Jessica Zapotechne

This week’s radical is Jessie Zapo. She is a lifelong long-distance runner and coach, and creative arts therapist by trade. Jessie has been practicing art therapy for nearly 15 years in New York City in every way, from in public schools to private practice. More than anything else, she strives to serve the underserved, which she does through iterations of her personal and professional life. Throughout our conversation, Zapo shares how she is actively redesigning the ways that women exercise and engage in fitness despite the ways that society discourages their physical activity. She explains how women are often discouraged from participating in sports starting at age 14, along with how she helps women deal with feeling disconnected from their bodies. Going deeper, Jessie shares about her art, how it’s influenced her life, and what a day in an art therapist’s life looks like. Some Questions I Ask: At this point in your life, what do you spend most of your time doing? (2:25)Where are you originally from? (31:22)Were you always into art? (35:47)In This Episode, You Will Learn: What the life of an art therapist looks like. (3:42)How Jessie, as a running coach, deals with feeling like she’s divorced from her body. (9:05)How women broke into marathoning. (15:10)How Jessie’s work as a fitness coach helps combat the loneliness epidemic. (20:34)How being the eldest child influenced Jessie’s life trajectory. (32:13)How a teacher helped push Jessie toward investing in her artistic skills. (39:40)Connect with Jessie Zapo: Jessie’s InstagramGirls Run NYCAdidas Runners NYC Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.