Well Enough Alone - A Guide To Thriving Solo - Dr Ahona Guha: the psychology of being alone – navigating loneliness and learning to love your own company

Dr Ahona Guha: the psychology of being alone – navigating loneliness and learning to love your own company

07/14/24 • 46 min

Well Enough Alone - A Guide To Thriving Solo

In a world obsessed with partnering up and settling down, it can sometimes feel like you’re a square peg in a round hole if you’re on your own.

So how can you learn to not just accept your own company but actually love it? Is loneliness something we can banish, or is it a necessary part of the human condition?

And how do you deal with pressure to be coupled and/or have children, from people in your life who may mean well but are not respecting your choices?

Today, Jill speaks with Dr Ahona Guha – a clinical and forensic psychologist and an author whose latest book, Life Skills For A Broken World is a guide to building essential psychological skills.

She writes widely for the media on matters related to mental health, social justice, and equity. And she’s also a single woman, living her best solo life with her greyhound rescue, Carla.

You can follow Ahona on Instagram @drahonaguha or check out her books and writing at ahonaguha.com

To stay in touch with Well Enough Alone, you can follow us on Instagram @wellenoughalonepod or @jillstark__ or support the show and get subscriber-only early

content on Patreon.

Well Enough Alone is a Spare Room production.

Our producers are Kieran Simpson and Trent Bartlett.

Get early access to new episodes by subscribing on Patreon

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a world obsessed with partnering up and settling down, it can sometimes feel like you’re a square peg in a round hole if you’re on your own.

So how can you learn to not just accept your own company but actually love it? Is loneliness something we can banish, or is it a necessary part of the human condition?

And how do you deal with pressure to be coupled and/or have children, from people in your life who may mean well but are not respecting your choices?

Today, Jill speaks with Dr Ahona Guha – a clinical and forensic psychologist and an author whose latest book, Life Skills For A Broken World is a guide to building essential psychological skills.

She writes widely for the media on matters related to mental health, social justice, and equity. And she’s also a single woman, living her best solo life with her greyhound rescue, Carla.

You can follow Ahona on Instagram @drahonaguha or check out her books and writing at ahonaguha.com

To stay in touch with Well Enough Alone, you can follow us on Instagram @wellenoughalonepod or @jillstark__ or support the show and get subscriber-only early

content on Patreon.

Well Enough Alone is a Spare Room production.

Our producers are Kieran Simpson and Trent Bartlett.

Get early access to new episodes by subscribing on Patreon

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Previous Episode

Jess King: rebuilding after betrayal, and not being defined by having a partner

What happens when the life you planned comes crashing down around you?

Jess King faced a major betrayal that changed everything. But in rebuilding herself from the ashes of that crisis, she found freedom and strength in her own company.

Jess is one of Australia’s leading curve models, a body positivity advocate, and a content creator. She’s walked runways across Europe, Asia and Australia for some of the world’s leading fashion labels, and is on a mission to inspire young women to be confident and love themselves.

But despite all her career and personal successes, some insist that “finally” finding a partner is her greatest achievement.

In this candid conversation, Jess shares what she’s learned about self-love and compassion, managing anxiety, and how to maintain your sense of self whether you’re single or partnered.

You can follow Jess on Instagram @jessraeking

To stay in touch with Well Enough Alone, you can follow us on Instagram @wellenoughalonepod or @jillstark__ or support the show and get subscriber-only early content on Patreon.

Well Enough Alone is a Spare Room production. Our producers are Kieran Simpson and Trent Bartlett.

Get early access to new episodes by subscribing on Patreon

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Next Episode

Stuart Henshall: When the honeymoon’s over – marriage, divorce and the journey to self-acceptance,

From an early age we’re told that that the dream is to find our soulmate, have the big wedding, and then live happily ever after.

But for a long time, that fairytale was one only straight people could aspire to.

On the day same-sex marriage was finally legalised in Australia, Stuart Henshall was proposed to live on national television.

He and his fiancée became the first couple to ever get married at Sydney Mardi Gras, tying the knot on top of a giant wedding cake in front of the world’s cameras.

But the fairytale was short-lived. Stuart talks to Jill about the complex emotions of fighting for the right to get married, only to see it end in divorce.

And they discuss whether gaining access to this traditional institution has imposed heteronormative pressures on LGBTIQ+ people to get engaged and marry, even if it’s not what they really want.

Stuart also talks about the power of shame and his journey to self-acceptance, and how he’s learned to love his solo life.

You can follow Stuart at @dvynepr.

To stay in touch with Well Enough Alone, you can follow us on Instagram.

@wellenoughalonepod or @jillstark__ or support the show and get subscriber-only early access to episodes on Patreon.

Well Enough Alone is a Spare Room production.

Get early access to new episodes by subscribing on Patreon

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.