Lemn Sissay: Foster care, belonging, and snake charming
Happy Place1 Apr 2024

Lemn Sissay: Foster care, belonging, and snake charming

“Am I mad, or did it happen?” This is a question that poet Lemn Sissay regularly finds himself asking. Having grown up in care, he has no family members to bear witness to his life experiences; is his understanding of his own identity correct?

In this chat with Fearne, Lemn talks through why it’s important for us not to compare trauma, that everything’s relative, and no one deserves more or less empathy. He also exposes the reality of the care system in the UK, and offers practical ways for all of us to help those who’ve been in care better integrate into society.

Between them, they suggest how to watch out for when you’re performing to a crowd, rather than being present – that’s where a true feeling of belonging lies – and how to mitigate the negative voices that want to knock your confidence.

Lemn’s latest poetry collection is Let the Light Pour In and his memoir is My Name Is Why. Both are published by Canongate.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Avsnitt(417)

Holly Willoughby

Holly Willoughby

You’ve achieved the goals you set yourself for your career and personal life; what’s next? That’s the question Holly Willoughby has found herself asking recently.When you’re used to excellence and ach...

1 Nov 202155min

Dr Jane Goodall

Dr Jane Goodall

It can at times feel like the cycle of negative news is endless, and living in fear can be debilitating, but ethologist and conservationist Dr Jane Goodall, Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute, is a...

25 Okt 202152min

Bimini Bon Boulash

Bimini Bon Boulash

A person’s identity is not up for debate; drag queen Bimini Bon Boulash is on a mission to ensure everyone feels safe to express who they are without fear. In this chat, Fearne and Bimini explore how ...

18 Okt 202153min

Mel Robbins

Mel Robbins

How kindly do you talk to yourself? TV host, author, and speaker Mel Robbins spent a lifetime caught in a loop of negative self-talk, but she’s now learnt how to validate herself in the way she champi...

11 Okt 20211h 13min

Jesy Nelson

Jesy Nelson

It’s often said that comparison is the thief of joy, and this proved to be true for Jesy Nelson. In this chat, she and Fearne talk through the fear of not being liked, and the freedom that’s come with...

6 Okt 202149min

Dave Grohl

Dave Grohl

There’s adventure in not knowing what comes next, and having the confidence to throw yourself in anyway. Foo Fighters front man Dave Grohl has spent a lifetime doing just that. In this chat with Fearn...

4 Okt 202137min

Paul Merson

Paul Merson

Gambling addictions are not well understood; former footballer Paul Merson is hoping to change that by sharing his own story. In this chat with Fearne, Paul explains why his having a gambling addictio...

27 Sep 202157min

Miriam Margolyes

Miriam Margolyes

You are the sum of everyone who’s come before you in your family, and it can be useful to learn about your ancestors in order to understand how much of their character is in you. Actress Miriam Margol...

20 Sep 202143min

Populärt inom Samhälle & Kultur

podme-dokumentar
en-mork-historia
badfluence
mardromsgasten
aftonbladet-krim
p3-dokumentar
creepypodden-med-jack-werner
skaringer-nessvold
nemo-moter-en-van
gynning-berg
killradet
hor-har
flashback-forever
rattsfallen
svenska-fall
vad-blir-det-for-mord
rss-sanning-konsekvens
aftonbladet-daily
rss-mer-an-bara-morsa
spar