Cayman Islands-based psychotherapist and business owner Sutton Burke has published her first book, ‘Now we play: Mental fitness for everyday life’.
The book focuses on developing psychological and emotional skills to help people manage stress, difficult emotions and pressure before they become overwhelmed.
Burke moved to Grand Cayman in 2008 and in 2017 established Infinite Mindcare, which offers therapy services as well as corporate training, workshops and talks for companies, leadership teams, organisations and first responders in Cayman and abroad.
In a press release, she said her work repeatedly highlights the pressures people often carry under the surface, adding: “People can be incredibly capable and still carry so much privately.
“They’re running businesses, managing teams, raising families and getting things done, while also dealing with anxiety, sleep concerns, racing thoughts, self-doubt or things they feel ashamed to even admit they think about.”
Burke said people often experience a lot of shame around these feelings and fear “being found out”.
“People think, ‘If everyone knew what was actually going on in my head, what would they think of me?’
“Then you create space for honest conversation and realise how human so much of it is.”
The ‘mental fitness’ in the book’s title refers to the ongoing development of skills that support mental health, similar to the way physical fitness builds strength and endurance.
By developing a ‘mental fitness’, a person can reduce the risk of becoming overwhelmed and hitting crisis point, Burke explains.
The book combines her personal experiences with evidence-based therapeutic approaches, spirituality and practical tools addressing topics including overthinking, emotional regulation, perfectionism, relationships, vulnerability, shame and nervous system regulation.
It is aimed particularly at people who may already have considerable self-awareness or experience with therapy and personal development, but struggle to put what they know into practice.
“A lot of people already know a lot,” Burke said. “They’ve read the books, listened to the podcasts, maybe gone to therapy.
“The gap isn’t always knowing. It’s practicing until what you know actually becomes how you live.”
Burke also draws on her experiences as a founder, leader and mother, including her relationship with achievement, control and the challenge of slowing down.
She said the book is intended to encourage people to engage with life rather than wait for difficult emotions or circumstances to disappear.
“Life keeps on life-ing,” she said. “Hard things are going to happen. The work is learning how to move through all of it while still being able to connect, feel, repair, experience joy and play.”
Burke will hold a Meet the Author event at Book Nook in George Town on 26 September from 3pm to 5pm, followed by an author Q&A and mental fitness talk at Next Chapter in Camana Bay on 4 October from 10am to 11am.
The Kindle edition will be available on Amazon for US$2.99, with paperback and hardcover editions also available.
