Stories and Stanza

What if the hardest part of getting help isn't the therapy itself — it's knowing where to start?In Part 2 of our conversation with counsellor and psychotherapist John Cuturilo, we go deeper into one of the most common questions people carry about mental health: How do I know what kind of support is right for me — and how do I know if it's actually working?Whether you've been in therapy for years or haven't taken that first step yet, this episode gives you the tools, language, and confidence to approach mental health support differently.In this episode:Why you don't need a diagnosis to justify seeking helpHow to assess the right level of support — from counsellors and psychologists to social workers and psychiatristsThe "grey areas" of mental health — when something feels wrong but you can't name itHow long therapy typically takes, and what ongoing vs time-limited support looks likeWhy culture and personal background must be part of the therapeutic conversationHow to choose the right therapist — and the red flags that should make you walk awayWhat goal-oriented therapy actually looks like in practiceJohn also shares a personal reflection — a reminder that what we normalise isn't always healthy, and that recognising that can be the beginning of real change."Don't think that you're weak or of less value because you need help. We're all human. It's okay to seek help." — John Cuturilo🎙️ Missed Part 1? Start hereAbout John Cuturilo John is a counsellor, writer, and podcast host based in Melbourne, Australia, specialising in complex trauma and relational matters. He integrates lived experience with evidence-based practice — aiming to be versatile, educative, empowering, and relatable. 🔗 www.yourlistener.com.auAbout Stories and Stanza Stories and Stanza charts in the Mental Health top charts across the US, UK, and Canada. We run two series: Between the Lines — conversations with writers and creators — and Fail With Me — honest dialogues about mental health, resilience, and life's challenges. Hosted by Abhra Pal.📌 Follow us: YouTube · Facebook · Instagram · X · WhatsApp🎧 Listen: Spotify · Apple Podcasts · Substack☕ Support the show: Buy me a coffee🛠️ Tools we love: vidIQ · Descript#MentalHealth #Therapy #Counselling #FailWithMe #StoriesAndStanza #MentalHealthPodcast #TherapyTips #HowToFindATherapist #ComplexTrauma #GoalOrientedTherapy #TraumaRecovery #Psychology #Wellness #SelfCare #MentalHealthAwareness #JohnCuturilo #AbhraPal #MelbournePodcast

What if violence could be predicted — and stopped — before it ever happens? In this episode, we sit down with Robert Mahoney, founder of TVTP Solutions, who argues that there is no such thing as a random act of violence. Every attack follows a recognisable, interruptible pathway — if you know what to look for.Robert walks us through behavioral threat assessment, the "three buckets" of identity, purpose, and community, and why our defensive approach to security is leaving us more vulnerable. He also shares real-world examples of individuals who were pulled back from the edge — including one whose life was transformed by a pottery class.A vital listen for anyone working in education, community services, public health, or anyone who simply wants to understand how safer communities are built.

In this episode of Stories and Stanza, host Abhra sits down with Robert Rickelmann for an unflinching conversation about a life shaped by mental illness and addiction. Robert grew up with crippling anxiety — and discovered early on that alcohol made him feel fearless, confident, and finally comfortable in his own skin. That relief came at a devastating cost. What began as a coping mechanism consumed his law school career, his sense of self, and nearly his life. In 1996, Robert made a major suicide attempt that landed him in a psychiatric hospital for a month, where he was diagnosed as Seriously Mentally Ill — carrying diagnoses of generalized anxiety disorder, severe depression, OCD, and borderline personality disorder. The years that followed brought repeated hospitalizations, a long and grueling journey through medications, and immeasurable strain on his marriage. Through it all, Robert scribbled notes on scraps of paper — in psych wards, in dark moments, in the margins of a life he was trying to hold together. Those fragments became a memoir. After years of rejections from agents and publishers, he signed with Apprentice House Publishing, releasing Jumping Off the End on May 5, 2025 — timed deliberately with Mental Health Awareness Month. This conversation covers the seductive lie of alcohol as self-medication, the stigma men face when seeking help, dark humor as a survival tool, the invisible weight carried by caregivers, and what it means to be sober since January 10, 2013. Robert's book is available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Jumping-End-Lifetime-Struggle-Alcoholism/dp/1627206604/ Stories & Stanza A podcast for curious minds Follow Us FacebookInstagramYouTubeXWhatsApp Channel Listen & Read ▶ Spotify▶ Apple Podcasts✎ Read on Substack Tools We Love ↗ Grow on YouTube with vidIQ🎤 Edit Podcasts with Descript☕ Buy me a coffee

In this episode, host sits down with writer, illustrator, and mental health advocate Mia Mason to explore her book Worry's Whispers — a collection of illustrated poems woven together with a graphic-novel section that follows Drew's journey through OCD and anxiety, from isolation all the way to seeking help, diagnosis, and resilience. Mia shares her personal journey, including her own lived experience of OCD as "sticky" intrusive thoughts, morality fears, and reassurance-seeking compulsions, and discusses how therapy-inspired drawings grew into the book's unique format. She reads a poem depicting health anxiety and the spiralling "why" of intrusive thoughts, and describes OCD as a ghost named Worry whose whispers can fade to background noise with the right treatment. The conversation also touches on values-based action — doing meaningful things despite fear — and why the book resonates not just for people with OCD, but for anyone who loves or supports them. Watch the video version of this interview on YouTube: https://youtu.be/TeU0uxR1gP8 About Mia Mason : Artist, actress, author, and mental health advocate. Mia uses storytelling and illustration to build compassion and connection around anxiety and OCD — blending emotional honesty with advocacy so others feel understood, supported, and less alone. Links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/worrys_whispers/ Worry's Whispers on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G1BQWW63   Stories & Stanza A podcast for curious minds   Follow Us Facebook Instagram YouTube X WhatsApp Channel   Listen & Read ▶ Spotify ▶ Apple Podcasts ✎ Read on Substack   Tools We Love ↗ Grow on YouTube with vidIQ 🎤 Edit Podcasts with Descript ☕ Buy me a coffee © 2025 Stories & Stanza · All rights reserved

In this episode of Stories and Stanza, host Abhra and guest David Allen Brown discuss reframing a “midlife crisis” as a midlife renaissance, exploring how depression can feel like numbness that can turn to despair. Brown shares his background as a teacher, speaker, and writer, his divorce and move from Indianapolis to New York City, and how finding a good therapist after COVID and committing to honesty became a turning point. They examine authenticity as both a personal and creative necessity, including Brown’s decision to write an unflinching memoir and his view that being oneself attracts the right people. Brown also explains his approach to writing through intentional pre-writing, theme, and structure, reads an excerpt about caregiving stress, and outlines a model of self-talk integrating higher power, action, and emotions, culminating in a manifestation framework focused on cultivating general aligned energy rather than specific outcomes. David Alan Brown has been teaching personal empowerment, leadership, organizational development, self discovery and spirituality to audiences across the country for more than thirty years. He is the author of many books, including Answer the Call: What to do when Spirit arrives to transform your life! and The Self-Help Paradox. He frequently leads classes and services at progressive congregations, including more than a decade of service at New Thought Unity Center of Cincinnati and churches from Florida to Minnesota, Arizona to New York. He also facilitates and consults for corporations and nonprofit organizations, leading programs on leadership, culture, authenticity, presentation skills and staff development. David holds a BFA from New York University, is a fan of auto racing, writes and evaluates live theater, and coaches writers and storytellers. His most recent publication is an online course, Convergence, which teaches people how to recognize and regulate their inner voices to live intentionally each day and manifest their goals. He's here to talk with us about how this became his life's work, how he integrates it into his daily life and what makes it special. His website: https://davidalanbrown.com/convergence/  Stories & Stanza A podcast for curious minds   Follow Us Facebook Instagram YouTube X WhatsApp Channel   Listen & Read ▶ Spotify ▶ Apple Podcasts ✎ Read on Substack   Tools We Love ↗ Grow on YouTube with vidIQ 🎤 Edit Podcasts with Descript ☕ Buy me a coffee © 2025 Stories & Stanza · All rights reserved

In this Stories and Stanza “Between the Lines” episode, host Abhra interviews writer Áine , an Irish immigrant living on the U.S. East Coast, about how journaling from age 14 evolved into publishing fiction and nonfiction. Áine describes feeling “immigrant shell shock,” finding courage through immigrant literature, and being accepted into a university fiction workshop that revealed how others perceive a writer’s narrative voice. She recounts the shock of her first short story and later nonfiction acceptance, and how her work began moving between Ireland, the U.K., and the U.S., including a first book published in Dublin and partnered with Simon & Schuster. She shares questions she asks before writing memoir, reads a piece from a hybrid poetry/essay collection, discusses inspiration versus discipline, and reflects on migration, identity, listening, and the challenge of writing in a world that values shorter, more entertaining content, ending with encouragement that everyone deserves time to write. Please find her website here: https://www.ainegreaney.com/