Voiced Vulnerabilities

Seung Ju Kim

Voiced Vulnerabilities is a safe platform to share our mental health struggles and feel empowered by our vulnerability. The podcast alternates between solo pods, where the host shares literature that heals, and guest appearances, where a guest is invited to share their mental health journey. Listen in on real stories and feel the confidence and freedom from sharing our innermost vulnerabilities.

  1. 11/25/2023 ·  Bonus

    solo pod: melancholia (short written piece)

    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. -- links: https://linktr.ee/voicedvulnerabilities insta: @voiced_vulnerabilities

    solo pod: melancholia (short written piece)
  2. 11/06/2023

    Living with Trauma (w/ Anna)

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

    Living with Trauma (w/ Anna)

About

Voiced Vulnerabilities is a safe platform to share our mental health struggles and feel empowered by our vulnerability. The podcast alternates between solo pods, where the host shares literature that heals, and guest appearances, where a guest is invited to share their mental health journey. Listen in on real stories and feel the confidence and freedom from sharing our innermost vulnerabilities.