A Q&amp;A with Illona Samuel

Expert Q&A

A Q&A with Illona Samuel

An expert interview on movement and mental health with Illona Samuel.

I've seen that you've done a podcast as part of this project with Koggno. There have been a lot of people you've interviewed; what has been the most inspiring thing that someone said to you? Has there been a moment in one of those interviews where they've said something that you’ve taken into your own life and used practically?

I think it's really interesting because part of Koggno is having all of these very different voices on the podcast, so a lot of the advice comes through very different lenses. One thing that I think almost everyone has touched on, one way or another, is this idea of healing not being linear. As well as the power of being present, and I think those are two things that have really stuck with me throughout my own journey alongside Koggno—being able to forgive yourself when healing doesn't feel linear.

Yeah, and I was gonna ask, of all the people you've interviewed, are there any who have surprised you?

There's definitely an element of each one that surprises me because although we do a bit of a pre-interview, I try to leave quite a lot for the podcast as well. My interview with Simon Mark, who plays rugby at a super high level for the country, I found fascinating because just hearing someone at such a high standard of professional sport really open up about their mental health alongside their physical health made me realize that everyone's going through something and we've really got to protect the mind and body together.

I think it's also just good to see someone who physically is at the top of their game and how even as much physical exercise as you can do, you can also be going through a rough time mentally, even if you are exercising every day. At some points in your life, exercise isn’t always enough, and you may need to seek therapy or other help, and that shouldn’t be seen as a failure.

I guess to that point, something that I've really held on to as well and I'd never really thought of necessarily was in our interview with a therapist. She speaks about the suitcase that we all bring into relationships or to an environment and how we have to unpack that suitcase in order to understand where we are at mentally or understand how we react to certain situations. I’d recommend listening to the clip from the episode, but it’s been a really helpful analogy.

It’s amazing because you've had so many conversations through this platform with Koggno. What is one sort of motivation you would give to someone to encourage them to start moving their body and getting into exercise as a tool?

I think that something I've learned quite recently with movement is that it doesn't have to be a really long form of exercise as a form of movement to help your mental well-being. Movement could literally be going for your five-minute walk in the morning, or it could be putting on your favorite song and dancing around the room. What it’s going to do is help remove cognitive blocks. You will release endorphins, and it will help your mind and body connect because you’ve done something with purpose, and you can have a feeling of achievement. It is about celebrating progress, not perfection, and I think movement in that sense can provide you with a routine as well. If you set yourself a goal and achieve it, that can be a really great thing.