Trauma, neglect and abuse leave lasting scars upon individuals and families. It is generational - what happens to the child is often repeated when they become the adult.

The cycle can be broken of course, but with out therapy and a lot of work it likely wont.

*Extreme trigger warning on this episode

Coffee is a drug, but unlike prescription medication it’s not given any respect. This despite the fact that we consume it to alter our mental states.

I practice ‘strategic caffeination’ - specifically choosing when to use it, and abstaining at other times - just as I would with all drugs.

Coffee is a useful tool, but over use reduces its effectiveness and causes anxiety.

I need to learn to be okay with failure. To accept my own imperfections and to let things go.

Doing so will enable me to take risks and try new things. There is a risk that it won’t turn out well, but to not take the chance is far worse.

Whats the alternative? To live out my life, never leaving the comfortable rut?

The page listens. It doesn’t judge. It can be discarded.

Alongside meditation, exercise and self-care, writing therapy is a central part of my mental health management.

In this episode I break down my process, and teach you how to do it yourself.

Changing medications has highlighted the potential (& extreme) range of my moods. Over the course of a day I went from depressed to hyper-sexual.

In this episode I discuss my challenges with emotional variability as well as the ways I am managing my medication.

The life we have now is distinctly different than the one we were promised.

Job security and income levels are down the drain, education leaves us crippled by debts, people are rioting and the planet is warming. Our leaders seem incompetent and corrupt.

And our lower backs hurt.

Navigating trauma isn’t easy. Not for the person suffering, nor for the people around them.

When triggered, I am faced with an overwhelming gush of emotionality. I feel afraid. I feel like I am reliving the past trauma. This can cause me to act in a way that seems selfish - I will lash out, require comfort or alone time. I can seem angry and ungrateful - Despite this, I need the support of those close to me.

Open and honest communication is key.

In this episode, I read and dissect my poem 'I Over Thought It & Hurt My Own Feelings,’ and discuss how you can help someone who has been triggered.

As a response to trauma, we may dissociate.

This is a defence mechanism, one that keeps us safe from the terrors of the moment. It blocks us off from reality and keeps us safe.

Unfortunately, this process can run rampant, triggering itself in times of safety and peace, leaving us confused and unable to understand what is happening or explain it to ourselves or others.

In this episode I read and dissect my poem ‘How Do I Explain This Feeling’.