Heart Work: Conversations About Art to Heal the Heart

In this episode of Heart Work, Maureen interviews Dima Dupéré. Dima is a registered social worker who has been creating various artwork for as long as she can remember. She introduces therapeutic writing to clients and teaches other professionals how to use it personally and professionally. She's used crocheting as a strategy for coping with chronic illness. Dima shares the song she wrote using th...

In this episode of Heart Work, Maureen interviews Sarah Stapleton. A singer-songwriter, a PhD candidate studying community music, and the owner of an accessible psychotherapy practice, Sarah believes in the power of music. Sarah shares Fallaby a personal song written about her journey through infertility and IVF, which has offered her the opportunity to process her feelings and share her experienc...

In this episode of Heart Work, Maureen interviews Shannon Linton. A singer-songwriter, a music educator and a mom, Shannon enjoys building community through music. Shannon shares her song Afraid, written as she absorbed the information that she had a type of genetic hearing loss evident in one ear that was likely to eventually occur in the second ear, and what that might mean in her life. You can...

In this episode of Heart Work, Maureen interviews Michelle Hurtubise. A writer, a mom, a coach and an activist, Michelle's been journaling since she was 10 as she's just trying to figure out how to live in this world. Michelle reads an excerpt from the memoir she's working on with her daughter Rowan, telling their story of moving from surviving to thriving as they learned together to navigate Rowa...

In this episode of Heart Work, Maureen interviews Brian Tremblay. A singer-songwriter who came to writing music in his senior years, he's also the host of the Lonesome Cowboy Podcast where he shines a light on independent musicians putting their hearts out there. Brian shares his song There's a Hole Where You Used to Be, a touching tribute written as he was grieving the death of his sister, who se...

In this episode of Heart Work, Maureen interviews Melissa Mikel. A lifelong writer, Melissa recently completed her PhD in Holocaust and Genocide Studies and has been able to return to more creative writing and journaling. She reads an excerpt from her dissertation, which is in part a study on the powerful process of telling one's story as she examines the impact of holocaust education.  Visit Meli...

In this episode of Heart Work, Maureen interviews Steve Shikaze. A semi-retired environmental engineer, Steve’s been playing guitar and singing throughout adulthood, and recently begun a songwriting journey. He performs his song Times Like These. Written from a visual prompt in a songwriting group, this song offered Steve an opportunity to reflect on the loss of his father in April 2025. Steve als...

In this episode of Heart Work, Maureen interviews David Joyce. You'll find him performing meaningful music with his band, the Doomsday Poets. In addition to being an artist with a long history of writing, performing, and producing music as a way of expressing his thoughts and feelings, David is the owner of Treblecock Studios. David shares his song Iron Girl, a song about the connection and intima...

In this episode of Heart Work, Maureen interviews Matt Kowalyk. In addition to being an actor and director, Matt’s an artist with a long history of writing, playing, and producing music as a way of expressing his thoughts and feelings. Matt shares his song Only of You, a song that helped him break through a period of writer’s block that settled over him as his family moved through his partner’s di...

This trailer introduces the Heart Work podcast, where conversations focus on the healing power of art. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit art2healtheheart.substack.com