You know that moment when something rises in your throat - a howl, a truth, a need - and you just... swallow it back down?

Jacky has a word for that. Hulp. A howl and a gulp combined. And this episode begins there; right in that frozen, swallowed place, because that's exactly where Jacky found herself when she sat down to record!

This is an episode about what it actually feels like to start something. A behind the scenes look at the recording and deleting, the shame that crawls up when old wounds surface, the "here we go again" of it...

Jacky takes you through the process she used to move from freeze to finally pressing record: writing a letter from her fear, sitting with the grief of it, reaching out - and what happened when she did.

In this episode:

• The HULP poem - and what it means to have a pile of swallowed truths
• Why the antidote to shame is love, not self-improvement
• The gap between your ideal self and your actual self - and why staying with the actual is where the richness lives
• Why feeling like you don't fit in might mean you're a leader, not a misfit

Link to the Youtube video Jacky refers to in the epsiode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0872fKNtIw

For the scared souls, the never-dared souls, the lost and double-crossed souls — the ones sitting in the wilderness of change, wondering if anyone else feels this way.

Words in the Wilderness is a podcast for people in the messy middle of becoming who they really are.

Hosted by therapist and poet Jacky Power, this is the space where we stop performing and start witnessing.
Where your feelings aren't problems to solve - they're wisdom to decode.

Through poetry, honest storytelling and real conversations, Jacky accompanies the changemakers and cycle-breakers who are walking away from what doesn't serve them, toward something that finally feels true.

Each episode uses original poetry as a starting point - to bypass our defences and reach the feelings we haven't found words for yet.

This is not a podcast about having it figured out. It's a companion for the brave work of figuring it out - one poem at a time.

This podcast is for you if:

• You've made a big life change and feel more lost than you expected

• You're exhausted from performing 'fine' while something truer waits underneath

• You've never thought poetry was 'for you' - but you're open to being surprised

• You want to feel less alone in the wilderness of becoming

"Please receive my words as gifts. Each poem a billet-doux, each line a delicate heart string to see the tough times through. All I'm ever trying to say — all I want to do — is encourage you to be who you are. To be the you-est you."

Understanding Addiction, Recovery, and Transformation

In this powerful episode, we sit down with Thomas Delaney, who shares his deeply personal journey from ketamine addiction to recovery and advocacy. During his recovery, Thomas has spoken to audiences in the thousands and reached an online global audience of over 20 million people. He has spoken at some of the UK’s most significant wellbeing events and the world’s largest performance arts festival, The Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Thomas's story offers a raw and honest look into the complexities of addiction, the challenges of recovery, and the potential for profound personal transformation.

Key topics discussed:

1. The interplay between childhood trauma, intergenerational patterns, and addiction

2. Hierarchies within addiction and their impact on treatment and societal perceptions

3. The realities of residential treatment and the recovery process

4. Power dynamics and stigma surrounding addiction

5. Controversies of ketamine therapy for mental health treatment

6. The importance of addressing underlying causes rather than just symptoms

7. Finding purpose and meaning in life after addiction

Highlights:

- Thomas's courageous sharing of his personal experiences with addiction and recovery

- Insights into the nuanced nature of addiction and the challenges of seeking help

- Discussion on the use of substances to treat addiction and mental health issues

- Emphasis on holistic approaches to healing and recovery

- The power of finding purpose and meaning in recovery

Takeaways:

This episode underscores that recovery is not just about abstaining from substances, but about rebuilding a life filled with connection, purpose, and self-understanding. Thomas's journey offers hope and inspiration for anyone struggling with addiction or supporting someone on their recovery path.

Remember, healing is possible, and every step towards recovery is a victory worth celebrating.

Join addiction psychologist and poet Jacky Power and her guest Thomas Delaney for this enlightening and thought-provoking conversation that aims to destigmatise addiction and help those affected feel less alone in their struggles.