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Industry veteran uses Art of War as therapy tool to cope with mental illness

Announcement posted by Joe Perri & Asociates 28 Sep 2020

In a very personal and reflective address to the United Financial Advisers Association (UFAA) executive, former planner and industry advocate for greater mental health support for financial advisers, Barry J Daniels outlined his personal challenges and how he copes by applying the lessons of Sun Tzu’s famous book The Art of War as a therapy.

 

“After a lifetime of challenges, I learnt to cope with my emotional health issues through three activities – meditation, journaling and exercise – that are undertaken daily with absolute military commitment and precision that continues to this day”, said Barry Daniels to the UFAA executive. 

 

“Although written over 2,500 years ago, I have found the principles and knowledge in Sun Tzu’s book of immense assistance in my own battle with mental illness.  Every struggle with this health issue is unique to the individual, and there is no ‘one size fits all’ roadmap or template to secure victory over this insidious enemy. 

 

“In my case, I’ve found that the strategies and tactics of the Art of War can be adapted and applied to assist those in need for mental illness is a formidable foe and at its very worst can lead to depression, self-harm and suicide in the harshest cases”.   

 

Barry Daniels has been invited to speak at industry conferences and seminars about his personal journey dealing with stress and mental anguish, a subject that far too many advisers are suffering from in silence.   

 

Invariably advisers are drawn to Barry at these events and engage in post presentation conversations to share their very intimate, personal and private challenges with a fellow advice industry ‘insider’.

 

Two decades of non-stop reform, FoFA, FASEA, escalating education requirements and plummeting values of businesses after a lifetime of endeavour have quite literally been the final straw that’s shattered the lives of far too many professional, dedicated practitioners – both mentally and financially.

 

“A common theme in my conversations with advisers is that people outside the industry (especially regulators and politicians) have no appreciation of an adviser’s feelings of capitulation, loss, dismay and disbelief.  But above all, that no one understands nor appreciates the role advisers play and service they provide”, said Barry Daniels.

 

“Like the vast majority of Australia’s advisers, they genuinely care for the well-being of clients.  It’s both a privilege and a challenge to be across all their personal affairs that has regrettably become another layer of stress in the lives of advisers dealing with mental illness”. 

 

In this environment, advisers have tended to present a stoic persona to peers and even family, while they suffer deep and intense inner turmoil and pain – in isolation and without help.

 

“When articulating my life journey to advisers, it is in the context of a never-ending cycle whereby periods of war and lowest of emotional troughs are followed by times of calm and peace before they too give way to war once again.  This makes developing a framework or strategy of coping skills even more challenging for the individual”, continued Barry Daniels.    

 

“In addition, mental illness is a master of deception that deceives the unwary into thinking all is well or the battle has been won.  In reality it has been lying in wait for a moment of weakness, ready to consume the unsuspecting. 

 

“In my case, the guiding light to recovery and well-being are contained in a daily rigid regime of journaling, meditation and exercise that are undertaken with a resolute military like commitment.  I also have other strategies (therapies) in reserve and in readiness should the current approach no longer be effective”. 

 

Barry concluded his UFAA presentation with a final reference to The Art of War in context to mental health.  “With mental illness you are literally in a war for your very life and victory will not be easy and will be a long time in coming.  Your strength will become exhausted and weapons (coping strategies) will be dulled over time.    

 

“Be prepared for a tougher fight than expected – and the battles will wear you down, so seek allies as soon as possible for a problem shared is a problem halved.  Your support network will be a major asset.

 

“Finally, the war may well appear to go on forever, but through perseverance and chipping away at the enemy, a critical turning point will be reached and the forces of inner peace can become an unstoppable force”.

 

ENDS   

 

Issued by united financial advisers association                 www.ufaacorporate.asn.au             

 

Media enquiries:       Mr Joe Perri, Joe Perri & Associates

Mobile: +61 412 112 545      Email:  jperri@joeperri.com.au