Twice By Mitch Albom

Credit: Twice

Overview 

 

What if you got to do everything in your life —twice? The heart of Mitch Albom’s newest novel is a stunning love story that dares to explore how our unchecked desires might mean losing what we’ve had all along.

When he is eight years old, Alfie Logan discovers the magical ability to get a second chance at everything. He can undo any moment and live it again. The one he must accept the consequences of his second try—for better or worse. He grows up correcting his mistakes and saving himself from adolescent embarrassments. He even takes foolishly dangerous risks, just to see what it’s like to come close to death, before tapping back to safety.

Eventually, Alfie turns his gift to his love life, studying his crushes and going back to make himself more appealing. In time, he falls deeply in love with Gianna, the woman he believes is the one. He seems to find contentment. But as the years pass, Alfie’s eye begins to wander. Which is when he learns a lone caveat to his once he undoes a love, that person can never fall in love with him again. Knowing if he gives into to temptation, he will risk losing what he has with Gianna, Alfie makes a choice that changes his life forever. Read more here @ Twice By Mitch Albom.

 

Matriarch By Tina Knowles

 

Credit: Matriarch, A Memoir

Book Overview

Tina Knowles, the mother of iconic singer-songwriters Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, Solange Knowles, and bonus daughter Kelly Rowland, is known the world over as a Matriarch with a capital M: a determined, self-possessed, self-aware, and wise woman who raised and inspired some of the great artists of our time. But this story is about so much more than that. Matriarch begins with a precocious, if unruly, little girl growing up in 1950s Galveston, the youngest of seven. She is in love with her world, with extended family on every other porch and the sounds of Motown and the lapping beach always within earshot. But as the realities of race and the limitations of girlhood set in, she begins to dream of a more grandiose world. Her instincts and impulsive nature drive her far beyond the shores of Texas to discover the life awaiting her on the other side of childhood. Credit: Read more at Matriarch.

The Well-Lived Life By Dr. Gladys McGarey

Credit: The Well-Lived Life

Overview

 

Dr. Gladys McGarey, a centenarian still-consulting doctor and the mother of holistic medicine, reveals “a story that teaches as much as it inspires” (Edith Eger, New York Times bestselling author), filled with life-changing secrets for how to live with joy, vitality, and purpose at any age. Dr. Gladys McGarey, cofounder of the American Holistic Medical Association, began her medical practice at a time when women couldn’t even have their own bank accounts. Over the past sixty years, she has pioneered a new way of thinking about disease and health that has transformed the way we imagine health care and self-care around the world.
 

Dr. McGarey shares her six actionable secrets to enjoying lives that are long, happy, and purpose-driven:

• Spend your energy wildly: How to embrace your life fully and feel motivated every day.
• All life needs to move: How to move—spiritually, mentally, and physically—to help let go of trauma and other roadblocks. 
• You are here for a reason: How to find the everyday “juice” that helps you stay oriented in your life’s purpose. 
• You are never alone: How to build a community that’s meaningful to you. 
• Everything is your teacher: Discover the deep learnings that come from pain and setbacks.
• Love is the most powerful medicine: Learn to love yourself—and others—into healing.

 Credit: The Well Lived Life;  Gladys McGarey.

Spirit Guided Writing by Author Sonia Palleck

Credit: Writers Series | Guest Sonia Palleck

Meet Sonia Palleck,  born and raised in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. One of five children, she was an avid athlete and excelled in school. She studied at Western University in London, Ontario and graduated from Dentistry in '93 and Orthodontics in '99. She became a clinical instructor and taught residents for ten years at the Graduate Department of Orthodontics.  After marrying her dental school sweetheart, Sonia moved to Dorchester and welcomed her child, Djuka, to the world. In 2018, following her divorce and the death of her parents, Sonia searched for healing to bring meaning and peace to her life. In 2020, Sonia wrote a series of four books called “Leave the Little Light On,” a fictional memoir based on her life, with each volume named after the four cities where she has lived and worked. The series is her contribution to the world; a new modern love story for humanity to heal. Sonia designed and painted each cover of the books. She is an advocate for love. Credit: Sonia Palleck.

Make Your Soul Shine with Bracha Goetz

 

Credit: Writers Series, Presented by Sasha Talks | Bracha Goetz

Meet Bracha Goetz

Bracha is not your typical Harvard grad - she's the author of 41 picture books that help children grow spiritually, inspiring each uniquely beautiful soul to shine. Her books make life's deepest concepts clear - in a delightfully simple way - as children find big ideas in little words. Credit: Goetz Book Shop.

The Algebra of Happiness

 

Credit: The Algebra of Happiness

Scott Galloway teaches brand strategy at NYU's Stern School of Business, but his most popular lectures deal with life strategy, not business. In the classroom, on his blog, and in YouTube videos garnering millions of views, he regularly offers hard-hitting answers to the big questions: What's the formula for a life well lived? How can you have a meaningful career, not just a lucrative one? Is work/life balance possible? What are the elements of a successful relationship? The Algebra of Happiness: Notes on the Pursuit of Success, Love, and Meaning draws on Professor Galloway's mix of anecdotes and no-BS insight to share hard-won wisdom about life's challenges, along with poignant personal stories. Credit: Excerpt, The Algebra of Happiness.

Nigella Lawson Shares Her Love of Food & Writing

 #Celebration

#Books #Culinary #Cooking #Media #Storytelling #Food

Credit: Author Nigella Lawson

Meet Nigella Lawson

Nigella Lawson has written eleven bestselling cookery books including the classics How to Eat and How to Be a Domestic Goddess – the book that inspired a whole new generation of bakers. These books, and her TV series, have made her a household name around the world. Credit: Author Overview 

@ 2011

@2017

@2020 Storytelling

Learn more about her @ nigella.com and follow her @Nigella_Lawson.

The Power of Empathy

 

Credit: The Power of Empathy

Here is the book referenced in Faithful Core.

Overview

Empathy, an innate human capacity that gives us the ability to understand the unique experiences of another person, is the most overlooked component of relationships. By allowing us to connect with one another on a meaningful and fulfilling level, it "can help and heal us all. This excellent book shows you how" (Edward Hallowell, M.D., author of Connect). Using a practical and inspiring plan for making empathy a vital part of your everyday life, discover:

Why empathy is crucial to finding love

How to be an empathic listener

How empathy can improve sex and create lasting intimacy

How empathy differs from sympathy

10 steps to avoiding the pitfalls of negative empathy

How empathy can help rebuild a relationship and restore confidence, trust, and faith

Prescriptive and provocative, The Power of Empathy shows us how we can transform our lives -- and the lives of those we love. Credit: Google Books

Meet the Author

Katherine Ketcham is the coauthor of 13 books, including the New York Times bestseller Broken: My Story of Addiction and Redemption by William Moyers and the bestselling classics Under the Influence with James Milam and The Spirituality of Imperfection with Ernest Kurtz. Learn more about Katherine and support her work here.

Robert Hollis, Author & Entrepreneur

Credit: Feeling Foresaken

Robert, the co-founder of My Relationship Experts, has set forth on a mission of helping singles find the right couple-hood, helping couples make the right decision, and helping marriages stay together. Although he has a background in IT, life experiences and heartbreaks have re-focused Robert to help others avoid and break free of that devastated-heart feeling. With certifications and degrees in Temperament Therapy and Christian Counseling, Robert brings much more than just an interest. He is passionate about relationships and has devoted his life to helping others in this area.  Robert lives a life of example, having met, pursued, and married his wife using the same approach he coaches his clients to follow. While many dating coaches 'experiment' to see what works, "everything we bring to you is tried and true", and Robert's heart is to help you Find True Love! Credit: My Relationship Experts.

Credit: My Relationship Experts

"You Are Worthy" - Brad Yates

Life and EFT Insights by Brad Yates

Credit: Brad Yates

Brad, Welcome to Authors By Sasha! At what point in your life were you introduced to Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)? What were your initial thoughts of EFT?

After moving to Northern California in 2000, having shifted from a career in acting to a practice as a clinical hypnotherapist, I was introduced to the field of Energy Psychology, and was encouraged to attend a conference where I could learn EFT from it’s founder, Gary Craig. While many people are put off at first by the, shall we say, strangeness of tapping on one’s face, it wasn’t that weird for me, given that I had attended Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College. I found it interesting. When we tapped on chocolate cravings, and my desire for a piece of chocolate went from an 8 out of 10 to a zero in a matter of minutes, I knew there was something to this technique.

Is there such a thing as emotional freedom since humans are constantly swimming within their emotions?

I suppose that the most practiced Zen master might approach a level of total emotional freedom, but the rest of us are on a spectrum from total freedom to no freedom at all. It is certainly possible to move up that scale to greater levels of freedom than most people experience. Emotional freedom is the freedom to make better choices, so the more we are able to break free from the control emotions may have had over us in the past, the more we can improve our lives.

You're an EFT professional whose career history anchors back to acting. What acting skills have transferred into your EFT career?

Where I’ve had my greatest success is with my videos on YouTube. My time as an actor definitely prepared me for this platform, as I’m very comfortable performing in front of the camera. My years of stage performing also made it much easier to present in front of a live audience. People find this work much more accessible when it is entertaining.

What are the top three reasons why people seek EFT healing services? 

There’s an expression in EFT: “Try it on everything!” People around the world are using EFT to facilitate change in numerous areas of life – personal, professional, financial, physical. Based on which of my videos are getting the most views, the number one issue that people turn to EFT for is anxiety. The next would be other emotional pain, such as dealing with a break-up or other upsetting circumstances. The other subject that is always somewhere at the top of the list is clearing the blocks to having more money, and greater success in general. At its most basic, tapping reduces stress, which either causes or at least worsens most if not all of the issues that trouble us. Tapping through the stress allows us to feel better, which allows us to do better, which allows us to live better.

Brad, often in your videos you touch upon the words 'resistance', 'healing', and 'acceptance'. How do you define these words?

Resistance – Resistance is that force that stops us from making the positive choices and taking the positive actions that we know would lead to the circumstances we desire. It’s self-sabotage, but it comes from a loving intention to protect us from something we have been led to believe would be harmful to us in some way, even though that may seem illogical. This programming is most often based on misunderstandings – ours or someone else’s – but the longer we’ve bought into it, the stronger the resistance is likely to be. For example, if we’ve been taught that “money is the root of all evil,” our subconscious mind will resist opportunities to make more money, because it is protecting us from being evil. We will sabotage possible relationships if we’ve learned that people tend to hurt us, and we understandably want to resist that.

Healing – This is the process of letting go what no longer serves us so that we experience greater freedom and well-being, physically as well as emotionally. It is a return to who we really are – this unique expression of light and love.

Acceptance – Many people find acceptance a challenging concept, because we often mistake it for approval. Acceptance isn’t saying that things which cause us pain in our life are okay. But rather an acknowledgment that they are there. Too often we fight the idea of what is there, which makes it difficult if not impossible to resolve issues. If your dog poops on your carpet, you need to accept the truth that it is there in order to clean it up.

How has EFT nurtured your self-development? What aspect of your emotional & physical growth has EFT had a monumental effect?

Even though I was an actor, and it seems illogical, I believe I had a big fear of being seen – at least at a certain level. So I stopped myself from doing things that could have led to greater success, because that felt dangerous. I wasn’t consciously aware of this fear – I was sure I wanted to be wildly successful. But my actions – or more often lack of action – would contradict that. As I’ve tapped over the years, I’ve cleared away more and more of this fear, and allowed myself greater levels of success. I’ve also become much more comfortable in my skin, and experience much more self-love, which allows me to be more loving towards others.

What inspires you to create EFT scripts to nurture your YouTube channel that hosts at least 172,000 subscribers?

I get my inspiration from all kinds of places. Sometimes it’s from hearing what people are going through. Sometimes it’s from listening to a podcast, reading a book or hearing an inspirational presentation, and having the thought, “That concept would make a great tapping round! People could benefit from this idea, and tapping will help them have the freedom to hear it more profoundly!” And a lot of my videos come from things I know I could benefit from tapping on.

While EFT is inspired by Chinese therapies, can EFT modalities be applied on pets?

There are a number of practitioners who actually specialize in working with pets. It can be a little trickier doing the tapping on animals – and many do it in a surrogate way. But there are plenty of people who swear by energy work with their pets.

Healing is a unique process for each individual. What is the common time frame for people to start experiencing shifts in their reality?

While big shifts can often occur quickly with EFT, it is hard to predict specific outcomes. It would be like asking what is the common time frame for people to reach their goal weight. It depends on a number of factors, including where they are starting from. But we generally see at least some reduction in distress pretty quickly with tapping – a certain amount of relaxation that happens after even a short round.

What is the most valuable lesson EFT has taught you in your life?

I’ve learned how amazing people are. I’ve always loved the work of Michelangelo – especially the David. Michelangelo said that the statues were already there, perfectly whole and complete, and he just needed to chip away what didn’t belong in order to reveal the masterpiece inside. I’ve found that’s the case with humans – and we are just tapping away what no longer belongs.

You're also an author who has written The Wizard's Wish and The Key to Success. What inspired you to write The Wizard's Wish?

When I was being filmed for the documentary “The Tapping Solution,” the conversation turned to children, and I spoke of how there’s greatness in each child, and if we could use EFT with them to clear misunderstandings and upsets early on they would have greater freedom to live better lives. Nearly all of the blocks my clients are facing stem from some childhood incident. So I wanted to find a fun storybook way to introduce EFT to kids. A friend had called me “the EFT Wizard,” and I love wizard things – I have a collection of Harry Potter wands. It seemed a perfect way to share this idea with kids and the adults who love them.

Brad, when you're not educating and healing other people, how do you entertain and nourish your inner child?

Actually, tapping with people is what most nourishes me, and it’s where I have the most fun. But I also love movies, traveling, and playing the saxophone. (Not well, mind you, but well enough to garner some enjoyment from it.)

What life curiosity are you trying to decipher in the recent years? Is there anything that keeps you up at night?

How to make a tapping video go viral…! I know how amazingly valuable this work can be, but there’s still a lot of resistance to it out there. I’m always hoping I’ll be struck with an idea that will make this work even more accessible, such that it spreads like wildfire.

Please share with audiences where they can support your work.

The best place to start is at www.tapwithbrad.com. There they will find more information about EFT/Tapping as well as links to the various resources I have to offer.

Christina Powers American Goddess

 

Credit: Christina Powers

Meet Author & Entrepreneur James Aiello making an appearance to introduce his new novel, “Christina Powers American Goddess” and his ultimate dream is to one day see Christina Powers on the big screen! James was was born in Middletown, New York. His early years were spent growing up in the beautiful Hudson Valley area of the great State of New York, where he enjoyed lazy days on the Hudson River, climbing the Catskill Mountains, and jet skiing across Lake George. Later life took him to Florida which he loves even more. In June, 2014 James formed his own publishing company, James Aiello Productions, with “Forbidden Child” as its flagship novel. James and his modern day literary masterpiece has received award winning attention from the Hollywood California Book Festival, Southern California Book Festival, New England Book Festival, London England Book Festival and the Florida Book Festival. Now he celebrates the reception of his fourth fiction novel, Christina Powers American Goddess. (Credit: ForbiddenChild.com)

Meet Natalie P. Jenkins, Author of After The Storm

Credit: Natalie P Jenkins

Natalie, welcome to Kreative Circle! As a professionally trained writer, do you recall the first time you aspired to pursue the craft of writing? Do you remember the very first piece you wrote early in life?

I do remember when I first wanted to pursue writing. I was actually a sophomore in high school and I joined a club called JAG (Jobs for America’s Graduates). The club had a state competition and I was given a project to write a script for a video that we had to make. Technically, that the was the first piece I’ve ever written. My love for writing extends all the way back to elementary school. The very first piece I ever written that I personally consider to be my first professional piece was a poem that I crafted in college.

Prior to authoring your two books, you worked as a translator interpreting Spanish and French stories into English. How did you come across this valuable opportunity which grants writers leverage in better understanding diction from a cultural and linguistic perspective? Were there any insights you acquired which surprised you pertaining how foreign authors write and what they value in their stories?

I studied Spanish and French in college, and majored in that. I started translating books as a side hustle to make a little extra money. Reading other people’s work gave me a lot of insight, so I am very lucky that I had that advantage. I already knew how to format a manuscript before I wrote my first book. One thing I definitely did learn, though, was that the French are a little more dramatic in their writing. 

Your first book "Fourteen Day Fiance", published by Christian Faith Publishing, focuses on an autobiographical account of your fiance unexpectedly passing away following a brief engagement. The story focuses on how to move forward in life through these unplanned events without a proper closure. How did you perceive closure prior to these events in your life? How do you view the ideology of closure now? Where did you derive your strength from during your healing process?

I found closure in two ways. One of those ways was through writing. Writing my first book was very cathartic, because I was able to express feelings that I had bottled up for so long. I also did get closure in the court system as well, and I am very thankful for that. When I did get actual closure, because I had waited so long to hear it, it’s almost like it brought back all those old emotions and memories. I definitely got my strength from God and my family. My family was a huge support to me through my journey of finding closure but ultimately my strength came from God. I often say that it was God’s own strength that pulled me through and not my own. 

Faith is a word that holds many meanings in different hearts. Faith is a verb for some people, faith is a noun for others. How do you view the word faith in your life? What life guidance can you share with those grieving their transition out of their literal and metaphorical relationships? Do you have a life mantra that you live by now?

Faith to me is a lot of things, but I like the way the Bible puts it. The Bible states that Faith is the assurance of things hoped for and the evidence of the unseen. I live by this verse, not only because it motivates me, it also assures me that God has heard me and will come through for me. 

Your second book "After the Storm" took about nine months to write. The book focuses on working through the grief following the previous events of your fiance Jason's passing and finding the strength to cross the bridge into the new reality waiting for you. Everyone processes grief differently. What resources, from people to tools, did you exercise to assist you through this process? 

My grief process was a difficult one. I not only grieved the death of someone I loved dearly, I also had to grieve the loss of a relationship and losing the chance to get married. Marriage is something that I’ve always wanted and accepting the fact that it wasn’t going to happen was one of the most difficult things I had to process. Throughout my grieving process, I went to see a therapist. I struggled a lot with thoughts of suicide and I was diagnosed with PTSD after witnessing such a traumatic incident.

In hindsight, do you believe Jason was brought into your life for a purpose? If Jason is listening, what would you like to tell him?

I very much do believe that Jason was brought into my life for a reason. He brought me closer to God and taught me how to love myself. If Jason were listening to me right now, I’d tell him how much I love him. I’d also thank him for teaching me the major lessons that he taught me in such a short amount of time. 

The universe has blessed you with a new partner in your life. How did you two meet? How did your overall being welcome this new person into your path? Have these events encouraged you to possibly write another book in the future?

I met my amazing new partner at a book signing of mine. There was just something about him that stood out to me. He was different than all the other guys. This man came into my life at the right time. I knew that I wanted someone new and I had been looking for while. It was honestly really strange, because when I stopped actively searching for partner, then he just shows up out of nowhere. Overall, it’s been very positive and I’m so glad that I opened my heart up to him. This incident has definitely inspired some ideas for more books in the future.

What are two writing tips you can share for authoring a memoir? Are there tips you wish you had known sooner to exercise?

One tip for writing is memoir is start with an outline. Write down every event in your life in chronological order and start building from there. The second piece of advice is build an audience up before you even start writing the book. The more audience you have, the better. 

What is the most useful constructive guidance you've received as an author? How has this improved your outlook on life and writing?

Honestly, as cheesy as it sounds, the best piece of advice that I was ever given as an author was to never give up. I had a quitter mentality and my friends, family, and everyone I worked with clearly saw that in me. They brought it to my attention, told me to snap out of it and not to quit. This has improved my outlook on both life and writing in a huge way. Whenever I start writing a new book, I get this feeling that it’s never going to be good enough or that people won’t resonate with it and hate it. So, whenever I feel like this, I go back to what my family told me. Don’t quit.

Natalie, what is the most fearless thing you've done in the past year? What new adventures do you look forward to now?

The most fearless thing I’ve done this year is opening my heart back up to love. I was scared of how people would react, but it’s the best decision I’ve ever made. What I look forward to this year is obviously the release of my new book After The Storm on December 15th. Personally, I’m looking forward to making new memories and just seeing where life takes me. 

​

Please share with audiences how they can support your work.

Author Site @ Natalie P. Jenkins

Natalie @ Good Reads

Twitter @nataliepjenkins

Meet Kathy Gruver, Motivational Health Speaker

Credit: Kathy Gruver

Hi Kathy! It's been at least 3 years since we last crossed paths. What new endeavors are keeping you busy?

So much. I started increasing my hypnosis and coaching practice. My speaking engagements multiplied and I have the privilege of traveling around the world to deliver my talks on stress, mindfulness and communication. I’m studying more and more and just finishing up a phenomenal coaching program. On a personal note, I left a 20 year relationship, my father passed away and I’m in a great relationship now with a phenomenal man. 

One of your initiatives highlights the correlation between stress and communication. What are the common pitfalls of communication that yield more stress in life overall? 

Oh absolutely. It is so difficult to communicate well while in a stressful situation. There are several reasons for that. First off we tend to be in a reactive state rather than a responsive state when we’re stressed. Also, when we are stressed we are looking for danger in the environment and that means we are more sensitive to negative things. So we are going to be seeing things through the lens of negativity. That definitely can lead to misinterpretation, knee-jerk reactions, hurt feelings and judgments.

How have you become a better communicator while educating and sharing your insights with audiences? 

​For me personally, in teaching others to communicate well it has really forced me to look at my communication habits. I was always an interrupter. I was so sure I knew what the end of the sentence was I would just start talking over people. For the most part I stopped doing that. And I have mostly eliminated the word ‘but’ out of my vocabulary. ‘But’ and ‘should’ are two words that I recommend people eliminate.

I recall you sharing while growing up Mountain Dew was your 'go to' drink. :) As your health and wellness interests developed over time, your outlook shifted to improve oneself by learning about different modes of medical and holistic healing. How has your wellness journey evolved specifically over the past decade? 

​

LOL. Oh yes the Church of Mountain Dew. That was a thing. The more I learn and the more I expand my capacity for knowledge the more I have to really take a look at myself and question what I’m doing with my life. Whether it’s nutrition or healthy relationships or communication or meditation. Once you have knowledge of something it’s really hard to go back to those old ways.

And I wouldn’t want to.

You've penned at least seven books. Out of your book collection, which book was the most challenging to write and why? 

​

Well, the first was not easy because I have no clue what I was doing. Lol. But I guess I have to say Journey of Healing was in parts the most difficult. I told a lot of personal stories in it. There’s one chapter on how I was badly bullied as a kid and it was really hard to put on paper. Very few people knew that. I told the story of how I was walking home from school one day and was jumped by a girl. The only people that ever knew that were me and a few friends that were there and the girl and her friends. Having to write that brought up a lot of shame and humiliation. But once I got it out (and cried a little bit), I will admit I found it to be incredibly healing! I think writing is one of the most cathartic things we can do for ourselves. And I’ve had so many incredible compliments on that book and specifically that chapter. So I know it really has an effect on others.

Are there any writing tips you can share with new authors?

​

Absolutely. I actually coach other authors and have an entire talk I give on writing books. The first thing is just go for it. Put pen to paper or fingers on the computer keys, or dictation and just get it out. And don’t think about it as writing an entire book. That seems so incredibly overwhelming. Think about it as writing a few sentences that become a paragraph that become a chapter that becomes a book. Break it down into doable chunks of what you want to say. As far as publishing goes, everybody thinks they want a traditional publisher. And that’s great for some but isn’t usually unfit for most authors. Think about what you really want from writing that book. Why are you writing the book? If it’s going to be a vanity project or something that you sell at your office or give away to friends and clients, a traditional publisher is not going to be the route to go for you. There are many low cost if not free self-publishing options that will get you the results you want. Also know that traditional publishers are not easy to get. Many will only go through an agent, which also takes a while to obtain. You have to write proposals that can be up to 50 or 60 pages. And it’s not quick. Most books through publishers take 12 to 24 months to get on a shelf. 

You've designed a privileged life and career that takes you all over the world for speaking engagements. Is there a particular city or country you're wanting to visit?

All of them. Can I say all of them? I have been truly privileged that I’ve been to the top seven places that I’ve always wanted to visit. I would love to go to Istanbul. I would love to go somewhere in Asia, maybe Japan or Vietnam. I’ve never been anywhere in South America and would love to see Machu Picchu. I think that might be the only thing that’s really left on my bucket list.

​I want to see everything.

As an avid fan of hip hop dance, who are your favorite music artists that entertain your senses?

If you could be a musician, whom would you love to collaborate with? 

This is a really hard one for me. I am terrible at knowing musical artists. I just dance to whatever my teacher puts on and I love it. I do love Lil John. Which is sort of funny for a middle-aged white woman. I really like harder music. Driving beats and lots of swearing. LOL. Which is also contrary to being in the healing arts. But it’s just what I like. Growing up I was a huge fan of Van Halen and Queen. Always wanted to sing a duet with Eddie Van Halen. Now I’m really dating myself.

You also host Women's Transformational Retreats. Who are the ideal candidates that can benefit from this wonderful activity? What types of transformations take place at these various venues?

Thanks for mentioning those. Of course they are on hold because of everything that's going on in the world. But when they are back up and running they are phenomenal for anyone who's at a crossroads in their life, who wants to stretch themselves and experiencing things that they might not experience otherwise. We do dance class, trapeze, improv, things that are really scary for some but stretch you out of your comfort zone. It's really an adventure. Just like life.

What is the most daring thing that you've done in the past year? What did you learn from this experience? 

​

That’s really a tough one. I have been staring at that question for a while. I live my life in a daring way so nothing is really standing out. I decided to restructure my practice and cut back on massage to add in more coaching, hypnosis and speaking. Then that sort of fell apart with the pandemic. This might be a weird answer but I fell in love. And after getting out of a 20-year relationship that is pretty scary and daring. Didn’t think I would get back into a relationship so quickly, but less than a year after leaving my ex I happened to fall in love. I really had to trust and allow myself to be vulnerable to let that happen. That seemed pretty daring.

As a former actor, how can the universe ( or Hollywood ) entice you to play yourself on Netflix or the big screen?

I’d do in a heartbeat. LOL. I really do miss acting and have on numerous occasions considered moving back to Los Angeles and giving it a shot again. I was really damn good at it and think now with what I know about business and marketing and having a bigger confidence in myself. I think I would have a better chance at a career in it. Everyone tells me I look like a young Meryl Streep so perhaps we can play each other. LOL.

Please share with audiences how they can contact you and support your valuable projects. 

Oh sure, I’m all over social media. I run a really fun Facebook group called The Empowerment Project and I’m on LinkedIn and Instagram. My sites are www.KathyGruver.com & www.KathyGruver.coach for anyone interested in working with me one on one. I love to help, so please reach out. I know this is a difficult time for many and you don’t have to go through this alone!