#194 How I Survived (& Maybe Even Thrived) This Christmas

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#194 How I Survived (& Maybe Even Thrived) This Christmas

Writing therapy saved me this Christmas. My therapist recommended that I take note of all of the things causing mental duress. Doing so was revolutionary. Most of the anxiety and rumination simply disappeared and I was left with a list of stimulus overloads that I could now see clearly and thus manage.

In this episode I reflect on the Christmas season, discuss the process of writing therapy, as well as discuss my creative plans for 2022.

I wish you well for the year to come!

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31: On Writing Therapy For Mental Health

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31: On Writing Therapy For Mental Health

Writing therapy is one of the core components of my ongoing mental health plan. When I feel a build of of mental pressure - I write!

The page listens and does not judge, and therefore you can tell it anything without fear. Writing enables me to collect, organise and express my thoughts. By writing them down, I am able to detach from them and let them go.

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29: 'Who Let The Bum In' - (Chapter 1 of Under The Influence)

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29: 'Who Let The Bum In' - (Chapter 1 of Under The Influence)

Zachary reads a chapter of his first book: Under the Influence - Reclaiming my Childhood.

Chapter title: "Who Let The Bum In"

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20: The Real Reason Why Reading Is Important

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20: The Real Reason Why Reading Is Important

Teachers and parents often push the importance of reading. But what they often fail to do is explain why it is so important.

In this episode, Zachary discusses how widely reading (particularly of fiction and autobiographies) increases detachment and allows you to live someone else's life.

"When the characters in our books face moral dilemmas, overcome obstacles, learn and grow, so does the reader. I will never be able to see the world through your eyes, but if I read your book, I would have a greater ability to empathise with your perspective"

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8: Why You Shouldn't Let Your Trauma Define You

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8: Why You Shouldn't Let Your Trauma Define You

"There is a risk of falling into the trap of defining ourselves based on our trauma. We might relive it over and over again -in our minds, contemplating what happened, wishing it was different.

Or perhaps we are the complete opposite - running and hiding from it, doing everything we can to not accept the event as part of our past. Perhaps we do both..."

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