In this episode of the Seamus Evans Show, Seamus discusses his personal journey with Tourette syndrome, focusing on how he has learned to redirect his tics through various techniques, including cognitive behavioral intervention therapy. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the nature of tics, the process of redirecting them, and the necessity of acceptance in managing Tourette's. Seamus shares insights on how to take control of one's tics and the significance of being in the driver's seat of one's own narrative.

00:00 Introduction to the Seamus Evans Show

00:30 Understanding Tourette Syndrome

01:11 Redirecting Tics: The Journey Begins

03:08 The Nature of Tourette's: A Neurological Condition

05:37 The Concept of Suppression vs. Redirection

07:05 Cognitive Behavioral Intervention Therapy Explained

10:27 The Sticky Nature of Tics

11:58 Contagious Tics and Mimicking Behavior

14:24 Channeling Tics: Creating New Movements

16:21 The Importance of Control and Experimentation

20:34 Taking Charge of Your Narrative

23:01 Acceptance and the Journey Forward

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(TRANSCRIPT)

Welcome to yet again another episode of the Seamus Evans show. Now this podcast has only just started. I've only done probably 15 episodes. So in terms of podcasting, I am brand new. This is a little baby, just a little seed about to spurt into a giant tree. So if you've followed along and listened to some of these episodes, thank you so much. Thank you so much for supporting.

I wish you could like subscribe, comment, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. I know with podcasting, takes a very long time to build up an audience. Consistency is the key. So here I am today. We are going to be talking about my Tourette syndrome and my ticks and how I redirect them. So my keynote talk, super power, it's called my keynote presentation. What I travel all over Australia for.

delivering to primary schools all the way up to corporate conferences and corporate teams for team building and et cetera, et cetera.

The crux of it is the ability that I developed to redirect my ticks. So they weren't noticeable when I started my television career, I didn't want them to be seen on screen. So I had to do everything in my power to redirect them. So they weren't noticed. That was a lot of trial and error. I put in so much effort on a day to day basis and I really tried to control them.

because I made a decision, I'll never let my Tourette's control me, I'll always control my Tourette's and that kind of transpired into my future, my journey, my life. I'm always in control, I'm in the driver's seat. ⁓ You know, I make all the decisions. ⁓ For a very long time when I was in radio and even television, I thought to myself, I'm waiting for someone to tap me on the shoulder so I can have a great opportunity to work in a bigger.

better job, right? ⁓ But I kind of had to change that mindset and be like, no, no, no, no, I don't have to wait on anyone. I'm in control. I'm in the driver's seat. I get to control my future. And that mindset came from my Tourette's understanding, hey, I've got these ticks, my brain sends messages to my body that are unwanted, they slip through the gate that everybody has. And I tick, I make these twitches, I make these movements, these sounds.