Tag: BrisAsia Festival

Had the pleasure of being invited to be a speaker for Creative Mornings Brisbane February event at The Lushington. Sold out with over 180 attendees, I spoke on the theme of ‘Symmetry’ and used it to discuss the importance of being open about mental health, the necessity of creative outlets and my own journey with my PTSD. With an audience of creatives in attendance, I focused on the importance of conversation – to find the time to share the conversation with people, find the time to start that conversation with people and to find the time to have the conversation with yourself. Put it into your everyday practise of art, music, dance, words, knitting, woodworking, whatever it may be.
I found it difficult being that open and vulnerable to 180 people but I knew I wouldn’t have even be able to write it onto paper 6 months prior, and 6 months before that, I wouldn’t have even been able to talk about it with trusted friends. It’s a progress of baby steps we all should be taking.

The irony to the taboo and structure of feeling like you’re alone when struggling with your mental health is that every single person has a shade of trauma, anxiety, depression, illness, vices, inclinations, quirks, doubts, pain, suffering and demons etc. We need to start accepting that mental health is just as important as your physical health and just as the body will shut down here and there in sickness, the mind will too.

Let’s talk. Let’s talk often and open.

Watch it here: