Worrier to Warrior workshop

Sunday, October 20, 2019
10:00 AM 1:00 PM 10:00 13:00

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Worrier to Warrior workshop

Dial down anxiety, tame your inner critic and cultivate the warrior within

Do you struggle with anxiety and a harsh inner critic constantly telling you you’re not good enough?

Are your special skills over-thinking, fixating on failures and worrying you might be broken?

Jill Stark has been there too, and after a life-long battle with anxiety, she’s got some hard-earned wisdom to share.

In this empowering workshop, Jill builds on the lessons from her best-selling self-help memoirs – Happy Never After and When You’re Not OK – to help you navigate the tough times and find your inner warrior.

If you’re after a magic bullet or a miracle cure, this isn’t the workshop for you.

But if you want to learn how to manage your struggles and still be strong, then this 'bullshit-free' class will help point you in the right direction.

With raw honesty and vulnerability, Jill will offer practical tips to help you accept what you can’t change, and work on what you can.

In this nurturing, healing space you will learn how to:

– Cultivate self-compassion and turn down the volume on your inner critic

– Reframe unhelpful narratives and work with intrusive thoughts

– Use journaling to understand the unconscious patterns that drive your thoughts and behaviours

– Turn your wounded child into a kickass warrior

– Stop comparing yourself to other people's 'perfect' lives and celebrate your 'broken' parts

– Put preventative measures in place to help insulate you when the storm hits

Each ticket includes a copy of Jill’s new book When You’re Not OK: A Toolkit For Tough Times, to be collected on the day of the workshop.

Testimonials for Jill's mental health memoir Happy Never After

"A moving, insightful analysis of our collective pain and how we can heal. Australia needs this book." Johann Hari, author of Lost Connections

"Funny, wise, poignant and compelling, Happy Never After is a brilliant intersection between searing personal experience and the wisdom of the elders." Hugh Mackay, social researcher and author of The Good Life

"Faced with the crippling paralysis that comes with anxiety and depression, Jill Stark doesn’t completely crumple. Instead, she does what a good journalist does: looks it directly in the face in order to explain, investigate, and reveal. Anyone who reads this book who lives with anxiety will be a beneficiary of its courage and clarity." Benjamin Law, author of The Family Law

"This is a book we need. Highly, highly recommended. Puts a deft finger on many things that I guarantee have been quietly troubling you for a while. A book for our times." Susan Carland, author of Fighting Hislam.

FAQs

Tell me more about Jill

Jill Stark is a passionate mental health advocate, best-selling author and award-winning journalist. Jill also works as a consultant for Beyond Blue, where she brings her lived experience of anxiety and depression to break down stigma and encourage people to seek help.

She is currently spearheading a national series for Beyond Blue called Am I Normal, which challenges our notions of normal, celebrates our 'weirdness' and offers practical advice on how to cope with an overly anxious brain.

In Jill's last two books – When You’re Not OK: A Toolkit For Tough Times and Happy Never After: Why The Happiness Fairytale Is Driving Us Mad – she documented her life-long journey with anxiety, combining the most up-to-date scientific research with interviews with some of the world’s leading mental health experts.

Jill spent 10 years on staff at The Age as a senior writer and health reporter, specialising in mental health and social affairs.

Her first book High Sobriety: My Year Without Booze was longlisted for the Walkley Book of the Year.

Jill’s hard-won insights on the complexities of the human condition offer hope and connection to anyone doing it tough.

What can I expect on the day?

Above all, this will be a safe space. We want you to feel comfortable and supported. Jill will share with you the unvarnished truth of her own experiences and while we encourage a free, informal and open discussion, there is no requirement for you to share your own thoughts or experiences unless you so choose.

The workshop will run for three hours with a short mid-morning break where light refreshments will be provided.

Jill will lead you through a range of topics and will ask you to reflect on the issues raised through a series of journaling exercises. For those who have never journaled before, don’t worry, Jill will guide you through the basics. You will not be expected to share your journal entries with the group. Jill will also lead you through a guided meditation towards the end of the workshop.

What should I wear?

Wear whatever makes you feel comfortable. We want you to feel at home and as relaxed as possible. Prana House is a beautiful, light-filled, calming space which is primarily used as a yoga studio, and you will have the option to sit on a chair or on a bolster on a mat on the floor, or alternate between the two – whatever feels comfy for you at the time. Prana House ask that you leave your shoes at the studio door so if you feel like you might get cold feet, wear socks!

Should I bring anything?

The only thing we ask you bring is a notepad or journal and a pen or pencil as Jill will be running you through a series of written journaling exercises. Jill will also have her books for sale at the end of the workshop and will accept cash or payment by card via Square. A copy of her book When You’re Not OK: A Toolkit For Tough Times is included with the ticket price and can be collected from Jill on the day.

Is this event suitable for children?

We will be navigating some challenging emotional terrain with adult themes and as such we recommend participants be over the age of 18.

Will this workshop be a substitute for therapy?

No. Jill is not a psychologist or a doctor and does not provide medical treatment or clinical advice. She is an expert on her own lived experience and will share the lessons she’s learned through a life-long battle with anxiety and depression. She will also share insights gained from the scientific research and interviews with mental health specialists, which have informed the work in her books and journalism.

It's important to note that everyone's emotional landscapes are different and the content of Jill's workshops should be viewed as indicative only of what worked for her, not as a prescriptive, one-size-fits-all guide. Anyone who is seeking clinical advice or crisis support should contact their GP or call Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636 or Lifeline on 13 11 14.

How can I contact the organiser?

If you have any further questions which have not been covered here, you can email Jill at jill@jillstark.com.au