Orangutans in the Field

In episode 10 of Orangutans in the field, Merwe and Freddie discuss the  emotional price we, sometimes may, pay for caring for ourselves. They  look at things like the uncomfortable feeling to set up a boundary to  keep oneself safe and other interesting twists in the tale of seeking  the holy grail called mental health.

We all have people in our lives whom we care for, who are busy partaking  in an activity that we perceive as harmful towards themselves. How do  you tell a friend or a loved one a 'hard truth'? Is it your place to  tell them? Are you correct in your observation that this activity is actually harmful? Freddie and Merwe try to unravel these questions in this of Orangutans in the Field.

In episode 8 of Orangutans in the field, the two podcast hosts, Merwe,  from Talking Orangutans, and Freddie, the host of Meet me in the field,  discuss why they have decided to have their own podcasts. They speculate  about their own, sometimes covert, sometimes all too overt reasons why  they and other people would want to host podcasts. They even reflect on the effect these decision sometimes have on their mental state.

Have you ever stopped your busy head to contemplate what it  means to  make an impact on others in life? Not? Well, then take 45 minutes our of  your miserable/amazing life to listen to Merwe and Freddie discuss this  road less travelled in episode 7 of Orangutans in the field. Mull over  the pressure people like Nelson Mandela was under and how this aspect  of our lives can impact our existence.

It is so easy to make up our minds about something without having all  the facts. In Episode 9 of Talking Orangutans Merwe and Freddie chat  about the ease of slipping down the preconceived route about people,  places and things and the hurt this can cause ourselves and others. The  well-known Psychologist, Herbert Spencer, called this phenomenon  "contempt prior to investigation."

Episode 5 of Orangutans in the field presents Merwe and Freddie talking  about the (mental health) dangers of comparing ourselves with others.  They agree, that for them, this is probably quite a dangerous, yet an easy  mental trap to fall into. A trap far easier to get into than to get out of.

Merwe struggles with marketing and promoting his business. The actual  activity is not the problem - it is the feeling he has when he is not on it. What is social media and screen addiction. Freddie again plays the  role of the counsellor and provides guidance and perspective of where to  draw the lines between 'normal' versus addictive social media usage and screen engagement . To access Freddie's screen addiction questionnaire, go here: https://www.freddie.org.za/blog/2019/11/21/screen-addiction-questionnaire.html

A common thought and question come up as we become more mature and that is, what is real friendship? How do you define it? What are the  behaviours of a good friend and how has this changed since our school days when everyone was your friend? Freddie and Merwe discuss these  points in the third episode of Orangutans in the Field.

When do you take that leap of faith and seek therapy? When do you know it will be the next responsible thing to do? What to expect from your  first few therapy sessions? How do you go about choosing a therapist and which therapists can prescribe medication. Freddie and Merwe  talk about their personal and professional experience on the when, where,  what and how to go about getting into, and getting the best out of therapy.

Do you ever find yourself in a position where you are burned out,  resentful and feeling you were not brave enough to express your feelings  or thoughts? In this episode, Freddie plays the role of the Counsellor and Merwe that of the patient. Although done in a light way, Merwe is  100% honest and discovers new aspects of his behaviour.  Join this  podcast and answer the Co-Dependency  questionnaire with Merwe.