I lied. I said episode nine would be the last one. This is a special live episode of the book launch for Dreams of Being a Kiwi. As usual, it wasn’t your average book launch. Featuring music by Arlene Paculan and storytelling by me, we combined music, photographs, and videos to tell the backstory of the book. To check out some of the pictures and videos that went with the show, slide over to the blog for further information.

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For each episode, I'll be including a short preamble that briefly introduces the topic and guest. The preamble is about how mental health and my inner voice have largely shaped many things in my life, both how I perceive myself and how others perceive me. I decided to end this season with a story performed live at Stories We Don't Tell. The story ties both parts of this season together and is a good representation of how I deal with my inner voice.

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For each episode, I'll be including a short preamble that briefly introduces the topic and guest. The preamble is about how important it is to my mental health to have various kinds of creative outlets. The conversation is with Adrianna Prosser, a storyteller and geeky social media addict who supports mental health advocacy through her podcast Stories Like Crazy. Combining her Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) and safeTALK certification, she hopes to engage the audience and go beyond the stage and screen to creating a safe place for discussion and sharing. She is currently an Ontario Association for Suicide Prevention (OASP) member. Originally broadcast last year on the Stories We Don't Tell Podcast, I had the privilege of talking with Adrianna about her one-woman bereavement piece 'Everything but the Cat..'. and the work she does outside of the stage. To learn more about Adrianna, visit adrianna-prosser.com.

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For each episode, I'll be including a short preamble that briefly introduces the topic and guest. The preamble is about some of my thoughts about mental health and some things that have helped me. The conversation is with Amanda Wintink, a neuroscientist and founder of the Centre for Applied Neuroscience where they help with personal and professional development guided by neuroscience, psychology, and mindfulness. I’ve known Mandy for years now and appreciate her unique approach and perspective. For this conversation, we talked about mental health through the lens of neuroscience. Visit knowyourbrain.ca for information about the Centre for Applied Neuroscience and listen to her Mandyland Podcast, conversations that deserve attention.

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The hero of Dreams of Being a Kiwi hit rock bottom long ago. Suffering from a debilitating mental illness, he finds himself tucked away in a hospital. Despair kicks in and he sees no way out of the darkness. Then a kiwi comes along and brings hope into his existence. He soon fills his days and nights with dreams of travelling across the world to a new and peaceful life. Dreams are different from reality. He can only plan his plane tickets, ferry rides, and cross-country trips so far. When he finally takes the leap towards his goal, he finds adventure, love, and battles with the greatest foe of all: himself. This episode is about what happens tomorrow.

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The hero of Dreams of Being a Kiwi hit rock bottom long ago. Suffering from a debilitating mental illness, he finds himself tucked away in a hospital. Despair kicks in and he sees no way out of the darkness. Then a kiwi comes along and brings hope into his existence. He soon fills his days and nights with dreams of travelling across the world to a new and peaceful life. Dreams are different from reality. He can only plan his plane tickets, ferry rides, and cross-country trips so far. When he finally takes the leap towards his goal, he finds adventure, love, and battles with the greatest foe of all: himself. This episode is about the mysterious case of Francis Leifhead.

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