» Listings for 2015

1. Edinburgh Festival tackles mental health issues in theatre

   Posted on 7:15pm Thursday 13th Aug 2015

   Mental Health issues are not something that we think of when we think of the Edinburgh Fringe festival, but this year things seem to have changed for the better.

   Will Gompertz, the BBC’s chief arts correspondent reported on the six o’ Clock news on August 13^th 2015 talking to some of the performers and audience.

   The world’s largest arts festival is underway in Edinburgh and hundreds and thousands of people will be attending. Will Gompertz explained that the scale of the event really has to be experienced to be believed. There are literally thousands of shows, tens of thousands of performers and hundreds and thousands of punters. The circus hub is a new feature for this year and did not even exist last year. Will went on the explain that the thing he loved is the optimism of both audiences and performers, all of whom hope for the best, but accept when they don’t always get it.

   The Edinburgh fringe festival is in full swing with its usual mix of eccentric shows amusing the crowds, but not everybody is having a laugh.

   Satire is giving way to confessional comedy with mental health at the forefront of several performances..

   “Winston Churchill called his depression his Black Dog...I’ve got a Black Dog, a sort of beautiful one” Brigitte Aphrodite – Performer explained that if she was suffering then maybe others were too, so why not suffer together.

   It’s an approach shared by performers and audiences alike, which has seen the subject of a troubled mind emerge as a very definite theme at this year’s fringe.

   

   Anthony Alderson the Director of the Pleasance theatre said that for a long time people were in denial about mental health, and did not talk about it. He thinks that comedy and theatre breaks all those boundaries and festivals bring that to a head.

   Depression isn’t the only issue being tackled at the festival. Cian Binchy is a performer with autism who advised the National Theatre on the condition for its hit production The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night time. He has brought his own one man show about autism to the festival. He said “I want people to really understand what it’s like having a disability that’s kind of invisible..a disability that is mild and people think there is nothing wrong but in fact..well there is nothing wrong, it’s society that really makes the problem.

   There was a time when people with mind related issues were ridiculed, not any more. The taboo is being broken; the subject is being examined across the arts and presented openly as part of everyday life.

   It is great to see that theatre is helping to raise awareness and also entertain whilst informing and helping. Let’s see what happens at next year’s festival.

    

2. Scared of Snakes ? It's all in the Mind!

   Posted on 1:10pm Thursday 13th Aug 2015

   I spend the weekend away at an activity centre, climbing, abseiling and zooming down zip-wires. I love getting out and having an adventure with the family. Some people find a fear of heights means that they are unable to even think about going up high, for others it can be a fear od spiders or even snakes. 

   After the Redditch Standard published a story about a snake who escaped into a car engine I received many calls and emails asking for help. I went to see the snake itself and talk to a reporter at the Redditch Standard all about how we learn our fears and phobias. This is in fact great news because...this means that we can unlearn them too! No one needs to live with any fear of phobia. Withe the right help and support you can let it go. Hypnotherapy works really well in turning round the way that you feel and letting you move on with your life.

   

   The Story first appeard in the Redditch Standard on Friday 7th August and was written by reporter Beth Wright who you can see was happy to handle the snakes herself!

   FEAR of snakes, known as ophidiophobia, or ophiophobia, is the second most common phobia in the world, affecting nearly one third of adults.

   “I’ve had five calls this week alone from clients who want help with their snake phobias,” said Mark, who works out of his practice in Winyates.

   “Normally at this time of year it’s a fear of flying as everyone is off on holiday. Then in September and October, come the spider calls.”

   Mark explained how the only two fears we are born with are falling and a fear of loud noises.

   “Everything else we have learnt,” he added. “And so these fears can be un-learnt. Most often they originate from a memory or something that has been passed on from our parents at a young age.”

   Elliot Guy, the owner of the 11ft python that made a bid for freedom last week, agrees.

   “My first encounter with a snake was when I was ten-years-old in Germany.” he said. “Back then it looked huge but in reality it must have only been around 4ft long.

   “I just froze but for me, the encounter piqued my curiosity and my fascination with them has continued ever since then.

   “I think the fear comes from when people don’t understand snakes.”

   Mark agrees, adding he at first pinpoints what triggers the fear and then works on relaxation techniques.

   “It’s very rewarding to help people conquer their greatest fears,” he said.

   If you would like Mark to help you with a phobia, email [email protected] or call 07980 233160.