This week, we talk with Valorie Kondos Field, the UCLA gymnastics coach who helped lead Katelyn Ohashi to her electrifying floor routine that has gone viral online.

This week we feature two stories of music and healing. Dr. Kenny Davin Fine tells us how music can be a powerful aid to healing. Then we meet Brandon Mendenhall, who overcame childhood cerebral palsy to become the founder and guitarist of The Mendenhall Experiment.

This time of year is often when people make changes - a new job, eat better, manage our money. But what if it's time for an internal house cleaning? How do you get rid of toxic relationships? What do you do when relationships end? This week, we talk with two authors with insight on a new year and a new you.

This time of year is called 'the most wonderful time' by some. But it can also be painful. How do you survive getting together with family members you might not like? And what if you're alone? We talk to three experts about navigating holiday stresses on this week's American Café

This week we visit the One House art project which highlights the diversity of American society and the many stories of people who come here. Then we'll visit a special clinic that is helping musicians stay in playing form.

This week, we visit the Jack Daniels distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee, where water plays a big role in how the bourbon tastes. Then Steve Baragona takes us to Baltimore, Maryland, where scientists are purifying water using algae.

For generations, the Statue of Liberty has greeted people coming to the United States through New York Harbor. This week, we visit the site of a new museum dedicated to Lady Liberty. Then we travel to New Orleans, Louisiana, the birthplace of jazz for some foot-stomping good times at Preservation Hall.

This week the holiday season gets into full swing in the United States. But often the hoped for joy of the season is poisoned by anger, bitterness, or resentment. This week, host David Byrd chats with rabbi/cantor Judy Greenfeld from Nachshon Minyan in Encino, California, about how forgiveness can help free us from the bad things that bind us.

You might have heard of mindfulness or being present. But how do you do that? What role does gratitude play in having a happy, stress-free life? This week, we chat with Julie Potiker, the author of "Life Falls Apart, but You Don't have to: Mindful Methods for Staying Calm in the Midst of Chaos."

What do the 2018 midterm election results mean for Donald Trump's presidency? How will having the Democrats in control of the House of Representatives affect his plans? What does it mean for the country? VOA Chief Political Correspondent Jim Malone stops by to answer those and other questions on this week's show.