PODCASTS ON ANXIETY
IN COLLABORATION WITH Eric T. Webster FOUNDATION AND
We all have worries from time to time. They can, however, get out of hand. Anxiety creeps in, sometimes for an extended period, when we feel powerless or resourceless in facing a set of circumstances. The pandemic, and everything it has brought with it, has been a serious cause of anxiety for a lot of us, whether young or old, but other situations can engender this feeling that can ruin everything else.
You’ll find here a few reading recommendations for children, teenagers, and parents, as well as five original fiction podcasts by Monique Polak and Stéphanie Deslauriers, all to better express and appease the anxieties that may occasionally eat away at us.
Podcast read by Monique Polak
Podcast read by Noah Ruscica
ZOOM LESSONS
An original short story written by Monique Polak
Podcasts narrated by Monique Polak and Noah Ruscica
My English teacher is reviewing the course outline. I can’t think about readings, assignments or due dates. All I can think about is Laurence Tessier. I nearly hyperventilated when I saw those brown curls, those sparkling dark eyes in a box at the top corner of my Zoom screen. Just to be sure I wasn’t hallucinating, I checked the name at the bottom of the box. Laurence. I’ve had a super-sized crush on Laurence Tessier since Sec. 1. Me and every other guy at Labelle High School.
Podcast read by Monique Polak
Podcast read by Noah Ruscica
GRAMMA’S PANDEMIC BIRTHDAY
An original short story written by Monique Polak
Podcasts narrated by Monique Polak and Noah Ruscica
“I can’t let you in,” the guard tells me. Like me, he is wearing a mask that covers his nose and mouth. But I can see his eyes, and they have a steely, serious look.
I raise the Styrofoam plate I’m carrying, to show him the cookies. I covered them in two layers of cellophane so no COVID-19 germs can get in.
“They’re double chocolate chip,” I tell him. “My gramma’s favourite. I baked them specially for her birthday. She turned eighty-two today.”
Balado lu par Stéphanie Deslauriers
Balado lu par Leilia Gagné
MISS PARFAITE
Une histoire inédite de Stéphanie Deslauriers
Balados racontés par Stéphanie Deslauriers et Leilia Gagné
Même quand il n’est pas là, je l’imagine me répondre, argumenter et commenter mes faits et gestes, certes, mais également, mes plus intimes pensées.
Ça en est épuisant.
Je sais bien qu’un grand frère, par définition, c’est supposé être énervant. C’est dans son ADN !
Mais avec mon grand frère, le stade de l’énervement a été dépassé depuis belle lurette.
« Une autre expression de vieux ?! »
Balado lu par Stéphanie Deslauriers
Balado lu par Leilia Gangé
MON INFIRMIÈRE DE MÈRE
Une histoire inédite de Stéphanie Deslauriers
Balados racontés par Stéphanie Deslauriers et Leilia Gagné
Ça fait 13 jours que je n’ai pas vu mon infirmière de mère. Alors qu’il y a quelques mois à peine j’aurais été plus qu’enchanté d’avoir un break d’elle, de ses 1001 questions tellement pas rapport des fois et de ses recommandations « oui mais c’est pour ton bien » autant là, je suis inquiet pour elle.
Depuis 13 jours qu’elle est au front, en guerre contre ce foutu virus faucheur de vies humaines et de contacts sociaux.
Balado lu par Stéphanie Deslauriers
Balado lu par Leilia Gagné
LE TEMPS D’UNE DANSE
Une histoire inédite de Stéphanie Deslauriers
Balados racontés par Stéphanie Deslauriers et Leilia Gagné
Oh non! J’entends mon père qui rentre du travail.
Vite, essuyer mes larmes, afficher un sourire qui n’a pas l’air fake sur mon visage.
Un petit coup d’œil sur mon cell, dans l’appli photo en mode selfie : ouch. Mes yeux sont vraiment bouffis.
DR. CAMILLO ZACCHIA
Clinical psychologist specialized in the treatment of anxiety disorders, depression, and interpersonal problems.
Why art? Why literature? Why podcasts? …and why do we have emotions?
“Emotions are calls to action. The feeling of hunger pushes us to seek food and nourish our bodies. Fear helps us avoid dangers. We feel love in order to reproduce and survive as a species. And we feel the need to connect to and be accepted by others in order to be protected and nurtured by them. Emotions may seem dry when seen through the dispassionate scientific lens of pure biological needs, but they are in fact the spice of life.”
PROJECT COLLABORATORS
MONIQUE POLAK
Monique Polak is the author of 30 books for young people. Her latest novel for young readers are The Taste of Rain (Orca), Room for One More (Kar-Ben) and Princess Angelica, Junior Reporter (Orca). Monique Polak is a two-time winner of the Quebec Writers’ Federation Prize for Children’s and Young Adult Literature. She has been teaching at Marianopolis College for 33 years. She is also a freelance journalist whose stories have appeared in the Montreal Gazette and in Postmedia publications across the country. Monique Polak is a columnist on ICI-Radio Canada’s Plus on est de fous, plus on lit !
LINDA AMYOT
Linda Amyot is a writer, screenwriter, researcher, editor and publisher. She also conducts writing workshops. Since 2004, she has published four novels, a collection of short stories and four children’s novels with Leméac, as well as two illustrated children’s books published by Le Soleil de Minuit. Her novel La fille d’en face won the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award and the Prix des libraires in 2011; her novel Le jardin d’Amsterdam received the Prix du livre jeunesse des Bibliothèques de Montréal and the Governor General’s Award in 2014. She helped create the À voix haute organization, which presents live performances by professional comedians of complete works or excerpts of works by Quebec authors. She is also the Associate Director of Youth Programming for the TD-Blue Metropolis Children’s Festival.
STÉPHANIE DESLAURIERS
Stéphanie Deslauriers is a psychoeducator. She works with children and adolescents with various needs (emotional, psychosocial, neuro-developmental) and their families. She also leads training sessions and conferences for counsellors, parents and young people. Since September 2010, Stéphanie Deslauriers has been contributing to a blog with a social dimension, which has earned her the praise of journalist Patrick Lagacé. Since 2012, she has been collaborating as a columnist with several web and radio media, including educatout.com and the Huffington Post. She is also one of the contributors to the program Format Familial, broadcast on Télé-Québec. Since the fall of 2012, she has published seven books (educational and literary). She has received many nominations for her writings as well as a Literary Award for her novel L’Éphémère.
DR. CAMILLO ZACCHIA
Dr. Zacchia is a clinical psychologist specializing in the treatment of anxiety disorders, depression, and interpersonal problems. He received his PhD from McGill University in 1987. Dr. Zacchia worked at the Douglas Mental Health University Institute for over thirty years in roles that included Chief of Psychology, Chair of the Clinical Ethics Committee, and Senior Advisor of the Mental Health Education Office whose mandate focused on mental health education initiatives targeting the general public and community partners.In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Zacchia plays an active role in public education. He wrote a column in Journal Métro for 10 years. He gives frequent conferences and maintains a blog on mental health and human nature entitled Psychospeak with Dr. Z.. He has also written a blog in the Huffington Post Canada and has published editorials in Le Devoir and The Gazette.
Dr. Zacchia is also vice-president of Phobies-Zéro, a community organization that brings a self-help approach to sufferers of anxiety disorders.
LEILIA GAGNÉ
After taking courses on acting for the camera at the Carré Théâtre from 2013 to 2016, she made her debut at the Flos et Marmots talent agency for children and teens. Leilia got her first role in a Hydro-Quebec Bons réflexes video, then a photo shoot for a company called “Slooche,” and a few appearances on television. Leilia spent her high school years pursuing a 5-year major in theatre where she learned theatrical techniques and acted in several plays. The school allowed her to take on various contracts such as emceeing Christmas and Halloween celebrations at the Longueuil public market in 2016. At the end of high school, she won the Best Artist award for her year. In 2018, she earned a scholarship in a public speaking contest. She recently graduated from the Theatre program at the Cégep de Saint-Laurent.
NOAH RUSCICA
Noah has acted in commercials, television programs and films. He played the lead role of Marcus in the movie The Saver by Wiebke Von Carolsfeld, which earned five major awards and six nominations at film fests around the world. He played leading roles in Game On and in programs like Lien fatal, Subito texto, and Les Gags Full Ado. Noah has also recorded voice-overs for a host of commercials. He is perfectly bilingual and is a member of ACTRA. Noah is a singer-songwriter, plays the piano and the ukulele. He’s at ease in both dramatic and comic roles.
READING RECOMMENDATIONS
For kids
For teens
For adults
