Listen in to intimate conversations
Personal reflections from actors, entrepreneurs, artists, and communicators exploring the challenges and triumphs of finding—and using—their authentic voices
On the Breath began because I wanted to create a space for the kinds of conversations that rarely fit into interviews or sound bites.
This is a space where people speak honestly about voice—not only as a technical skill, but as something deeply connected to identity, creativity, confidence, and human connection.
Some episodes are practical. Others are simply invitations to think differently.
Guests come from different worlds. They are actors, entrepreneurs, coaches, artists, and communicators. They share a curiosity about what it means to speak with authenticity and purpose.
Together we explore the challenges and rewards of speaking in public and in private; bringing our work into the world without losing ourselves; navigating multicultural identity; living with and moving beyond a stammer; developing vocal technique; and discovering a voice that feels both more capable and more genuinely our own.
Start anywhere
each conversation stands on its own
S2 Ep 2: Interview Zeina Azzam Palestinian American Poet: Investigating Our Multicultural Identities
Listen On:On Investigating Our Multicultural Identities and Speaking with an Accent There's so much identity wrapped up in language. For many of my voice coaching clients for whom English is a second language, there's a feeling of insecurity around how they're...
S2 Ep 1: Interview Tanya Moodie Actor: Navigating Art and Love
Listen On:On voice and code-switching A rich and jam packed episode in which Tanya Moodie shares her unique lens on the craft of acting and takes a deep dive into the personal. We discuss how what goes on in the psyche, goes on in the voice, wearing black to...
S1 Ep 8: Putting Your Work Out into the World, with Adrian Hooke
Listen On:Putting Your Work Out into the World Doesn’t Have To Be Disempowering Putting our work out into the world can be personally empowering - yet we often run the gamut of difficult emotions when we do so. “Sitting in vulnerability when we communicate, our voice...
S1 Ep 7: From People Pleaser to Authentic Communicator, With Allison Kinnear
Listen On:Overcome people pleasing and let your mess become your message! When you listen to the voices in your head, start putting boundaries in place and speak with authenticity you stop being a people pleaser. Instead… … you step into your role as an authentic...
S1 Ep 6: The Healing Power of Beatboxing, With Carlos Aguirre
Listen On:In Beatboxing and Speaking, Voice & Body Work Together Join me and actor, rapper and teaching artist Carlos Aguirre as we chat about the healing power of beatboxing. But that’s not all we talk about! Listen in as we talk about his Netflix voiceover, BBC...
S1 Ep 5: The Voices I Love, with SJ Harrison (feat. Maggie Smith, Haluk Bilginer, Lee Sun-Kyun and more)!
Listen On:The Most Interesting Voices May Not Be Classically Beautiful In this celebration of voice, I share 8 of my favorite ones with you! We explore how the most interesting voices may not be classically beautiful. Listen to some elder actors who have lived with...
Meet Your Host
Hi, I’m Susan-Jane Harrison
I’m an actor, teaching artist, voice and communication coach. For more than twenty-five years I’ve helped people discover that their voices can be not only more effective, but also more genuinely their own.
My work has taken me from my own training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London to theatres, classrooms, rehearsal studios, in three countries. Today I’m co-founder of Sweet Thunder Shakespeare, where the same questions that shape this podcast—voice, language, presence, and authentic human connection—continue to inform my work.
On the Breath is sparked by profound curiosity; motivated by my desire to understand how people grow and heal when they expand their vocal freedom. Here you’ll hear thoughtful conversations with actors, entrepreneurs, educators, artists, and other guests exploring communication, creativity, identity, performance, and the courage to bring ourselves fully into the world.
If you’re interested in exploring these ideas further, you’ll also find articles, videos, and information about my coaching throughout this site.
