I was a teenager when I picked up the guitar, and suddenly, I had the one thing I’d been looking for to craft the songs I’d been waiting to write. -Sarah Blacker

This up-close and personal interview was recorded in my living room with a singer/songwriter who grew up down the street. We met when she was a teenager…and a friend of my daughter Colleen’s. Years later, Sarah Blacker continues doing what she loves best: bringing comfort and joy to audiences large and small as a dynamic live performer. Heralded by the Huffington Post for her “infectious, well-written songs,” Sarah was named the 2024 Female Performer of the Year by the New England Music Awards. But there’s so much more to Sarah’s story because she harnesses the healing power of music as a Board-Certified Music Therapist and LMHC or Licensed Mental Health Counselor. Explains Sarah: “Listening to music can open up neuro-pathways. Music is magic. It gets us high. Sometimes, when I’m sitting there with Alzheimer’s patients, my mind is blown, and my heart is exposed because I know that music is what unlocked a patient’s memory.” A graduate of the Berklee College of Music, Sarah discovered music therapy during a tour of the school and realized that this academic path encompassed everything she had always loved about music. A survivor of life on the road as a musician, Sarah misses the audience but not the grueling schedule of an independent musician. “I lived on Dunkin Donuts for days, all for the love of music and those glorious moments when I got to be on stage, pouring my heart out, trying to connect with an audience.” The daughter of two music lovers, Sarah says that music was always playing at her house. “My dad had the greatest music collection of all time, everything from Paul Simon and Pink Floyd to Tubular Bells, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Seals & Crofts. My mom would make up her own silly songs. It was a creative household.” As a teen, Sarah’s musical role models were all- female, including Tori Amos, Joni Mitchell, Fiona Apple and Paula Cole. Learning to play the guitar is what completed Sarah Blacker as an artist. Says Sarah: “It was like opening the gates to everywhere I ever wanted to go.” For an inspiring 24-minute musical journey, just hit that download button. #music #musictherapy #songwriter #singer

I want older women to know: if you want to do something, get out there and do it, sister! Don’t sit around and think: I’m too old. No, you’re not! -Tracey Wheeler Noonan

It’s been about 10 years since I’ve interviewed Tracey Wheeler Noonan and let me tell you, this girl is on fire. She and her daughter, Dani took a unique way of making cupcakes in jars and turned it into a Shark Tank phenomenon. Wicked Good Cupcakes may have started out small in Tracey’s home kitchen, but it ended up going worldwide during the Pandemic and was sold to Hickory Farms for a nice profit. In this interview, Tracey takes us on a wild ride through her 6 Shark Tank appearances, sharing the lessons she learned along the way about entrepreneurship and how to run a company with her daughter. These days, Tracey is focused on public speaking and her lifelong love of writing with her first book titled A Wicked Good Idea. She’s also written two screenplays, a TV pilot, and a no-holds-barred memoir called Past, Present, Paris, based on her heartbreaking divorce. Denied a college education by her father because she was a girl, Tracey spent much of her adulthood trying to find her way and prove herself to her parents. In this very personal interview, it is Tracey Wheeler Noonan’s gigantic heart that really shines through. From priceless advice for entrepreneurs to words of wisdom for women of all ages, this episode is loaded with 23 minutes of inspiration. Says Tracey: “If I can do this, you can do this. Success is not something we hoard. It is something we must share. As women, we are NOT in competition with one another. We’ve got to lift each other up.” #sharktank #entrepreneur #women #empowerment #cupcakes

The biggest skill I use is listening.  Grievers don’t need to be fixed.  They need to be heard. – Louise Strasenburgh

The holidays are supposed to be joyful, but if you’ve lost someone you love, they can be tough. This week’s guest is here to help.   Louise Strasenburgh is a grief recovery specialist and the author of the book The Space In My Heart.   In 2011, her 26-year-old son Oliver’s body was found wrapped in a carpet in Puerto Rico.   In the middle of this horrific loss, her mother died, and then her daughter got married.  Needless to say, Louise experienced a roller coaster of emotions in a short period of time. Desperate to find a community of people who understood her loss, she discovered The Compassionate Friends, compassionatefriends.org, a non-profit that provides friendship, understanding, and hope to bereaved parents, siblings, and grandparents.  It wasn’t long before Louise became certified as a grief recovery specialist and became a leader within her local TCF chapter.  Says Louise:  “Imagine grieving parents, sitting in a circle, going around the room, saying their name and how their child died.  By the time you get to the end of the circle, your heart is flooded with compassion.  Here we all are, and we have to find a way to integrate this loss into our lives and still go forward.  Born in England and raised in Portugal, Louise has moved 32 times and in this interview, declares that she’s not done yet.  A former flight attendant for Pan Am, she was born to travel and loves the excitement of learning about new places and meeting people from around the world.  Her book The Space In My Heart was written during the Pandemic as a coping tool for loss.  Using the story of her two Westies, Digger and Daisy, as the protagonists, the book explains grief and loss to children but applies to people of all ages.   The daughter of a squadron leader in the UK’s Royal Air Force who fought during World War II, Louise credits her father and Queen Elizabeth as her role models.  “She was my queen from the day I was born, says Louise, and my father was a person of great integrity who taught me:  When things go right, hold tight.  When things go wrong, be strong.”  For 23 minutes of hope and healing, just hit that download button.  #grief #loss#mourning #hope #healing 

We must all be compassionate. You never know what someone else is going through. – Keely Krantz

Keely Krantz got her start in PR, eventually leading the launch of high-profile, global brands. A proud Boston College graduate, she was fortunate to have a mentor who had broken through glass ceilings and believed in passing it on. Says Keely “Janet Diederichs at Edelman Public Relations in Chicago challenged me to be someone I would never have aspired to if it hadn’t been for her guidance. I learned to be bold and aggressive.” At the height of Keely’s career, she became a mom and decided to stay at home with her kids, choosing parenthood and volunteerism over a career. It was this devotion to community and the greater good that inspired Keely and her husband Jason to make the largest gift in the history of Mass General Hospital cancer research history last year. Says Keely: “We don’t want to see small, incremental changes. We want to see fundamental, monumental, landscape-changing breakthroughs in the treatment of cancer, and we are willing to take big risks at the Krantz Family Research Center on physician-scientists who have big, aggressive ideas. We want to swing for the fences.” A few months later, Keely launched her next big chapter as the founder of the O’Dell Women’s Center www.odellwomenscenter.com in Springfield, Massachusetts. Named after her 98-year-old grandmother, who was a maternity nurse in the community for 40 years, the O’Dell Center is a first-of-its-kind in Springfield with 10,000 square feet of collaborative space that houses Dress for Success/Western Mass and other non-profits that advance educational and career opportunities for low-income women. In just one year, $250,000 in grants have been awarded. For Keely, this new chapter is the culmination of a story rooted in faith and the lessons of her parents. “Anything is possible” are three words I heard all the time when I was growing up. Says Keely. “I want to be a connector, surrounded by the mantra that respect and kindness go hand in hand. I want to do good.” For 23 minutes of inspiration, just hit that download button. #women #community #cancer @massgeneralcancercenter

I point out my student’s strengths so that they can start believing in themselves. Every child has a craving to learn. They are just like little sponges. –Jen Dugan Agne

When you think back to your education, was there one teacher who saw your talents before you did? Meet my longtime friend Jen Dugan Agne. A 5th-grade teacher at the Marie Hastings School in Lexington, Massachusetts, she LOVES what she does. In fact, she’s been the kind of teacher students never forget for 38 years. Says Jen: “My heart is full every day. I tell them all the time, who else would I want to hang out with but these honest little souls?” The youngest of three girls, Jen was raised in the town where she teaches and recalls being very shy as a child. It was her 4th-grade physical education teacher who saw something in her that she didn’t see in herself. The result was a lifelong love of sports and a commitment to be a school teacher someday. A graduate of Boston University with a BS and a Masters degree in Elementary Education, Jen set out for San Bernadino, California, where she taught 35 first graders for a year in a community where migrant workers and their families come and go throughout the school year, creating gaps in learning, making education very difficult for students. Back in Boston, she noticed an ad for a company called On Location Education and was hired as the tutor on the set of the movie Mermaids, starring Cher, Winona Ryder, and Christina Ritchie. From there, she joined the national tour of Les Miserables, where she ran her classroom like a one-room schoolhouse for the four children in the cast. All of these experiences have nurtured Jen’s goal of being the best teacher a child could ever ask for. When the school year begins, she explains: “We are a family, and we have each other’s backs, both in the classroom and outside of the classroom. We respect each other.” The proud mother of two, Jen is a two-time heart attack survivor who believes that life is short and “time is of the essence. If you have something to say, say it because you might not have that chance again.” For 23 minutes of pure teacher magic, just hit that download button! #teacher #gratitude #heartattack #inspiration #thanksgiving

History grounds you in who you are.  -Noelle Trent, PhD

Have you ever wished that you could sit down with a historian of United States history?  Meet Noelle Trent.  She’s spent her entire career studying the history of our country with a focus on the African American experience.  A “publichistorian,” Noelle has worked at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African History & Culture in Washington, DC, and the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, where she spearheaded MLK50 to commemorate the life, mission, and impact of Dr. Martin Luther King on the 50th anniversary of his assassination.  These days, you will find her at the Museum of African American History/Boston & Nantucket, where she proudly serves as the President & CEO.  www.maah.org. The daughter of a minister and a teacher, Noelle and her sisters were raised in the Baptist Church in Westchester, Pennsylvania, where her mother started an afterschool program rooted in teaching children about black history.   Noelle credits her parents with planting the seed that would become her passion and her profession as a historian. Says Noelle:  “When you grow up in a community with a lot of history around you, you need to have people around you to point it out.”   From what it meant to be an abolitionist in the 1800s to the founding of the nation’s first school for black children in 1835, to the story behind “Watch Night” services and the Jim Crow era, this episode is a tutorial in African American history. #blackhistory #MLK #CivilWar #emancipationproclamation#thestorybehindhersuccess

My diagnosis could be a death sentence, but you know what? I just keep moving forward every day because I want to give others hope. -Theresa Keresztes

There’s something about the strength of a woman. Somehow, someway, she persists…overcoming obstacles, finding new paths toward success, and doing good in the world. One of the scariest things we ever encounter in this life is a cancer diagnosis, and over the last few weeks, we’ve been saluting breast cancer survivors. Theresa Keresztes was just 40 years old when she felt a lump on her breast. The new mom went to the doctor and was told to come back in 6 months. She never did. Years later, a mammogram detected breast cancer. Since then, her cancer has recurred and spread to other parts of her body, but her story does not focus on her breast cancer…it focuses on what she has done for other women with the creation of My Girl’s Skin Care, mygirlscream.com. Inspired by a visit to Eastern Europe, where she noticed that women’s skin was flawless, this all-natural skincare brand is dedicated to providing chemical-free comfort to cancer patients during chemo, radiation, and when taking post-breast cancer drugs, which can cause debilitating muscle cramps. Cancer centers across the country are catching on, suggesting that their patients use My Girl’s Skin Care products. From researching ingredients found in Hungary at local apothecaries (rose hips and rose peddles) to locating manufacturers and developing a distribution plan, Theresa is an entrepreneur on a mission to help women heal. Her new app “Copeful” is Theresa’s latest invention, providing a forum that encourages hope and positivity. For a 22-minute tutorial on strength and courage during cancer, just hit that download button. #breastcancer #survivor #entrepreneur #skincare

I don’t just count days passing by. I make each day count. -Leslie Lawrence

October is breast cancer awareness month, so we’re featuring the inspiring stories of breast cancer survivors. Early detection has been a game changer in the fight against breast cancer, and I’m pretty sure that never missing my yearly mammogram saved my life. Promise me that you’ll NEVER miss your mammogram! Today’s episode was recorded at Book Love in the Pine Hills before a live audience. www.book-love.com. A first-time author, Leslie Lawrence is a 7-year breast cancer survivor www.leslielawrenceauthor.com. Written as a photographic memoir, I’m A Lucky Woman is filled with wisdom and deeply personal pictures that tell the story of one woman’s journey from diagnosis to survivorship. As the daughter of a woman who died of breast cancer, Leslie spent her adult life dreading every mammogram and hoping against hope that she would never hear the words “You have breast cancer.” Those four words were spoken when Leslie was 66, and her late mother, Isabel, remained her role model throughout her treatment for aggressive triple negative breast cancer. Blessed with a rock-solid marriage, a devoted son, a niece, and many friends who love her, Leslie’s tribe lifted her up, making it possible for her to endure every challenge. Says Leslie: “It was a old, framed cross-stitch on my wall that kept me hopeful, it reads: “Today is the tomorrow that worries you yesterday and all is well.” If you are newly diagnosed, I’m A Lucky Woman is an easy read, filled with the kind of wisdom only a survivor can impart. For a 22-minute dose of courage, a few laughs, and a fun little tune you can sing along to called The Mammogram Song by singer/songwriter Krisanthi Pappas, www.krisanthi.com, just hit that download button. #breastcancer #survivor #author #grateful

You are going to have some bad days, and that’s okay, but the good days have to outweigh the bad ones. You have to put your mind into beating breast cancer. -Theresa Jay

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month, we’re profiling inspiring survivors with incredible stories to tell. My friendship with today’s guest began in 2006 when I donated my wedding dress to her charity. Theresa Jay is the Founder of the Pink Rose Foundation www.pinkrose.org which provides scholarships to college-bound students who have lost a parent to breast cancer. To date, the charity has awarded over 100,000 dollars in scholarships. Diagnosed at only 41 with stage 3B metastatic breast cancer, there was a time when she thought she might not live to see her son and daughter grow up and go off to college, but here she is today, a 25-year survivor. Determined to play an active role in her treatment and recovery, Theresa became her own best advocate. Her mastectomy was performed after four grueling rounds of chemotherapy and when her pathology revealed 17 active lymph nodes, she asked her care team for stem cell therapy and enrollment in a clinical trial for a drug called Herceptin. Says Theresa: Even if the clinical trial and all the other treatments didn’t work , I felt that it was my responsibility to be a part of breast cancer research for the next generation of women.” 18 months of treatments exhausted her in mind, body and soul, but during that time in her life, Theresa refused to give up or give in. “My love for my

It’s okay to be scared when you are diagnosed with breast cancer. Gather your friends and family. Educate yourself and stay strong. You CAN get through this.- Claudia Mintz

October is breast cancer awareness month, so we’re shining the spotlight on the stories of survivors. Meet Claudia Mintz. The devoted mother of three, her children were only 5,4 and 2 when she was diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer in the middle of a contentious divorce. Says Claudia “I decided I was going to do whatever I could to stay alive. What scared me the most was the idea of leaving my children. Falling apart was not an option for me. “ Now the Executive Director of the One Wish Project, www.onewishproject.us, Claudia shares the story of how the non-profit was created 7 years ago by her daughter Hannah, who launched the charity with her babysitting money. Recently featured on Good Morning America, One Wish Project provides customized birthday celebrations for children and teens experiencing homelessness with the belief that every child’s birthday should be honored. What started with one birthday party for a 9-year-old child at a nearby shelter in 2017 has now turned into birthday celebrations for 1200 kids a year in shelters and foster care. Now a 20-year survivor, Claudia shares what kept her strong throughout her breast cancer battle. “There have been some dark times when I didn’t know if I would make it, but I learned that you have to live your life every single day as if you never received that diagnosis.” For 22 minutes of inspiration, just hit that download button. #breastcancer #birthday #survivor #charity