Introducing Dear Natey & A New Good Saint Nathanael Album
Dear Natey 01: Mental Health: What Even Is that?
Greetings!
It's safe to say our summer has been full. Huge shout out to the humans who supported us on our NW Tour & at Audiofeed. We'll skip the details and stick to the new & what's next.
Introducing Dear Natey. This is Nate's new advice column. Our news blasts moving forward will include his answers to real questions such as the one below. Topics covered will include mental health, spirituality, creativity, & whatever else you come up with. To ask a question respond to one of these emails or message us. Nate also has a new solo album out & a release show on August 23rd in KC. You can learn more about both below.
So without further ado:
Dear Natey 01:
"Mental Health: What Even Is That And How Does One Get It?" - Josh
Dear Josh.
Thanks for asking.
Mental health most often refers to the area of life comprised of the inner world of emotions, reactions, and thoughts we think people rarely notice.
Being mentally healthy involves being comfortable with yourself and the world and, when necessary, being able to have necessary conversations about difficult topics, including how you are feeling, with people you are close to.
Let’s look at physical health since mental health often feels mysterious. The processes of recovery often feel parallel. If you break your leg or tear a muscle, it would be pretty obvious your leg was not healthy. Depending on the type of injury, it might take several months or longer to heal; meeting with someone regularly would be part of that recovery. You may need to see specialists or have surgery to heal properly. In the end, you still may have scars. The process of working on your mental health works in much the same way; it is a process of recovery that benefits from consistency and time.
Getting mentally healthy is the process of exploring, working through, and/or releasing unhealthy thoughts, beliefs, and reactions. It can involve wrestling with uncomfortable facts about ourselves and what we’ve been through. There are points where we can do this on our own, but often, people need an outside perspective. I first sought emotional help when I couldn’t stop crying every time I was alone. That was many years ago, and letting a few people know about my pain started me on the healing path I continue to this day.
When you come to the end of how to help yourself, it is often a good time to speak with a mental health professional. Years ago, I couldn’t figure out how to play my new songs without having panic attacks. This is a problem for a traveling musician. So, I went to therapy for the first time at Tessa's recommendation. It absolutely helped, and I was able to finish my album Hide No Truth.
Working on your mental health is real work. It is often exhausting, and the process can take longer than we want it to. Talking to a trained mental health professional means you are working with someone with specific skills to help you work through emotional problems. The healing path is easier with the right help.
Mental & emotional health is something I've been working on personally for many years. It's been time well spent & changed me for the better.
Nate Allen
*Nate Allen is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist. He is the author of Launching, Landing, Moving Forward: A Practical Guide For Navigating Life’s Transitions. Dear Natey is meant for entertainment purposes only & should not be considered a replacement for speaking to a mental health professional.
Music Updates:
Nate’s new Good Saint Nathanael’s record I Write The Songs I Need is 14 songs of
“folky rock n’ roll poetry wrapped around pop hooks.” It's a collection of songs he started a decade ago, recently rediscovered and reworked to become some of the best songs he’s ever written. Click here to stream or purchase the album. We decided to just make it available to everyone instead of doing a big coming soon campaign.
Nate will celebrate the album’s release on August 23rd in Kansas City at The Rino. Our friend Marty (Ebony Tusks) and his daughter will open as Bodye + Eloise. Nate hasn’t had a solo show around Kansas City in over a year, and this one will be sweet. The Rino is an all-ages space, and kids under 12 get in free, so skip the babysitter and bring your crew! The music should end around 9p, but Rino serves vegan ice cream, coffee, and (21+) drinks, so come early and stay late. We hope you can make it! Here are more details for the show.
Oh, and Nate just joined TikTok. So far, it’s pretty fun.
We’ve also been posting new music videos.
As always free ways to support our adventures include inviting your friends to like our pages, posting about our latest releases, and following/streaming/putting our tunes on playlists to share with your friends.
Thank you for your continued support!
