Deirdre Newman
"Begin each day with God, Grace and Gratitude." ~unknown
"Love is the recognition of oneness in the world of duality." ~ Eckhart Tolle
"The essence of spirituality is, to be constantly aware of the oneness of all; at the same time to celebrate the uniqueness of the individual." ~ Jaggi Vasudev
"Living a spiritual life requires a change of heart, a conversion. Such a conversion may be marked by a sudden inner change, or it can take place through a long, quiet process of transformation. But it always involves an inner experience of oneness." ~ Henri Nouwen
DEDE-transparent-bg

Welcome to my website!

This is the place where I can show my diverse facets — as a journalist, actress, dance & yoga teacher, spiritual therapist, and engaged community member.

I believe that during these times, we all need to look out for each other, be kind to each other, and focus on the facts. I believe we’re all connected through our shared humanity and a higher power.

Analytical

I’ve been a journalist for most of my professional career. I started as a reporter at KFTY in Santa Rosa, and then reported for the CBS affiliate in Monterey. I eventually switched from broadcast to print journalism, and then to digital.

I founded my own independent media website in 2018: OC Startups Now. In 2020, I pivoted the focus to covering tech in a broader way, with a special focus on diversity & social justice. This independent media endeavor, inter-TECH-ion, is now on Substack.

I’m also the author of two published biographies: The Alchemy of Grief: The Life Story of Dr. Jack Miller and his Creation of The Phoenix Project and Live Laugh Love: The Life Story of R.W. Forsum .

Creative

I’m a Meisner-trained actress who’s performed speaking roles in several independent films. You can find me on IMDb, my creative interests were piqued at a young age. I started ballet at 8 and acting classes at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco at 10. I’m also a stand-up comedienne and brand ambassador. I also love to do creative writing, most recently the short story, Escape Artists, about a colorful cast of characters in Laguna Beach.

Spiritual

A successful heart procedure in 2007 catalyzed a spiritual awakening and heaps of gratitude. I believe in our shared humanity, Oneness – that we are all connected to each other and to a higher power. I practice Christ consciousness — a spiritual term for a mindeset that embodies first and foremost, unconditional love. It also embodies compassion, acceptance, and inclusiveness. My spiritual awakening inspired me to become a spiritual therapist within the Science of Mind (Ernest Holmes & Joel Goldsmith) practice. The lateral side of my family believes that relationships are disposable. I do not. I believe that issues come up, in any type of relationship, because they are being revealed to be healed. My book, Reconciliation with Friends and Family is the result of that belief.

Community

I’m a member of the Alliance for Regenerative Communities Network. This network was catalyzed by the LA fires in January 2025. I’m part of the Regen Responders, a group of healers who are ready to help people, using a spectrum of healing modalities, after a natural disaster.

Integrated / Mind-Body-Spirit

I’ve always believed that by integrating your mind, body and spirit can you achieve balance. I try to integrate meditation, prayer, movement, self-care, and other holistic practices on a daily basis.

Healing Through Movement

I’m grateful to be certified to teach & facilitate two different types of healing movement practices: yoga and JourneyDance™. Currently, I’m teaching yoga online to private clients (Grateful Heart Yoga) and JourneyDance to groups, in-person. JourneyDance is a sacred, spiritual form of dance designed to remove trauma from the emotional body and enable participants to reclaim their power.

Communication

I try to practice heartfelt, authentic, clear communication. Facts matter. I believe that misunderstandings can be cleared up in a reasonable amount of time, whether I have misunderstood someone or someone has misunderstood me. 

Gratitude

A successful heart procedure in 2007 filled me with so much gratitude. I created Deirdre’s Hearts after this procedure and hope to turn it into a 501(c)3 nonprofit someday. Currently, it funnels donations to the AHA. I do daily gratitude and forgiveness lists. This clears out anything that needs to be released and enables me to focus on gratitude on a daily basis. No matter what is going on in the world, we can find something to be grateful for. And, holding grudges — which are usually based on misunderstandings — is not healthy.

KIndness

In early 2025, I created Make a Ripple™, a random act of kindness/pay it forward movement, that anyone can do anywhere. Inspired by the movie, Spirited, this movement involves paying for the person behind you at the drive-through at a coffee venue, like Starbucks. And, ideally, starting a ripple effect where that person then does the same for someone else. You can print out cards to start doing random acts of kindness from the website.

Quoted as a Thought Leader!

I'm honored to have been quoted in the following publications:
Resilient Stories - Meeting Your Higher Self: 5 Ways to Connect to the Real You
Pursue the Passion - Why Are You Passionate About Newspapers?
Yoga Divinity - Life Lessons from the Mat: 9 Yoga Journeys Explored