Embracing Intensity 228: Twice Exceptional Mental Health Advocate and Blogger
Jul 5, 2021
01:04:46
I met today’s guest through the neurodivergent community on Twitter. Join us to learn more about his inspiring story.
Joseph Gitau is a writer, singer, and blogger who has been diagnosed with ADHD and Bipolar I. With his childhood and youth being spent between his native Kenya and the US, he has a unique perspective about how neurodivergence is treated differently in both countries. Joseph uses his talents to promote mental health throughout his creative outlets.
Show Highlights:
- Why Joseph is intensely passionate about mental health and the arts
- How Joseph’s personal brand of intensity includes music and twice-exceptionality
- How Joseph’s journey of discovery through school was difficult because he was an introvert
- How the Kenyan tradition of children being “not seen and not heard” was very difficult for Joseph as an ADHD music-lover who always wanted to sing and play music
- Joseph’s years in Kenya and the US, and how his ADHD and bipolar diagnosis came about
- How Joseph has to tone himself down--even today
- How Joseph’s intensity got out of control when he dropped out of university, and he didn’t know what to do next
- Why Joseph does the important work to break the taboo around ADHD and promote mental health awareness
- Why Joseph’s writing includes interracial characters
- How celebrities represent neurodiversity to the world
- Why society uses labels to put people in different boxes
- How Joseph came to accept his neurodivergence
- The mixed feelings around neurodivergence, superpowers, white privilege, and economic privilege
- How Joseph uses his fire for good through his blog where he talks about the educational system, neurodiversity, and how marginalized people are affected
- Joseph’s plans for the future
- How Joseph harnesses the power of his intensity through yoga and learning to balance structure and flexibility
- Joseph’s parting advice: “Don’t worry about tomorrow. Nothing is set in stone except what you did yesterday. Do what’s right by you, and people will respect you.”
Resources:
Find Joseph Gitau on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.