who rang him and would not hang up
- What his first session with a therapist was like
Arif is bowling again, for a Sunday side, and loving it.
Transcript
Hello, and welcome to Speaking Terms. I am Daniyal Qureshi, I am a psychologist, and this show exists because so many of the men I meet have never said out loud the thing they most need to say. My guest today is Arif. Ten years ago he was a club cricketer with a serious future, until one afternoon in Bolton his heart started racing mid-over and he walked off the pitch. He told everyone it was something he ate. It was not. We talk about what actually happened that day, about the three years he spent avoiding everyone who might ask, and about the phone call from a cousin that finally cracked it open. There are no lessons here, just a conversation. Arif, thank you for trusting me with this. You are listening on Witspeak Podcasts.
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