The Poet (delayed)

Episode 47: Injustice

September 3rd, 2024  |  Season 1  |  1 hr 17 mins

authenticity, emotional wounds, healing, mental health, poetry, self discovery, vulnerability, wholeness

I was joined by my friend, Melissa Fairbourn Peterson. We talked about the wounds we all suffer from one another whether intentionally or not and that those who inflict those wounds cannot heal us - only we can heal our wounds.
We discussed the importance of apologies in the healing process. The dangers in demanding an apology. How recognizing our complicity in our wounds helps us heal, and so much more.

We read from Les Miserables and from The Gulag Archipelago.

Episode 26: The Burning Comes First

November 7th, 2023  |  Season 1  |  25 mins 17 secs

authenticity, be brave, healing, kalen dion, mental health, phoenix rises, poetry, self discovery

Carl Jung said, “There is no coming to consciousness without pain.” My experience has been that this is true and in this episode, I use a poem by Kalen Dion as a way to introduce Jung’s concept and then discuss my experiences with change.

Episode 25: Terrible Potential (redux)

August 6th, 2023  |  Season 1  |  1 hr 4 mins

authenticity, childhood trauma, hope, mental health, personal responsibility, poetry, recovery, self discovery

In this episode, I revisit my poem, Terrible Potential, and talk about ways in which it applies to my recovery.

Episode 22: Meaningful Life

April 11th, 2023  |  Season 1  |  1 hr 45 mins

authenticity, meaningfulness, mental health, poetry, self awareness, self discovery

I was joined by neuropsychologist Ben Christiansen in episode 22 of The Poet (delayed). We read my haiku, Meaningful Life and discussed what a meaningful life consists of and how we can work towards one. Hint: it involves math…well, equations at least.

Episode 19: Dark Canopy

February 27th, 2023  |  Season 1  |  1 hr 40 mins

authenticity, depression, hope, major depressive disorder, mdd, mental health, poetry, self discovery, situational depression

In this episode, I’m joined again by Jackie Pack as I read my poem Dark Canopy and we discuss depression.

Episode 17: She is Steady and She Waits

January 23rd, 2023  |  Season 1  |  1 hr 34 secs

authenticity, cancer, hodgkin’s lymphoma, mental health, poetry, self discovery, truth

I was joined by Allison Spencer as we read and discussed my poem, She is Steady and She Waits. Allison was diagnosed with Stage 2 Unfavorable Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. (By the way, “unfavorable”? Who comes up with these terms, soccer match announcers? - “That was unlucky!”) But as terrifying as that was, she rose up to battle and, with the help of family, friends and competent medical providers, she waged battle as a head shorn warrior and the cancer is now in remission.

Episode 16: Nirvana

December 19th, 2022  |  Season 1  |  1 hr 1 min

authenticity, depression, mental health, mental health awareness, nirvana, poetry, self discovery, suicide, suicide prevention

TRIGGER WARNING: Suicide is discussed in this episode. If anyone listening is struggling with suicidal ideation, please reach out to a friend or family member. There is also a national hotline in the USA that you can call: 988.

I was joined by Monte Wingle as I ready my poem, Nirvana, and we discussed thoughts and ideas that came. Also, in the spirit of craving nothingness, we visited True Rest Float Spa to experience their float tank and see how close we could get to nothingness.