Masterful Listening

Svetlana Saitsky

Welcome to Masterful Listening, the world's first super rad listening school. Every episode is an opportunity to practice listening—or as your host Svetlana (AKA Svet) calls it, Masterful Listening. According to Svet, listening is the most important skill most of us are never taught. Until now. Love epic stories? Laughing while you learn? A healthy dose of profound wisdom with just a hint of profanity? Perfect. Every episode is part story, part lesson, and part listening practice. Svet teaches listening by doing what she does best: telling stories, asking better questions, and helping you hear what you've been missing all along. The fun part? Many of the lessons are hidden in plain sight. You'll only catch them if you're actually listening. Svet is also mildly obsessed with mantras. She invents them, paints them on things, occasionally tattoos them on herself, and somehow keeps coming up with new ones. As a certified executive coach, facilitator, and Mental Wealth advocate, Svet has spent more than 17 years helping people think better, listen deeper, and rewrite the stories that shape their lives. She's worked with leaders and teams across organizations including Google, Apple, Square, and Asana, but her favorite classroom has always been real life. Whether you're here to become a better listener, a better leader, or simply a more conscious human, grab a seat. Class is in session.

  1. We Are Human Beings, Not Human Doings: Leading from the Inside Out with Special Guest Patrick Tam

    04/01/2025

    We Are Human Beings, Not Human Doings: Leading from the Inside Out with Special Guest Patrick Tam

    We are human beings, not human doings. And sometimes, the doing doesn’t happen. That doesn’t mean the being isn’t exactly, perfectly on time. This episode of Masterful Listening is a powerful invitation to slow down and remember who you are beneath the noise. I’m joined by Patrick Tam, Vice President of Operational Excellence at ServiceNow, professor, father, and one of the most heart-centered humans I know. Patrick and I first met years ago when he was a student in one of my classes. I later became his coach, and working with him has been one of the greatest honors of my career. He reminds me, consistently, what it means to lead with integrity, humility, and humanity—all while navigating high-level success. This conversation isn’t about titles or performance. It’s about presence.  It’s about creating a life that feels real, not just impressive.  It’s about slowing down enough to actually listen—to yourself, to others, to what matters. Tune in for powerful reflections, unexpected wisdom, and a glimpse into what leadership looks like when it’s rooted in being. The audio isn’t perfect. Life isn’t either.  But the frequency of this one? It’s undeniable. 📚 Patrick’s LinkedIn & children’s book on happiness 🎓 His course at San Jose State University Masterful Listening is sponsored by Rad Hats For Rad Humans. 30% of every purchase goes towards mental health initiatives. If you write a review of the show, you get 20% off a Rad Hat of your own. Visit svetlanasaitsky.com Email: Svetlana.thisisit@gmail.com Instagram: Jetsvetter

    2h 48m
  2. Here’s Your Permission Slip to Feel Like Sh*t (and Why It’s the Healthiest Thing You Can Do)

    03/11/2025

    Here’s Your Permission Slip to Feel Like Sh*t (and Why It’s the Healthiest Thing You Can Do)

    Listen. I spent decades chasing happiness as a researcher, a coach, and a seeker of light. My freaking name means “light.” But guess what? The real secret isn’t in pretending to be happy—it’s in giving yourself permission to feel like absolute crap sometimes. This episode is that permission slip. You don’t have to hold it together. You don’t have to slap a smile on your face. You don’t have to “self-care” your way out of feeling low. Sometimes, the healthiest thing you can do is to sit in the dark for a bit, let yourself feel it, and stop fighting the waves. I’ve spent a lifetime studying happiness, only to realize that true peace comes from embracing both the light and the dark. This is the episode I wish I had when I was too busy trying to “fix” my bad days instead of honoring them. So if you’re feeling off today—good. That means you’re human. Let’s talk about why that’s actually a superpower. Oh, and if you’re curious about the wildest healing technology I’ve ever discovered, I’ll share a bit about Solex, a frequency healing tool that’s been blowing my mind. No fluff, no gimmicks—just science, energy, and results. 📖 Radically Poetic—My book is coming soon. Stay tuned. 💡 Links Mentioned in This Episode: Learn More About Solex Purchase Solex Here The Untethered Soul The Body Keeps the Score When The Body Says No Masterful Listening is sponsored by Rad Hats For Rad Humans. 30% of every purchase goes towards mental health initiatives. If you write a review of the show, you get 20% off a Rad Hat of your own. Visit svetlanasaitsky.com Email: Svetlana.thisisit@gmail.com Instagram: Jetsvetter

    45 min
  3. A Rad and Mellow Reunion: Connecting with My Beloved Soul Dog Rad and Deepening My Bond with Mellow, Featuring Animal Communicator Julie Hirt

    11/16/2024

    A Rad and Mellow Reunion: Connecting with My Beloved Soul Dog Rad and Deepening My Bond with Mellow, Featuring Animal Communicator Julie Hirt

    In this deeply emotional episode, I’m joined by my friend and animal communicator Julie Hirt, whose gift helped me connect with my beloved soul dog Rad during his illness and after he passed. Rad was the first true, unconditional love I experienced, and even though he’s no longer with me in body, our relationship continues to grow. Today, I have the chance to reconnect with Rad and seek his guidance. This episode is also about my next soul dog, Mellow. Mellow is so different from Rad—he’s loud, youthful, and full of energy—but I’m convinced Rad sent him to me for a reason. This is a chance to better understand Mellow’s unique spirit, deepen my bond with him, and learn how their spirits are connected. With Julie’s guidance, we’ll explore how animals continue to teach us through love, loss, and presence, and how pain can become a portal to power. We’ll reflect on the playful irony of Rad being mellow in spirit while Mellow is truly rad (though not always mellow). Whether you’re grieving a pet, caring for one, or simply want to deepen your connection with them, this episode is a hopeful, heartfelt journey of love and healing. Julie is a Certified Soul Level Animal Communicator®, Certified Heart Animal Soul Professional Communicator, Certified Soul Level Intuitive Coach®, and Certified Spirit Animal Sacred Alchemy Practitioner. Her Substack column, Trust the Animals, shares coaching messages from animals and a special series on grief. She is also a teaching assistant for the Danielle MacKinnon School and the co-host of The Animal Communication Podcast on Mind, Body, Spirit.fm. Julie celebrates the partnership we all have with our pets and believes our pets are our life coaches. Her own “dog-pack,” made up of both alive and in-spirit members, has guided her through trauma and physical injury. These experiences led her to co-create a life she never imagined for herself, and now, she helps others do the same with their beloved pets. Connect with Julie here: juliehirt-intuitive.com Substack  The Animal Communication Podcast   Learn how to be an animal communicator with Danielle MacKinnon Social Media Links: https://www.facebook.com/juliehirtintuitive https://www.instagram.com/juliehirt_intuitive/ Masterful Listening is sponsored by Rad Hats For Rad Humans. 30% of every purchase goes towards mental health initiatives. If you write a review of the show, you get 20% off a Rad Hat of your own. Visit svetlanasaitsky.com Email: Svetlana.thisisit@gmail.com Instagram: Jetsvetter

    2h 26m
  4. Harnessing the ADHD Superpower: The Radical Truth – The More You Rest, the Better You Ride Those Epic Waves of Energy (and Other Tips to Embrace Your Unique Brilliance)

    11/03/2024

    Harnessing the ADHD Superpower: The Radical Truth – The More You Rest, the Better You Ride Those Epic Waves of Energy (and Other Tips to Embrace Your Unique Brilliance)

    In this episode of Masterful Listening, I’m diving into what it really means to harness the superpower of ADHD. I’ll share my own story—the triumphs, the challenges, and everything in between—to show how mastering the waves of energy can turn absolute chaos into radical clarity. Whether it’s the rush of hyper-focus or the drag of mental gridlock, I’ll break down how to navigate life with ADHD, using real talk and humor. We’ll explore the distinction between being “better at” and “better than” and the wisdom that comes when you stop comparing yourself to others. By recognizing that we all have our own unique superpowers, we can celebrate what makes us different and embrace who we are, without the need for comparison. This episode is for anyone who has ADHD, wants to understand it, or is open to the idea that ADHD isn’t a deficit or a disorder but a path to tapping into your true superpower. Because if you’re going to tell a story, make it a good one—words are spells, after all. Also check out this great book: ADHD is Awesome Masterful Listening is sponsored by Rad Hats For Rad Humans. 30% of every purchase goes towards mental health initiatives. If you write a review of the show, you get 20% off a Rad Hat of your own. Visit svetlanasaitsky.com Email: Svetlana.thisisit@gmail.com Instagram: Jetsvetter

    1h 22m
5
out of 5
19 Ratings

About

Welcome to Masterful Listening, the world's first super rad listening school. Every episode is an opportunity to practice listening—or as your host Svetlana (AKA Svet) calls it, Masterful Listening. According to Svet, listening is the most important skill most of us are never taught. Until now. Love epic stories? Laughing while you learn? A healthy dose of profound wisdom with just a hint of profanity? Perfect. Every episode is part story, part lesson, and part listening practice. Svet teaches listening by doing what she does best: telling stories, asking better questions, and helping you hear what you've been missing all along. The fun part? Many of the lessons are hidden in plain sight. You'll only catch them if you're actually listening. Svet is also mildly obsessed with mantras. She invents them, paints them on things, occasionally tattoos them on herself, and somehow keeps coming up with new ones. As a certified executive coach, facilitator, and Mental Wealth advocate, Svet has spent more than 17 years helping people think better, listen deeper, and rewrite the stories that shape their lives. She's worked with leaders and teams across organizations including Google, Apple, Square, and Asana, but her favorite classroom has always been real life. Whether you're here to become a better listener, a better leader, or simply a more conscious human, grab a seat. Class is in session.