Have you ever wondered how personal pain and adversity can become powerful forces for transformation? Our guest, Agata, is living proof of this remarkable journey. Growing up under the shadow of a communist regime in Poland and witnessing the fall of the Berlin Wall at just 12 years old, she experienced firsthand the dramatic shift from restriction to the promise of a new world. Tune in to hear how Agata’s passion for theatre and consciousness has evolved into the Theatre of Awakening, where audience participation plays a dynamic role in fostering personal and collective growth.
We also take a deep and heartfelt look at how immense challenges can shape a person’s capacity for empathy. Agata shares her poignant tale of overcoming tremendous odds, including a traumatic medical history and a year-long immobilization after a severe spinal operation at the young age of 14. These intense experiences of suffering have profoundly influenced her ability to support and heal others, illustrating the profound relationship between personal adversity and growth.
Agata’s journey doesn’t end there. Her spontaneous decision to leave a troubled past behind and start anew in England led her to Emerson College, a haven of anthroposophy and creativity. Listen as she recounts how this supportive community and her innate passion for directing and organizing found expression through her work in theatre. By embracing the hardships of life, Agata has discovered the immense beauty of being fully present, demonstrating that even the most daunting trials can lead to profound transformation and healing.
Website | www.theatreofawakening.co.uk
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Malcolm Stern has worked as a group and individual psychotherapist for more than 30 years. He was a co-founder of Alternatives at St James’s Church in London and runs groups internationally.
He is the author of Falling in Love / Staying in Love (Piatkus 2004) and Slay Your Dragons with Compassion ( Watkins 2020). He co-presented Channel 4’s relationship series, ‘Made for Each Other’ in 2003 and 2004 and sailed on the ‘Rainbow Warrior’ with Greenpeace in the 1980s. The book he is currently writing is an exploration of the shadow and its necessity in our evolutionary development.
Malcolm Stern in conversation with guests overcoming & thriving through adversity.
