Orangutans in the Field

We all have different coping mechanisms. Sometimes they  change as we grow or get older. Firstly, Freddie and Merwe try to learn  from each other what they do to manage their stress. And lastly, are  these methods healthy or effective?

Merwe and Freddie critically evaluate how they are  physically, emotionally and spiritually behave during the covid pandemic  and how lockdown have and are affecting them.

Freddie is experiencing a dilemma. He is  Wellness Counsellor, embracing the natural route to health. Both he and  Merwe are in recovery from drug addiction. The question they discuss  between them is the place of CBD in any form of healing for people in  recovery. They look at the difference between CBD oil and TCH oil and  why one could be okay for recovering addicts while the other is a sure  no-no.

In sport, there is a clear time-frame when you were or  should be in your prime - peak performance. As a human, when are you,  were you or should you be in your prime? How to even determine if a  human is in his or her prime? As a baseball player it can be home-runs,  as a quarterback it could be touchdowns. As a person... Freddie &  Merwe try to draw up parameters for this discussion and debate it.

Many of us feel anxious when we have to go to large  gatherings or even intimate dinners, either thinking it is normal to  feel this way or totally freaking out because we think we are insane  because people freak us out. Merwe and Freddie chat about their  different levels and experiences of social anxiety, with Freddie never  having realised that people freak him out.

To be - or not to be? To be disciplined or to be  spontaneous? Is one more important than the other? Freddie leans towards  (extreme) structure, while Merwe wakes up every day at a different  time. They discuss how each benefits their life and consider if they are  effective. What do you think?

Both Freddie and Merwe are really good at analysing and dissecting  problems. We are not so good at taking a moment to appreciate and  extensively talk about our good days. Freddie was having a cracker of a  day and Merwe wanted to know why, what happened in the days leading up  to it and what can we learn from it.

Merwe has suffered some horrible impact injuries with his schoolboy rugby and adult downhill-mountain biking. He was hit twice by a car when cycling on the road and had numerous other injuries. This podcast aims to understand how injuries have an impact on the physical and emotional mind - how it changes the brain's capability and hormones and how this in turn changes your emotions. Freddie, as a young national South African medalist in athletics, fits wonderfully in with this discussion with his sporty background - not to mention his counsellor's perspective and knowledge. 

The inspiration for this podcast came from Merwe when he thought about how it is suggested in recovery not to compare yourself with others. He watches a lot of podcasts with very successful podcasters. He proposed this topic so that realistic goals for the average person can be set so that we don't strive for something that we are not willing to put the legwork in for.  

In episode 10 of Orangutans in the field, Merwe and Freddie discuss the  emotional price we, sometimes may, pay for caring for ourselves. They  look at things like the uncomfortable feeling to set up a boundary to  keep oneself safe and other interesting twists in the tale of seeking  the holy grail called mental health.

We all have people in our lives whom we care for, who are busy partaking  in an activity that we perceive as harmful towards themselves. How do  you tell a friend or a loved one a 'hard truth'? Is it your place to  tell them? Are you correct in your observation that this activity is actually harmful? Freddie and Merwe try to unravel these questions in this of Orangutans in the Field.

In episode 8 of Orangutans in the field, the two podcast hosts, Merwe,  from Talking Orangutans, and Freddie, the host of Meet me in the field,  discuss why they have decided to have their own podcasts. They speculate  about their own, sometimes covert, sometimes all too overt reasons why  they and other people would want to host podcasts. They even reflect on the effect these decision sometimes have on their mental state.

Have you ever stopped your busy head to contemplate what it  means to  make an impact on others in life? Not? Well, then take 45 minutes our of  your miserable/amazing life to listen to Merwe and Freddie discuss this  road less travelled in episode 7 of Orangutans in the field. Mull over  the pressure people like Nelson Mandela was under and how this aspect  of our lives can impact our existence.

It is so easy to make up our minds about something without having all  the facts. In Episode 9 of Talking Orangutans Merwe and Freddie chat  about the ease of slipping down the preconceived route about people,  places and things and the hurt this can cause ourselves and others. The  well-known Psychologist, Herbert Spencer, called this phenomenon  "contempt prior to investigation."

Episode 5 of Orangutans in the field presents Merwe and Freddie talking  about the (mental health) dangers of comparing ourselves with others.  They agree, that for them, this is probably quite a dangerous, yet an easy  mental trap to fall into. A trap far easier to get into than to get out of.

Merwe struggles with marketing and promoting his business. The actual  activity is not the problem - it is the feeling he has when he is not on it. What is social media and screen addiction. Freddie again plays the  role of the counsellor and provides guidance and perspective of where to  draw the lines between 'normal' versus addictive social media usage and screen engagement . To access Freddie's screen addiction questionnaire, go here: https://www.freddie.org.za/blog/2019/11/21/screen-addiction-questionnaire.html

A common thought and question come up as we become more mature and that is, what is real friendship? How do you define it? What are the  behaviours of a good friend and how has this changed since our school days when everyone was your friend? Freddie and Merwe discuss these  points in the third episode of Orangutans in the Field.

When do you take that leap of faith and seek therapy? When do you know it will be the next responsible thing to do? What to expect from your  first few therapy sessions? How do you go about choosing a therapist and which therapists can prescribe medication. Freddie and Merwe  talk about their personal and professional experience on the when, where,  what and how to go about getting into, and getting the best out of therapy.

Do you ever find yourself in a position where you are burned out,  resentful and feeling you were not brave enough to express your feelings  or thoughts? In this episode, Freddie plays the role of the Counsellor and Merwe that of the patient. Although done in a light way, Merwe is  100% honest and discovers new aspects of his behaviour.  Join this  podcast and answer the Co-Dependency  questionnaire with Merwe.