By Will Boardman, Teaching Technician, School of Anatomy
I must begin by confessing that I’m probably more fortunate than most under current conditions. I’m still able to come to work and do a job. That job has changed a lot, but we’re still providing support to practical classes for the medical and vet students.
Being able to leave the house and keep busy has been very important for my mood and mental health. I am also very fortunate not to be living alone, and I know that many people have neither of these advantages. I completely empathise with them and the feelings of being trapped and isolated that they may well be experiencing.
So I feel slightly guilty about expressing any grievances over how the pandemic has inconvenienced me. But I just really miss the small things that were once taken for granted: visiting friends and family, eating in a restaurant, getting my hair cut, having a cold pint of beer in a pub. And my work on campus now has its own kind of isolation: little or no interaction with students or colleagues. I miss conversations – short or long, trivial or serious.
That’s probably why I found myself listening to more podcasts than usual. The podcast format is great for longer conversations than you find on the radio, and they come in all shapes and sizes. Everyone has their own favourites; a couple of mine are Happy Place and The Magic Sponge.
Recently I started to think how great it would be to create a podcast myself – one that would help others during these strange times.
Immediately, I wrote myself off. What do I know about creating a podcast? Where would I even start? But when I mentioned these ponderings to my wife, she gave me the confidence boost and supportive belief to give it a go. I did some research and attended a couple of webinars on starting a podcast, and suddenly it started to feel achievable.
Getting my technician colleague Charlie on board was a big positive for me. Not only because most projects are less intimidating when you’re not alone, but also because Charlie is genuinely fascinated by mental health and wellbeing and has far greater knowledge on the subject than I do.
So we took a deep breath and went for it!
We had positive feedback for the first episode, and having recently recorded the second, with the fantastic Allison McRitchie, I’m so pleased that I overcame my own doubts.
If you’re not familiar with the podcast world, why not try it? You can find yourself listening in on some fascinating – and sometimes funny – conversations. Especially in current circumstances, podcasts can be a way of hearing some quality chat if you’re missing it in real life. Of course, we’d be delighted if you felt like checking out ours!
The Technical Healing podcast is available on Apple podcasts and Spotify.
