If you’re looking for inspiration on finding healing through creativity, this episode is for you. As we celebrate National Reading New Book Month, I sit down with Australian poet and academic Nadine Ellis to talk about her new poetry collection, “The Gray Between.” Nadine shares how poetry helped her process some of life’s most difficult moments—everything from trauma and motherhood to growing older and embracing change. You’ll hear her read a few poems that invite us to reflect on life’s turning points and see how honest writing can open doors to resilience.
We dig into how creative work can connect us even through hard-to-talk-about experiences, as well as practical ways to develop your own voice through everyday life. Podcasters, writers, and creators will pick up tips on:
Using poetry (or any writing) for self-healing and connecting with your audience
Framing difficult or personal experiences in ways that invite others in, rather than push them away
If you’ve ever wondered how books and creativity can be a lifeline, this one’s not to miss.
Connect with Nadine Ellis
Website: https://www.nadineellis.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nadineellispoetry/
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Chapters
00:00 Why National Reading New Book Month Matters
01:59 How Books Help Us Feel Less Alone
02:52 Why “The Gray Between” Is Timely
04:24 Poetry’s Role in Healing Journeys
05:44 Connecting Through Shared Experience
07:28 The Making of “The Gray Between”
10:40 Poetry as Therapy and Lifeline
12:31 Poem: “Naha Island” and New Beginnings
14:45 Poem: “Six Decades” and Aging
16:06 How Reading Shaped Nadine’s Life
18:44 Finding Connection in Poetry
20:57 Rethinking What It Means to Read
21:24 Where to Find Nadine’s Work
22:25 The Wish for a Poetry Audiobook
23:00 Closing Thoughts and How to Connect