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Therapy, Reality TV, and Finding Your Way: Jana Firestone

Step into the world of mental health, pop culture, and personal growth as nutritionist and podcast host Lola Berry sits down with therapist, author, and podcast host Yana Firestone. In this intimate conversation, they explore the unexpected connections between therapy, anxiety, and our fascination with reality television.

Yana opens up about her journey through grief after losing her mother at 21 and how working at a coroner's court during Australia's devastating Black Saturday bushfires shaped her understanding of trauma. The conversation weaves through personal revelations about health anxiety, the mind-body connection, and finding resilience through life's unexpected plot twists.

Timestamps and Key Takeaways:

8:30 - Health anxiety and how our bodies manifest stress physically
15:20 - The importance of movement for mental health as a "circuit breaker" for anxiety
19:45 - How routine and habits provide control in an unpredictable world
24:30 - Yana's delayed journey to therapy despite being a therapist herself
32:15 - Finding the right therapist match and the courage to be vulnerable
38:40 - Elvis Presley as a comfort during grief and the spiritual experience of Graceland
44:10 - "Pop Therapy" - analysing reality TV personalities through a therapeutic lens
52:30 - The mental health benefits of travel, even short trips, as a form of self-care
59:45 - Managing energy as an introvert in an extroverted world

Whether you're struggling with anxiety, fascinated by human behaviour, or simply looking for ways to prioritise your mental health, this episode offers valuable insights and practical advice. Yana's final recommendation? Find just one small thing to do each day that moves you forward - that tiny motion can make all the difference.

Listen now to discover how embracing our vulnerabilities and understanding our patterns can lead to greater resilience and joy.

Hope you love this chat with Jana, you can follow her here: https://www.instagram.com/jana.firestone/

Ans here's her website too: https://www.janafirestone.com/

Big love,

Lola

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Welcome back to the Friday Diary

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Fearlessly Failing Hot Seat with Thomas Cocquerel

Ever wondered what your favourite personalities would reveal under rapid-fire questioning? In this bite-sized episode of Fearlessly Failing Hot Seat, we get a glimpse into the mind of actor Thomas Cocquerel. From his preference for "very dirty" martinis to his family farm adventures chasing kangaroos on motorbikes, Tom opens up about the personal details that shape his life beyond the spotlight. His candid reflections on resilience as his superpower and his unabashed love for Indiana Jones reveal a thoughtful personality beneath the charming exterior.

This quick-hit interview format delivers surprising insights and genuine moments of connection. Whether discussing favorite cities, cherished nature spots, or who gets the first call when good news arrives, the conversation flows with warmth and authenticity that makes you feel like you're eavesdropping on two friends catching up.

Timestamps & Key Takeaways:
- 0:15 - Introduction and Tom's full name (with French pronunciation!)
- 0:45 - Food preferences: Sweet or savoury? Tom's ideal last meal
- 1:20 - Fave cities and the perfect martini (very dirty with Tito's vodka)
- 2:30 - Tom's special nature spot: A family farm in Orange with sheep, cattle and Easter gatherings
- 3:45 - Personal quality Tom values most: Resilience
- 4:30 - Theatre faves: "The Importance of Being Earnest" and "Guys and Dolls"
- 5:15 - Movie pick: "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade"
- 6:10 - Book recommendation: "Cloud Atlas" - "six stories in one" that covers "everything that makes us human"
- 6:45 - Who gets Tom's first call with good news? Mum, of course!

Listen to this episode for a refreshing, unfiltered conversation that proves even the shortest episodes can deliver the most memorable moments. New episodes drop every Monday, Wednesday and Friday - subscribe now so you don't miss the next fascinating guest in the hot seat!

Big love,

Lola

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Aussie Actor: Thomas Cocquerel

What happens when an Australian actor lands roles alongside Hollywood legends and discovers the stark contrast between drama school and real-world filmmaking? Thomas Cocquerel opens up about his journey from NIDA graduate to starring alongside Sarah Snook and Dakota Fanning in the psychological thriller "All Her Fault." which is out now on Binge in Australia, Peacock in America and Sky in the UK.

Thomas takes us behind the scenes of his career, from the surreal experience of filming "The Gilded Age" during COVID to working with Anthony Hopkins fresh out of drama school. With refreshing honesty, he reveals how he navigates the emotional toll of darker roles through music, creating character playlists that help him decompress after intense scenes. His journey through theatre training to television sets highlights the resilience required when scripts arrive last-minute and character arcs take unexpected turns.

Timestamps:
10:15 - Breaking down his character Richie in "All Her Fault" and the show's exploration of modern motherhood
15:30 - Getting into NIDA (Australia's prestigious drama school) on his first try
28:40 - The challenges of filming "The Gilded Age" during COVID restrictions
35:20 - Working with Anthony Hopkins and learning to shoot out of sequence on film and TV sets
42:15 - Using music to decompress after emotionally demanding roles
47:30 - Advice for young actors fresh out of drama school

Tom's insights reveal the stark reality of the acting profession - the gap between drama school idealism and industry pragmatism, the need for self-reliance, and finding joy in the audition process itself. His passion for visual storytelling and musical expression offers a glimpse into how actors maintain their creative spark between roles.

Listen to this episode if you're pursuing any creative field - Tom's advice about maintaining your sense of self while navigating rejection and uncertainty applies far beyond acting. His journey reminds us that resilience, adaptability, and keeping your passion alive are essential ingredients for success in any creative pursuit.

hope you love this ep as much as i do!

Here's the trailer to All Her Fault: watch the trailer here

You can follow Tom on insta here: Tom's Insta

Big love,

Lola

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ACTOR DIARY:

Righto, the week that was in Los Angeles!

First up, we have a full moon in Taurus vibe going on right now, so if you’re having strange dreams that could be why. This is a little pre-mercury retrograde shake up, Taurus’ don’t like BS so use this full moon as a bullshit detector and let go of the stuff weighing you down.

I got put on hold for a show this week which was cool, they didn’t end up booking me but still fun to get the email for an availability check. Feels like a bit of a numbers game, so surely something will lock in soon enough.

What I’m watching:

• I’ve been watching the old western TV show Tombstone. And I am loving it! It’s set in the town Tombstone in Arizona (p.s its still a western town today). It was on from 1957-1960, starring Pat Conway and Richard Eastham its filmed in black and white, I’m loving it.
• We’ve also giving season 4 of Witcher a crack, we looooved Henry Cavill as Witcher so this will feel like a bit of a switch up with Liam Hemmy in the role, only a few eps in so will report back next week
• I’ve also just been sent a screener for an upcoming podcast interview with an actor. The screener for the show is called All Her Fault and it stars Sarah Snook.

What I’m reading: I’m reading a non-fiction book this week:

• Plot Twist: A Personal guide to surviving life unexpected curveballs. By Jana Firestone. I’m interviewing her over the weekend on my poddy so technically this is research
• I’ve also order the sequel to Blood of Hercules, its called Bonds of Hercules and I cannot wait, I’ll start after my podcasts so I spend all my spear time researching.

Oracle card Taurus Full Moon pull:

• 1: Past: Break Free: Try Different ventures and experiences as a way to grow and learn.
• 2: Present: Positive Energy: Surround yourself with positive people and situations, and avoid negativity.
• 3: Future: Make a Decision: Feeling stuck or indecisive? Listen to your intuition and make a decision.

Big Love

Lola x

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