Episode 20: The Art of the Interview with Dr. Gerald Stein

I’ve come to think of having a comment from Dr. Gerald Stein as a badge of honor for a post. His comments, generously bestowed, reflect a gentle sense of humor, and a great sense of perspective and wisdom.

Which is a good description for his blog posts as well. His writing often draws from his esteemed career as a psychologist, in addition to his interests, such as lover of the arts, exercising his studious mind, and in my observation, being an insightful human. As an example, one of my favorite posts, How to Become Your Own Best Friend, reflects all of the above and more.

So Vicki and I were thrilled when psychologist, historian, teacher and blogger, Dr. Gerald Stein, agreed to come on the podcast to talk with us. It was such a delight and honor to be able to converse with him about his stories and experience.

In this episode, we talk about the art of the interview. Dr. Stein draws on his extensive experience as a therapist but also as an expert witness to explain how you need to be aware of what’s been said, present to listen, and help guide the conversation when asking and answering questions. He tells us how he’s prepared for interviews and what he’s done to make people comfortable. Dr. Stein wisely coaches us to save the hardest questions for last in the case they end the session.

We talk about interviewing family members and what a powerful experience that can be to provide answers and connection. And in the end of our time together, Dr. Stein gives us some perspective about life with a story about something extra.

This is a great episode filled with wonderful stories from the wise, experienced, funny, and insightful, Dr. Stein. We know you’ll love it.

Episode 129: Wish I Was Here with Ilsa Rey – Sharing the Heart of the Matter

Wynne Leon and Vicki Atkinson talk with author Ilsa Rey about her book, Wish I Was Here that will be released on December 23, 2025. The conversation delves into the thrilling narrative where Anna's best friend Isaac invents an invisibility pill and is kidnapped for it. In a desperate attempt to save him, Anna takes the pill herself, leading to a race against time to find him and secure the antidote before she remains invisible forever.Ilsa tells us about her 10 year journey of writing the book as well as all the ways she used rejection and feedback to grow. We talk about writing in the zone as well as the research that goes into great books like Wish I Was Here.TakeawaysAnna's best friend Isaac invents an invisibility pill.Isaac is kidnapped for his invention.Anna takes the invisibility pill to save herself.She has one week to find Isaac and the antidote.Remaining invisible could lead to insanity and death.Anna must follow clues left by Isaac.The story explores themes of friendship and urgency.The narrative is filled with adventure and suspense.The invisibility pill serves as a catalyst for the plot.The stakes are high as Anna races against time.Links for this episode:For show notes and more great inspiration, please see https://sharingtheheartofthematter.comVideo Trailer for "Wish I Was Here": https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Py-B0EbMMmEV3QBsxDHxVX4Pfr3d04wy/view?usp=sharingPurchase Wish I Was Here on Black Rose WritingIlsa's blog: Writing and Martial ArtsFrom the Hosts:Vicki’s book about resilience and love: Surviving Sue; Blog: https://victoriaponders.com/Wynne’s book about her beloved father: Finding My Father’s Faith; Blog: https://wynneleon.com/

Search (and subscribe!) for Sharing the Heart of the Matter on Apple, Amazon, Spotify or Pocket Casts OR Listen to Episode 20: The Art of the Interview with Dr. Gerald Stein on Anchor