Ep 179 Susan Skinner with Your Path to Cultivating Hope
The Motivatarian Exchange with Dionne Woods
Release Date: 12/05/2024
The Art of Seeing Possibility | Kelly Huskins on Design, Healing & Creative Courage
The Motivatarian Exchange with Dionne Woods
What if your greatest creative gift is seeing what others overlook? In this inspiring episode of The Motivatarian Exchange, I sit down with Kelly Huskins, artist, entrepreneur, YouTube creator, and the creative force behind Whimsykel Designs, a decoupage paper brand known for bold storytelling, expressive color, and imaginative designs that help artists transform ordinary pieces into meaningful works of art. Kelly's creative journey has taken her through stained glass, faux finishing, upholstery, interior decorating, painted furniture, product development, subscription boxes, retail...
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How Creativity Helped Me Begin Again | Lori Morgan on Grief, Reinvention & Building Tom & Chickpea
The Motivatarian Exchange with Dionne Woods
What happens when life changes in an instant? In this heartfelt episode of The Motivatarian Exchange, I sit down with Lori Morgan, founder and creative force behind Tom & Chickpea, a beloved furniture painting and creative studio in Derry, New Hampshire. Lori's story is one of resilience, reinvention, creativity, and community. After the sudden loss of her husband Tom in 2017, Lori found herself navigating unimaginable grief while raising two young children. About a year later, she picked up a paintbrush—and that simple act became the beginning of an entirely new chapter. Today, Lori is...
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Your Life as a Work of Art | Diana von Welanetz Wentworth on Purpose, Grief, Creativity & Living Fully
The Motivatarian Exchange with Dionne Woods
What does it mean to truly live with intention? In this deeply moving episode of The Motivatarian Exchange, I sit down with Diana von Welanetz Wentworth—New York Times bestselling author, speaker, life coach, media personality, former celebrity chef, and co-founder of The Inside Edge, a transformational community that hosted voices like Louise Hay, Ram Dass, Jack Canfield, and Mark Victor Hansen. At 85 years old, Diana radiates wisdom, presence, creativity, and joy in a way that feels both grounding and expansive. She describes herself as someone who is not winding down, but “composing the...
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Inside Women Create: Susan Harold on Creativity, Purpose & The Art of Coming Full Circle
The Motivatarian Exchange with Dionne Woods
What if the path you’re meant for… is the one you return to? In this episode, Susan Harold shares how decades in publishing led her back to a role that feels both unexpected—and exactly right. In this inspiring episode of The Motivatarian Exchange, I sit down with Susan Harold—Editor-in-Chief of Where Women Create and What Women Create, and author of the stunning coffee table book The Art of the Studio. With over 30 years in magazine publishing, circulation, and editorial leadership, Susan has spent her career shaping creative storytelling and championing the maker community. In...
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Color, Calling, and Courage: Casey Alvarez on Faith, Creativity, and Building a Life Through Art
The Motivatarian Exchange with Dionne Woods
What if your creativity wasn’t just a talent—but a calling? In this episode of The Motivatarian Exchange, Dionne Woods sits down with artist Casey Alvarez, a Missouri-based painter, entrepreneur, and former Christian counselor who has built a thriving creative business rooted in faith, color, and purpose. From painting large European-style armoires on her farm in the Ozarks to shipping her work to 46 states, Casey shares how she transformed her love of creativity into a meaningful and sustainable career. But this conversation goes deeper than art. Casey opens up about: • How her...
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The Courage to Be Seen: ShenShen210 on Graffiti, Faith, and the Power of Vulnerability
The Motivatarian Exchange with Dionne Woods
What if your greatest creative superpower wasn’t talent—but vulnerability? In this episode of The Motivatarian Exchange with Dionne Woods, Dionne sits down with groundbreaking portrait artist ShenShen210 for a conversation that moves from freight trains and graffiti culture to faith, purpose, and the courage to fully embody who you were created to be. Growing up in the Bay Area of San Francisco, Shen began painting at just 15 years old—eventually becoming known as one of the first female freight train graffiti artists on the West Coast. At a time when the street art world was...
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Grow with Integrity: Why Every Creative Needs a Strategic Guide with Erin Schlarb
The Motivatarian Exchange with Dionne Woods
What happens when calm strategy meets courageous vision? In this episode of The Motivatarian Exchange, Dionne Woods sits down with Erin Schlarb, founder of Hemlock Strategy and Design and the strategic guide behind many of Dionne’s most successful launches, websites, and digital expansions. Erin works as more than a website designer — she is a thoughtful partner to creatives, artists, and small business owners who want clarity, integrity, and confidence in their digital presence. Rather than offering one-size-fits-all solutions, she serves with intention, helping clients understand what...
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A Creative Life by Design: Motivation, Lists & Letting Go with Michelle Allen
The Motivatarian Exchange with Dionne Woods
In this episode of The Motivatarian Exchange, Dionne Woods sits down with Michelle Allen, the artist and creative force behind the globally recognized brand Allen Designs, for a heartfelt conversation about building a creative life by design. From the unexpected way cat clocks changed her life and career, to her love of list-making, bike riding, and creative structure, Michelle shares how motivation evolves over time—and what it really looks like to let go when burnout creeps in. Together, Dionne and Michelle explore the tension between discipline and play, productivity and rest, and how...
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From Dreaming to Doing: Andie Hamilton on Motivation, Color & Becoming an Artist
The Motivatarian Exchange with Dionne Woods
In this episode of The Motivatarian Exchange, Dionne Woods sits down with Dallas-based abstract artist and photographer Andie Hamilton, the creative force behind Andie in Color. As a young girl, Andie dreamed of becoming a photographer and fashion designer. Today, she is fully embracing every layer of her creative life—using bold color, expressive abstraction, and intuitive storytelling to shift spaces, spark emotion, and encourage women to be seen. In this honest and motivating conversation, Dionne and Andie talk about the journey from imagining a creative life to actively living one. Andie...
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Painting Identity, Intuition & the Courage to Become with Artist Michele Rogers
The Motivatarian Exchange with Dionne Woods
In this episode of The Motivatarian Exchange, Dionne Woods is joined by Saskatchewan-based artist Michele Rogers, whose powerful portrait work honors Indigenous First Nations women and reflects her Métis heritage through stories of strength, memory, and generational resilience. Michele’s paintings give visual voice to grandmothers, granddaughters, and female warriors—women whose lives and legacies shape cultural identity. Her work is deeply intuitive and emotionally layered, rooted in storytelling rather than surface aesthetics. Through her art, Michele explores what it means to remember,...
info_outlineDr. Susan Barber Skinner is a health psychologist, licensed mental health counselor, and author of Path to Hope: A Playbook for Creating Resilience, Optimism, and Active Hope. She is the founder of Hope Springs Healing Arts Studio, an online space dedicated to fostering holistic well-being through mindfulness, creativity, and therapeutic programs.
Susan holds a PhD in health psychology and a master's degree in clinical mental health counseling. A seasoned health psychologist, she has dedicated her career to understanding the intricate interplay between mental health and overall well-being. This understanding forms the foundation of her unique approach to fostering holistic healing.
In addition to her clinical work, Susan is a certified meditation teacher, trained in The Interdependence Project's Meditation Teacher Training Program. This commitment reflects her dedication to mindfulness practices and the profound impact they can have on mental and emotional wellness.
Susan is also artist, infusing her work with the transformative power of creative expression. Whether guiding participants through the strokes of a paintbrush or the rhythmic dance of weaving, Susan believes in the therapeutic potential of artistic endeavors as a means of self-discovery and healing.
As the 12 Step Program Coordinator at the Dominican Retreat Center, in Niskayuna, New York, Susan extends her expertise to the realm of addiction recovery, providing support and guidance to individuals navigating the path of healing and self-discovery.
Upcoming Events:
Hopeful Moments - Lives on Facebook and Instagram every day starting December 1, 2024
November 25, December 9, December 23, 2024: Big Celebrations= Big Emotions Via Zoom
January 26, 2025 Masterclass: A Hope Filled Vision for 2025
February 2025 Online Retreat with Kimberly Reiter - Breaking the Loop
Fun Facts: I live on the St Lawrence River in Waddington NY and love watching ships pass through on their way to the Atlantic Ocean. The opposite shore of the river is in Canada. I also love retro crafts - the kitchier-er the better.