Courageous Wordsmith

From Amy: This episode, recorded shortly after elections, was originally intended for the morning of January 6, but was mercifully delayed. One week later, as the horrors of that day come to light and we impeach the outgoing president a second time, it's the only episode I feel OK airing. Cory Busse provides comic relief without looking away from the people. I'm going to let him explain. Cory's ta...

Azna Amira was the first Black woman reporter for the Wall Street Journal. She's lived in Milwaukee, Atlanta, and Northfield, Minnesota—the town where we both attended Carleton College. I met Azna in Northfield, where she returned to live following a reunion. She was among the first Black students, graduating the year I was born, and first to challenge prevailing white perspectives. Eighteen years...

Bradley Bodeker is a Minnesota Maori storyteller and multimedia artist who likes to play guitar and sing at local bars with his band Snow White and the Brown Man . He also creates mosaic portraits of music legends using their lyrics to make up the image. On Facebook, he enjoys sharing Coffee with Friends on Sunday mornings and hosting live readings on holidays.  Bradley's books include a poetry co...

Bradley Bodeker is a Minnesota Maori storyteller and multimedia artist who likes to play guitar and sing at local bars with his band Snow White and the Brown Man . He also creates mosaic portraits of music legends using their lyrics to make up the image. On Facebook, he enjoys sharing Coffee with Friends on Sunday mornings and hosting live readings on holidays.  Bradley's books include a poetry co...

Katie Sanders is a Digital/UX Designer turned Sensory Designer who helps kids and adults create sanctuaries in their homes. She discovered late in life that she has auditory processing disorder and dyslexia which allows her to understand her son’s similar needs with autism and sensory processing. Using 20 years experience in how people use technology and why, combined with color theory and practic...

Dana and Peter Smith are owners of MinnyRow Market (MRM), a boutique grocer that specializes in locally sourced and ethically produced foods. Their goal is to create a community around the local food and products they carry, reflecting a blend of their two backgrounds. Dana’s passion is customer service. She graduated from the University of Saint Thomas, majoring in journalism. Prior to meeting Pe...

Shellie Miller is a coffee-loving, systems-master, no-BS, magic-loving business coach for ambitious and creative entrepreneurs and business builders. Gathering your business team and tools as an entrepreneur can be tricky. Shellie provides solutions to these creative nomads in their journey. Through collaborative conversation and a supportive arena, Shellie has cultivated a garden that can feed th...

Emily P.G. Erickson is a mental health researcher and psychotherapist turned writer. She began practicing mindfulness meditation in 2007, while living in Thailand and hasn’t stopped learning about mindfulness since. Her writing about culture, mental health, mindfulness, and motherhood has been featured in various publications, including Scary Mommy, Motherly, and Motherwell. She lives in Minneapol...

Dr. Nneka Sederstrom was Director of the Center for Ethics and Director of the Spiritual Care Department at Medstar Washington Hospital Center in Washington DC before coming to Children's Minnesota as Director of the Clinical Ethics Department. She earned her PhD in Medical Sociology, MPH in Global Health Management, and MA in Philosophy. She is widely published in Clinical Ethics and speaks regul...

Rebecca Shisler Marshall, PhD (CCC-SLP) is the founder of Centered Living and an Associate Professor at the University of Georgia.  She completed her master’s and PhD in Experimental Cognitive Psychology at the University of South Carolina concurrently with a master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology, which inspired her research examining attention post-stroke, especially in individuals with ap...

Lisa Harris is an author, storyteller, poet, narrative coach and the CEO and founder of Fashion Meets Poetry. Before entrepreneurship, Lisa spent 18+ years in executive leadership roles working for and with Fortune 100 companies and nationally recognized brands. In 2016, Lisa published her first book, Unveiled Beauty: Handwritten Stories From a Poetic Heart which inspired an entire personal develo...

Ray DePaola is Owner, Creator & Wizard of Sunrise Journeys Life Coaching | Master Wayfinder & Coach | Co-conspirator | Life Guide | SpiritWalker | DreamCatcher | Experimenting in living a life of purpose, sustained through play, satisfaction, and joy Ray's Website: www.sunrisejourneys.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SunriseJourneysLifeCoaching Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sunrisejou...

Jennifer Bauer is a Master Wayfinder Coach, Breathwork Meditation Healer, Reiki Practitioner, Author, and Public Speaker. Website: www.jennbauerhealing.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennifer.bauer.54772 IG: https://www.instagram.com/elationexplorer/ This was the quote from David Elliott's Healing : "The higher dimensional beings, call them God, angels, deities, spirits, masters, or light...

Sasha Mobley is an executive coach, author of The Strong Woman Trap: A Feminist Guide for Getting Your Life Back , and Master Facilitator of Navigating Challenging Dialogue. When she isn't writing or working with clients, Sasha enjoys studying Japanese art and culture, paddleboarding, and spending time with her wife, Keri. If you want to learn more about Sasha's writing you can visit her at Sasham...

On the surface, Keri Mangis comes across as a gentle, if candid, introvert. Peel back a layer and you’ll uncover an inquisitive explorer of inner and outer realms. Peel back another and you'll see a brave visionary pioneering her own brand of spiritual revolution. She's taught or studied yoga, Ayurveda, herbal medicine, energy work, aromatherapy, Buddhism, Hinduism, Tantra, and Christianity. A Min...

This is the second of two episodes celebrating four years this month since I started life coach training and met my friend Kaliopi Nikitas, who is completely and honestly one-of-a-kind. Kaliopi says this about herself: Nature lover. Scientist. Introvert. Artist. Perpetual seeker of awe & inspiration. Living with a chronic illness for over 8 years has forced me to dramatically alter my way of life....

Recorded last summer (when the name of this podcast was still the original Frau Amy's World), this is the first of two episodes celebrating four years this month since I started life coach training and met my friend Kaliopi Nikitas, who is completely and honestly one-of-a-kind. Kaliopi says this about herself: Nature lover. Scientist. Introvert. Artist. Perpetual seeker of awe & inspiration. Livin...

If you've listened to my conversations with Ray DePaola before, it won't surprise you that I've always seen a book on his horizons. But! While he never says no outright, there's great resistance, by his own admission.  He suggested I coach him around that, and I know I say this every time, but this is one of my absolute favorite episodes so far. If Ray speaks to you, consider reaching out. Convers...

People often ask about my publishing experience, and mine is definitely unique. I kept running into Roseanne Cheng, a former trusted colleague who left teaching before me. Every time we crossed paths, she'd be three steps ahead of me as an author. Which made Roseanne an amazing, door-opening mentor, not just to me but many authors. You'll want to hear this. Roseanne Cheng is a teacher, an author,...

Rebecca Shisler Marshall, PhD helps women with health challenges, who have tried everything and are ready to feel better and have more energy. This started with herself first. An associate professor for 19 years, she researches mindfulness and integrated wellness. She is also the founder of Centered Living, offering an intuitive and integrated approach to wellness. Rebecca is also a certified yoga...

Amy Hallberg talks with Kelly D. Holstine, a former colleague who, long before she became Minnesota Teacher of the Year, had a huge impact on helping Amy claim the role of advocate for LGBTQ youth. Kelly shares the difference between Allies and Advocates, her experience as a Lesbian educator who chose to stay out of the closet, how winning Teacher of the Year helped her dig deeper, and why equity...

Molly Elizabeth, the artist and imagination champion behind The Darling Revolution, talks about finding healing through art, first with postpartum depression (and since then, other chaotic events). This conversation surprised us both when it led us into Molly's former religious ties, how she chose to trust herself over church teachings, and how she chooses to face challenges since then. As a creat...

Courageous Wordsmith Podcast is back with a new name and new image, but the same spirit. In a similar way, Katie Krauska was a dedicated, high performing sailor who shifted her attention (and passion) to cycling. When she suffered a major setback, she had to rethink her approach not only to athletic performance, but every aspect of her life. Her story of resilience offers a fitting reintroduction...

Courageous Wordsmith presents conversation with Real-Life Creatives. Author, Certified Master Coach, and Story Mentor Amy Hallberg poses this question: How do we find and (give ourselves permission to) follow our Creative callings. Amy Hallberg is the author of Tiny Altars: A Midlife Revival and German Awakening: Tales from an American Life . She is the host of Courageous Wordsmith Podcast and fou...

In this two-part season finale, Ray DePaola and I discuss ancestral lineage as a path to healing, his through a treasured family story, mine through a strong resistance to tracing my family tree. After these final two episodes, I'm taking Frau Amy's World on hiatus until September, giving myself permission to dig deeper into my second book, Where the Other Me Lives. But what perfect conversations...