Cat In A Vat

In this episode, we have a conversation with the Open Wounds Podcast about growing up Evangelical, the Institute in Basic Life Principals, and Evangelical sex obsession. The documentary mentioned in this episode: Until The Truth https://untilthetruth.com/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/catinavat/message

Perceptions get distorted when your brain is on high alert. My inner voice and intuition interpret the world unhelpfully, and I can't trust them. This is audio from a talk I gave at Boone Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in the summer of 2023 about my inner voice. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/catinavat/message

Perfectionism is paralyzing and keeping me from the things I love. It's time for a revolution! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/catinavat/message

This essay reflecting on death and depression in the aftermath of Heather Armstrongs dying from depression. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/catinavat/message

To save my life, my brain is trying to kill me. Yeah, it doesn't make sense. Minds are supposed to help you survive -- alive. I'm Jonathan Smith, and Cat in a Vat is a podcast about how I got here, how I am dealing with it, and my fight for a future. It's the intersection of mental illness and evangelical culture, There is a little history of religion, philosophy, and insanity, with a sprinkle of angels and demons and a whole bunch of overthinking. Join me on this journey into mental illness.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/catinavat/message

Nelson is my younger brother, and he was adopted into our family as an older child, a child who had already lived a lifetime's worth of trauma. The Smith family was something altogether different from anything he had faced before. This is his story. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/catinavat/message

This is the story of a conservative Christian homeschooling pastor's family and the moment the family collapsed. It's a story that's difficult for me to tell. It's about the day my brother disappeared. Like other families in the Quiverfull movement, my parents felt it was their godly duty to raise a large family of children in a godly home. This is the story of how this goal destroyed my family. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/catinavat/message

In this episode my family moves to the Kingdom of Nepal and I as a three-year-old experience five potentially life-threatening events. What do the events of our lives mean, do they have to mean anything? I also explore the Evangelical controversy over empathy and why claiming it as sin is spiritual abuse. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/catinavat/message

Welcome to the first episode of Cat in a Vat. In this episode, I talk about the first time I knew something was wrong with my mental health and tips on getting help from my experience. If you have been considering seeing a therapist, you definitely should. Whether it's for mental health, relationships, or you're just stuck, the experience will open up a world of hopeful possibilities for you. Talk therapy is a modern wonder. I get to have the undivided attention of an empathetic professional for 50 minutes once a week. In that time, I can open up my life and share it unfiltered to an objective, non-judgmental person. I get to air thoughts that have been knocking around in my head and gain perspective. I often have things that shackle me with guilt and shame, which leads to intense anxiety. My therapist can sort through the toxic sludge and point out what is real and what is an illusion, and provides me with tools to navigate my thoughts in healthy ways. Here are some tips from my experiences to help you on your mental health journey into therapy. Take advantage of the health professionals you already have access to. If you are seeing a general practitioner for your everyday medical needs, open up about what you are experiencing and how it's making you feel. They may be able to help you in the short term and refer you to someone else who can assist you in the long term. Start looking for a licensed therapist as soon as possible, as you may have to wait several weeks to get your first appointment Let's be honest, finding a therapist can be a little intimidating, especially if this is your first experience. Here are some ideas to make it less stressful. Write down what you are hoping to achieve and any other expectations you might have, along with your questions. This will be helpful as you talk to Therapists. Check your health insurance to know what it covers in mental health. If it's limited, don't let that stop you. Many therapists charge with a sliding scale based on income. Do a web search for therapists near you and open up their websites. There are registries here, and here, that can make your search easier. The first thing I do is look at the profile pictures and see if I vibe with any of them, and then I read their bio and the description of their therapeutic philosophy. It's very important to choose a state licensed therapist, because they are held to professional standards and have had advanced mental health care training and experience. You don't have to commit until you are comfortable with the person Be open with your questions and concerns Share what you are hoping for out of the relationship It's ok to break up with your therapist Start your journey immediately with one small action, maybe just a Google search, and don't focus on the entire process, just keep taking small steps forward. You've got this! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/catinavat/message

A preview of Episode 1 The 13th Floor --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/catinavat/message