Rise With Reb
Jo & JJ Go Mental
Jo and J.J. welcome the inspirational Reb, Transformational Life Coach who is the driving force behind the Rise With Reb programs and community. Reb shares how she went from a wheelchair to walking, despite what the doctors said. She, Jo, and J.J. discuss why it’s so hard to let go of old habits, the responsibility we have of sharing our story on social media, the importance of advocating for yourself and doing your own research, and how not to live in a pity fest.
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Carrying Ourselves and Others Through Grief
Jo & JJ Go Mental
Today Jo and J.J. focus on grief, both from the perspective of the griever and from the person trying to comfort others through their grief. They explore the right approach to carrying ourselves and others through grief. Jo also shares an experience about willfulness and effectiveness in DBT and why people really need to learn to let go of the need to be right and just accept what is. They talk about defining values, setting boundaries, and, on a lighter note, why #begrannymolly is Jo’s new life goal.
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Emotional Intelligence: When Is It Real, and When is It Self Serving?
Jo & JJ Go Mental
They’re baaack! Jo and J.J. kick off Season 2 the only way they know how - by spelling out that sometimes we can get this emotional intelligence piece wrong. Many well intentioned leaders approach emotional intelligence as a tick box exercise, merely going through the motions, rather than really understanding the objective. That faux emotional intelligence in corporate societies will likely try to cover up a more self serving agenda.
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Season 1 Recap and Looking Ahead To Season 2
Jo & JJ Go Mental
What a season! As Jo and J.J. wrap up Season 1, they identify a few of the themes that came up with the fantastic array of guests. Between fear, shame, embracing your weirdness and much more, Season 1 was chock full of learning from each other and calling in new perspectives. This week, they highlight a few stand-out moments and give us a sneak peek of what we can look forward to in Season 2.
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We Can Be Different Together: Faith Clarke
Jo & JJ Go Mental
This week, Jo and J.J. welcome Faith Clarke, Organizational Health and Inclusion Specialist who works with value-driven and diverse teams so they can deliver on business and social impact promises at the highest level. Faith is extremely passionate about inclusion for BIPOC and neuro-distinct individuals and advocating for those who “don’t belong”. She discusses the importance of mental health and how her children taught her to focus more on wisdom than having control.
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One foot on the gas, one foot on the brake with Reverend Erika Allison
Jo & JJ Go Mental
Jo and J.J. welcome Reverend Erika Allison, Queer interfaith minister, speaker, author, and spiritual counselor. Rev. Erika talks about her own experience with conversion therapy, and how harmful it can be, causing long-term effects and even high cases of suicide.
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Tax consultants don’t wear pink with Marie Louise Ashworth
Jo & JJ Go Mental
This week, Jo and J.J. are joined by Marie Louise Ashworth, President of The Network, a network of female entrepreneurs and professionals in Luxembourg. The Network is devoted to developing a supportive community of women and helping them build resilience, avoid burnout, and thrive as they meet their personal and professional goals.
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Changing Perceptions of Burnout Through The Generations
Jo & JJ Go Mental
Jo is on her own this week and shares her reflections on how the attitude around burnout has shifted throughout the generations, especially since the pandemic. Jo discusses three perceptions of burnout that she has seen a shift: that if you burnout that means you are broken or weak; that burnout and exhaustion is just a side effect of being busy which is a good thing, and that life is just tough and you should just get on with it and not complain.
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Honoring The Anger
Jo & JJ Go Mental
They discuss why doing the deep work of anger is like wading through that infamous tunnel scene in The Shawshank Redemption, how anger signals that our boundaries are being crossed, and how letting go of anger needs to be a conscious choice. They also talk about how to process anger if you can’t really act on it right then and there, and why women have such a tougher time showing anger in public.
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Letting Go and Learning To Smile With All Four Cheeks - Interview With June Burgess
Jo & JJ Go Mental
This week, Jo and J.J. are joined by June Burgess, Equine Coach, Business Director, and Entrepreneur. She talks about how she began her Equine Assistance Workshops and why working with horses can be so powerful for our mental health. Jo shares her own experience in learning to relax around the horses and how that mirrored so much about business and the need for perfectionism.
info_outlineThis week, we are joined by Pauline Carville, TV presenter, theatre director, and highly regarded singing teacher in Belfast. Pauline talks about her commitment and passion towards mental health, her decision to get help for her own struggles, and how the process made her a better performer and artist overall. Pauline talks about meeting her husband Robert Elliot, who now joins her co-presenting The BIG Show on NVTV. She also talks about adapting her play, Am I Mad or What? into a book, and how that experience helped her process deep emotions and get through to the other side. All three women talk about how we can show up playing a role in our everyday lives, and how to recognize when that is happening so we can stop, get the help we need, and show up authentically for ourselves and others.
Takeaway:
[2:23] Pauline offers high-quality singing lessons in Belfast, she trained and graduated as a singer and singing teacher from the prestigious Royal Academy of Music under the mentorship of the renowned Vocal Specialist Mary Hammond and X Factors’ Vocal Coach Annemarie Speed. She also trained as an actor at the Royal Conservatoire Scotland.
[2:30] Pauline is very passionate about mental health and is an advocate for being open about emotional and mental health struggles. She opens up about how the sudden passing of her own father affected her at age 14. This was a very distressing experience, and she was frightened to fully talk about the depression and anxiety it caused her because she was afraid of the stigma and possible consequences. J.J. adds that gifted misfits that are very talented but feel tortured and tormented often hide their sadness and try to bury it. For Pauline, she thought she could tuck it away and try to use the emotion as an actress, but she found that risking her own mental health was not worth the brilliant performances.
[8:02] While on holiday in Belgium, Pauline also witnessed the attempted rape of a member of the family she was staying with. This pain already added to the depression she was feeling, and a protective wall went up in order to survive. This wall can only serve us for so long until it becomes a cage in our adult years.
[14:38] The best actors and actresses need to have the emotional intelligence to know the difference between performing on and off stage. Pauline speaks with Jo and J.J. about the theatre classes she gives and points out that it’s often difficult to get adults to delineate between the two, but the youth are less challenging because they are more open and adaptable. J.J. also needed to take a break from acting because she found that actors and actresses were just living a mirage of life rather than really being in the moment as a regular human and not a performer. For Pauline, singers are really spectacular because they have a lot of depth and it’s the type of thing one can’t fake.
[20:06] Becoming a TV presenter was a new exciting experience for Pauline and found it a great way to learn about others, inspire them with the way she shows up in the world, and let down her barriers for the world to see.
[21:48] We don’t have to just be actors to play a role in our lives. Jo played the role of a super self-confident tax consultant that could make everything interesting.
[24:25] Pauline speaks about the process of writing her book, Am I Mad or What? and getting through a few of the more painful chapters. She had moments of depression, pain, and heartache, but it was good for her to feel the emotions and get them out in her conversational and open style.
[34:16] The more we can accept the weirdness and flaws in ourselves and others, the less suffering we would have overall in our society.
[34:50] Pauline talks about the evolution from her play to the book, and how she benefitted from having her husband Robin beside her. Robin listens to her and hears her for what she really has to say, and this gives her a safe space to create and share her work while getting feedback from someone she deeply respects. The two work together brilliantly, minus the occasional row about lapel microphones.
[38:02] Pauline speaks openly about her first marriage, and the different strategy she took when getting back on the market.
[43:48] Everything Pauline does is under the umbrella of being good for her overall mental health. She has learned to not overschedule herself, take breaks, and put herself first. After years of fighting it, she has now learned to listen to her gut and let it guide her through life.
Connect With Us:
Joanna Denton | Dr. J.J. Kelly
Pauline Carville