Tune into the second part of my conversation with Diego! We talk about how society and certain parenting styles can lead to emotional suppression, being a orchid vs. dandelion child, sensory overload in highly sensitive people, and the beauty of tuning into our emotions. Hope you take care and enjoy the pod <3

For today's solo pod, I'm sharing the most recent book I've read by Haruki Murakami—Hard-Boiled Wonderland & The End of The World. Join in to listen to some of my favourite quotes and what I took away from this book. Hope you enjoy this casual sit-down solo pod :)

On today's episode, I have Diego on the pod where we talk about being highly sensitive in this world. I really enjoyed this sit-down conversation and felt a deep appreciation for our emotions and abilities to express them. Tune into our discussion about how overwhelming being highly sensitive can be, but also how it could lead us to creating art for ourselves and the world.

MAIN POINTS & Time stamps:

4:25: Hypersensitivity, what is it?

15:53: Translating hypersensitivity into art 

18:50: Translating & labelling emotions through art 

25:12: Being in tune with emotions & the consequences of suppressing them

31:40: Burying a version of Diego Leon? Belonging, moving overseas, finding yourself. 

38:30: The concept of freedom. 

References:

Book: The Highly Sensitive Person by Elaine Aron

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links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/voicedvulnerabilities⁠

insta: @voiced_vulnerabilities

Starts at 01:07

Writing is a way for me to capture and express emotions, and I thought I'd start incorporating it into the pod. Melancholia has always been something fascinating to me, how it shows in colors and in different motions. Hope you enjoy this short written piece & let me know how YOU feel melancholia. Take care <3

Photo creds: @messageofeka (Instagram)

Transcript:

It's autumn, but life doesn't emanate the warm colors of the golden leaves. Recently, it's been teal. A cold blue, but not rigid, a bit softer--what you see in the night streets from the reflection in old kiosks. Growing up, it used to be gray; but the grayness has slowly peeled its layers to reveal a teal.

It doesn't take away the colors, the hues; but it leaves a tint on everything. As I'm walking back home, I'm deeply aware of this tint. Call it melancholia, call it numbness. It's what keeps us in bed, what produces the dissonance between us and life's joys, what keeps us as passive bystanders.

But to me, this melancholia, this teal, is comforting, familiar even. It provides a cold warmth. I know it doesn't serve a practical purpose anymore, but I genuinely don't know how to live without its familiarity.

But I'm doing my best to not let it dictate everything, to over-consume me. How much space do I give it? How much is too much and how much is too little? I know I can provide space for new experiences and feelings; but sometimes, this tint can't be simply shedded. It doesn't simply just disappear.

I'm still learning how to coexist with this (teal). I'm still finding the balance. But tonight, I know that I can still navigate my way home with these teal-tinted glasses.

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links: https://linktr.ee/voicedvulnerabilities

insta: @voiced_vulnerabilities

Content warning: trauma, PTSD, C-PTSD, sexual assault

On today's podcast, I have Anna sharing her experiences with trauma and trauma symptoms. We talk all things with trauma being in the body, building a safe environment, juggling responsibilities, and the struggles of being heard. Plus: are our mental health struggles all in our head? Is healing linear? How can we better support those who struggle with trauma?

Thanks for listening in to our vulnerability talk and make sure to take care of your mental health today <3

Time-stamps-

04:15 Anna's experience with trauma & peritraumatic tonic immobility

08:50 Trauma in the body & triggers

18:00 Building a safe environment after trauma

24:05 Dealing with trauma and life (student) responsibilities

35:47 Support networks & reaching out to others

41:25 Are my struggles all in my head?

46:15 Anna's wish for support

**I am not a licensed therapist or clinical psychologist. All mentioned is from research and personal experiences. If you need formal advise, please seek a professional. Additionally, all topics discussed have been previously agreed with the guests.

References:

The Body Keeps The Score- Bessel van der Kolk- Van der Kolk, B. A. (2014). The body keeps the score: Brain, mind, and body in the healing of trauma. Viking.

Trauma in the Body- Herringa, R.J. Trauma, PTSD, and the Developing Brain. Curr Psychiatry Rep 19, 69 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-017-0825-3

DSM-5 Criteria- American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. 5th ed. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Association; 2013.

Further resources:

Introduction to peritraumatic-tonic immobility: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26701284/

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Big thanks to Yashni, Neil, and Asiya for the making of the theme song; I absolutely adore you guys. And big thanks and credits to D3AF for the mixing and mastering! Special thanks to Neil for helping with the recording of the episode.

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insta: @voiced_vulnerabilities

podcast profile: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/seung-ju-kim

When do you know it's time to make a change? What factors should you consider when moving countries?

In this episode, Mara and I talk about our process of deciding to move countries. We talk about following our gut-instinct, navigating through other’s opinions, dealing with the stress of moving, and finding peace in the right places.

If you are at any point considering a life change or have already decided to, we hope this episode can help you feel less alone.

Either DM us on Instagram or email us at [email protected] if you want to be featured in one of our episodes!

Instagram: @voiced_vulnerabilities (https://www.instagram.com/voiced_vulnerabilities/)

Other links: https://linktr.ee/voicedvulnerabilities

On this episode, get to know our teammate, Kinga. We talk about being in tune with our bodies, dealing with panic attacks, and much more. Give it a listen if you want to know more!

Instagram: @voiced_vulnerabilities (https://www.instagram.com/voiced_vulnerabilities/)

Other links: https://linktr.ee/voicedvulnerabilities

What happens after mental health recovery, when your symptoms have significantly decreased over the past few years/months? There are many advantages and achievements to celebrate, yet no one talks about the in between period bridging recovery and normal life. On this episode, I talk about my experience with this weird, empty, maybe even difficult phase after recovery. 

Instagram: @voiced_vulnerabilities

Other links: https://linktr.ee/voicedvulnerabilities

Feel free to email us ([email protected]) for any questions, requests, or if you would like to be featured as a guest.

Trigger warning: this episode contains content about suicide, suicidal attempts, and suicidal ideation. For those who think this would be a trigger to them, we advice you to click away. We also want you to know that we are not professionals, and everything stems from our personal experience; what we share are our personal opinions. If you want professional advice, please seek professional help.

On this episode, my teammates and I cover a sensitive yet important topic: suicide. What takes a person to come to that point? What are the factors for a university student to become suicidal? We also cover questions such as: what are the things to not say to a suicidal person and how should we support someone who is suicidal?

Hotlines:

- The Netherlands

- United States

- UK

Other Resources:

- All Ears Amsterdam (https://allearsamsterdam.com): for anything you want to get off your chest; but for more serious problems, reach the hotlines or GP. 

- Amsterdam United (http://www.amsterdamunited.org/): check out some of their events related to mental health

Note: We want you to know that there are always alternatives to suicide and that things will get better if you strive and fight for your life. Some of us on the VV team are living proof of that. Sending everyone our love.

Follow us on Instagram: @voiced_vulnerabilities (https://www.instagram.com/voiced_vulnerabilities/)

Listen to us on Spotify, Apple Podcast and more: https://linktr.ee/voicedvulnerabilities

In today's episode, Sebastian and Laura (his coworker) discuss about the struggles of balancing work, school, and mental health. They talk about  burnout, being vulnerable to employers about your mental health, and how people should open up more about the topic.

Thank you so much for tuning in. If you ever want to be a guest on  the podcast, DM us on Instagram (@voiced_vulnerabilities) or send us an  email ([email protected]).

Other links: https://linktr.ee/voicedvulnerabilities