Jonathan Decker is a licensed therapist who loves films; Alan Seawright is a professional filmmaker who needs therapy. Together, they have a laugh, eat popcorn, and use popular films to illustrate both good and bad behaviours.
I’ll be honest, I only discovered this channel because I was searching for review videos that eviscerated Twilight. (If you enjoyed Twilight, no judgement from me, but let’s both be honest and admit that Edward “I like to break into your bedroom and watch you sleep” Cullen is not a good model for relationship material.) But I stayed because a lot of what they say makes sense.
By using films to illustrate their points, any sting of perceived judgement is removed. The onus is on the watcher to apply the observations to your own life, although Seawright is very open about his own struggles with mental health and how some of these lessons apply to him. Decker is consistently compassionate, knowledgeable, and straightforward in his explanations of – for example – gaslighting warning signs (looking at you, Mother Gothel from Tangled).
The episodes are usually around 20-25 minutes long, and they cover a wide range of films including MCU, Pixar, musicals, horror and mainstream drama. Their episode on why Aragorn from Lord of the Rings is the epitome of non-toxic masculinity is particularly worth watching: “You can decapitate orcs AND write poetry.”
If nothing else, it’s a really well-made series of videos doing interesting character analysis of good films. But I bet you learn something along the way.
Christine Miserandino - Spoon Theory: But You Don’t Look Sick
A friend sent me this article a few months after I was diagnosed with a chronic anxiety disorder. It took about ten minutes to read, and those ten minutes permanently changed how I (and my family) thought about energy.
We have an unconscious tendency – especially when we’re young – to think of our own energy as an almost infinite and instantly renewable thing. All you need is a snack, a nap, and you’re fine to keep going. We certainly don’t think of classifying our energy with a measurement (well, Kipling did in his amazing poem Hymn to Breaking Strain, but that’s a separate review). That means we don’t tend to notice when we’re about to run out, or even past that point. Which is how you get burnout.
Miserandino’s article was originally written in reference to her own experience of Lupus, but it’s equally applicable to any mind and body. The concept is simple – give a name to the unit of measurement for personal energy. In this case, ‘spoons’. So what?
So now you have two things. The first is a better defined awareness of how much personal energy you have, and therefore when it’s running out. The second is the vocabulary to express that. When I say that I’m low on spoons, my family, friends – even my manager here at Clarion – now know that means I have limited internal resources left to deal with problems, people or tasks. It gives them an idea of my mood, what they can reasonably expect from me in terms of performance or social inclination, and therefore how to work with me. The pressure and embarrassment of trying to explain how you feel, or why you’re not up for something, is lifted.
If you struggle with mental health or an invisible physical illness; if you’re an introvert; if you’re dealing with withdrawal – or if there’s someone in your life who fits any of those descriptions – spend half a spoon on this ten-minute read. It changed the way I manage my mental health.
I hope it will help you.
John Moe - Hilarious World of Depression
For a comedian to talk about depression would seem counter intuitive, but host John Moe, American writer and acclaimed public radio personality, leads with a narrative which asks us all to think differently and talk to others about this disease. His personal story and the essential things he's learned about depression through his own life experiences are all in the mix in his podcast, The Hilarious World of Depression.
It is open, moving, and funny, with comedians who have dealt and are dealing with depression, but by sharing stories with fellow entertainers and other well-known guests he helps to shed light on this too often silent struggle.
Even those who have never experienced depression themselves will know a friend, family member or colleague who has, or is still dealing with its effects every day and the sense of social stigma that can leave people feeling isolated. The stories shared by the guests on this podcast can help us all realise that those with depression are not alone and that, together, we can help people feel more empowered to speak out, be heard and understood.
The podcast offers a refreshing take on hearing well-known people talk openly about their struggles, without claiming they are totally resolved, but rather to hear how they manage from day to day to pursue fulfilling careers. It does a lot to normalise mental illness and helps to open up the issues, which is so important.
Depression and mental health can be hard to talk about, but this podcast can help get the conversation going. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to hear frank, funny and heartfelt stories that can be inspiring for those with ongoing struggles and those who want to understand more.
Robert Sharpe - Self Help for Your Anxiety – The “Anxiety Antidote” method
From my mid-twenties I suffered from increasing levels of anxiety, particularly related to public speaking, but also on the day after a big night out. As the years progressed anxiety started to become ever present in my days, requiring little to trigger it and reaching debilitating levels. On the advice of a friend I read this book. For me, the scientific approach of the book really landed. Understanding the biology of what was going on in my body when I had anxiety or a panic attack helped to remove fear from the equation and to rationalise what was happening.
This book had a profoundly positive impact on my anxiety. I still use the techniques today. I won’t say that I’m 100% “fixed”, but who wants to be 100% anything! I’d recommend this book to you or anyone you know who is dealing with anxiety or panic.