We spoke to life coach and qualified mental health professional Ariadne Kapsali in one of our 30-minute Filmbase Sessions, on 4 April 2024.

Ariadne talked about how to look after yourself in stressful periods, particularly periods of no work.

Talking to webinar host Camise Oldfield, chairperson of the GraphicsUnion, Ariadne took us though through some meditation techniques and ways to support your own mental health and well-being.

We've listed Ariadne's key advice here:

• Recognise the importance of self-care and understanding one's limits.

• Understand the common threads of uncertainty and identity struggles within the industry.

• Emphasise the significance of maintaining meaningful relationships outside of work.

• Manage the transition periods between jobs by allowing space for loss and recognizing one's identity beyond work.

• Address imposter syndrome by acknowledging it as a common experience and exploring coping mechanisms.

• Practice self-compassion by accepting difficult feelings and offering kindness and support to oneself.

• Remember that feelings of isolation and inadequacy are shared experiences in the industry, and you're not alone in experiencing them. 

• Ariadne was kind enough to share with us a link to an audio recording of the self-compassion meditation that she guided us through in the webinar. You can download your own copy here.

• Ariadne can be contacted via her website ariadnekapsali.com