Liz is a storyteller and narrator of systems for life: food, water, energy, movement, community, hope, and spirit of the land. 
An engineer by training, and a storyteller by provenance, Liz grew up between worlds. Between Manchester's swagger of industrial ingenuity and a remote valley in the Yorkshire Dales where folk spoke in Norse dialect and roaring becks flowed with peat-brown water, coloured with tannins from ancient mosses.
20 years ago, Liz was called by the far away land of Australia through memories of her Granny's tape-recorded tales of life in the Australian bush. 

Liz is an environmental consultant and sustainability project manager at City of Canada Bay Council.You can see her website here: Thrive Story

Durgah Devi Palanisamy (Dee) is an international, multicultural storyteller and educator from Singapore, currently based in Melbourne, Australia. Her boundless passion for the art of storytelling radiates through her captivating narratives, engaging and creating connections worldwide. She shares her love for Asian folktales and stories with audiences of all ages. With a background in speech and drama education, she skillfully weaves together tales that inspire, entertain, and educate. Her work includes personal and bilingual stories, tales for personal transformation, and more recently exploring rhythm in creative ways. Dee is also a coach/trainer and is grateful to connect with people and different communities through stories.

Rebecca Lemaire is a versatile Belgian-British storyteller based in the south of Spain. She tells stories and teaches wherever the wind takes her across Europe, Asia and Africa, at festivals, in a prison, in a Tibetan monastery and online with Palestinian refugees. Her repertoire includes mystical and healing stories, humorous tales from her Belgian and British roots, magical stories from the times of Al-Ándalus and stories from India and Arabia where she lived for several years. She often uses sounds (flute, kalimba, voice, and drum) to support the stories she tells.She also leads groups in an exploration of death and grief through storytelling, conversation, creativity and meditation online, as well as in person. She has recently co-written and published a book on the subject called, ‘Stories of the Heart – A Journey into Dying and Living’. She is a Reiki healer and is an active participant in the group ‘Vivir y Morir’ in Spain, in which the taboo about death is overcome through discussions, practical and spiritual preparation, films, poetry, and stories. She says, “Storytelling is a form of communication that goes way beyond words; it is a heart-to-heart interaction, and that is why I love it!”www.rebeccalemaire.comFacebook: Rebecca LemaireInstagram: @rebecca.storyteller

Shane is a trained Oral Storyteller from the UK, with International and National experience in Canada, Sri Lanka, Morocco, Holland, Sweden, Ireland and all over the UK. A frequent storyteller at numerous UK festivals and schools, having also curated and run storytelling at several UK festivals. Shane has been a ‘Resident Storyteller’ for over 7 years concurrently, in different children’s outdoor learning settings and continues to be. Shane has also been a ‘Resident Storyteller’ for several Arts Festivals in East Anglia. For 2024 he is ‘Storyteller in Residence’, for Haverhill Arts Centre, in Suffolk. Later this year, Shane has been invited back to a well-known festival in Ireland, as a guest oral storyteller and workshop leader.storytellershane.co.ukFacebookInstagram

Rebecca Lemaire is a versatile Belgian-British storyteller based in the south of Spain. She tells stories and teaches wherever the wind takes her across Europe, Asia and Africa, at festivals, in a prison, in a Tibetan monastery and online with Palestinian refugees. Her repertoire includes mystical and healing stories, humorous tales from her Belgian and British roots, magical stories from the times of Al-Ándalus and stories from India and Arabia where she lived for several years. She often uses sounds (flute, kalimba, voice, and drum) to support the stories she tells.She also leads groups in an exploration of death and grief through storytelling, conversation, creativity and meditation online, as well as in person. She has recently co-written and published a book on the subject called, ‘Stories of the Heart – A Journey into Dying and Living’. She is a Reiki healer and is an active participant in the group ‘Vivir y Morir’ in Spain, in which the taboo about death is overcome through discussions, practical and spiritual preparation, films, poetry, and stories. She says, “Storytelling is a form of communication that goes way beyond words; it is a heart-to-heart interaction, and that is why I love it!”www.rebeccalemaire.comFacebook: Rebecca LemaireInstagram: @rebecca.storyteller

Corinne is a storyteller, performance maker and teacher with mixed Irish / English ancestry.Beginning with folktale, myth or legend and emerging in the complex world of today, Corinne creates performances that recentre marginalised voices and silenced histories. From festival tents to lecture halls, board rooms to community centres, Corinne's performances are collaborative experiences between the story, the teller, and the audience; she believes the most important part of a story is who’s listening.You can learn more about her work at her website. To view an extract from her Tamara story, find it on the home page.You can also find her on Facebook and Instagram.

Jenny Lynne Sessions aka Jen-ix. Is a truly unique open hearted powerful, multi-dimensional, magical being . ….. A creative catalyst for change and transformation a compassionate cage rattler, shamanic healer, transpersonal therapist, seer, coach, poet, author and speaker, storyteller, songwriter, radio presenter,channel for higher guidance and healing sound frequencies. Honouring the interconnectedness of all life, Jen-ix uses the profound healing power of nature and the glorious gift of humour. She uses drum, voice and sacred song to harmonise discordant energy. This sonic process activates and liberates healing within the land, a person or an animal's energy field. It opens multi-dimensional doorways through which to journey deeply and heal. When facing death in 2009, with a severely fractured spine, Jen-ix chose to re-commit to life with a new frequency, becoming her own medicine and turning trauma to treasure. This is what she teaches with passion, compassion and gratitude. The wisdom of the elders and ancestors underpins her own medicine. Magic always surrounds her. If you would like to Harness your intent Challenge your edges Empower your mission Open your heart Experience multidimensional healing Trot over hot coals in a sacred way …. Turn trauma to treasure Become more authentically your own medicine Discover your authentic voice…. Re-member your self and align with soul purpose consciously Get in touch. I look forward to welcoming you to your hearth.You can find out more about her work at Healing Transformation | Become Your Own Medicine - Turning Trauma To Treasure www.becomeyourownmedicine.co.uk

In this episode, I interview Lisbeth who is a classmate from Emerson College, we are studying oral storytelling.

Elena Medusa was born in Thessaloniki Greece and had a career in cinema for fifteen years. She then started a second career as a voice facilitator. Six years ago she met the Odyssey again after not working with it since her school years. Odyssey and Elena started their storytelling adventure together. She lives in Athens and travels frequently to the islands and to ancient temples where she recites The Odyssey and performs storytelling of Medusa, Medea, Demeter and Persephone, and other myths.Find out more about her work via:Email: amashia2@yahoo.gr Facebook page: Reciting Odyssey on ancient trails Facebook profile: Elena Medusa

In this brief episode, I talk about myself, which in itself is a personal challenge, as I'm more than happy to let others take the limelight. But as I explain in the episode, there is a lot of deep unravelling happening for me in this course.

I spoke with retired storyteller Jenni Woodruffe and we spent two hours chatting about her experience and life. Unfortunately, I had to cut a lot of the interview, but the original will be retained.

Michael’s has an interesting background. Ask him about his time living in Japan or Bangladesh; his time as a university lecturer; as a disability advocate; his time in the military; vipassana meditation in India; his clowning course in San Francisco; bushwalks in Tasmania; his one and only caving expedition; his Commerce degree; his MBA; trekking in the foothills of the Himalayas;  his storytelling; hot yoga in short shorts; riding a motorbike across the Nullarbor; keeping bees; living with a mother with mental illness; volunteer work with refugees; ESL teaching; performing as a magician, working with children.Those smile lines aren’t there for nothing!You can find out more about Michael at Magic show incursion NSW | Bamboozle and Company

Anna Jarrett is an internationally acclaimed storyteller, inspirational speaker,published author, recording artist, story consultant, teacher, trainer, writer andoutdoor guide, living on the south coast NSW, on Yuin country. With 35 years ofexperience in creative arts, performance, media production and education, Anna hasbeen a featured teller at storytelling events in USA, Singapore, New Zealand andaround Australia. Most recently Anna has focussed her projects close to home,developing a body of writing, community programs and photography work around thetheme of ‘Wild’, and exploring the essence of magic in natural landscapes andstoryscapes.As a Story Consultant, Anna designs and delivers custom programs for communityand organisational clients, specialising in storying content for communityengagement and education. Her work spans a wide range of story subjects andtakes many forms including films, books, guided tour scripts, museum audioinstallations, interpretive signs, live performances and photography exhibitions.Combining her passions for nature, indigenous perspectives, south coast ecology,education, community building and travel, Anna is creating new narratives andstorytelling that expresses multilayered and multi-media stories for our times. Herwork is respectfully inspired from traditional oral cultural stories, lived experiences,Australian landscapes and histories, memories, dreams, imagination andconversations with creatives and educators.More information:Watch Anna storytelling:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KflzDG9ICg8Research Anna's work with storytelling in education, as a contributing writer to'Storytelling Pedagogy in Australia and Asia', edited by Louise Gwenneth Phillips,Thao Thi Phuong Nguyen. Palgrave MacMilllan 2021https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-981-16-4009-4#tocWatch Anna's Artist Talk for her photography exhibition 'WIld! Patterns in Nature'https://vimeo.com/753725924Business Tags:Story Consultant, Storyteller, Trainer, Speaker, Author, Writer, Photographer,Recording Artist, Teacher, Communicator, Creative, Outdoor Guide,#storytelling #wildwalks #creativecommunications #caringforcountry #myth #imagination#culturalheritage #deepecology #education #nature #community #Yuincountry #artisttalks #narrative #fairytales #magic #conservation #community engagement #natureconnection #socialaction #changemaker #earth stories #naturalheritage #media #environment #shorebirds

Anamika Bhati is a Trinity Guildhall qualified speech and drama trainer who works with stories embracing different styles to ensure more engaging and holistic learning. She is an International storyteller, author, curator and podcast producer. She is a passionate trainer who works closely with children in schools, libraries, and festivals. Anamika’s stories involve cultural diversity and inclusion to develop lateral thinking and wider perspectives in young students. Anamika spent her childhood in Kenya and is now based in Singapore and has worked with audiences in Singapore, India, Kenya, Hawaii, Scotland, and South Africa. She is a member of the Storytelling Association Singapore, and FEAST.  

Em Chandler (she/they) is a proud queer/trans storyteller, magician, and theatre-maker, based in Ballaarat and Naarm. With over 16 years of experience working with kids and their adults, Em adores connecting with others through kindness and wonder. Em loves to bring her unique repertoire of spells, stories and songs to every situation - whether intimate community events or major festivals. Passionate about social justice, fairy tales, and drinking tea, a stranger once told Em, “no offence, but you look like an elf”. The Sydney Morning Herald on the other hand calls Em "pure enchantment".You can find more about Em at Em.ChandlerStories on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

Geetu Valecha has been a storyteller/ educator for nearly a decade. She feels that stories are magical and therapeutic and have to be shared. Her favourite audience is the little ones who are so into her stories when she narrates them dramatically and eagerly wait for more. She helps children learn their early literacy skills, empathy, creative thinking, imagination, and more through her story sessions. She holds multiple programs from age 2 - 10yrs. You can find her on InstagramThe book Geetu referred to in the interview was Clip Clop by Nicola Smee. You can find it on her website here.

Elena Asciutti is of Italian origins. Since 2003, she has worked in international cooperation and public affairs, within civil society organisations, the United Nations, the European Commission and academia.  For professional reasons, she has travelled and lived in many cities, such as Beijing, Beirut, Brussels, Damascus, Madrid and Rome. Currently, she lives and works in Florence, where she is in charge of external relations and strategic partnerships at the European University Institute (EUI), an academic institution and international organisation, with a mandate in higher education and research in the social sciences and humanities. During her stay in Brussels, in 2014, she began training in storytelling in French at La Maison du Conte (today called Le Théâtre de la Parole). Guided by talented trainers/storytellers, she entered the "fairy tale" universe, and has never left!  Once she arrived in Florence in 2019, she conceived the storytelling radio show "Diffusione Fiaba", which is broadcast twice a month by Radio Cavolo, an independent and community web radio established within the EUI. She likens Diffusione Fiaba as a radiophonic patch, where her guests can freely discuss storytelling as form of art, folklore and oral traditions as well as fabulist studies, whilst telling and listening to fairy tales and all other genres of stories.  

In this podcast, I interview Tamas Ozwald, my first storytelling teacher, about his story in the craft and how he uses food to create atmosphere in his shows. Based in Tasmania, I first met Tamas when I discovered that storytelling was a way of being in the world. He welcomed me and encouraged my first steps into the art of storytelling and is a wise voice of reason as I find my own storyteller voice and values.

Jesse's ambition to be a professional storyteller began when he read 'The Alchemist' at the age of 14, and connected with the idea that the world helps those who follow their dreams. He completed courses in story medicine and therapeutic storytelling, worked as an education assistant at Princess Margaret Hospital and a production assistant for Theatre d'Espirit, helping children aged 12 to 16 put on plays. He has done a residency at a School in Jakarta where he helped to enliven their English program through storytelling, had a story filmed by the Education Department for their Distance Education Program and performed at countless Festivals and Children's Parties. He is currently the treasurer of the Storytelling Guild of Australia (WA) Inc.For more information about Jesse and his work, head to Wind Wanderer® Storytelling | Schools, Parties, Events

Nicola-Jane le Breton works as a Community Story Weaver with Befriend Inc. She rediscovered the art of traditional storytelling during a visit to Orkney in 2018. This led her to create a unique nine-month storyteller development course with Silvia Lehmann in Denmark, Western Australia. Her quest for deeper training took her to Emerson College, UK, in 2020, where she immersed herself in a 3-month program, Storytelling Beyond Words. As co-founder of The Possibility Fellowship, Nicola's work is fuelled by her personal experiences of mental health challenges and social isolation. Through her storytelling, she not only connects communities in Perth and beyond but also inspires others to find their voice and reminds us that in sharing our stories, we discover we're not alone. Today Nicola shares her version of ‘The Last Storyteller’ from Morocco, with thanks to Roi Gal-Or, who first told her this story during her studies at Emerson. You can learn more about Nicola-Jane at https://storyweavers.net.au/ To learn more about Befriend: https://befriend.org.au/

I met Anabelle during a mentorship during 2023 with FEAST (Federation of Asian Storytellers). We were both mentees and worked together to put the final show together. You can find our final performance at: https://youtu.be/twI7_YJEcwM?si=O1N9-rYw-z0DBG2G Anabelle Castaño is a bilingual storyteller, archaeologist, and museum educator from Buenos Aires, Argentina, who loves to interweave her three professions building bridges between material and immaterial culture through traditional stories from all continents. You can find out more about her work (in English and Spanish) by visiting her website: www.anacas.com.ar

Kiran had a career in social work and early childhood education before discovering storytelling as a profession in Singapore 25 years ago. She hasn't stopped since and has travelled to many lands (India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Iran) to perform and offer workshops. She was the founder president of the Storytelling Association, Singapore in 2006 and when she moved to Australia in 2008, continued to be an active member of the Australian Storytelling Guild, NSW. She is the current vice president. Kiran loves telling folktales from around the world and especially Asian folktales that call to her. When not storytelling, Kiran enjoys bush walks and gardening as well as finding ways to cook up all her produce in her home in the Blue Mountains. You can find out more about her at her website: https://www.kiranstoryteller.com/

Jackie was born in Melbourne and set up home here in Newport almost 30 years ago after living in nearly every State and Territory in Australia, She’s been an actress and worked in theatre, film and television. A desire to choose which stories to tell led her to oral storytelling and later - to writing. To date, she’s written five non-fiction picture books for children. Jackie is passionate about the value of collaboration and building community through story sharing. She was president of Storytelling Australia Victoria for 4 years, currently enjoys a shared role (with Em Chandler and Adrian Newington) coordinating Newport Storytellers. Newport storytellers run a monthly open mike session and have produced podcasts & videos with local storytellers. In 2023 she represented the Newport team at a shared session on community & storytelling (with Kate Lawrence, founder of Story Wise Women) for the Federation of Asian Storytellers Conference - Jakarta. She attended my first fairy tale gathering in 2012 – The Monash Fairy Tale Salon, and two years later, was MC for the first Australian Fairy Tale Society Conference in NSW. In 2016, she delivered the keynote, Into the Bush: Its Beauty and Its Terror. As well as her books & storytelling, she creates stories in other forms like comic book making and Japanese Kamishibai.Find her website hereFor more information about Newport Storytellers, click here

In our first interview, we chat with experienced international storyteller Jo Henwood about how she got into storytelling and what she thinks is at the heart of storytelling. Jo Is a storyteller based in Sydney, Australia and is the co-founder of the Australian Fairy Tale Society.

You can find more about me at:www.alyssacurtayne.comor via FB/Insta/TikTok or YouTube at alyssacurtaynestories

Rachel Hedman competed in storytelling as a sophomore high schooler in 1994. Everything went wrong with her first telling, and she considered quitting. By senior year, she received 5th in State (Wisconsin) for Storytelling. Rachel launched the BYU Storytelling Club as a freshman; it earned the Service Award. She became the first recipient of the J.J. Reneaux Mentorship grant from the National Storytelling Network, training with Don Doyle. For 15 years, Rachel mentored California high school tellers and received the Arne Nixon Storytelling Award from them. She has been Youth, Educators, and Storytellers Alliance Co-Chair, National Youth Storytelling Showcase Board Member, and Utah Storytelling Guild President. Rachel received the national ORACLE Award for service and leadership in the Western Region and the Karen J. Ashton Award for storytelling service specifically in Utah. For eight years, she served the WSU Storytelling Festival, became Storyteller Chair, and started the Annual Youth Teller Reunion. Meanwhile, she completed her Storytelling Masters from East Tennessee State University. The adoption folktales thesis was defended two days before adopting two boys with her husband, Casey. They have since adopted a girl. She kickstarted Story Crossroads, a Salt Lake county storytelling festival in 2016 and continues to expand it with the dream of an Olympic-level six-day event called World Story Crossroads no later than 2030. Currently, Story Crossroads holds year-round events from live to virtual shared in the form of performances, workshops, camps, and trainings for youth to adults. Go to Story Crossroads at http://storycrossroads.org.

From Tim: Long, long ago I was an acrobat in the New Circus revolution. Surprisingly that took me deeply into how to connect with people using narrative. That’s how I realised that story is at the heart of everything, and having the courage and technique to lead people through stories is deeply humanising.So I ran away from the circus to become a storyteller and later a coach. I founded and trained Wordweavers, blending traditional storytelling with improvised physical theatre. And for a decade I ran the first storytelling club in my region of the UK, drawing people into the new revival.Because my circus training was so transformational, turning me from being shy to a fearless authentic performer, I realised that intense fun equals deep learning. With the same approach I found I could teach people how to BE storytellers rather than simply how to tell stories.So for 35 years I have run workshops for beginners and professionals in the art of presence and connection, through experiential play, where people discover the psychology of being authentic, confident, spontaneous, and creating deep rapport, leading audiences through experiencing their stories.I love to unleash that authenticity, and help storytellers bring everyone closer together and create community. I train storytellers to take themselves and audiences deeper because I believe the storyteller’s superpowers of giving hope, inspiration, and even wisdom are much needed in the world.In 1995, as the Web was being born, those values led me to create the Storytelling FAQ, which became the largest collection of storyteller resources on the net, to spread storytelling and connect the world’s storytellers. Now I run the global celebration World Storytelling Day each March, for the same reasons, and I’ve advocated for storytellers through giving international conference keynotes and workshops.It pains me that many storytellers still can’t make a living from their art, especially when they already hold the secrets to a thriving business but instead keep their rare skills confined to the stage. So I’ve been developing a coaching system to help tellers put the heartfelt values of storytelling to work for their entrepreneurial success. I believe every storyteller deserves to recapture their traditional place at the heart of society. I love how storytellers’ warm, intimate, authentic communication creates community and meaning, inspires collaboration, and overcomes people's distance and differences.I've always been fascinated by how entrepreneurs turn nothing into something. What struck me most was how closely aligned their core secrets and principles are to how traditional oral storytellers learn to practise our art – we have the advantage!So although many storytellers find themselves being starving artists, I realized that with some little breakthrough shifts in perspective we can apply our heartfelt values and practices to create a thriving storytelling business out of nothing, using the most successful method taught to top businesses. So I'm now launching a coaching system to help tellers get paid what they’re really worth.For years I’ve been coaching purpose-driven entrepreneurs to connect more authentically with the world, get the spark that lights up their audience, and build a loyal tribe, for deep social impact through storytelling. In my work training changemakers and social entrepreneurs to engage and lead movements with authentic storytelling, I keep thinking ‘storytellers already have greater ability in this just waiting to be applied – let’s get paid to make the world more human!’My other current project is to offer a course in the Lost Language of Fairytale Symbolism, in how to unpick the surprisingly deep meaning, way beyond the modern psychological interpretations, that has kept people fascinated by the resonance of these tales through the millennia. Fairytales are what first drew me into a lifelong fascination and study of ancient symbolism. Now I’ve turned to tracing the transmission of that symbolism from its original mythology and philosophy into the format of traditional fairy tales. I’ve been astounded as I’ve unearthed the specific and profound message that the oral traditions have always consciously embedded in those tales, and want to share!Website: www.timsheppard.co.ukAlways happy to chat or help at facebook.com/timsheppard

Jan Blake is a storyteller, consultant, mentor & plenary speaker who has been performing world-wide since 1986. Born in Manchester, UK to Jamaican parents, Jan specialises in folktales and myths from the Caribbean, West Africa, North Africa, and the Arab regions.With a mesmerising presence and a gift for bringing traditional tales to life, Jan has enthralled audiences across the globe. Drawing from her extensive repertoire of folktales, myths, and legends, Jan's performances transport listeners to distant lands and ancient times, leaving them spellbound by the power of her storytelling and the medicine contained within these stories..In 2021 she launched her own online storytelling school, the Akua Storytelling Project. The school is devoted to developing a new generation of international storytellers, committed to engaging, on a deeper level, with their storytelling practice.Website: https://www.janblakestories.co.uk/#aboutThe link to her upcoming Africa Dreaming Retreat:  https://africadreaming.janblakestories.co.ukA link to her online Storytelling Community: https://akua-storytelling-project.mn.co

To find out more about me, you can go to www.alyssacurtayne.comFB/Instagram/TikTok/YouTube @alyssacurtaynestories

Csenge Virág Zalka is a professional storyteller and author from Hungary. She collects, researches, and performs traditional stories in three languages. Csenge holds a master's degree in Storytelling and a PhD in culture studies, and has published various books both in English and Hungarian. She especially enjoys telling long traditional tales and epics.Csenge currently lives in Budapest and works as the storytelling program coordinator of the Világszép Foundation for Children in State Care. You can follow her work on her blog (http://multicoloreddiary.blogspot.com) or Mastodon (@TarkabarkaHolgy@ohai.social)

Beverley has been involved in communication all of her working life. She started her career working for Jackie magazine before moving into marketing then lecturing and teaching. Beverley counts herself fortunate to have been encouraged in her storytelling by some of Scotland’s master Storytellers and tradition bearers. She is very proud to have been called a storytelling activist and feels strongly that this oral tradition provides not only superlative entertainment but both an emotional and cultural literacy. Beverley has been a member of the Scottish Storytelling Directory of Professional Storytellers for almost two decades. She is currently Chair of the Scottish Storytelling Forum and regularly provides workshops and mentoring opportunities for emergent Storytellers, both young people and adults.A vibrant individual, Beverley’s stories have a huge emotional range, often poignant, sometimes funny, and everything in between. She enjoys working solo but has enormous fun working with storytelling partner, Heather Yule, as one third of Glamourie. (The third member is a harp!)Highlights so far, and there have been many, have included a Fringe Event, an annual pre-Fringe spot for visitors to Edinburgh, sharing the storytelling space in Culross Palace with the resident (friendly) ghost,  producing bespoke events for Tradfest and the Scottish Storytelling Centre, and hosting and performing at the Scottish International Storytelling Festival’s Open Hearth events.Having many strings to her bow keeps Beverley from wearying, so as a Humanist Celebrant, she also gathers the stories of people’s lives and is endlessly amazed by the individuals she hears about and the couples she meets. Facebook: @Glamouriestorytellers