In the Balance

Susan reconnects with award winning flash fiction writer and friend Meg Pokrass. Meg discusses her journey from acting to poet to flash fiction writer, how a rare illness changed her life and informed her creative work, and the key lesson she tries to impart to her students. She also shares a few of her flash fiction pieces and she and Susan reminisce about their teenage friendship.

“I like to live in that space of not really knowing the answers. People have different motives simultaneously and exactly what the right thing to do isn't 100% clear.” Award winning playwright Gina Gionfriddo joins Susan to discuss two of her plays; Becky Shaw and Rapture, Blister, Burn, and how they relate to the world at large in a conversation that explores how we react to difficult and challenging subjects, what we do in situations of moral greyness and responsibility, and moving forward to push back against assumptions of what the “ideal life” is like.

“If you examine your thinking process, you may come to the same conclusion; that thoughts happen to us, we don't necessarily control them.” Psychiatrist Dr Dan Mierlak returns to In the Balance to discuss his new book, The Spanish Molecule, a purposefully sassy and thought-provoking read. He and Susan discuss some of the central themes of the book - and by extension, themes of the human condition - including how to avoid becoming captive to the choices we make in life, why it's important to respect and go with the flow, and what happens to the population at large when a world-changing event like the covid-19 pandemic forces us to ask ourselves how we want to live our lives?

“For many people, they feel I give them permission to tell their truth.” Poet, photographer, and artist Alexis Rhone Fancher returns to In the Balance to discuss her unapologetic and exquisitely done poetry. She tells us that her work stems from two different perspectives of the life force: eroticism and grief, evoking images and experiences from true life, a way of “trying to figure things out and laying it out on the page.” She and Susan discuss how to be creative while in quarantine, why writing erotica is not the same as writing pornography, and why we all should read poetry. 

“If you mentor women, you can take care of a whole society.” Tony-nominated broadway producer, director, and entrepreneur Dani Davis talks with Susan about her commitment to mentoring and growing the next generation of women by cultivating learning through authentic leadership, finding common ground, and learning by doing together. She also discusses the power of telling your unique story, creating new rituals, and the importance of defining and honouring our purpose in everything we do.

“The theatre's job at its heart is to ask the question “How can we get along? How can we get along better?” So every play that was ever written that is of any worth is about that question.” This weeks' guest Anne Bogart is considered to be one of the greatest innovative directors in the modern theatre. She joins us to discuss how to cultivate and foster collaboration both in the theatre and within our own lives, talking with Susan about her evolution as an artist, the relationship between the artists and audience during a live performance, and what to expect from the performing arts now that we seem to be moving past post-modernism.

“What the research shows about uncertainty is that, the more we fight it, which is sort of our natural instinct, the more we can often end up feeling hopeless or avoid situations that make us feel uncertain. It becomes overwhelming because none of us can tell the future.” Dr. Erica Lee, Psychologist at the Boston Children's Hospital talks to Susan about how we can talk to kids and adolescents about covid and coping with all the uncertainty, fear, and anxiety that surrounds us. She discusses the most common struggles and behavioral changes she sees in the children and families she works with, the power of mindfulness practices and validating our feelings while we move through this transitionary period, and why it's important for adults to ensure they are prioritising their own self-care during this time. 

In this episode Dr. Robert A. Neimeyer returns to In the Balance for a conversation about the state of the world as we continue navigating our way through a global pandemic, how this collective trauma is affecting our mental health at both a macro- and microcosmic level, what it means for our social reality and how to move forward during the big push to get back to “normal.”

“When people of all ages create together, the potential is boundless.” In this final episode of our Artists on the Cape Series, Susan talks with actor, director and artistic director of the Cape Cod Theatre Company/Harwich Junior Theatre Nina Schuessler about the mission of theatre and how it brings people together. She talks about her work at the theatre, educating and entertaining children, teenagers, and adults, how it has adapted and changed through the pandemic, and her vision for moving forwards in the future: getting back to basics, committing to inclusivity and justice, with an emphasis on “inviting everyone in.”

“In a very real way, all of us are actors. Every one of you is playing the leading role in the story of your own life. It’s a heroic narrative and you’re the protagonist. All of us, even in our quietest shapes, are living heroically - or trying to.” What’s my motivation? It’s a phrase we’ve heard actors ask countless times. However the answer to that might be much deeper than we think. In this second to last episode of our Artists on the Cape Series, Susan talks with actor, director, and author Jeff Zinn about his book The Existential Actor and how its themes extend beyond the theatre, making it a study of humanity and what motivates us all.  Together Susan and Jeff discuss universal truths such as awareness of our own mortality, the armor we wear to protect ourselves, how culture affects how we see the world, and the losses that we choose. 

“I need to fight for who I am, and I need to do it now.” In the fifth episode of our Artists on the Cape Series, we are joined by the wildly talented singer and songwriter Tianna Esperanza, who discusses her debut album Gypsy Afro, her experiences of growing up on Cape Cod and her search for community, how loss and grief have shaped her art and her life, and what all of these things have taught her about moving forward, who she is, and how she wants to be seen.

“I was putting too much emphasis on my music making me successful…so I put it away.” In the fourth episode of our Artists on the Cape Series, singer/songwriter Sarah Burrill takes us through various journeys through life. She talks about how she began her journey as a singer/songwriter at the age of three when she saw the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show, the challenges of the entertainment industry, her difficulties and struggles with addiction and how that affected her music, and her battle with a rare form of invasive breast cancer. She shares what she has learned from each of these phases of her life, about not tying our talent to our success, about expectations and resentment, and about the power of love from your entire community to help heal both the body and the spirit.

“Make your own change. It’s all out there and once you start putting the pieces together, you can create the future.” In the third episode of our Artists on the Cape Series, Susan talks with actor, director, and playwright David Drake about his trajectory as an artist and activist, how he came to understand his part in the larger picture by witnessing the events unfolding around him during the AIDS crisis, how that inspired him to write his acclaimed play The Night Larry Kramer Kissed Me, and how he uses his art and the theatre to hold up a mirror to the audience with the deep intention to teach us and bring us together. He also talks about his vision for a better world and the work that needs to happen now as we continue to move forward and create the future we want to see.

In the second episode of our Artists on the Cape Series, Susan talks with vocalist, business woman, and mother of five, Mozelle Andrulot. Mozelle discusses her experiences growing up on Cape Cod and her journey to finding the freedom to follow her own path, balancing the elements in her life she holds to be important, in whatever form that might take. Mozelle also shares her incredible vocal talent with us, singing a beautiful rendition of Billie Holiday’s Crazy He Calls Me, that you won’t want to miss.

In this first episode of our “Artists on the Cape” series, Susan speaks with award-winning mystery and historical fiction author Jeannette de Beauvoir about her various works, the life experiences that brought her to these genres, and what she loves about Provincetown. She also shares a passage from one of her books that she wrote in Provincetown in one of those dune shacks with a typewriter and no electricity, how living there has enriched and affected her writing and creativity, and the processes and methods she uses to write engaging books with realistic and empathetic characters

“We live in a culture that is a very hungry culture because so many of the things that our souls crave are not what we are feeding ourselves.” Award-winning poet laureate Danusha Laméris discusses her stunning works and how she integrates the different facets of life to express the curiosities and wonders of the world around us, held in space by the memory of a moment in time. She is no stranger to profound and deep loss, and speaks about writing not only from a place of grief, encouraging us not to push them away, but to excavate them carefully and push ourselves to the edge of discovering joy and pleasure once again. Danusha also gifts us by reading two of her poems aloud, “The Watch” and “Stone.” Her poetry reads like watching a film, bringing us into the world of the storyteller on a sensory level, and reminding us why we need poetry in our lives.

“There is nothing that is more real than your experience of this moment.” Scientist, discoverer, and inventor Kenneth Shinozuka visits In the Balance to discuss his vision for the future: a world free from suffering and pain, brought about by the creation of neurotechnology to alter our states of consciousness. Kenneth discusses the importance of being present in the moment, how this form of consciousness differs from our normal state of being wrapped up in our own minds, and how it can be the gateway for radical compassion and the dissolution of suffering. He also talks about humanity’s attachment to suffering, the role of unconditional love in moving us forward, and why consciousness should be something you actively bring forth for yourself, rather than pushing a button or using mind altering substances. 

“Knowing the answers and living the answers are two entirely different things.” Coach, mentor, researcher, and writer Homaira Kabir is dedicated to getting people, particularly women, to question whether they are living their “ideal” life. In this episode, she and Susan have an in-depth discussion about self-worth and how it manifests into different types of confidence, Homaira’s own journey to become a student of humanistic psychology and a coach, and how we can own our feminine qualities and share these qualities with the world.

“We all have a story that defines who we are in life.” Author, leadership consultant, and former undercover CIA agent Katy McQuaid discusses events of significant loss during her young adulthood, and how those events shaped the core values she lives by. She talks about the traits that most great leaders seem to embody, and the importance of being a team player. Katy also offers her advice on how we can thrive during time of change, and waxes poetic about the things we can learn from dogs, especially from Grace - her beloved Finnish Lapphund who inspired her to write children’s stories about love and courage.

“What do you dream about? Where are your aspirations? Who is it that you want to become? How do you want to show up in life?” Best-selling author and master clinician Dr. Joan Rosenberg talks about how we can curate and cultivate and shape the life we want by redefining our ideas of emotional strength. She discusses why we need to be very careful to avoid negative self-talk, and how we can use curiosity as an approach to developing our emotional resilience and as a catalyst for change, particularly when we are experiencing fear or anxiety. 

“You can find micro canvasses for creativity in everything that you do.” Story-teller, entrepreneur, writer, and avid outdoorsman Lux Narayan discusses discovering his own true creative nature, bringing his insights and learning to this inspiring conversation. He discusses his fascination with stories and why we tell them, what his forays into improv and stand up comedy taught him, and his own personal formula for happiness.

“When you’re called, you need to be able to walk through that door.” In this fourth and final episode of the Voice is a Wild Thing Series, Susan Eichhorn Young discusses her career in the arts and how it has shaped her perspectives on teaching voice, the role of the artist within society, and how their voices tell the stories of the present, doing the work to create more conscious social awareness. She also talks about finding your authentic voice, not letting it be influenced or dictated by what we feel society or the industry expects of us, and reminds us of the power of our voice, and the importance of giving ourselves the permission to use it, embody it, and live it.  

“I never really felt all that Indian until I picked up a sitar. Even now after playing for almost 30 years, I hear that and it sounds like the authentic voice of my soul.” Musician, actor, composer, singer, dad, and overall renaissance man Ronobir Lahiri takes us through the journey of following his dream and finding his voice as an artist. He discusses his experience navigating the racial landscape of American theatre and television, and how he was able to pivot, adapt and find a place as a creative artist in that paradigm. Ronobir also performs live for us, a beautiful rendition of “I Say a Little Prayer,” and talks about his music, how he began to play the sitar and the importance of not burying our voice as we go through life, in defining who we are, what we’re doing, and how we talk to ourselves.

“We have many lives, many great opportunities. And they don’t stop coming.” Broadway and television actress, singer, and teacher Carolyn Mignini discusses her life and career through the lens of change and the freedom that can be found in making decisions, particularly those decisions that come from listening to inner cues of your deepest self. She also talks about   her love of singing, how the vibration of our voice opens us up to expansion, balancing contemplation with action, and how she has come to find that in order to find peace and fulfilment, you must  first get to the centre of yourself.

"You are worthy and you’re beautiful. You belong here and you belong anywhere you want to go." In this first episode of the "The Voice is a Wild Thing Series" Susan talks to artist, teacher, activist, Lisa Teasley about her work, from writing to her paintings. Lisa knew she wanted to be a story-teller from a very young age, acutely aware of the power and rhythm of words and language to build bridges of understanding between people and cultures, to communicate with others and come to a place of understanding. She shares with us a story of her first book Glow in the Dark, as well as parts of her own journey in developing her voice as a writer, and the deep connection she builds through her work with children, particularly adolescents in juvenile detention.

How do we retain an optimistic viewpoint when so many troubling things are happening in the world? Playwright, poet, and author Irene O’Garden returns to In the Balance to discuss the ingredients to maintaining optimism, compassion, and hope. She encourages us to listen with our heart, not to question moments of “gladness,” and to never doubt that optimism always lies within. 

How do we let beauty in while we’re suffering? How do we let truth in when we’re afraid? How do we weather the storm when we feel like we are about to drown? Susan talks with NY Times best-selling author, poet, and philosopher Mark Nepo about beauty, truth, fear and his process of looking inward in order to rise and meet the daring and dangerous outer world we now find ourselves in.

This week Susan talks with Kitty O’Meara, author of “And the people stayed home” viral poem that inspired people all over the world. She talks about her creative and spiritual journey, her experiences being present for people’s life and the moment they pass on, and her vision for healing. Kitty also shares some of her poetry with us, in this beautifully touching and hopeful episode.

“Put yourself out there and learn about the people close to you. Community is so much more than hanging out. Community is action.”  In this week’s episode performance poet, actor and profoundly connected activist Tamora Israel talks about bringing people together, speaking your truth and allowing your own personal experience to inspire others and create community wherever you are.

“Sometimes in the beginning of grief we feel like ‘How dare I continue? How dare I go on with life when someone I love is not able to? How dare I ever experience joy again?’ And yet writing new chapters of life is what they would wish for us. It’s a way of taking them with us.”  In this last episode of the Grief Sessions, Susan talks with Dr Ken Druck, an author and pioneer of helping people become more resilient and courageous, particularly after the loss of a loved one. Ken talks with us about his own journey of embracing life after the loss of his beloved daughter, his own work and what he calls the “six honorings,” and how to become more compassionate and resilient while facing the challenges of today’s world.

“The journey is propelled by the questions you ask. So I cannot sit here and say ‘Why me? Why did this happen? Oh my god…’ because it doesn’t lead anywhere. So I ask, “What now? What do I do with this? This is my fate. So let’s live it. What’s the next step of living this?’” Journalist, memoirist, and author Lorraine Ash shares with us her experience of losing her daughter just before birth, and her subsequent journey “through the land of love and grief” to heal, recover, and move forward.

“There’s a lot of pressure on people to get over their grief. You can do things in your own time in your own way.” In the third episode of The Grief Sessions, Susan talks with author Madonna Treadway about her unique, inspiring and hopeful approach for adults dealing with their childhood losses. She asks the gentle questions to help us move forward with any loss, and teaches us how to use our unique gifts to discover our strengths and find a path to wholeness. 

"My work is not just to be the poet…but the person who says 'Man, I’ve been hurt in my life. Have you?'” In this second episode of The Grief Sessions, Susan is joined by Gayle Danley, slam poet and grief guide to children and teenagers across the nation.  Together they discuss the importance of acknowledging the existence of grief in the lives of children, how to listen and ask questions, so that they can find their voices and allow it to take shape through poetry, writing, art or however they wish to express themselves. 

"We are soft bodies in a hard world..." We begin a five episode series called "The Grief Sessions" with the brilliant and extraordinary Dr. Robert A Neimeyer. Together he and Susan talk about the many manifestations of grief which include the loss of a loved one, the loss of a job, or the loss of a relationship, but also the collective and seemingly unending losses we are currently experiencing through the global health and cultural crises we find ourselves in at this moment in our history. 

Susan talks to Broadway leading lady Sandra Joseph, who starred as Christine in The Phantom of the Opera for a record-breaking 10 years about something we all can relate to: Fear and not letting it “run the show.” She also discusses her process for personal growth and her universal message of practicing loving kindness both inwardly to ourselves and outwardly to all those around us.

Award-winning playwright and writer Sibyl Kempson sheds some light onto her creative process, discussing how to work with what you’ve got while still stretching yourself to the limits of imagination and curiosity, how to intuitively uncover new narrative structures, and find the fun, the joy, and the buoyancy of creating. She also talks about COVID-19 and the potential opportunity to reclaim what has been taken away from is, if we are willing to do so.

Who are we beyond the anxious thought or the anxious feeling? What is it saying to you? What is it teaching you?  In the final episode in our series of anxiety, Susan talks with somatic therapist Deborah Claire Bagg about how to treat anxiety with a multidisciplinary, holistic approach. She believes in treating the whole person, not just their symptoms. This may include psychotherapy, breath work, herbal remedies, or yoga (to name a few!) and it all depends on the individual needs of the person. 

How does anxiety work in the brain? Susan talks with renowned brain scientist and best-selling author of My Stroke of Insight, about the circuitry of the brain and how anxiety works; explaining the connections between the science, humanity, heart and soul, and where anxiety fits into it all.

Julia talks with Susan about her struggles with anxiety, tips and rituals she uses to help manage it and advice she has for other kids who are experiencing anxiety. 

Certified nutritionist Taryn L Kennedy talks with Susan about how nutrition affects our nervous system, particularly in times of stress, and how our diet contributes to our anxiety.

In the second episode in our series exploring anxiety, achievement expert Julie Flanders discusses the different positive and negative aspects of anxiety, what our anxiety can teach us, and shares some strategies and techniques she uses to help her clients stop anxiety in it’s tracks.

Psychoanalyst Claudia Sheftel-Luiz talks with Susan about the nature of anxiety, what goes on deep inside our unconscious psyche, and how we can bring it to the surface in order to work with, learn from and reduce our anxiety. 

In this episode, Susan talks with Hanna Cubra about her journey through the world of dance and movement, going from ballet to jazz to teaching, which then evolved to an interest in yoga and therapeutic movement. She now owns and operates a yoga studio based on building relationships and connection.

In Part 2 of Producer Walker Vreeland’s conversation with meditation teacher Kelvin Chin, Kelvin talks about how to overcome the biggest fear of all: the fear of death, so that we can live happier, more productive, peaceful lives. The first step, he says, is identifying our belief system about death— regardless of what it is. The second step is meditation, which helps us get in touch with our true self, the one that lies beneath identification with external labels and obsessive thinking. Kelvin also talks about his corporate background and the mindset that set him up for success and fulfillment.

This week, Producer Walker Vreeland brings you the first of a special 2-Part episode with his personal mediation teacher Kelvin Chin. In Part 1 of their conversation, Kelvin talks about how ““Turning Within”” mediation was born and how it can help those suffering from fear and anxiety. He explains what he means by “the mind’s natural tendency to balance itself”, specifies what happens physiologically when we meditate with true effortlessness (without forcing or focusing), and outlines the short and long term benefits of a regular meditation practice.

In this episode Susan talks with poet and multimedia artist Rachel Eliza Griffiths about her poetry, the universalities of the human experience that bring us together, and how she opens her toolbox to cope with life, loss, change, and to keep her art moving forward.  

This week Thomas Moore, prolific best-selling author, teacher, psychotherapist and philosopher returns to In the Balance to talk with Susan about the “ageless soul,” and encourages us to take a different view of the process, pains and joys of ageing through every phase of our lives.

In this episode, Susan talks with composer Ricky Ian Gordon about how life’s struggles, heartaches, and curiosities have shaped and affected his creative process throughout the years, and how he uses those experiences to distill the truth of our shared humanity into profound works of musical artistry.

In this episode, Susan talks with Ziva Meditation creator Emily Fletcher about stress, how it affects us, and how to conquer it through meditation, mindfulness, and manifestation.

In this episode, Susan talks with teacher, speaker, and best-selling author Dr. Stephen G. Post about generosity of the spirit and how strengths and behaviours such as giving, helping others, and mindfulness (to name a few!) contribute to our health, make us happier, and enrich our lives.

In this episode, Susan talks with poet and professor Jericho Brown about the juxtaposition of love and violence in our every day lives, resilience and thriving through the current normalization of evil, and his newest stunning collection of poetry “The Tradition.”