This week's guest is Suzanne Jarvie. A life-long musician, Suzanne was spurred into becoming a creator through traumatic experience, and so the longest Heart Work podcast episode yet is a deep dive into trauma as a well-spring for the creative process and the ways we change in the aftermath of traumatic events as we find our way to who we are now. Recording her music with Hugh Christopher Brown at Wolfe Island Records has led to new adventures as Suzanne shifts into retirement.

Today's guest is Rob Horgan, an educator and disabled artist who has both found and offered healing with The November Project, a multi-media art experience based on love letters between his grandparents during WWII. You can watch 5 episodes of The November Project on Bell FibeTV1. You can also find it in live events, currently in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Rob mentions Two Blue Shirts Productions, based in Port Hope, Ontario.

Rob's project has involved artists including  The Colton Sisters and Eve Goldberg with the Ukulele Orchestra of Toronto.

Today's guest is Alli Temple. She's an indie author writing queer fantasy and romance who believes in the healing power of story, song and K Pop. She lives in Toronto with her very patient husband and their team of rescue pets. Find out more about Alli and her work here:  https://www.allisontemplebooks.com/

***Content Note***

This episode of Heart Work includes conversation about Medical Assistance in Dying. If you’re in distress, you can call or text 988 from anywhere in Canada for support 24/7/365. You matter. Please take good care of yourself. 

Todays guest is multifaceted artist Adam Tario. He's a musician, a comedian, a writer and a visual artist. 

Adam performs with two bands: 

You can hear a song by The Mickies here:  https://open.spotify.com/track/6TmZROjEfcY3IxUNFIQbTX?si=bf67d0285f434cbd

You can hear a song by The Doomsday Poets here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBcA9tcLKmY

Maureen mentions Katherine Wheatley, a skilled guitarist and songwriter she admires.

In this episode of Heart Work, Maureen interviews Chris Fraser. A writer and community-builder, Chris is the founder of Firefly Creative Writing, which welcomes writers of all kinds to find their voices in community. Chris shares Spring Thaw with us, a poem dedicated to her cousin's daughter, Temia.

You'll find more about Chris and Firefly Creative Writing here: https://fireflycreativewriting.com/

Chris mentioned the book Holding Change by adrienne maree brown. You can explore adrienne's work here: https://adriennemareebrown.net/book/holding-change-2/

Chris mentioned the quote "There is no agony like bearing an untold story inside you." from Zora Neale Hurston, though it's often attributed to Maya Angelou. You can learn more about Zora's work here: https://www.zoranealehurston.com/ 

The Momoir workshop where I met Chris was held in the peaceful setting of Loretto Maryholme. You can learn more about the retreat centre here: https://www.lorettomaryholme.ca/

Today's guest is Megan Elliot. Megan's a singer-songwriter, a visual artist, and educator and an arts advocate.

You can see her work as a visual artist on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/stripedshirtstudio/ 

You can follow her open mic on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/eastendweekendmusicopenmic/

Megan and Maureen mentioned the Toronto Songwriting School, Old School Camps Songwriting Camp, and Winter Folk Camp.

Maureen also mentioned Women's Music Weekend.

In this episode of Heart Work, Maureen interviews Michelle Munroe-Reid. Michelle's an Occupational Therapist working in the field of mental health, and she's also a singer-songwriter who has found writing and performing personal songs to be transformative. She shares a personal song about facing challenges called Your Love Ain't One.

You can learn more about Michelle here: https://michellemunroereid.com/ and follow her on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/michelle__munroe__reid/

Michelle's first songwriting experience was with Suzie Ungerleider

Maureen and Michelle met at Hotel Wolfe Island as participants in the Old School Camps Songwriting Camp.

Both therapist-singer-songwriters found the Girls and Guitars program with Hillside Festival to be a transformative experience.

Michelle mentioned The Red Hand Files by Nick Cave.

Maureen mentioned the memoir Saved by a Song by Mary Gauthier.

Today's guest is Ghrian Shine, who has written a memoir called Breathing the Night Out: A Story of Intergenerational Sexual Violence and Healing as part of her own healing journey. 

She mentioned The Gatehouse, an organization in Toronto offering programs  built to support survivors of childhood sexual abuse with trauma-informed care, peer support, and a safe community to heal.  

In this episode of Heart Work, Maureen interviews Nina Willow. Nina describes herself as a doctor, a maker, and a chaser of light and colour. 

Nina's work can be found on Instagram and on Substack

Maureen and Nina met through Firefly Creative Writing.

In this episode of Heart Work, Maureen interviews Sean Danby. A filmmaker, director and editor, Sean is one of the founders of Grief Stories, creating a free, accessible virtual resource for those who are grieving and the ones who want to support them. Sean is also the founder and owner of Forever Legacy Videos, where he makes personal films that preserve stories, memories and messages for loved ones.

Sean mentioned Gilda’s Club, and Sean also mentioned Hospice Toronto