Emily
asked
Val Emmich:
Hello, Dear Evan Hansen was an amazing book! Do you have any tips for dealing with anxiety? By the way. You are one of my top three favorite authors.
Val Emmich
Thank you so much! Please check out my first book, The Reminders, and look out for my follow-up YA book next year.
So...I deal with anxiety every single day but it is getting better, slowly. I started psychotherapy a year ago and it's helped a lot. (Fun fact: I started going to therapy as research for writing the novel, because I wanted to know what Evan was feeling in those sessions, and then I stuck with it.). I also recently started medication for what is a larger mood disorder that I have. I've always been apprehensive about medication but I'm giving it a try. It's too early to tell if it's working.
Lastly, having a support system helps. A friend to hear you out. Parents, sometimes, although they can be a source of more anxiety. Even a pet helps, I find. Oh, and art: books, music, film, whatever.
Perhaps it will bring you some solace to hear that I am getting past it and you can, too. "The me I am is not the me I was." Hang in there.
So...I deal with anxiety every single day but it is getting better, slowly. I started psychotherapy a year ago and it's helped a lot. (Fun fact: I started going to therapy as research for writing the novel, because I wanted to know what Evan was feeling in those sessions, and then I stuck with it.). I also recently started medication for what is a larger mood disorder that I have. I've always been apprehensive about medication but I'm giving it a try. It's too early to tell if it's working.
Lastly, having a support system helps. A friend to hear you out. Parents, sometimes, although they can be a source of more anxiety. Even a pet helps, I find. Oh, and art: books, music, film, whatever.
Perhaps it will bring you some solace to hear that I am getting past it and you can, too. "The me I am is not the me I was." Hang in there.
More Answered Questions
Layne Bergeson
asked
Val Emmich:
Hi Val, I wanted to thank you again for meeting with my Book Club last night, the girls we were sad to let you go! Of course one thing we thought of after the call was we never mentioned anything about the Mindy Love show! As you said last night most of the characters and scenarios hit close to home or had to do with something you have personally experienced. Where does Mindy come in at, if at all?
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