Meet Catherine Glynn

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Catherine Glynn. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Catherine below.

Hi Catherine, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?

As strange as this may sound, ‘benign envy’ is actually where my inspiration began. When I was a young woman in college, taking my first-ever acting course, our Professor pulled aside a young man after the term ended and told him how amazing he thought his work was. He said how few A’s he gave out and that he was one of the few students who had received an A. Well, I was another of those students, but I wasn’t pulled to the side like that student was. I was, however, smart enough to stand close enough to overhear the advice the Professor gave that young actor. And I followed it to a T.

From there, my process was slow and steady. I kept listening to both my own instincts and to what it was that brought me hoy, to what I felt I excelled at (if others didn’t praise me for it), and I kept at it. While I have never really considered myself a patient person, I have cultivated this trait, along with discipline and the ability to receive feedback.

Recently, during rehearsals for a production of King Lear in which I am performing, my director, Amanda Rafuse, introduced me to a beautiful quote from Liviu Ciulei, a Romanian Theatre Director, who said, “We have a lot to do, and very little time, so we must work slowly.” Those words put so much into perspective for me, not only as a performer but also as a communications coach and someone who runs small businesses.

I have found my purpose by slowing down, by observing beauty and others’ wisdom, by taking time to process, reflect, and revise, and by cultivating greatness both in myself and those I work with.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I am currently performing in the Commonweal Theatre Company’s performance of Shakespeare’s King Lear. It’s a thrilling show, taking an age-old tale of succession. It’s a profoundly moving tale of family dynamics that play out generation after generation. I play the oldest of King Lear’s three daughters. It’s the second time in my life I have had the honor of playing her, and what I love most is realizing how much I have grown into the role over the years and how much I have matured as an actor.

I feel I am playing Goneril with so much more depth, breadth, and humanity than I did the first time around. There’s such a great privilege to playing a role for a second time around; the worldly wisdom you can bring to a part when you are older is something that can’t be underestimated, nor can it be fully explained. Some things you have to live through to do them better! And in this case, I think I am bringing greater nuance to this woman. I am listening to the story, to each character’s journey, with far more compassion than I did when I was a younger actor.

That’s what I, in turn, want to bring to both my creative and coaching work: the depth and breadth of my years in the field. King Lear has a beautiful line where he says, “Look with your ears”–that is a very deep statement–so often we try to see just with our eyes alone, but as we grow, and as we allow ourselves to be coached and directed by others, and allow ourselves to learn and experiences with all of our senses, and to learn in new and paradoxical ways, our peripheriphery opens up. We see the world in a whole new way, which in turn allows us to perform differently and excel!

By jumping back into acting, I have found myself figuring out how to rebrand my coaching work to incorporate more of my creativity.

My coaching firm, Voce Veritas, which translates to “True Voice” in Latin, has always been a challenging name for many people to pronounce. When it comes to Shakespeare, many people shy away from it because they find the language overwhelming.

So, during this process, it dawned on me that perhaps my rebrand needs to be V2, which will not only stand for Voce Veritas but also for Visionaries on the Verge.

My husband and I have just spent the past year building a new addition onto our home, we are calling it the Art Sanctuary, and it is my dream to open it up to artists and business people-Visionaries on the Verge of greatness who want to come to a safe, inviting space and get coaching with me to cultivate their literal and figurative voices, and set their ideas and dreams free.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

First and foremost, the physical work, like the Alexander Technique, Pilates, and breathing practices, has been a game-changer for me. I have had some remarkable mentors who taught me simple yet profound techniques on how to breathe, sit, and be still, which have served me incredibly well over the years. And with technology pulling us further and further into poor postural places, and ratcheting up our anxiety, breath work is something that you can tap into at any given time. You have time to find techniques that resonate with you and that you can commit to. Once you do that, you can drop into what I call “instant gravitas” whenever you desire.

Somewhere along the line, using a mantra also became very important to me, and it’s something that I pass on to friends and clients alike. Finding a phrase that is short, present tense, and that emboldens you, that is easy to repeat, is a powerful practice as well.

Lastly, I am a big believer in cultivating friendships. And making sure, no matter how busy or difficult life gets, to honor and cultivate those relationships. Tend to them. When you think of friends, reach out, and…try writing them letters. Handwritten letters to friends, family, and loved ones have been my lifeline and a form of therapy for me most of my life. There’s nothing quite like writing or receiving a handwritten note!

Who is your ideal client or what sort of characteristics would make someone an ideal client for you?

I love this question! Who is my ideal client? My ideal client is eager to learn, committed, and has a creative spirit. They are curious and willing to play and flail around a bit, but also take time between sessions and practice.

I am looking for clients who want to create TED Talks, write eulogies, or deliver speeches for the father, mother, brother, sister, or sibling of the Bride or groom. I am seeking individuals who want to write a solo show and come to a new space to develop their work, collaborating with someone (me) who can help them ideate, direct, and guide them toward their vision.

I am looking for individuals who need time and space to reconnect with nature and want to rejuvenate themselves and create new work while they are here in Lanesboro.

I am also happy to work with people online who are seeking to find their ‘true voice’, whether that’s pronunciation skills (P-ESL Pronunciation of English as a Second Language) or working on a big presentation.

Lastly, as you have also just read, I am, and will always be, an actor. I would love to collaborate with professional theatre-makers, return to working in film, and if anyone is interested in collaborating and having me do voice-over work, that would be a tremendous joy for me as well!

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Michael Seiler, Tyler Anderson, Catherine Glynn, Jeremy van Meter, Thomas White, Alex Clark

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