Encountering Faces

About Encountering Faces

Welcome to Encountering Faces, a podcast where I share the wisdom I have learned from overcoming adversity in a world where we aren't so kind to people who are different. Born with Sebaceous Nevus Johansson Syndrome, a condition that affected the right side of my face and scalp, I underwent 39 operations throughout my childhood and into adulthood. Beyond the physical obstacles, I battled PTSD, extreme anxiety and bouts of depression. Through my determination of healing, I have emerged stronger with a wealth of knowledge to share in how to live a life not dictated by fear. The greatest act you can give humanity is to heal the disconnect you have within yourself to then access the greater connection all around us. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

Publisher

Sophie McErlich

Category

education · science · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

Yes

First episode

2 Mar 2023

Latest episode

15 Jun 2023

Latest episodes

13 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   15 Jun 2023

   From Anger to Empathy: Transforming Feminist Perspectives for Stronger Connections with Men

   Are you tired of being an angry feminist? Me too… Today's episode is for the ladies and gentlemen who are curious about what its like to have a conversation without divulging into negativity. I spill the tea on how to engage with men in an open and transformative way that unlocks the secrets of true interpersonal harmony. Where we can build stronger bonds between men and women for the authentic connection we all crave. We dive into the following topics in all their glory, and I hold nothing back. The negative sexual portrayal of women online The fallacy of casual sex How can women and men build a better connection by being honest with ourselves and each other How do you approach a conversation with a man (with an open heart to get the best results) The realities of how men and women operate in the necessary act of non-judgement Follow the journey: INSTAGRAM (https://www.instagram.com/encountering.faces/) FACEBOOK (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090483546096) TIKTOK (https://www.tiktok.com/@encountering.faces) Learn more: VISIT MY WEBSITE (https://www.encounteringfaces.com/) Connect with me: SEND A MESSAGE (https://www.encounteringfaces.com/contact) Editing: Edited by Eamonn Joyce Music: Written & Recorded by Connor McErlich Engineered by Allister Meffan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

2. 

   29 May 2023

   The Importance of Critical Thinking in Establishing Freedom From The Confines of Society

   Sophie takes you on a journey of how to question everything. In the world where we are constantly distracted by social media and being fed so much information. We forget our own autonomy and capacity to have an opinion. We have been fear mongered into never having a stake in the construction of society. We are allowed to have opinions, we all have different experiences and perspectives that shape our view of reality. It is ok to not agree on all matters of the world. If you come from a loving place and you truly take the time to understand how people are affected by different experiences. Its imperative you cultivate an opinion that is critically thought out. Those who exist in the middle ground must learn to stand in their convictions. Do not let those who exist on either end of extremes run the world. Join her as she explores the nuances of how thinking outside the accepted creates freedom. Follow the journey: INSTAGRAM (https://www.instagram.com/encountering.faces/) FACEBOOK (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090483546096) TIKTOK (https://www.tiktok.com/@encountering.faces) Learn more: VISIT MY WEBSITE (https://www.encounteringfaces.com/) Connect with me: SEND A MESSAGE (https://www.encounteringfaces.com/contact) Editing: Edited by Eamonn Joyce Music: Written & Recorded by Connor McErlich Engineered by Allister Meffan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

3. 

   4 May 2023

   Never Compare Scars

   Visible scars are an ever present reality in my world, I cannot hide them. They exist on my face permanently, this precarious way of presenting my being, I am faced with a lot more points of contention around scars than most people. The physical representation of my scars illicit reactions within others of their own… majority are held internally. In this episode I share the very important lesson to never compare scars and how this shows up in our daily encounters with people. We will never truly understand people, we barely understand ourselves and so the art of forgiveness comes into play for releasing these moments of miscommunication. Criticisms can arise in this and we can miss the connection between how we speak to ourselves is how we speak to others. Join me as I flow through parts of our world you may have never been exposed to before and learn to let it go. Follow the journey: INSTAGRAM (https://www.instagram.com/encountering.faces/) FACEBOOK (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090483546096) TIKTOK (https://www.tiktok.com/@encountering.faces) Learn more: VISIT MY WEBSITE (https://www.encounteringfaces.com/) Connect with me: SEND A MESSAGE (https://www.encounteringfaces.com/contact) Editing: Edited by Eamonn Joyce Music: Written & Recorded by Connor McErlich Engineered by Allister Meffan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

4. 

   20 Apr 2023

   Misery We Feel - Where Does It Come From?

   Have you ever had those moments where you have had a good day but something is tugging at the fringes? Making you aware of the misery you may feel about the overall placement you find yourself in. In this episode we discuss the narrative around misery as a result of loss of connection. Philosophies in discussion: The myth of the ivory tower. Mindfulness in scrubbing a dish. What you do matters, enough with the existentialism. It's not you, it’s the environment. Follow the journey: INSTAGRAM (https://www.instagram.com/encountering.faces/) FACEBOOK (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090483546096) TIKTOK (https://www.tiktok.com/@encountering.faces) Learn more: VISIT MY WEBSITE (https://www.encounteringfaces.com/) Connect with me: SEND A MESSAGE (https://www.encounteringfaces.com/contact) Editing: Edited by Eamonn Joyce Music: Written & Recorded by Connor McErlich Engineered by Allister Meffan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

5. 

   14 Apr 2023

   The Meaning of Life - Sophie's World

   Why can I make the bold claim of what the meaning of life is? Well first I had the wisdom to go and look for it, but now I have the balls to say it. Shall we? I discuss the forgotten cycle of life and death in the modern ways we try so hard to cheat death. Our tendency to lie about the true state of our reality. The privilege I hold in being self-aware enough to assess my life. Where do I find myself currently when I am actively practising the art of letting go? Follow the journey: INSTAGRAM (https://www.instagram.com/encountering.faces/) FACEBOOK (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090483546096) TIKTOK (https://www.tiktok.com/@encountering.faces) Learn more: VISIT MY WEBSITE (https://www.encounteringfaces.com/) Connect with me: SEND A MESSAGE (https://www.encounteringfaces.com/contact) Editing: Edited by Eamonn Joyce Music: Written & Recorded by Connor McErlich Engineered by Allister Meffan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

6. 

   6 Apr 2023

   Moving Through Fear - London Edition

   I moved to London for a man, yeah I know classic move but what if I told you that man didn't stay in London instead returned home to New Zealand… Oh f**k is the correct reaction to that, you will have to listen to the whole episode to hear how it ends! Don't worry I was already planning to move across the world. I go into detail about the decision process and what lead me to get the h*ll out of my own way. I share the skills it takes to move from your hometown to rather anywhere.. Another town, big city or across the ocean. Take your pick! It works in every scenario. Now to move back into the unknown. When I say I embody what I preach, well I quit my job and don't have anything lined up as of yet! I'll go through how I'm processing all that comes with it especially the fear. Follow the journey: INSTAGRAM (https://www.instagram.com/encountering.faces/) FACEBOOK (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090483546096) TIKTOK (https://www.tiktok.com/@encountering.faces) Learn more: VISIT MY WEBSITE (https://www.encounteringfaces.com/) Connect with me: SEND A MESSAGE (https://www.encounteringfaces.com/contact) Editing: Edited by Eamonn Joyce Music: Written & Recorded by Connor McErlich Engineered by Allister Meffan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

7. 

   1 Apr 2023

   Moving Through Fear - Solo Travel Edition

   Sophie leans into adventure any chance she gets and with that comes many lessons. In this episode she will share with you some of the biggest challenges she faced while solo traveling as a woman across South East Asia before moving to London last year. Sophie shares a few wild stories you will not want to miss! Including how she successfully travelled to an island in Thailand from Chiang Mai without a single booking and only with the help of locals to get her there. Key lessons and how to navigate them: When you get bored trying something new is reason enough to leave your hometown or home country. Loneliness, the thing that bites you when you least expect it and Sophie shares how she moved through it. Get cosy with the unknown, take it in your stride as you leave your comfort zone. How to adapt when things go awry. The art of giving up and letting go of control. Featuring a story of the plane never leaving the tarmac in Sydney and crying on the plane with everyone else. Follow the journey: INSTAGRAM (https://www.instagram.com/encountering.faces/) FACEBOOK (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090483546096) TIKTOK (https://www.tiktok.com/@encountering.faces) Learn more: VISIT MY WEBSITE (https://www.encounteringfaces.com/) Connect with me: SEND A MESSAGE (https://www.encounteringfaces.com/contact) Editing: Edited by Eamonn Joyce Music: Written & Recorded by Connor McErlich Engineered by Allister Meffan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

8. 

   23 Mar 2023

   Letting Go of Resistance: The Power of Radical Acceptance

   In this episode, Sophie explores the concept of radical acceptance and how it can help us deal with anxiety, self-hatred, and feeling different. We discuss the points below and she shares from a vulnerable place the trials and tribulations growing up with a disfigured face. Radical acceptance from the psychology perspective. The building of anxiety where our external world is at odds with our internal world. Hatred towards oneself and the way to navigate this. The vulnerable existence of looking different from baseline "normal." The challenge of being a deep thinker and how to neutralize our mind. Follow the journey: INSTAGRAM (https://www.instagram.com/encountering.faces/) FACEBOOK (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090483546096) TIKTOK (https://www.tiktok.com/@encountering.faces) Learn more: VISIT MY WEBSITE (https://www.encounteringfaces.com/) Connect with me: SEND A MESSAGE (https://www.encounteringfaces.com/contact) Editing: Edited by Eamonn Joyce Music: Written & Recorded by Connor McErlich Engineered by Allister Meffan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

9. 

   16 Mar 2023

   What About Progress

   Progress and Artificial Intelligence, what does it mean for us moving into the new world order? In this episode, Sophie delves deep and gets to the bottom of what we are all feeling about the new age of AI… it's not as bad as we think it is but not for the reason you would expect. Progress… the overarching justification for it all How did we get to a society solely based in productivity We discuss philosophers of the past and scientists of the present Defining the human condition… a place of suffering Sources: Stanford Encyclopaedia of Philosophy https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/progress/#:~:text=Philosophical%20proponents%20of%20progress%20assert,flourished%20in%20the%2019th%20century (https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/progress/#:~:text=Philosophical%20proponents%20of%20progress%20assert,flourished%20in%20the%2019th%20century) What is Artificial Intelligence? https://www.ibm.com/topics/artificial-intelligence (https://www.ibm.com/topics/artificial-intelligence) Follow the journey: INSTAGRAM (https://www.instagram.com/encountering.faces/) FACEBOOK (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090483546096) TIKTOK (https://www.tiktok.com/@encountering.faces) Learn more: VISIT MY WEBSITE (https://www.encounteringfaces.com/) Connect with me: SEND A MESSAGE (https://www.encounteringfaces.com/contact) Editing: Edited by Eamonn Joyce Music: Written & Recorded by Connor McErlich Engineered by Allister Meffan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

10. 

    11 Mar 2023

    The Foundation for Disciplined Living

    Are you struggling to maintain discipline in your life? With Sophie's practical approach and insightful advice, you'll be equipped to create a solid foundation for discipline to thrive in your life. Join Sophie as she shares her experience and philosophy on discipline. We explore how the masculine and feminine energies play a role in building a foundation for disciplined living. While giving it to you straight we discuss what the building blocks of discipline truly look like. Follow the journey: INSTAGRAM (https://www.instagram.com/encountering.faces/) FACEBOOK (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090483546096) TIKTOK (https://www.tiktok.com/@encountering.faces) Learn more: VISIT MY WEBSITE (https://www.encounteringfaces.com/) Connect with me: SEND A MESSAGE (https://www.encounteringfaces.com/contact) Editing: Edited by Eamonn Joyce Music: Written & Recorded by Connor McErlich Engineered by Allister Meffan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

11. 

    3 Mar 2023

    Part 3. The Way Home - My Healing Journey

    Prepare to be challenged in this episode, the victim narrative is out and taking responsibility for our eternal being is in. A visit to the dreaded child physiologist. Last facial reconstruction where the lesson of not spouting your sh*t to anyone that listens will cause yourself to relive the trauma, and also me next door… CBT and group therapy after a suicide attempt - getting to ground zero from negative ten and learning coping mechanisms, which I later learned are a load of crap and hinder rather than heal us. Meeting my somatic mentor where the wounds are pulled wide open and then stitched shut, only for alcohol to be poured all over them to make sure no infection remains. Follow the journey: INSTAGRAM (https://www.instagram.com/encountering.faces/) FACEBOOK (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090483546096) TIKTOK (https://www.tiktok.com/@encountering.faces) Learn more: VISIT MY WEBSITE (https://www.encounteringfaces.com/) Connect with me: SEND A MESSAGE (https://www.encounteringfaces.com/contact) Editing: Edited by Eamonn Joyce Music: Written & Recorded by Connor McErlich Engineered by Allister Meffan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

12. 

    3 Mar 2023

    Part 2. A Life Full of Operations

    What is Sebaceous Nevus Johansson Syndrome? How did a condition she was born with and the subsequent 39 operations throughout her life shape her into who she is today? Specifics of facial surgeries and the perseverance it takes to endure challenges bestowed upon us. Bullying, the teachings Sophie took away from growing up disfigured and how resilience takes you further in life than wallowing. Relationships and trauma where one triggers the other. The openings of vulnerability with those closest to you. Follow the journey: INSTAGRAM (https://www.instagram.com/encountering.faces/) FACEBOOK (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090483546096) TIKTOK (https://www.tiktok.com/@encountering.faces) Learn more: VISIT MY WEBSITE (https://www.encounteringfaces.com/) Connect with me: SEND A MESSAGE (https://www.encounteringfaces.com/contact) Editing: Edited by Eamonn Joyce Music: Written & Recorded by Connor McErlich Engineered by Allister Meffan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

13. 

    2 Mar 2023

    Part 1. The Telling of a Story

    Join Sophie on a journey as she goes back in time and explains where she came from and how she got to this present moment. An introduction to her world through being born with a condition that affected her face and scalp. A childhood growing up on a farm in rural New Zealand and attending boarding school in her teenage years. Ending up in a big city for university, where she learned how to start creating change through a series of decisions, which lead her to change her degree three times. We explore all the times she has moved and the recent travel she has embarked on. Follow the journey: INSTAGRAM (https://www.instagram.com/encountering.faces/) FACEBOOK (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090483546096) TIKTOK (https://www.tiktok.com/@encountering.faces) Learn more: VISIT MY WEBSITE (https://www.encounteringfaces.com/) Connect with me: SEND A MESSAGE (https://www.encounteringfaces.com/contact) Editing: Edited by Eamonn Joyce Music: Written & Recorded by Connor McErlich Engineered by Allister Meffan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

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