Mohsin Zaidi on the psychological toll of having to hide his true self from the people he loved the most

"Would they prefer a gay son or a dead son was genuinely a question that went through my mind more than once a day."

In this week's episode, I am speaking to the wonderful Mohsin Zaidi about the importance of belonging and the bitter struggle he encountered with his identity. We explore:

• The tension that arises when our core identities are different from what we believe they should be
• Why courage is something we must grow and it may take years to find the courage to be true to oneself
• How expanding our external world expands our internal world and may enable ourselves to inhabit ourselves more fully
• How secrets and lies can poison and destroy you
• When you despair, it's important to remember to be patient and to not put too much pressure on oneself

Julia’s Website: https://juliasamuel.co.uk/

Julia’s Instagram: @juliasamuelmbe

Read Mohsin's book here: https://www.mohsinzaidi.com/

Important Support:

Stonewall - Support for LGBTQ+: https://www.stonewall.org.uk/

Mermaids - Helping gender diverse kids and their families: https://mermaidsuk.org.uk/

It Gets Better - A project to uplift and empower LGBTQ communities: https://itgetsbetter.org/

If you'd like to get in touch with the podcast team, please contact us on therapyworkspodcast@gmail.com.

A big thank you to our sponsor, BetterHelp. If you’re thinking of giving therapy a try, BetterHelp is a great option. It’s not only convenient and can be done from the comfort of your own home, but it’s also affordable. All you have to do is fill out a quick survey and you’ll be matched with a therapist! 

Visit betterhelp.com/therapyworks today to get 10% off your first month.

If you'd like to be unknown voice on Season 2, please send in a one minute video about a challenge you've faced to jsamuelpod@gmail.com.

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