Wild Precious Life

At the age of 21, Thrity Umrigar left India to study journalism in the United States. Decades later, she is the acclaimed author of more than a dozen books, including her latest, HONOR, in which a reporter searches for courage amid the ashes of hatred. Annmarie and Thrity talk about the resilience of women, our need to protect the most vulnerable among us, and how to find love hidden in the boredom of ordinary days.

Megan Logan is a therapist, mom, and author of the SELF-LOVE WORKBOOK FOR WOMEN. In this episode, we open up about past struggles and current opportunities. Annmarie and Megan also discuss nude beaches, skydiving, and how to embrace the best version of yourself in every phase of life.

During this holiday season, we've decided to reissue our episode featuring Emily Ford. In case you don't remember, Emily was the first woman to successfully through-hike and complete Wisconsin's Ice Age Trail in the winter. I think we can all take a little of Emily's optimism into 2022! Emily’s love of the outdoors, her incurable optimism, and SAY YES spirit will have you donning hiking boots and heading for a walk in the woods. Annmarie talks to Emily (and her trusty sidekick Diggins) about trail magic, the kindness of strangers, and how all of us are so much stronger than we realize. https://evergreenpodcasts.com/wild-precious-life/just-say-yes-with-emily-ford

Naki Akrobettoe is a poet, a Ghanaian princess, and most importantly a mother. In this episode, Naki and Annmarie talk about the tricky balance of creativity and parenthood, the need for safe mental health practices, and the power of finding a home within yourself.

Rebecca Makkai is the author of Pulitzer Prize finalist, THE GREAT BELIEVERS, which tells the story of the AIDS epidemic in Chicago. Rebecca and Annmarie talk about the parallels and differences between battling Covid today and fighting HIV in the 1980s, as well as the lessons we can all learn about how to live and love in the face of fear.

Derdriu Ring always knew she wanted to act, and when she moved from Ireland to the United States, she continued to make this dream come true. Derdriu has performed sold-out shows from Los Angeles to Dublin and she joins us this week to talk about the magic and mystery of her craft. Annmarie and Derdriu discuss the importance of listening, working as an ensemble, and how to welcome adventures into the unknown.

Nayomi Munaweera is currently drafting her third novel. However, her first book took over ten years to write. Through dozens of revisions, rejections, and doubts, Nayomi learned the craft and never gave up on her dream. She felt in her bones she was meant to be a writer. Annmarie speaks with Nayomi about her immigrant childhood, teenage shenanigans, and what it really means to do the sacred work of storytelling.

Jonathan Penner is an actor and screenwriter well-known for his multiple appearances on the show Survivor. But he joins us today to talk about arguably his most important role: caregiver for his wife, Stacy Title, an Academy Award-nominated director, screenwriter, and producer, who passed away in 2021. Annmarie and Jonathan talk about love stories, the creative life, and what happens after happily ever after.

In this episode, Annmarie speaks with writer and therapist Lori Gottlieb about the power of talk therapy to transform our story. After jobs in television, journalism, and even a stint in medical school, Lori finally found her calling in psychotherapy. She has been on both the giving and receiving end of therapeutic wisdom and Lori teaches us how to unlearn old habits and foster new connections.

Does poetry scare you? Does it leave you feeling more lost than found? If so, you aren’t alone. In this episode, Annmarie talks to poet Vanessa Angélica Villareal about owning your truth, storytelling as survival, and the intergenerational power of Dirty Dancing.