Inoculate Yourself Against Despair: Episode 115 of Soles to Soul Care for Trauma and AuDHD

I recorded this before the racist mobs inflicted terror in Belfast. It’s even more important to look after yourself. And this may feel impossible when fascists are running amok. The weekend I talk about in this new episode, less than two weeks ago (at time of writing this) was bookended by the fantabulous Panti Bliss’s If These Wigs Could Talk at Westport Pride and the parade then Dublin for the amazing Kimberlé Crenshaw, Backtalker. It went a long way towards healing the heartache I’d been feeling about racism in Ireland. I’m facilitating a workshop for therapists, coaches, supervisors and other helping professionals, Sustainable Practice When the World is on Fire for onlinevents.co.uk on 22nd August and hope you’ll join me to support yourself and your communities in protecting your nervous system in order to live wholeheartedly and lovingly. Something Panti Bliss said during her show has stuck with me: A quick nod to the “suspension of disbelief” around acting as if she was beautiful and the audience also acting as if she was beautiful. She WAS and IS. Beauty radiates from every pore when people let themselves shine (more on shining in ways that feel safe for your nervous system in next week’s Summer Solstice episode!) Love truly is stronger than hate and the more you celebrate your whole self and connect with communities that help you do so, the better. Can you imagine a world in which everyone was nurtured and supported in finding ways to express their uniqueness instead of being hurt for it? As I say in the episode: if every child, if every adult had the support to flourish, to be celebrated, to their unique gifts, to be nurtured and finessed and the world’s problems could be solved and there’d be so much more joy and collaboration. This was how we were created, this is how we are wired: we are wired to thrive when we feel safe, welcome and loved and we know this now through modern neuroscience. By not loving others, by not welcoming others, by making others unsafe, we are making ourselves unsafe, we are making ourselves less loved, less welcome. We’re creating a hell on earth when there could be a heaven on earth. If humanning feels too much at the moment, with everything that’s going on, give yourself permission to hang out under the duvet and regroup. 2026 is a LOT. I still believe we can defy dystopia but it’s about continuingly checking in with yourself to identify whether you need self-care, Self care or community care. Sending love to everyone everywhere. le grá (with love), Ev3 LINKS Panti Bliss   / pantibliss   Kimberlé Crenshaw   / kimberlecrenshaw   Related episodes If you enjoyed this, check out: Episode 80: Own your privilege, change the world Episode 83: Community as self care with Elizabeth Potts Episode 84: Be kinder to your extra-sensitive nervous system Book your free telephone consultation and access 100s of body-mind practices at https://solestosoul.ie/free-downloads CHAPTERS 0:00 An unforgettable weekend and finding joy in difficult times 2:54 Mayo Pride and feeling inoculated against despair 6:17 Dancing, celebration and the healing power of joy 9:37 Speaking up, community and restoring faith in people 13:30 Kimberlé Crenshaw, hope and responsibility 15:44 The FEEL. LOVE. HEAL. framework in action 20:10 Self-acceptance, love and personal transformation 25:14 Pride, belonging and celebrating who you are 26:29 Community, connection and turning pain into action 29:07 Reflection: finding sources of joy HASHTAGS #belfast #pride #intersectionality #kimberlécrenshaw #pantibliss FREE RESOURCES AND TELEPHONE CONSULTATION Access free resources, the Soles to Soul Care for Trauma and AuDHD podcast (new episodes come out every Tuesday) and my free weekly newsletter, Míle Buíochas Mondays, with polyvagal-informed journal prompts and more at https://solestosoul.ie Learn to love and care for all your parts, including trauma and AuDHD, from the soles of your feet to your soul! WANT TO SUPPORT THIS WORK? The Soles to Soul Care for Trauma and AuDHD Podcast with Eve Menezes Cunningham is free (and ad- free) to all. I want to help as many people as possible heal your trauma and befriend your ADHD or AuDHD (autism and ADHD) brain and with my private practice consistently pretty much at capacity, offering free resources like this help me to reach more people. You can support me in continuing to be able to do this by rating ***** wherever you watch or listen, engaging (wherever you listen or watch) with your feedback and questions, sharing and/or by making a one time payment of any amount your choosing at https://ko-fi.com/evemc DISCLAIMER The content I share is not a replacement for one to one trauma therapy, AuDHD coaching (etc). While you can do an enormous amount to support yourself, please always seek appropriate medical advice.