Enlighten: Uplift & Inspire

My guest today is Barry Danielian. Barry is an extraordinary musician, playing trumpet while touring with Blood, Sweat & Tears, Tower of Power, and Bruce Springsteen, to name a few. Barry is also a Licensed Acupuncturist and Board Certified Herbalist. Barry is currently a doctoral candidate at the Daoist Traditions College of Chinese Medical Arts and he plans to complete his doctorate this Decembe...

My guest today is Jocelyn Jane Cox. Jocelyn is a former competitive figure skater, coach and current writer. I was very moved by her recent book "Motion Dazzle: A Memoir of Motherhood, Loss and Skating on Thin Ice" , which was described as "a tribute to her mother, a love letter to her son and a testament to resilience as a caregiver." Jocelyn's beautifully written memoir captures her vulnerabilit...

On this week's episode, I acknowledge my retirement from 47 years of my professional career. I've had various roles, responsibilities and titles. It has been an honor to work with children, teens, adults, policy makers, teachers, parents, researchers and social workers from all backgrounds. As I bring my private practice to a close, I am humbled from all that I have learned. I am filled with grati...

My guest today is Cait Conley. Cait is running for Congress in NY District 17, determined to stop Donald Trump and cowards like Mike Lawler who enable him. Cait was born and raised in the Hudson Valley, graduated at the top of her class at West Point, served 16 years as an Army officer, and broke barriers as one of the first and only women in Special Operations leadership and was awarded three Bro...

My guest today is Andrew Kravatz. Andrew recently completed his junior year at Fordham University, majoring in Political Science. Andrew is an intern for Cait Conley who is running to win the Democratic primary for Congress to flip NY District 17. With so many people complaining that young people are not politically involved, I was impressed with Andrew's passion to be the change he wants to see....

On this week's episode, I share my giddiness in the birth of Alma (a dear friend's baby) as her arrival coincides with the blossoming of our first peony. As these magnificent buds blossom and expand, I offer blessings to sweet Alma as she expands the hearts of all who are in her life.   Welcome to the world, sweet Alma! You are in good company with the blossoming of the peonies! May we all be bles...

My guest today is Jean Wine. Jean is a thoughtful, engaged, inspiring women, who at age 97, happens to be the oldest guest I have had on my podcast! Jean grew up in Worcester, MA, attended college in Maine, where she met her husband, Buddy, before settling in Westchester County, NY.  Jean combined her gifts in art, education and enriching lives with her career at American Field Service (AFS). She...

On this week's episode, in this season of college graduations, I highlight something that struck me at my niece's graduation from Skidmore College. In addition to the love and pride I feel toward my niece, and the inspiring speeches given, I was deeply moved by hugs. Not just the typical hugs after the graduation ceremony, offered from proud parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and siblings. Those...

My guest to today is Jay Nachowitz. Jay began his career as a professional trumpet player, then integrated his business skills as an entertainment agent and later became a financial manager. Jay's passion for music and his genuine respect for musicians has allowed him to be both a music manager and financial manager, sometimes both for the same people. Jay has always earned his own income and has...

On this week's episode, I highlight what love does. Whether we pay attention with love, interact with love or infuse love into ourselves, into our plants, pets, people or the planet, love makes a positive impact. Using the simple examples of plants, I marvel at what love does to my relationship to these sentient beings.  What love does!! Love reminds us that we have more love in us than we realize...

On this week's episode, I share my experience of being present to two friends in hospice. Being present slows me down, drops me into a quieting center that allows me to align with the Divine. It is a deep honor to be invited into the dying process. I take that invitation very seriously and am grateful for the richness and blessings that unfold.  I share two of the meditations that I say silently a...

My guest today is Lynda Baldauf, co-founder of the Swedish dishcloth Three Bluebirds . With mindfulness, humility and an open heart, Lynda and her Finland-born husband Lasse, started their company in 2013. Their Eco-friendly cleaning cloth replaces paper towels, rags and sponges, absorbs 20 times its weight and lasts 6-9 months. The cloth is made in the US with sustainable wood pulp, certified org...

On this week's episode, I share a simple story that reminds us how much kindness matters. There is a powerful ripple effect in one small act of kindness. Genuine kindness aligns us with our true nature. It feels good to be both the giver and receiver of kindness. May this episode remind you that even in the midst of our chaotic current events, the simple act of kindness can move us to tears, water...

On this week's episode, we celebrate our 400th episode. I acknowledge the key role as producer that my husband Paul plays. I am so grateful for all he does to help me develop, support and sustain this podcast dream of mine. I also celebrate the growing grassroots movement that rallied over 8 million people to show up for No Kings 3 Protest on March 28th. I share some of the lyrics sung in the sing...

My guest today is Sheri Reuveni-Ulrich. Sheri had been a speech therapist for nearly 25 years with special needs individuals, primarily on the autism spectrum. She also had a love for baking and often incorporated baking as an experiential activity for her students. Her "ah ha" moment occurred when she stepped back from the kitchen and witnessed her non-verbal students humming, laughing and findin...

On this week's episode, I explain the importance of Saturday March 28th's No Kings 3 Protest . Research says that if 3.5% of the population actively participate in sustained peaceful protest, the people can topple an authoritarian regime. And we have an authoritarian regime that desperately needs to be toppled! 3.5% of our country's population would be 12 million people.  Let's show up and peacefu...

On this week's episode, I build on the poem I shared last week titled Because by Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer. The poem is about opening our hearts, even when the world around us temps us to close it or protect ourselves from all the anguish and pain. The poem encourages us to make love matter even when it is easy to fall into despair. I've let that poem seep into me and it inspired me to look up mor...

I share a deeply inspiring poem on this week's episode. My niece shared the poem with me and her great-uncle shared it with her and he claims that the poem so beautifully captures his beloved wife who died last year. So this poem is charged with loving hands, open hearts and wisdom from this world and beyond.  May we take love seriously. May we give love wildly. May we be gentle with our insuffici...

On this week's episode, I describe how soothed I was by the shades of turquoise in the Bahamas. For twelve days on a small island in the Bahamas, these gorgeous colors evoked mystery, boldness, vibrancy and calm. I can't explain why, but turquoise nourished and healed my body, mind and spirit.  May we hold onto to colors, images and words that calm our nervous system, quiet our minds and drop us m...

My guest today is Arianna Injeian. And what an honor to shine light on Arianna, who is shining light on so many others; what an inspiring woman! Her background in Medical Anthropology, Sociology, and Public Health allows her to look at systemic health, particularly in the area of women's reproductive care. In undergraduate school, she started off with a dual major in anthropology and biology. Her...

My guest today is LoraKim Joyner, a passionate protector of parrots, who knows that the health of one is interconnected to the health of all beings. LoraKim received her B.S in Avian Sciences, her Doctorate in Veterinarian Medicine, a Masters in Preventive Veterinary Medicine, which led to meaningful work in bird conservation throughout Central and South America. Years later she saw the need to ad...

My guest today is Pascale Jean-Gilles. Pascale and I bumped into each other last week at two local events: a high school student-led protest in solidarity with Minneapolis in our town and at the County Legislature Building with hundreds of people showing up to support the "Safety and Dignity for All ACT" , a bill to ensure guardrails with ICE agents in our county. Having known Pascale since she wa...

On this week's episode, I propose that mea culpa is a good place to start as we honor Black History Month . The Latin phrase mea culpa is an exclamation of apology or remorse, admitting that one has caused harm. For true racial healing to happen in this country, I long for us to own up to the threats, controls and discrimination embedded in our country's systems. I am relieved to notice more white...

My guest today is Beth Ellen Adubato. I met Beth last month and was so impressed with her background and dedication to making a positive impact in the world. From her own personal experience of being sexually assaulted in college, Beth has championed women's issues for decades and created an organization that supports women of domestic violence. She has been a journalist, researcher and professor...

On this week's episode I honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and celebrate this inspiring civil rights leader and his work for racial equality and social justice. I feel it's imperative to be reminded who Martin Luther King, Jr. was and what he fought for, particularly amidst our current toxic atmosphere of erasure. I highlight 10 significant facts about Dr. King, and play an audio clip of what Dr....