In City of Dogs, Laura Z. Barket--and her gaggle of tiny dachshunds--took us on a tour of her Upper East Side home and neighborhood. In late summer, Ken Foster and photographer Traer Scott reunited with her (remotely) to catch up on life during the pandemic, the absence of live theater during the pandemic, her work with the ASPCA and the unexpected thrill of welcoming a new puppy.  And because we are all theatre nerds at heart, we also got her to talk about her almost accidental career as a producer, beginning with the huge hit Dear Evan Hanson.  

In this episode we talk with Jessica Dolce about her work as a compassion fatigue educator (and a dog walker and shelter volunteer) and what we can do to provide self-care as we help with others.  Whether we self-identify as "helpers" or not, we are all playing a role in the lives of other people and animals, but we also need to take care of ourselves to keep from burning out.  Jessica shares some of the key points of her work with individuals and organizations in the caring professions, and focuses on the joy that can be found in observing and celebrating resilience in those around us. If you are a pet owner or shelter volunteer or even if you are not, there is valuable information in this conversation.

For more information on Jessica, visit jessicadolce.com and compassioninbalance.com

In the City of Dogs book, we visited Monet with her mother Alfreda and daughter Jamila in the Fort Greene neighborhood in Brooklyn, where they share a house next to the BQE with a number of dogs, large and small.  In this episode, we talk to Monet from Long Island, where she's caring for her mother during the Covid pandemic, and Jamila in Fort Greene.  Among the topics: how growing up with dogs shaped their lives, what to do when your dog crashes your Zoom course or workout, and how we've all been self-reflecting during the Great Pause. 

Photo of Monet, Jamila and Alfreda by Traer Scott for City of Dogs, published by Avery.  

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