My guest today is Andrew Kauffman.

Andrew is a returning guest to the podcast and I’m so happy to be continuing the conversation with him. 

Our first conversation is on episode 117, and I highly recommend listening if you haven’t yet, as Andrew shared pieces of his journey including his experience coming out as gay as well as being a kidney donor to his father.

Andrew is a coach, a writer and a teacher of creative writing.   He believes that writing be a transformational aid for healing, in coaching, and in all contexts.

Trained and accredited by The Professional Writing Academy in the use of expressive and therapeutic writing, he uses stories, metaphor and narrative tools to help his coaching clients cope with life transitions, and to derive meaning from challenging life events. 

In our conversation today, we talk about mental health and mental ill-health.  Andrew cares deeply about mental health and wellbeing and his work reflects this compasion.  

One of the more specific areas we explore today is around male mental health.  

I admittedly am distanced from this topic and it was interesting to explore with Andrew.  I came away from the conversation with a greater desire to be aware of the challenges of various groups of people, how they are both different and similar to my own journey.  

Holding the paradox of our differences and similarities is not necessarily easy.  And there’s no easy answers to the challenges of mental health and wellbeing.  I believe conversations like this one are useful, however, despite not having a well-defined outcome or a pretty metaphorical bow to finish it off.  

Andrew, thank you again, for stepping into the conversation with authenticity and passion.  Thanks you for sharing vulnerably from your own journey, the places you’ve found answers, and also the places you are still seeking understanding.  Both in conversation and in writing you are inspiring as you model the challenging work that you also facilitate and invite others into as well for the sake of healing and making the world a better place.

Please check out the links to Andrews work, his workshops, and to connect directly with him:

•  Andrew is Writer-in-Residence at the UK's Centre for Mental Health. Read his new essays here https://www.centreformentalhealth.org.uk/topics/writer-residence. (Andrew’s latest essay is entitled, Life with OCD: An Anti-Memoir. )
• In autumn 2023 Andrew will be running Queer Storytelling, a creative writing course for LGBTQ+ writers, together with London Lit Lab. Getting underway in November, he is taking bookings now. 
• He is also facilitating workshops for writers, focusing on writing for personal wellbeing, and as a creative outlet. Do check out his events with The Literary Consultancy in October and November. Again, bookings are happening now. 

Find Andrew on Twitter: @JKaye82

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