The Conversation continues in this, the final episode, and part two with the extraordinarily delightful Laura Francis.

I have to say, it was an absolute joy to spend time in Laura's company for the recording. Laura is so honest, so open, and so humbling she was able to trust me with her vulnerability of past experiences meaning I'm very confident, anyone listening to our conversation will not only be struck by what Laura has endured, but will be helped and uplifted by her. Inspired by her strength and courage.

In this episode we spoke about:

Her early years. How Laura dealt with being an only child, to then having twin siblings.

The perception of those around her, and trying to fit in at a very early age.

The difficult teen years and the lack of communication between herself and her parents.

How physical illness is so much easier to speak about than mental illness.

Why is no one listening to or helping me?

Anger is pain, fear, or both?

How uncomfortable it was to say things as a child.

Turning negative thoughts to positive thoughts and of course...

So much more!!

For more information relating to Anorexia please see

Overview - Anorexia -

https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/anorexia/overview/

Useful Mental Health Numbers & Websites.

UK - In immediate danger or crisis 999

UK - Non Crisis Call 111

www.mind.org.uk

www.mentalhealth.org.uk

USA Call or Text 988

Canada Call 1-888-688-6810 or Text WELLNESS to 686868 for youth

Call 1-888-585-0445 or Text WELLNESS to 741741 for adults

Call 310-6789 (No area code needed) for emotional support, info & resources specific to mental health.

Call kids Help Phone at 1-800-688-6868 to speak to a professional counsellor 24 hours a day.

Germany - Telefon Seelsorge:

Call 112 Life threatening crisis

Police Call 110

Counselling & advice available online and also by calling -

0800 111 0111

0800 111 022 or 116 123

Music under intro:

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):

https://uppbeat.io/t/sonda/life-is-precious

License code: LSJURTO8VVKM017U

Joining me for this, the first of two episodes recorded in April 2023 as part of 'The Conversations Series' is Laura Francis. Laura is a Poet, and is from Brighton on the South Coast of the UK. Laura is a beautiful soul, instantly likeable with a smile which could light up the darkest of rooms.

Bubbly and vivacious in these interviews, whilst talking about her incredibly personal and painful experiences.

In this raw and honest conversation, Laura opens up about Anorexia, the all encompassing eating disorder and mental health condition she has been living with since she was a young girl. She talks about how she feels it contributed to her missing out on learning how to be an

adult due to her hospital admissions at a young age. How effective, people with mental illness become at being a chameleon.

And of course, so much more..

I even educate Laura on the simple beauty of the Blackbird song!

For more information relating to Anorexia please see

Overview - Anorexia -

https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/anorexia/overview/

Useful Mental Health Numbers & Websites.

UK - In immediate danger or crisis 999

UK - Non Crisis Call 111

www.mind.org.uk

www.mentalhealth.org.uk

USA Call or Text 988

Canada Call 1-888-688-6810 or Text WELLNESS to 686868 for youth

Call 1-888-585-0445 or Text WELLNESS to 741741 for adults

Call 310-6789 (No area code needed) for emotional support, info & resources specific to mental health.

Call kids Help Phone at 1-800-688-6868 to speak to a professional counsellor 24 hours a day.

Germany - Telefon Seelsorge:

Call 112 Life threatening crisis

Police Call 110

Counselling & advice available online and also by calling -

0800 111 0111

0800 111 022 or 116 123

Music under intro:

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):

https://uppbeat.io/t/brock-hewitt-stories-in-sound/moving

License code: HP12TFTQBA9J6ETP

In this, the second episode, and final part of my chat with the unequivocally erudite talent that is Paul Kohn, we truly had a wonderful conversation. You can't help, other than to be captivated by the way in which he speaks. With such eloquence and emotional intelligence.

If you have, in particular, a man in your life who needs to know it's OK to be vulnerable, this is the episode they need to hear.

We talk about mental health as a man, being vulnerable as a man, being real, and mental health in general including the mental health system.

We discuss more about Paul's exquisite debut poetry collection 'Soul Refraction'

and of course more.

Also in this episode, we're honoured and fortunate to have Paul perform a piece of his own work 'Walk The Talk'. When he did, I felt like a V.I.P my front row seat!

You can purchase Soul Refraction from all reputable online outlets.

You can find out more about Paul on his website

https://paulrkohn.wordpress.com/about/

And find Paul on Instagram at @paulrkohn

Episode Cover Photo Credit:

Dylan Jones.

The Conversations Series returns after a much longer hiatus than intended!

Joining me for the second outing of 'The Conversations Series' is Paul Kohn from Adelaide Australia. Published poet with Dragonfly Publishing Paul has his first collection of work Soul Refraction out now. Available from all reputable online sources and bookshops! Google Paul Kohn Soul Refraction, and hey presto!

In this first episode, we discuss what is poetry, Paul's poetry, his writing, and what it means to Paul. We talk about music and Paul's life, his early years and how his creativity developed..and of course, so much more!

And one fact I discovered talking to this incredibly likeable guy? Would you believe there aren't as many Kangaroos in Australia as you think!? I never knew!

You can find out more about the wonderfully likeable creative that is Paul Kohn in this and following episodes, and of course on his website:

https://paulrkohn.wordpress.com/about/

Photography Credit for episode cover:

Dylan Jones.

The conversation concludes with George in part 3. Join us for the final part as we discuss what's coming up project wise for George, putting your ego aside for creativity and nourishing your soul through being creative. Hear George recall setting up his first poetry night in a venue accessible via a secret door at the back of a toilet!

We both agree we probably have an addiction to poetry and the need to write.

Hearing how George talks with passion about his craft and the importance of story telling is inspiring and infectious.

You can find George on Instagram under @glawpoet

And via his website www.iamgeorgelawrence.com

The conversation continues..

In part 2 we discover how George's eyes were opened to the power of words, how impactful and influential great teachers can be. Hear how George fell in love with film making and hear the passion with which he tells us about his experiences, including the characters he met along the way.

We discuss mens mental health, masculinity and what it means to be a man. Holding onto the pure moments including the importance of family, the joy of being the embarrassing adult, also embracing a childlike state..

And of course, so much more!

You can find George on Instagram @glawpoet

And on his website www.iamgeorgelawrence.com

Join me for a fly on the wall conversation with the unquestionably cool and uber talented George Lawrence. George's bow has so many strings to it you'd think he conducts his own orchestra!

His many talents include Poet, Spoken Word Performer, Documentary Maker, Film Maker and

Photographer.

In this first episode of 3 we talk about how George and I met, the craft of spoken word poetry and performing. Authenticity and self-awareness as a poet. We talk about life experiences and how these have potentially influenced his writing. Should we perform pieces on stage based on our own traumatic experiences?

And so much more..in fact, too much to list here!

I hope you enjoy episode one of three with the incredibly likeable George Lawrence.

You can find George on Instagram

@glawpoet

And via his website

www.iamgeorgelawrence.com

Join me Pod Wafflers on Episode Six, Part 1 where I speak to the awesomely talented Poet and Spoken Word Artist Louise Hale, AKA Curly Wordy.  Born and raised in Bow, East London, Louise is also a Play Therapist, Journalist and Teacher. She is currently working on a psycho-education storybook for bereaved children and she also plans to publish a poetry pamphlet. Rightly so, she is very proud of her east end roots and what it bestowed on her, however, she has also travelled the world helping fuel her inspiration and creativity.

At 14, Louise had her first poem published in 'The Star-Laden Sky'- an anthology by The International Library of Poetry, after she saw an ad in a fanzine. She started in journalism from the tender age of 17, after volunteering on her local rag East End Life, spending over a decade in the media.

Louise in the past has volunteered and worked for The Sun and The News of the World, and her journalistic talent didn't stop there. She has worked for East End Life, The Camden Gazette, The Richmond and Twickenham Times and several freelance gigs with nationals including The Guardian, The Times and The Evening Standard.

She finally found the courage to enter spoken word in 2020 during the first Covid Lockdown and has never looked back. She has penned several poems and started performing them on Instagram lives. Curly Wordy has performed on live Zooms and at open mic events for Trouble Tongues, JustMoetry,  BYOB Poetry and Hammer and Tongue. Such is this creative whirlwind of talent, that Louise was was recently selected as one of ten winners on The WordSpokenPodcast and featured on People’s Poetry Podcast.

In this Episode we waffle about her wonderful project Hurricane Brain, the book she has written for bereaved children. You can find the Kick Starter Campaign link below if you would like to donate to this beautiful and such worthwhile project. 

We talk exploring emotions, where does our emotional make up come from? The collective unconscious. We cover how Louise sees herself as 'No Kind of Woman' she tells me, she 'Is who she is' I couldn't agree more! We waffle about people believing in you, and putting people on pedestals! Are you any good at receiving compliments? No, me neither! We talk about that too! Which leads nicely onto trying not to think negatively about yourself, and we discuss how being kind to yourself is a difficult mindset to adopt. We chew the fat on looking at our own stories, how precious the gift of time is, and how it is important to sometimes look back, but recognise, with time comes growth. It's about 'Owning your Roots' people!!

I even find out how important the boy band Take that were to Louise and the magazine Smash Hits!

It was an absolute joy and pleasure waffling away with Louise on Part 1 of Episode Six, a conversation which left me uplifted! I sincerely hope you enjoy listening as much as I did speaking with such a vibrant and strong woman. Louise, AKA Curly Wordy! You can find out more about her on her website https://www.curlywordy.com/

If you would like to know more about her Kickstarter campaign for Hurricane Brain, or would like to donate to this wonderful project go to the below link.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/937933097/hurricane-brain-an-illustrated-storybook-about-parent-loss/description

On Instagram you can find her @curlywordy

Join me again Pod Wafflers for Part Two of In The Nook with the impossible not to like soul, that is Drew Horner..AKA @talesofthenook  In this jam packed episode, we talk about Drew's up and coming spoken word album 'Strong Enough To Break' due for release at the end of March 2022 beginning of April 22.  Drew and one of his collaborators on the album, musician and composer Tomàs Almeida, very kindly allowed me to include a snippet of a track 'When The Demons Come Knocking' which is an awesome soundscape, building beautifully to a cinematic crescendo. On the edge of your seat stuff let me tell you! The beautiful artwork for the album was created by the extremely talented Michael Felton. You can find Michael on Instagram under the handle of @squarespecs and Tomas under the handle of @eleventalesmusic Drew tells me how he found himself doing more and more spoken word, and how he discovered he could take people on a journey using his voice. TRIGGER WARNING - Drew and I cover the subject of mental health in this episode, and we discuss how powerful words can be, both for the good and for the hideous and the bad. This covers briefly, Suicide, Rape, Sexual Assault, Depression, Men's Mental Health, Anxiety, Addiction and Domestic Violence. Although we do not go in depth or graphical detail, I appreciate the mention of these incredibly serious and traumatic subject matter may be distressing for some listeners. We talk about how powerful words can really be. Also how Drew's own experiences with mental health difficulties helped him write the pieces for the album. We discuss how our own minds can be their own battlegrounds.  We even talk about homelessness and how invisible homeless people appear to society as a whole. I hope you enjoy part two with myself and Drew Dom G

Join me for Part 1 of a series of episodes with the delightful talent that is, Drew Horner. AKA @talesofthenook on Instagram. Drew is an Actor, Spoken Word Artist, Voice Over Artist and Poet. Sit back, relax, grab your favourite tipple, or favourite squeeze to cuddle up with whilst Drew and I have a good waffle about what makes Drew, well Drew.

Discover with us as we discuss the power and magic of poetry, and how wonderful it is to see so many varying genres and styles within the poetry community. The pick 'n' mix of poetry if you will. Penny sweets are not 5p! Drew is adamant on this! We marvel at the beauty of collaborations of poets within the community on Instagram.

And..of course, I find out and ask the really important question. Who is Drew?!

Well, it would appear, a star was born at the age of around 4 or 5 when Drew first trod the boards, where it would seem, the acting bug bit him. Drew tells me a little about the Drama school he attended, graced by the likes of Colin Firth and Tom Hardy. Oh, yes, I don't just have any old riff raff on the podcast you know! 

Drew tells me how writing has helped him mentally, how writing brought him calm and balance amongst the chaos of COVID, and how poetry has helped with self discovery. 

I also discover how the name for his account Tales of the Nook came to be, and believe it or not, how the name previously chosen was flagged as a terrorist organisation!! 

Plus, Drew also tells me about the challenges of Dyslexia, men and poetry, and how important it is for men to embrace the creativity.

In this first jam packed episode of my series of waffles with Drew, I sincerely hope you discover something to inspire you.

Dom G