The Two of Us - some great interviews from the archives !

During Mental Health Awareness Week I would like to share some previous interviews from my podcast and Reel Rebels Radio show The Two of Us where I talk to writer and artists about their work and how it relates to mental health. If you enjoy the show why not subscribe on your favourite podcast app.

Writer and editor Chimene Suleyman shares new work, her wisdom about using therapy wisely before depression hits, the importance of being foolish and why allowing a fluid and non-binary approach to race and gender changed things for her.

Writer, poet and performer, Inua Ellams talks about what it means to live on the cusp, and the feeling of not belonging anywhere. He describes himself as having a nomad spirit which is reflected in his having multiple disciplines in which to express himself creatively. He reads from his unpublished work f**k boys.

Photographer and Artist Director of Free Space Project, Daniel Regan, talks about how friendship can help facilitate change. He shares his experience of being unwell and isolated as a young person, his eventual breakdown in his 20's, and how photography has been integral to his well-being.

Poet, playwright and performer Joelle Taylor reads from her book 'Songs my Enemy Taught Me' She discusses the experience of disassociation and living outside of the body as a result of trauma, and how poetry can bridge that gap.

Artist Diane Goldie talks about making art to help people tell their own stories and how she found feminism after divorce. She shares the way in which she carries the memories of her daughter after her death from suicide.

Poet Peter Raynard shares his experience of living with depression and chronic illness. He reads from Precarious published by Smokestack books. He discusses his son's depression as a young teenager and the moment he self-defined as disabled.

Naomi talks to poet, podcaster and carpenter David Turner. He discusses the idea of joinery and collaboration with his wife Lizzy Turner.

Living Differently - Heartpoint (for Catherine)

I'm still getting over my most recent energy crash. It takes a lot of self-discipline to care for myself this much. And I don't mean the physical side of taking enough rest or eating properly but the emotional component. That one I find pretty tough. For every step I take towards self-compassion a voice rears up in my head reminding me, with great authority, how indulgent I'm being to take it this easy and that I should be doing more.  It's an hourly battle not to be crushed by this inner dictatorial voice and I find myself losing the ability to see what I need with any clarity at all. To feel so in the wilderness with nothing but my own punishing thoughts for company can be a pretty lonely place and I begin to wonder if I'll ever find my way back home. Now I've written this down I can see it does sound rather melodramatic. It's also the truth.

Chronic illnesses have wavering symptoms, ranging from just about nearly OK to absolutely bloody awful and if the ghastly period is unrelenting the fear can hold you pretty tightly in its grip. The whole process of going through a crash, relapse, or flare is extremely traumatising. After the metaphorical storm has passed I find myself wincing at even the tiniest drop of rain. I know I'm not alone in this and that the unpredictable nature of long term sickness can be very anxiety producing. This is perhaps why so many of us turn to meditation, buddhism, a spiritual practice or a creative outlet to aid our navigation through these rough seas.

So, it will be no surprise to hear that recently I had given up on magic altogether, even in its most human form. That was until my friend Dina invited me over to her studio for a prolonged session of recuperative yoga. It's not the first time she's done this and I'm always grateful. The session lasted over two hours and Dina put me in a series of prolonged resting postures on mountains of bolsters and blocks, covering me with cosy blankets until I drifted in to that safe and hypnotic space between waking and sleeping. She is an expert at arranging the equipment and I often felt like I was floating in space, momentarily free of the burden of gravity.

One thing that struck me was Dina's attention to detail. Even my skinny wrists were supported by rolled up blankets. We often think of holding on as something we do with our hands but our wrists can also carry a great deal of tension, the support I had enabled me to let go at last, to take flight. I decided to find out what mysteries our often neglected wrists held and discovered the location of Heart Point 7  described as an acupressure point to quell anxiety. It also served as a reminder to me that when we are feeling our most fragile the seemingly smallest things make the greatest difference and hold the key to our emotional sanctuary. I've called this heartpoint to highlight that even in our most difficult times there are clues everywhere, tiny doorways to love and tenderness and it's in the silence and stillness that they are revealed to us.

NB: This post is dedicated to my friend Catherine who is in the middle of a storm right now.