Remember that feeling you had as a kid, when your interests were held with such intensity and passion that they couldn’t help but bring you joy?  

When was the last time you experienced - or allowed yourself to experience - that type of passionate interest in something?  

In this special bonus episode we speak with author Tabitha Carvan about how Benedict Cumberbatch helped her do just that, and why it’s so hard, yet so important, for women to reclaim this part of themselves.  Although Tabitha may not be a mental health clinician by training, the insights she shares with us offer a very therapeutic and fresh perspective on the importance of connecting with joyful pursuits and how this is such a foundational part of our self-care.    

Highlights:

• What brought Tabitha to write a book full of references to Benedict Cumberbatch but ultimately not actually about him at all
• Why its so easy for us, as women, to get disconnected from our passions
• Why connecting with joyful pursuits can cause women to feel like there’s something “wrong”
• How embarrassment and shame get in the way of our passions
• Tabitha’s important take-home message
• Tabitha’s favorite “non-conventional” self-care practice

Tabitha Carvan is the author of This Is Not A Book About Benedict Cumberbatch and a science writer for the Australian National University.  She lives in Canberra, Australia.  

Connect with Tabitha:
http://www.tabithacarvan.com/

Connect with Melissa & Karen at Intentional Therapist:
[email protected]
https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelissatiessen/

Share one of your own self-care experiments via our SpeakPipe page at: https://www.speakpipe.com/intentionaltherapist

Ready to upgrade your self-care? Check out the independent study version of our course, Thrivival Skills for Therapists, and earn 3 CE credits! Because self-care is PART OF our jobs! More info at: https://intentional-therapist.newzenler.com/courses/thrivival-skills-for-therapists-independent-study

Disclaimer: This podcast seeks to be educational in purpose and is not to be used as clinical advice. Please connect with a therapist one-on-one for personalized support.