Mini Series: Oasis and Mental Health (Part 2) – with Cynthia Liza

Trigger warning: This episode contains references to childhood sexual abuse, racism, self-harm, suicidal ideation, drug use and also contains some details of a traumatic incident involving fire. (See support links below.) In Part 2 of the Oasis and Mental Health mini series, I interview previous @OasisPodcast guest @Cynthializa, who is a stylist at Selfridges. In her previous interview with James from Oasis Pod (see Oasis Podcast, episode 47), Cynthia credits Oasis for her decision to quit her job as a teacher in Canada to study at the London College of Fashion and pursue her dream of being a stylist.  However, there's another part to that story which she didn't reveal at the time: a harrowing incident which had left her suicidal and dependent on drugs, until a chance conversation with Liam Gallagher backstage at a festival helped set her psychologically free and on a path to recovery. Frustratingly (for me at least), discussions on Oasis are typically framed around a white, British male focus, and this episode moves away from that entirely. We explore Cynthia's experiences of childhood sexual abuse and racism growing up in a mixed race family, and she explains how Oasis songs helped to soothe her from this in her teenage years. We then look at a traumatic incident that occurred in her early adult life which initially set her off on a destructive path of self-harm, low self-worth, drug abuse and suicidal feelings. Again, she describes how it was the music of Oasis, and in particular Noel Gallagher's resolve, that helped to soothe her in post traumatic stress and eventually overcome her drug dependency. Finally, she describes a chance conversation she had backstage at Roskilde festival with Liam Gallagher, whose words of wisdom in response to her pain helped shift her mindset about her self worth and cemented her decision to move to the UK and turn her life around completely.   To get in touch: Twitter @SoundAffectsPod Email soundaffectspodcast@gmail.com   Support Sound Affects Podcast: https://ko-fi.com/soundaffectspod   Please leave a review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.   Follow Cynthia: @LizaStyle  Follow Oasis Podcast: @OasisPodcast   For help and support with any of the issues raised: The Women and Girls Network (for all women and girls affected by all forms of violence and abuse): https://www.wgn.org.uk/Survivors UK, for survivors of male sexual abuse https://www.survivorsuk.org/ Support links for burns and scars:https://katiepiperfoundation.org.uk/support-links-burns/   For help with addiction and dependency: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/guides-to-support-and-services/addiction-and-dependency/addiction-and-dependency-resources/   Samaritans: 116 123 or www.samaritans.org

Om Podcasten

Welcome to Sound Affects Podcast – featured in NME's Podcasts for the People series. A music & mental health podcast exploring all crossovers between music and mental health: how music and sounds affect us somatically and psychologically, the songs that see us through, what drives people to music careers/a life on the road, the music industry climate, music therapy as support for mental illness, music fandom, music journalism and research in all these crossovers. I speak to well-known musicians and figures, experts, therapists, academics, researchers, authors, journalists, charities, and music fans. Each episode is an interview with a guest centred around a specific theme of music and mental health. Sound Affects is produced, edited and hosted by me, Katerina – a qualified counsellor and psychotherapist working professionally in both the NHS and private practice. I'm also a freelance sub-editor and writer published in The Independent, The Guardian, The Times and Wellcome Collection. Before becoming a therapist, I was a Samaritan helpline listener supporting people struggling to cope with suicidal feelings, and I worked full time as a copywriter and editor for Samaritans during the time of the charity's male suicide research launch. I've worked in magazine and newspaper publishing for many years and spent a lot of time during this time speaking to musicians and creative people. The idea for Sound Affects came while writing about and interviewing bands – I noticed a theme emerging around existential identity and just how sad some of the so-called "rock n roll" stories of excess were. I was also aware of just how much music impacts me, and in particular, specific bands and sounds. It is no secret that I'm a huge Oasis fan, and this theme features regularly in this podcast as alongside my interviews, I occasionally pause to reflect and consider what draws me to this music and how it has shaped me. When I trained as a psychotherapist, I drew together all my interests, culminating in this podcast. I often see musicians as clients for therapy, and I routinely appear in the press and radio commenting on various aspects of therapy and emotional health. I've been a guest on BBC Radio, and appeared in OK! Magazine, Psychologies, Stylist, Grazia, The Independent and more.