Your Creative Mind

Directing Plays, Four Theatre Directors Explore Creative Lessons from the Stage

Collaboration Lessons from Theatre Directors That Apply to Any Creative Project with Stacy Zuberi, Sara Ruiz, Basil Rodericks, and Andy Reiff.
What can a directing class teach us about creativity, leadership, and the art of telling stories that connect? In this episode of Your Creative Mind, Izolda Trakhtenberg sits down with fellow directors Basil Rodericks, Andy Reiff, Sara Ruiz, and Stacy Zuberi to share lessons from their time training with master teacher Karen Kohlhaas. You’ll hear how working on plays like Sweet Bird of Youth, A Streetcar Named Desire, Mala Hierba, and The Revolutionists shaped their vision, sharpened their communication, and strengthened their confidence as creative leaders. If you want practical strategies for directing theatre, leading collaborative projects, or building a more mindful creative practice, this conversation is full of insights you can put to work in your own life.
Andy Reiff
Andy Reiff is a director and costume designer. Most recently, Andy directed and designed the costumes for Sugar and Salt as part of the Circle Theater Festival, produced by RJ Theatre and The Actor Launchpad. Directing credits include: Anton Goes to Heaven (?) at Theater for the New City. Costume design: The Fundamentalist (Theaterlab), My Name is Susan (Scandinavian American Theater Company), Miracle of the Danube (Philipstown Depot Theatre), Expression of Regret (Philipstown Depot Theatre). Film: "Down the Shore", "Gender Studies", "Goodboy", "Egg", "Lifted" for Gucci and Garage magazine. Styling credits include music videos, editorial projects, red carpet styling for Tony nominee Max Vernon for the opening of KPOP on Broadway and Ben Levi Ross for the premiere of Tick, Tick…Boom!. Andy is passionate about creating opportunities for trans actors onstage. For three years, Andy has been working towards directing and playing Sally Bowles in Cabaret, which you can follow at @prairieoysterclub. @andyreiff andyreiff.com
 
Basil Rodericks
Basil Rodericks trained with John Basil at the American Globe Conservatory Theatre, where he performed for more than ten seasons. He later continued classical work with unShout the Noise (Tricia Mancuso Parks) under Ron Canada and as a member of Hedgepig Ensemble Theatre Company. Favorite roles: Othello, Iago, Claudius, the Ghost, Lord Capulet, Oberon, and the King of France. Recent: Langston Hughes in Harlem to Moscow: A Soviet Film on Negro Life as Told by Langston Hughes and Bill in PINK, both by Alle Mims under David Henry Hwang/Columbia U.. Directing: Kindergarten Confidential (Debbie Goodstein), The Wanderer (David Glover), and Pecking Order (59E59). Basil served as an evaluator for Hedgepig’s “Expand the Canon” initiative and a nominator for The Drama League. An accomplished theatrical photographer, he teaches photography at a South Bronx high school. basilrodericks.com
Currently: 2nd Murder, Soho Shakes at the Flea Oct 9-Nov 1. Tix: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/2nd-murderer 
 
Sara Ruiz
Sara Ruiz is a director, producer, writer, actor and activist from the San Fernando Valley. In 2020, she graduated with degrees in Political Science and Theatre from CSU Channel Islands. Since she was in high school her passions have been making politics and policy more accessible through the use of theatre and film. She believes that the arts can be used as a tool to break down barriers in the political world. Previously, she served as President of Ventura based theatre company, Unity Theatre Collective and is a founding member of Sana Sana Productions, a guerilla theatre and film production company based in LA. Currently she is Co-Directing "Everybody" by Brandon Jacobs Jenkins at CSU Channels Islands alongside her former Professor Laura Covault. Her past directing credits include: Asteroid Belt by LM Feldman, Collective Rage: a Play in 5 Betties by Jen Silverman, (un)American Activities, Sana Sana’s first original short film, Mi Cielo, an original radio play, and a handful of staged readings.
 
Stacy Zuberi
Stacy Zuberi has been acting since 2020. She has been in several short films and community plays. Her most recent stage productions were playing Mary in City Jail, Lorna in Surviving Grace and Mrs. Soames in Our Town. She has also been the director of Walnut Springs Middle School Drama Club since 2023. This past year they produced Shrek jr., the musical. In her spare time she loves hiking and biking and playing with her grandkids.
https://www.instagram.com/zuberistacy/
 
Izolda Trakhtenberg
Izolda Trakhtenberg is a director and playwright whose work spans stage and screen. Many moons ago, she directed Pam Gems’ Dusa, Fish, Stas, Vi on a 50.00 budget. She also created original projects including the One-Minute Movies community short film series. With NASA, she wrote, directed, and produced award-winning films such as Breathable: A Story of Air Quality and Touch the Earth, along with over 30 films on Earth’s biomes. As a playwright, her work has been featured in festivals across the USA, including Expiration Date at the 29 Palms Festival and Perhaps, Maybe? at Gi60. She is the creator of the If She Had Lived play cycle, exploring untold women's stories. She's currently writing three books, two plays, and a musical. She's also the president of the Tri-state New York chapter of Sisters in Crime, crime writers organization.
Connect with Izolda
Get exclusive content and bonus podcast episodes when you join my Patreon.
Website: https://IzoldaT.com
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/izoldat.bsky.social.
Book Your Discovery Call: https://calendly.com/izoldat/discovery-call
New Play Exchange: https://newplayexchange.org/users/90481/izolda-trakhtenberg
Submit a Play to the Your Creative Table Read Podcast Series
 https://crossroads.consulting/ 
This episode is brought to you by Brain.fm. I love and use brain.fm! It combines music and neuroscience to help me focus, meditate, and even sleep! Because you listen to this show, you can get a free trial and 20% off with this exclusive coupon code: innovativemindset. (affiliate link)URL: https://brain.fm/innovativemindset
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The Gift of Doing Nothing: How Stillness Restores Creativity and Clarity

Doing Nothing as a Creative Reset: Simple Techniques to Reclaim Your Mind and Mood
What if doing nothing was the most creative thing you could do?
In this episode of Your Creative Mind, Izolda Trakhtenberg explores how intentional stillness restores your creativity, focus, and joy even when you only have five minutes. You’ll learn why pausing your productivity actually strengthens your imagination and how to practice three simple “do nothing” techniques that help you reset your nervous system and open the door to new ideas.
If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, creatively blocked, or just plain tired, this episode will show you how to reclaim your energy one breath, one pause, one moment at a time.
What if doing nothing was the most creative thing you could do?
In this episode of Your Creative Mind, Izolda Trakhtenberg explores how intentional stillness restores your creativity, focus, and joy — even when you only have five minutes. You’ll learn why pausing your productivity actually strengthens your imagination and how to practice three simple “do nothing” techniques that help you reset your nervous system and open the door to new ideas.
If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, creatively blocked, or just plain tired, this episode will show you how to reclaim your energy — one breath, one pause, one moment at a time.
Get exclusive content and bonus podcast episodes when you join my Patreon.
Connect with Izolda
Website: https://IzoldaT.com
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/izoldat.bsky.social.
Book Your Discovery Call: https://calendly.com/izoldat/discovery-call
New Play Exchange: https://newplayexchange.org/users/90481/izolda-trakhtenberg
Submit a Play to the Your Creative Table Read Podcast Series
 https://crossroads.consulting/ 
This episode is brought to you by Brain.fm. I love and use brain.fm! It combines music and neuroscience to help me focus, meditate, and even sleep! Because you listen to this show, you can get a free trial and 20% off with this exclusive coupon code: innovativemindset. (affiliate link)URL: https://brain.fm/innovativemindset
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Micro Moments, Major Results

How tiny bursts of creativity during your day can help you feel calmer, more focused, and more yourself.
Do you wish you had more time to be creative but feel like every minute is already spoken for? In this episode of Your Creative Mind, Izolda Trakhtenberg shares three simple, proven strategies to help you carve out a few minutes each day for creativity or your favorite hobby without overhauling your schedule. You’ll learn how to use micro moments for self-expression, pair habits to make creativity automatic, and set small, achievable goals that actually stick. By the end, you’ll see how just a few mindful minutes can recharge your energy, sharpen focus, and boost your sense of accomplishment. Join the growing community of creatives building sustainable daily practices that fit real life.
AND Izolda be giving you a sneak peek into some other cool changes coming to the show. Plus, she discusses Yo-Yo Ma, Grand Central Terminal, the new book, "Dear New York," and piano.
Get exclusive content and bonus podcast episodes when you join my Patreon.
Connect with Izolda
Website: https://IzoldaT.com
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/izoldat.bsky.social.
Book Your Discovery Call: https://calendly.com/izoldat/discovery-call
New Play Exchange: https://newplayexchange.org/users/90481/izolda-trakhtenberg
Submit a Play to the Your Creative Table Read Podcast Series
 https://crossroads.consulting/ 
This episode is brought to you by Brain.fm. I love and use brain.fm! It combines music and neuroscience to help me focus, meditate, and even sleep! Because you listen to this show, you can get a free trial and 20% off with this exclusive coupon code: innovativemindset. (affiliate link)URL: https://brain.fm/innovativemindset
It’s also brought to you by my podcast host, Podbean! I love how simple Podbean is to use. If you’ve been thinking of starting your own podcast, Podbean is the way to go!**
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Beyond the Words: Acting, Silence, and Human Connection in Pinter's Old Times with Jaqui Shiel, Lori Kee, and Mark Cosby

Three actors, one enigmatic play, and surprising insights into collaboration, craft, and curiosity
What can three actors teach you about memory, silence, and creativity? In this episode of Your Creative Mind, I sit down with Jaqui Shiel, Mark Cosby, and Lori Kee, three accomplished performers who brought Harold Pinter’s Old Times to life in a Zoom performance in Karen Kohlhaas’ directing class that I took.
You’ll hear how they build layered characters, balance artistic work with everyday demands, and use pauses and presence to create powerful moments on stage and in life. Their stories offer practical strategies you can apply to your own communication, whether you’re leading a team, teaching a class, or crafting your next project.
If you want fresh insight into acting craft, collaboration, and the artistry of silence, this conversation will spark new ideas and confidence in your own creative journey.
The actors in this project were: Jaqui Shiel as Kate, Mark Cosby as Deeley, and Lori Kee as Anna. See below for their information. If you're a producer or a casting director, book them for shows. They are tremendous at their art and craft.
See the production on YouTube.
 
Jaqui Shiel
Jaqui Shiel is an actor, singer and writer. Born and raised in South Africa to Irish parents- she trained as an actor in S.Africa at the TUT School of Drama and in the UK at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts. 
 
After a varied theatre career in London playing roles in, amongst other things, The Libertine, Rainshark, Mary Zimmerman's The Arabian Nights, Playboy of the Western World, and A Month in the Country, Jaqui moved to NYC where she has been seen in Elektra at the Baryshnikov Arts Centre and in industry readings for new plays including Craig Lucas's play Change Agent as Jackie Kennedy.
 
As a writer, Jaqui was the 2023 winner of the Red Bull Theatre short play festival- where her play “Taboo is the Thing” had a one night off-Broadway reading produced by Red Bull. She continues to enjoy the challenge and thrill of playwriting and is currently mentored by Lucy Thurber. 
https://www.jaquishiel.com/ 
https://www.instagram.com/jaquishiel/
 
Lori Kee
Award winning Actress. Upcoming: shooting 2 films-- Everything's Fine Now and  Salting. Favorite roles: Tracey in Sweat by Lynn Nottage, Wife in Wife to the Headless Horsemanby Don Nigro, Woman in Neil Labute’s Falling in Like, Emma in Pterodactyls by Nicky Silver, Lola in Lola Lies to Corky. & Linda in According to the Chorus both by Arlene Hutton, Sandwich in Hungry by Matt Crowley, Seagull in Sisters Grimm: Pointy the Starfish by Bricken Sparacino, Saint Birgitta in the TV series Parable, also the beloved authoress Jane Austen in the web series The Jane Games and Susie in Days of Our Lives.. Member: Nylon Fusion, SAG/AFTRA, AEA, SDC.  
www.lorikee.com
https://www.instagram.com/thelorikee/
 
Mark Cosby
Mark Cosby has performed in over 40 plays in New York City, Los Angeles, and his hometown of Atlanta, which he returned to just last year to be closer to his family and where this Halloween you can catch him in “Wolfman” with the experimental movement theatre company Havoc.Mark’s first exposure to Pinter was in a shoestring production of The Lover, put up over summer break with fellow actors of the Atlantic Theater Company Acting School in 2002, where he also first met teacher, Karen Kohlhaas, who shepherded our “Old Times” project.
 
https://www.instagram.com/markccosby/
 
 
Connect with Izolda
Get exclusive content and bonus podcast episodes when you join my Patreon.
Website: https://IzoldaT.com
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/izoldat.bsky.social.
Book Your Discovery Call: https://calendly.com/izoldat/discovery-call
New Play Exchange: https://newplayexchange.org/users/90481/izolda-trakhtenberg
Submit a Play to the Your Creative Table Read Podcast Series
https://crossroads.consulting/ 
This episode is brought to you by Brain.fm. I love and use brain.fm! It combines music and neuroscience to help me focus, meditate, and even sleep! Because you listen to this show, you can get a free trial and 20% off with this exclusive coupon code: innovativemindset. (affiliate link)URL: https://brain.fm/innovativemindset
It’s also brought to you by my podcast host, Podbean! I love how simple Podbean is to use. If you’ve been thinking of starting your own podcast, Podbean is the way to go!**
 
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Some of the topics in this episode touched on suicide. If you need help, please contact the Suicide Hotline: Call 988, or go to: https://988lifeline.org/ 

Creatives at Work: Simple Stage Techniques That Reignite Attention and Energy

Itzhak Perlman at 80 reminds us: presence and connection matter most
What happens when you’re on stage and suddenly feel your audience slip away? In this Creatives at Work episode of Your Creative Mind, Izolda Trakhtenberg shares why losing an audience isn’t a failure. It’s a normal part of creative life. And, more importantly, how you can bring people back with confidence and grace.
Take the fear out of losing your audience with these practical tools.
Drawing on lessons from seeing the legendary Itzhak Perlman live at the Beacon Theatre, Izolda breaks down three practical techniques any artist, performer, or speaker can use to re-engage a drifting audience. You’ll walk away with tools to strengthen your stage presence, connect more deeply in the moment, and transform tension into trust. If you’ve ever wanted to communicate with clarity, courage, and impact, on stage or off, this episode will help you do just that.
Get exclusive content and bonus podcast episodes when you join my Patreon.
Connect with Izolda
Website: https://IzoldaT.com
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/izoldat.bsky.social.
Book Your Discovery Call: https://calendly.com/izoldat/discovery-call
New Play Exchange: https://newplayexchange.org/users/90481/izolda-trakhtenberg
Submit a Play to the Your Creative Table Read Podcast Series
 https://crossroads.consulting/ 
This episode is brought to you by Brain.fm. I love and use brain.fm! It combines music and neuroscience to help me focus, meditate, and even sleep! Because you listen to this show, you can get a free trial and 20% off with this exclusive coupon code: innovativemindset. (affiliate link)URL: https://brain.fm/innovativemindset
It’s also brought to you by my podcast host, Podbean! I love how simple Podbean is to use. If you’ve been thinking of starting your own podcast, Podbean is the way to go!**
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Reclaiming Yourself Through Art with Grammy-Nominated Musician and Activist Mary Lambert

Why Self Trust and Telling the Truth in Your Art is the Most Radical Move You Can Make
What happens when you stop asking for permission and start using your voice fully and unapologetically? In this powerful episode of Your Creative Mind, Grammy-nominated artist, poet, and activist Mary Lambert shares how creative self-trust, emotional truth, and artist activism fuel her work. You’ll hear how she turned personal pain into bold purpose and how you can do the same whether you’re writing, leading, or building your business. Hosted by Izolda Trakhtenberg, creativity coach and communication expert, this show helps entrepreneurs, artists, and leaders grow their creative courage and connect with their voice so they can create meaningful impact. If you're looking for a roadmap to resilience, expression, and lasting creative confidence, this conversation will light the way.
Connect with Mary
https://marylambertsings.com/ 
https://www.instagram.com/marylambertsing/
https://www.facebook.com/marylambertsings
https://www.youtube.com/marylambertsings
https://bsky.app/profile/marylambertsings.bsky.social
https://www.patreon.com/marylambert
 
Get exclusive content and bonus podcast episodes when you join my Patreon.
Connect with me
 
Website: https://IzoldaT.com
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/izoldat.bsky.social.
Book Your Discovery Call: https://calendly.com/izoldat/discovery-call
New Play Exchange: https://newplayexchange.org/users/90481/izolda-trakhtenberg
Submit a Play to the Your Creative Table Read Podcast Series
https://crossroads.consulting/ 
This episode is brought to you by Brain.fm. I love and use brain.fm! It combines music and neuroscience to help me focus, meditate, and even sleep! Because you listen to this show, you can get a free trial and 20% off with this exclusive coupon code: innovativemindset. (affiliate link)URL: https://brain.fm/innovativemindset
It’s also brought to you by my podcast host, Podbean! I love how simple Podbean is to use. If you’ve been thinking of starting your own podcast, Podbean is the way to go!**
 
 
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Creatives at Work - Two Character Play

A brand new segment/episode style of this podcast. When I see, do, or experience creatives at work in a way that highlights curiosity and using our brains and minds to create or change worlds, I'll do an episode like this one.
On this one, I explore Playhouse Creatures' production of Tennessee Williams' Two Character Play starring Irene Glezos and Joseph Rodriguez directed by Anthony Biggs.
I saw it at Maison10 ( a super cool art gallery and performance space in Nomad, NYC). It's going to the Provincetown Theatre Festival the weekend of September 25th.
For more information: https://playhousecreatures.org/tennessee-williams-two-character-play/ 
Get exclusive content and bonus podcast episodes when you join my Patreon.
Connect with me.
 
Website: https://IzoldaT.com
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/izoldat.bsky.social.
Book Your Discovery Call: https://calendly.com/izoldat/discovery-call
New Play Exchange: https://newplayexchange.org/users/90481/izolda-trakhtenberg
Submit a Play to the Your Creative Table Read Podcast Series
 https://crossroads.consulting/ 
This episode is brought to you by Brain.fm. I love and use brain.fm! It combines music and neuroscience to help me focus, meditate, and even sleep! Because you listen to this show, you can get a free trial and 20% off with this exclusive coupon code: innovativemindset. (affiliate link)URL: https://brain.fm/innovativemindset
It’s also brought to you by my podcast host, Podbean! I love how simple Podbean is to use. If you’ve been thinking of starting your own podcast, Podbean is the way to go!**
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Sound Without Borders: Building Connection Through Music and Culture with Josh Rogosin

Josh Rogosin breaks down the magic behind music that moves people around the world.
What does it take to truly hear creativity across cultures, genres, and geography? In this episode, Izolda sits down with Josh Rogosin, the sound mind behind over 800 NPR Tiny Desk Concerts and founder of Global Sound Concerts. You’ll hear how music becomes a bridge between people, how deep listening changes everything, and why imperfections often carry more truth than polish. If you’re a creator, storyteller, or someone who wants to connect more deeply, with your audience or your own voice, this episode offers insight and inspiration in equal measure. Josh shares what makes a performance memorable, how sound captures emotion, and how to create work that resonates. Tune in for tools that can reshape how you listen, create, and communicate in your own life and work.
 
Connect with Josh
https://globalsoundconcerts.com/ 
https://www.instagram.com/joshrogosin/?hl=en
https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshrogosin 
https://www.patreon.com/joshrogosin 
https://www.youtube.com/@GlobalSoundConcerts 
BONUS: Little Kruta appears courtesy of Josh Rogosin and the Global Sound Concerts. They perform an excerpt of their original piece, "Sandra Bullock." 
https://www.patreon.com/littlekruta 
Watch Little Kruta's entire performance at the main branch of the New York Public Library.
Musicians at the special performance from the main branch of the New York Public Library were:
Performers:
Maria Im – Violin
Tiffany Weiss – Violin
Lucy Voin – Violin
Laura Sacks – Viola
Kristine Kruta – Cello
Sarah Favinger – Bass
Credits: Creative Director – Josh Rogosin Videographer – Richard "Ricky" Hood Intro Animation – Kaz Fantone. Special Thanks: The incredible staff and volunteers at The New York Public Library, Jenna Li, Walter Ferguson, Kari Davis and TJ Woods. Filmed live at The New York Public Library's Astor Hall – a breathtaking intersection of sound, story, and space.
Connect with Izolda
Get exclusive content and bonus podcast episodes when you join my Patreon.
 
Website: https://IzoldaT.com
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/izoldat.bsky.social.
Book Your Discovery Call: https://calendly.com/izoldat/discovery-call
New Play Exchange: https://newplayexchange.org/users/90481/izolda-trakhtenberg
Submit a Play to the Your Creative Table Read Podcast Series
https://crossroads.consulting/ 
This episode is brought to you by Brain.fm. I love and use brain.fm! It combines music and neuroscience to help me focus, meditate, and even sleep! Because you listen to this show, you can get a free trial and 20% off with this exclusive coupon code: innovativemindset. (affiliate link)URL: https://brain.fm/innovativemindset
It’s also brought to you by my podcast host, Podbean! I love how simple Podbean is to use. If you’ve been thinking of starting your own podcast, Podbean is the way to go!**
 
 
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The Staybbatical

How I spent my summer vacation ...
Here are my lessons learned from taking time to work on myself, my art, my time management and many other facets of being me for these last four weeks.
I hope these lessons learned will help you set boundaries, do your creative work, and discover how you work best.
Cheers!
Get exclusive content and bonus podcast episodes when you join my Patreon.
Connect with me
Website: https://IzoldaT.com
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/izoldat.bsky.social.
Book Your Discovery Call: https://calendly.com/izoldat/discovery-call
New Play Exchange: https://newplayexchange.org/users/90481/izolda-trakhtenberg
Submit a Play to the Your Creative Table Read Podcast Series
https://crossroads.consulting/ 
This episode is brought to you by Brain.fm. I love and use brain.fm! It combines music and neuroscience to help me focus, meditate, and even sleep! Because you listen to this show, you can get a free trial and 20% off with this exclusive coupon code: innovativemindset. (affiliate link)URL: https://brain.fm/innovativemindset
It’s also brought to you by my podcast host, Podbean! I love how simple Podbean is to use. If you’ve been thinking of starting your own podcast, Podbean is the way to go!**
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Stop Judging Your Work: How to Quiet Anxiety and Finish What You Start

Finish What You Start: Techniques to Keep Judgment Out of Your Creative Process
Ever start a project only to abandon it halfway through because you judged it too soon? You’re not alone. Millions of half-finished books, paintings, and songs aren’t abandoned because the ideas were bad. They’re abandoned because judgment crept in before the work was ready.
In this episode of Your Creative Mind, Izolda Trakhtenberg explores why judging your work while you’re creating fuels anxiety, stalls momentum, and keeps projects unfinished. You’ll discover concrete strategies to quiet the inner critic, separate creation from editing, and protect your flow so you can actually finish the work you start.
If you’ve ever told yourself “this is terrible” or worried “I’ll never top this,” this episode will help you release judgment, reduce anxiety, and get back into creative flow.
Tune in and learn:
Why judgment and creation don’t belong in the same room
How early praise can be just as paralyzing as early criticism
Practical tools to keep working even when anxiety shows up
Simple rituals to create distance so you can evaluate more objectively later
Don’t let judgment bury your work in a drawer. Protect your creative process and finally see your ideas through.
Want personal coaching to help you quiet anxiety and finish your projects? Book a free discovery call with me here.
Get exclusive content and bonus podcast episodes when you join my Patreon.
Connect with me
Website: https://IzoldaT.com
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/izoldat.bsky.social.
Book Your Discovery Call: https://calendly.com/izoldat/discovery-call
New Play Exchange: https://newplayexchange.org/users/90481/izolda-trakhtenberg
Submit a Play to the Your Creative Table Read Podcast Series
 
This episode is brought to you by Brain.fm. I love and use brain.fm! It combines music and neuroscience to help me focus, meditate, and even sleep! Because you listen to this show, you can get a free trial and 20% off with this exclusive coupon code: innovativemindset. (affiliate link)URL: https://brain.fm/innovativemindset
It’s also brought to you by my podcast host, Podbean! I love how simple Podbean is to use. If you’ve been thinking of starting your own podcast, Podbean is the way to go!**
 
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