Episode 95

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Published on:

28th Jul 2024

Orenda Fink S3E95

Musician, author, and Jungian Depth Coach Orenda Fink talks about her forthcoming memoir The Witch’s Daughter: My Mother, Her Magic, and the Madness that Bound Us, which recounts life dominated by an abusive, mentally ill mother; seeking to make sense of magic and faith; and Fink’s escape through music and into Jungian therapy and her Last Eden in the Mojave Desert, from where she joined me remotely for this conversation. Fink will also read excerpts from this memoir of suffering, survival, and self-determination.

Orenda Fink is an acclaimed musician, songwriter, performer, and writer getting her start in Birmingham, Alabama, with the pop rock group Little Red Rocket and later, in 2000, with the lauded ethereal folk duo Azure Ray, formed with longtime friend Maria Taylor in Athens, Georgia. Fink has collaborated with, among others, Moby, Bright Eyes, Sparklehorse, and the Faint, and their music has featured regularly in film and television programs. Fink’s memoir “The Witch’s Daughter: My Mother, Her Magic, and the Madness that Bound Us” is published by Simon and Schuster and is out in August. The experiences described in this book prompted Fink to become a certified Jungian Depth Coach with a specialization in shadow work and dream interpretation. 

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About the Podcast

Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart Chittenden
Every Sunday at 9am on KIOS 91.5FM, Omaha's NPR affiliate, Season Three of Lives will tackle the big questions: What is a good life? Why are we here? How might we feel more connected? These and other big questions about how we live will be explored each week. Through intimate conversations, fascinating guests will share their spiritual, philosophical, artistic, and cultural approaches to exploring the wonders of our human experience. Join me as we delve into the practical and profound possibilities of living well.

As well as listening to this Season Three of Lives being broadcast on KIOS, listen back to Seasons One and Two, featuring fresh voices and diverse perspectives on culture, community, business, and more. From the Midwest and beyond, inspiring guests share compelling stories spanning the fields of politics, business, media, community activism, arts and humanities, philanthropy, and more.

On air since January 2017, Lives Radio Show & Podcast initially broadcast on the community radio station Mind & Soul 101.3FM in north Omaha, housed at the Malcolm X Center, and more recently broadcast with 1st Sky Omaha.

About your host

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stuart chittenden

I'm Stuart Chittenden—an existential coach, Certified Humanist Professional, and the creator and host of Lives Radio Show & Podcast. My work centers on helping people explore who they are, what matters most, and how to live well in a world that often rushes past those questions.

Throughout my journey—from law in London to brand strategy and community dialogue in the American Midwest—I’ve always been drawn to what lies beneath: the quiet, often unspoken work of making meaning. Lives is one of the most enduring expressions of that calling. For over eight years, I’ve invited guests from all walks of life into deep, human conversations about identity, purpose, and how we shape—and are shaped by—our stories.

Whether through coaching, workshops, or the microphone, I create space for reflection, connection, and the rich conversations that help us live more fully.