Description
It’s not often we talk about our mental health as travel writers and/or as freelancers. While life’s stresses are no stranger to most, working for yourself and/or being away can bring different challenges. So how do we manage stress and where do we go for help?
While we couldn’t offer individual advice, what we aimed to do in this free webinar is start talking openly about these issues. Whether it’s grief, health issues, work anxiety, comparing ourselves to peers, imposter syndrome, burnout, self-esteem, bullying, harassment, financial worries, or feeling isolated or depressed, being freelance/self-employed can make people feel extra-lonely. And if you’re just interested in the wider aspects of mental health and work life, this may be of interest.
This webinar is free and includes a link to what are hopefully helpful resources.
NOTE: ‘Add to basket’ as normal with your details, but no payment will be requested.
I spoke to Greta Solomon, a journalist specialising in mental health and emotional wellbeing and an ICF (International Coaching Federation)-accredited coach for writers; Owen Morgan, a counsellor who prior to retraining as a counsellor, worked in sales and marketing where he saw how work can adversely affect our mental health; Lottie Gross, freelance travel writer, author and co-founder of Talking Travel Writing who has dealt with delivering end-of-life care, losing a parent and chronic illness; and Steph Dyson, freelance travel journalist, guidebook writer and co-founder of Talking Travel Writing who admits suffering from imposter syndrome, and whose clinical anxiety diagnosis proved to be epilepsy.
About the panellists
Greta Solomon is a journalist specialising in mental health and emotional wellbeing. Her recent bylines include Red, Psychologies, Breathe, Stylist and Forbes. She is also a writing teacher and an ICF-accredited coach for writers. Greta began her journalism career 24 years ago, with staff roles at Woman and Executive Woman, before going freelance in 2002. She is the author of the award-nominated Heart, Sass & Soul: Journal Your Way to Inspiration and Happiness and Just Write It!. She also runs a newsletter and writers’ community at gretasolomon.substack.com
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Owen Morgan works as a counsellor and a counselling supervisor in private practice. He also works on a freelance basis with his local council with young people with complicated needs and with a local suicide bereavement charity, and since 2021, he has run a local men’s group. Prior to retraining as a counsellor in his late 30s, he worked the corporate world in sales and marketing. This experience provided insight into how work can adversely affect our mental health and ways of managing stress. When not working, he enjoys yoga, cooking, creative writing and walking in the Sussex countryside.
Lottie Gross is a freelance travel writer, author and co-founder of Talking Travel Writing. She writes for The Telegraph, Independent, i paper, Times and more, as well as penning books for Bradt and Bloomsbury. Alongside keeping her career buoyant, she has had to cope with delivering end of life care, losing a parent, and her own diagnosis of a chronic illness.
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Steph Dyson is a bilingual travel journalist and co-founder of Talking Travel Writing. She’s been published by National Geographic Traveller, CNN, Lonely Planet, Independent, and more and runs Worldly Adventurer, a Latin America travel website. While a clinical anxiety diagnosis proved to instead be epilepsy, she’s subject to imposter syndrome and is still adapting to the realities of a life-changing medical condition. She also spoke about the link between depression and epilepsy, and the importance of diet in managing depression.
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Meera Dattani is a freelance travel and culture journalist, senior editor at digital publication Adventure.com, founder of Travel Writing Webinars, and former Chair and Events Director of the British Guild of Travel Writers. She is also a speaker and moderator on external panels about travel writing and the travel industry, and will share tips on managing anxiety when workplace stress can become overwhelming.
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This was the third in a series of webinars curated and hosted by travel journalist and editor Meera Dattani in collaboration with Talking Travel Writing, the Substack newsletter that promises to demystify the travel media for freelancers forging a career in travel writing. Follow TTW on Twitter.
