The Listen Podcast: Recent Episodes
The Listen Podcast
Are you curious about what coaching is, and how it can help you to open new possibilities in your life?
A young man pursues the career he thinks he wants, but begins to
feel farther and farther from his center. Feeling he’s lost his way,
he begins to study and practice ontological coaching, and in the
process his confusion and sadness turn into light and focus.
Are you curious about what coaching is, and how it can help you
to open new possibilities in your life? Have a listen to this sample
coaching session to see how this powerful exploration might be
right for you.
Following stage 4 cancer, an executive decides to revamp her life,
get to know herself and discover how she can contribute to the
greater good. She finds everything she is looking for in
ontological coaching.
After experiencing the loss of her first son, just eight days after his birth, a young mother learns to grow around her grief – first by bringing her second son into the world, and then by becoming a life and loss coach, dedicated to helping others transform the pain of loss into strength.
When a young newlywed is diagnosed with an auto-immune disease and her journey to motherhood is put on hold, she decides to look at the challenge as an opportunity to learn all about pregnancy and postpartum, and launches a new podcast in the process.
A British journalist living and raising her children in Barcelona embraces the unknowns of motherhood by founding MumAbroad, one of Europe's leading online resources for international families.
A British journalist living and raising her children in Barcelona embraces the unknowns of motherhood by founding MumAbroad, one of Europe's leading online resources for international families.
A holistic health counselor opens up about menopause, the importance of educating the men in our lives, and removing the taboos around this key transitional moment.
After casting aside the limits imposed by her Scottish immigrant parents and practicing law for decades, a woman embraces the joy she feels while working in the garden and decides to go back to school for a Masters in Applied Theology at age 62.
A lifetime of letter-writing inspires a retired French professor to compile her unsent correspondence to her favorite authors in the book Letters to Men of Letters.
A journalist collaborates with artists of all types to get the word out about a wide variety of crimes taking place on the world’s oceans.
A war correspondent overwhelmed with the pain and suffering surrounding her on assignment in the Middle East takes action by founding INARA - an NGO providing medical care to child victims of war.
After falling in love with the internationalism and common humanity of Greenpeace, a young woman returns to her native Greece to advise the government on environmental issues, and then founds an online magazine and podcast.
After spending his childhood and young adulthood working with wood, a craftsman is ready for a challenge.
A boy in rural Indiana discovers the joy of singing in a barbershop quartet, and is launched into a life of music.
As a university student, a young trumpet major is told that if he wants to be a great band director, first he’ll have to become a great musician.
It was his grandmother who told him to observe nature carefully. Then she named him after his grandfather, who owned his own livestock in Kenya.
After her animated short for Cartoon Network receives overwhelming acclaim and over 5.5 million views on YouTube, Elizabeth Ito is asked to bring her talents to the new animation division at Netflix.
Growing up in a home bursting with creativity – music, literature, theatre and more – a young boy begins to draw and discovers that it is the source of his own joy.
The Listen Podcast will be taking a breather while we cook up more episodes! Meanwhile, if you’ve missed a week or two, now is the perfect time to catch up. There are nearly 50 cross-cultural interviews available wherever you get your podcasts, and you’ll find links to Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud and Spotify on our website at www.thelistenpodcast.com. We’ll be back before you know it with more thought-provoking interviews exploring the stories of Americans abroad and how they got there.
She began as a reader on the bookmobile in her small New Jersey town. Her next chapter was as a writer, but these days she lives on an olive farm in Italy, and she’s back to reading in her role as a coach, guiding authors through the process of writing their own books.
As a young man, author Noah Charney dreamed of living in Europe. Anywhere in Europe. In fact, he tried out life in some six different countries before landing in Slovenia, the country that would steal his heart.
As a young man, author Noah Charney dreamed of living in Europe. Anywhere in Europe. In fact, he tried out life in some six different countries before landing in Slovenia, the country that would steal his heart.
A mother based in Spain is offered a monthly book subscription from her children’s grandmother in the US. Offput by the shipping charges and red tape, she decides to start a company that offers the same benefits for kids in Europe. Amazingly, she launches the business while on lockdown in the early days of the pandemic.
A mother based in Spain is offered a monthly book subscription from her children’s grandmother in the US. Offput by the shipping charges and red tape, she decides to start a company that offers the same benefits for kids in Europe. Amazingly, she launches the business while on lockdown in the early days of the pandemic.
She’s thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail. She’s trekked in Nepal with a 3- and 5-yr-old. She’s taught all over the world. But the groundwork for these adventures was laid when she served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Central America.
She’s thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail. She’s trekked in Nepal with a 3- and 5-yr-old. She’s taught all over the world. But the groundwork for these adventures was laid when she served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Central America.
Raised in the Belgian Congo, a young American signs up for the Peace Corps and is assigned to a feedlot project in Lesotho. She plans to employ her animal husbandry skills, but finds she is called by her faith to care for vulnerable children.
Raised in the Belgian Congo, a young American signs up for the Peace Corps and is assigned to a feedlot project in Lesotho. She plans to employ her animal husbandry skills, but finds she is called by her faith to care for vulnerable children.
A young woman volunteers for the Peace Corps straight out of college. The skills she develops there – speaking French, becoming resilient, learning the local customs – will pave the way for her career as an expert in African democracy and development.
A young woman volunteers for the Peace Corps straight out of college. The skills she develops there – speaking French, becoming resilient, learning the local customs – will pave the way for her career as an expert in African democracy and development.
A young couple flies to Lesotho to meet the little boy they’ve adopted, but all the clothes they’ve brought will have to wait until he grows into them because as it turns out, he’s only 18 months old. Just a year or two later, it’s the Democratic Republic of Congo that awaits when they make the trip to meet their daughter. This time around, they’re expecting a 5-year-old and are met by an 8-year-old.
A young couple flies to Lesotho to meet the little boy they’ve adopted, but all the clothes they’ve brought will have to wait until he grows into them because as it turns out, he’s only 18 months old. Just a year or two later, it’s the Democratic Republic of Congo that awaits when they make the trip to meet their daughter.
Fresh out of college, a young writer accepts a job with an NGO, which takes her to Africa on several trips. The connections she makes there – with primates, with nature, with local communities – will give her a new perspective that lends her writing a sense of joy and delight.
Fresh out of college, a young writer accepts a job with an NGO, which takes her to Africa on several trips. The connections she makes there – with primates, with nature, with local communities – will give her a new perspective that lends her writing a sense of joy and delight.
A college senior suffers a stroke just weeks before her graduation. After four years of rehabilitation, she feels called to take a “victory lap,” visiting every continent on earth, including Africa.
Two 20-somethings with a dream of teaching overseas hop on a plane to Spain and hope for the best. What they find is far more than they could have expected, leading them on adventures to Turkey, the UAE, Taiwan and beyond.
When Laura Kitchin decided to move to Barcelona, she knew she would be teaching English there. What she didn’t know was that she would be enjoying three-hour dinners, traveling to several countries each year, and getting an up-close look at the independence movement in Catalonia.
When Laura Kitchin decided to move to Barcelona, she knew she would be teaching English there. What she didn’t know was that she would be enjoying three-hour dinners, traveling to several countries each year, and getting an up-close look at the independence movement in Catalonia.
Five weeks after his 1991 wedding, Willie White and his new bride were working in Saudi Arabia. Over the next 30 years, they would travel, live and work in more than 50 countries, she as an engineer, he as an English teacher.
Five weeks after his 1991 wedding, Willie White and his new bride were working in Saudi Arabia. Over the next 30 years, they would travel, live and work in more than 50 countries, she as an engineer, he as an English teacher...
As a child, Phyllis felt embarrassed by the food her mother packed in her lunchbox, and rebelled against the Chinese school she had to attend on Sundays. But now, she seeks these same experiences for her young son, striving to find the right balance between her parents’ culture, her husband’s culture and American culture...
As a young girl growing up in LA, Jacqui took it for granted that she was Hispanic. Then came a questioning, a trying on of other labels like Chicana and Latina, and ultimately the feeling that identity is fluid in essence. Jacqui Amezcua is an alum of Dickinson College, located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, where she…
A young Punjabi bride raises her daughters in Maryland under a cloud of fear. As the girls grow up, they embrace their independence while continuing to respect their parents’ traditions, including the prospect of arranged marriage. Sisters Bhavneet and Taranjit Athwal are the co-hosts of the Drive With Us Podcast. (Check out Kate’s interview on…
When Emily Powers was in 5th grade, her mother Nicole Powers (S11, E2) turned herself in for forgery, after stealing from her employer to support her drug addiction. Incredibly, the way Emily responded to this crisis was to lean into her studies, to such an extent that she was honored with a nomination to West…
As a young single mother, Nicole Powers slid down a slippery slope from alcohol and pot to an addiction to pain pills after they were prescribed for shoulder problems. It wasn’t long before she was introduced to heroin. After stealing from her employer to support her drug habit, she turned herself in on forgery charges…
When Purdue Pharma began to coach physicians to include pain as the fifth vital sign, it led to over-prescription and ultimately, the worst drug crisis in American history. A retired physician, Dr. Jetmore currently serves as the Health Officer in Wayne County, Indiana. In his interview, he talks us through how the opioid crisis began…
This interview was a real eye-opener. Ana described what a life-changing experience it was to leave her native Spain for Finland, where she finished her architectural studies and worked designing learning environments. She also talked us through the overwhelming influence of built space on the behavior and well-being of all humans. “Space is a teaching…
A solid foundation is laid over four years at Juilliard, and incredible experience is gained over 25 years working on the stage and screen. Now, an actor uses her hard-won perspective and wisdom to coach her clients. My dear friend Lauren and I could talk for hours, and sometimes we do! So glad we could…
A single mom self-soothes by going through the drive-thru and eating alone in her car, but the pounds pile on. After many failed attempts at losing weight, she reaches out for help, vowing to break the cycle. Jen Pendleton has lost and gained more pounds than she cares to count. In 2014, she reached an…
Michelle and I used to tell other people’s stories as actors in NYC, but she has found her own voice as an author, and she’s using it! My son loved the first two books in her trilogy The Girl, the Pendant and the Portal, and is eagerly awaiting the release of the final novel. She…
Jennifer Niven thought James Bird would be a perfect fit for The Listen Podcast, and she could not have been more on point! James has a strong sure voice, and he is using it – to speak up for indigenous people, for children, and for all those who need our support. “First I wanna connect…
My conversation with Jennifer did not disappoint! Like two Hoosiers sitting around catching up, we touched on lots of subjects, shared some belly laughs, and came to some common insights. An author plans to hole up and write on a remote island, but on the very first day she meets and falls in love with…
Welcome back to The Listen Podcast! Join us on Monday, October 5th as we kick off Season 9, a series of interviews featuring Writers of Young Adult Fiction. Meanwhile, if you've missed any episodes from our first eight seasons, now is the...
Just as the second wave of coronavirus seems to be getting under way here in Spain, where I live, an alarming increase in positive cases is also taking place where I grew up in Indiana. This conversation with Wayne County Health Officer Dr. David Jetmore is an effort to get the facts out, and to…
Already from a very young age, Derick considered himself an artist. He used to tell everyone around him about his dreams of making it in the art world. However, as Derick got serious about his future in the arts, his relatives expressed concern, which in turn planted the seeds of doubt and made him second…
If there is one thing you should know about Casey, it’s that her feelings about art conservation run deep. She is the Objects Conservator at the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art in Hartford, CT, where she oversees a highly diverse collection. She is well aware of the fact that, whenever a piece is treated upon…
Ten years ago, Shelly and her husband James set out to create a contemporary arts center. The space they chose is a former 18th century papermill in the Loir Valley in France, where they make a constant effort to hold space so that other artists can express themselves. Their goal is to revitalize the campus…
When we invited Rachael to join us on The Listen Podcast, we had no idea that her interview would be recorded against the backdrop of powerful protests following the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis. As a self-described social justice minister, Rachael had much to share about first becoming politically aware while at seminary, examining…
Arun’s interview is full of insights on the world we live in. As a yoga therapist and an Ayurvedic practitioner, he sees his craft as a path to discovering oneself and to understanding life. At a time when we are enduring a global pandemic that is changing the world, Arun shares his vision of the…
Even though Sarah grew up in a Christian household, she drifted away from religion when she was 17 years old. After years of partying and doing her thing, she started looking for a deeper meaning at age 28. She researched multiple religions and discovered that merely picking and choosing her favorite elements of a religion…
J. Edward Kruft, or Joey, as we prefer to call him, was an actor who became a writer who became a psychoanalyst, who is now a writer and a psychoanalyst. To date, his flash fiction pieces have appeared in over 30 online and print journals. He remembers having always written. In fact, he wrote his…
Although Brooke was initially trained as an actor, she felt a voice inside telling her that acting was not her calling. Today, she has worked as a playwright, a screenwriter, a director and a memoirist. In her interview, she tells us about how classical music, journaling and her training as an actor shaped her career…
“When I was 16, I learned my mother had been lying to me all my life. It was a big and terrible lie, as lies between mothers and daughters often are.” These are the first words of Devora’s novel, The Spanish Painter, published in 2017. In our interview with Devora, she talks about the story behind…
Thom and Penny are two ordinary people, like you and me, who needed a break from their lives and decided to go and walk the Camino de Santiago, in Northern Spain. In a nutshell, the Camino is a network of routes across Europe that ultimately lead to Santiago de Compostela. Sound extraordinary? It is! However,…
When Sara, an ex-pat living in Paris, falls in love with Peter, an older Brit, they discover a common dream of buying their own boat and sailing around the world. But they just kept putting it off, until they had a wake-up call. When Peter got sick, they realized they had to take this journey…
These two adventurous Estonians had the courage to cycle their way around Europe. Starting from their front porch in the middle of the woods, with the goal of reaching Portugal, they packed up their bikes and started riding. They visited a total of 16 countries and spent 8 months on the road. “Let’s take a…
Angel from Montgomery: cover by Kate Jetmore and Fran Cathcart, ca 1992. Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash
The Listen Podcast will be taking a breather while we cook up more episodes! We’ll be back before you know it with more interviews focusing on such fascinating themes as visual art, writing, adoption, spirituality and adventure. Meanwhile, if you’ve missed any episodes from our first four seasons, now is the perfect time to catch…
As a child, Lidia grew up with a sense of invisibility. She used to be the quiet child at the table and often found it hard to be listened to in her hometown. However, these early experiences fueled her desire to go off and explore the world. “If you want to be listened to, you have…
Being a native Spanish speaker who learned English while growing up puts Jose in an interesting position: he actually has memories of the learning process! He was lucky enough to have a native speaker as his English teacher, and she helped him out with issues such as pronunciation. But he was also committed to learning this new…
Being born and raised in Belgium, a country with three official languages, has surely shaped Laura’s perception of the world. While growing up, she spoke Dutch at home and learned German, French and English at school. Crazy, right? How fascinating is it that in Belgium everything is subtitled (as opposed to dubbed). From TV shows to movies…
Lisa and Juan are one of those marvelous bicultural couples who live between cultures, between countries, between lifestyles. Juan met Lisa because he was trying to keep up with his English. He was born and raised in Spain, while she was born in the UK and raised by an Italian mother and British father. After several years…
Ernesto and María, both from Central Spain, met in a research lab in Madrid, where they were carrying out their studies for their respective PhDs. In 2009, they were granted a scholarship to continue their studies at UC Berkeley. They packed their bags and off they went on their adventure together! As Spaniards living in…
After living in London for nearly a decade and having a child while abroad, Javier García Nieva and Silvia Martínez Andres decided to move back to their native Spain to put down roots and continue to grow their family and business. Javi and Silvia had known each other their whole lives before they embarked on…
New Year’s means music. This week we celebrate with a recording of a live concert from Czech organist Lucie Žáková, on a brand new instrument by organ builder Frédéric Desmottes. Lucie Žáková youtube channel: www.youtube.com/channel/UCB1niZtHpuVDvzZ3UWhnpbQ Lucie Žáková on Facebook: www.facebook.com/lucie.orgue Frédéric Desmottes website: www.desmottes.org/
Santa Claus comes in all shapes and sizes. This week, we visit him in an unexpected spot, and later in a more traditional setting.
Dolka is a cheerful and friendly Colombian woman with a lot of energy! Currently, she teaches Spanish in Richmond, Indiana, but before that, Dolka owned a small business selling food, juices and smoothies. Over time, she not only nourished the locals, but she also built a small community around her. Driven by her desire to…
Sacha, who was born in South Wales, moved to New York City at a young age to work as an au pair. There, she discovered a sense of freedom and opportunity she had never experienced before. She found that she could reinvent herself and there, in the city where everything seems possible, she founded Stiggly…
Our guests for our first interview of Season 2 are Olga and Pavan Gulati, who in 2014 launched Juno Health & Wellness in San Francisco. Their goal is to promote integrative wellness using a holistic approach through educational courses and retreats. They provide their clients with specific tools they can use to create and maintain…
For today’s special Thanksgiving Day episode, we’re turning the tables. Kate will be discussing the American traditions surrounding this holiday, as well as her many memories of family, food and fall – as an American among family in the US, and as an ex-pat living abroad.
The Silver Lining – When mothering abroad, it isn’t only about getting one’s point across and getting things done one’s own way. Our Season 3 guests also learned to appreciate certain Spanish ways of life, especially when it comes to their children. Raising children abroad has the obvious benefit that they will grow up bilingual…
More Cultural Clashes – It’s hard to fight old traditions, especially if they are as deeply-rooted as toros (bullfights) in Spain. No one knows better about this than our guest from episode two: Sue, a British animal-lover raising her children in Spain. Needless to say, she is completely against bullfighting and sometimes struggles when transmitting these values…
Dealing with Cultural Clashes – Season 1 kicks off with Agnieszka, a Polish mother who is raising her two young daughters in Cuenca, a small city in the heart of Spain. As a mother living in a foreign country, there were some topics that Agnieszka had to look at from a fresh point of view. “We…