Leslie Gwynne Saffer
Opening doors to creative expression, harmony, healing and light
Leslie Gwynne Saffer
Opening doors to creative expression, harmony, healing and light
𝑀𝑒𝑒𝓉 𝐿𝑒𝓈𝓁𝒾𝑒
Years before she began her healing work, as Leslie was preparing to leave her position in broadcast promotion, the general manager circulated a station memo thanking Les for her valued service and calling her a “healer”. Since then, she has walked many creative paths, with a richly textured background spanning the fields of the Communication, Healing and Musical Arts.
No matter the context, Leslie strives to foster communication that resonates with vitality, depth and meaning. Whether writing a script, teaching a spirituality class, entertaining seniors, mediating a conflict, facilitating a community gathering, conducting a music ensemble or spearheading an urban garden, Leslie's Healing Spirit is at work to inspire the highest and best for the situation and all concerned.
Broadcasting
During the seventies, Leslie served as director of advertising and promotion at the premiere AM station in southern Connecticut. She also worked as a news announcer/feature reporter at an FM broadcast property in Connecticut before being tapped as a key staffer for the first station in the world focussing specifically on women. As director of special programming and public affairs, she wrote, voiced and produced more than 250 interview features and served as spokeswoman for the trail-blazing broadcasting outlet. Her position also called for coaching volunteers from the arts and business communities in writing and voicing features focussing on health/wellness, recreational travel, theatre reviews and consumer concerns. Her work in television included posts as an assignment editor and associate producer at New Haven's ABC affiliate.
Musical Spirit
Framed in a theme of Joy to the world, Leslie’s interactive hour-long shows invited seniors in Connecticut and Massachusetts to join her in a “Walk down memory lane” accompanied by her widely-loved therapy dog, Grace. Story telling and singing delivered with piano accompaniment lifted spirits while activity directors commented on Leslie’s enthusiasm and empathy, and audience members were left at show’s end, asking for more.
During 20+ years of making music with the accomplished Civic Orchestra of New Haven, Leslie played principal horn; she also performed chamber music and played with the Victoria, British Columbia and Madison, Wisconsin Symphony Orchestras.
After leaving Connecticut in the mid-2000s, Leslie again picked up the horn to play principal in several Bay State musical organizations including the Atlantic Wind Symphony, Wachusett Community Band and Worcester State University’s Unplugged Orchestra.
Reiki
As a Reiki master, in addition to offering certification at all levels (including a seven-month Reiki III certification program), Leslie Gwynne/Tara Anenkaya taught spirituality classes to empower students to meet the challenges of living productively, vigilantly and joyfully in an “upside down world”. (link) The monthly newsletter Healing Spirit, presented inspirational and educational material to address individual and collective concerns within a holistic understanding. (back issues)
Over the years, Leslie has delivered interactive energy healing and Reiki presentations at countless community venues for adults and children. She was one of three body work practitioners in the first complementary therapy study for patients at the Yale Cancer Center and has provided Reiki during surgical procedures in an urban hospital setting.
Observations about Leslie/Tara Anenkaya
“… a nurturer who helped me find my own voice. " Micki Balaban
“… enormous heart, insight and a wonderful sense of humor. I walk more deeply in my life as a result of this experience.” Barbara Valentine
“… Leslie played a big role in getting me started on this path of healing.” Donna Sommer
“… an inspiration, a great sharer of all her wisdom and positive energy… the experience led me to form more meaningful relationships and appreciation for the world in general.” Susan Reynolds
“… I always feel inspired … and I always learn something new” Lorena Melgar
Community Arts
Leslie's communicative spirit thrives when joining others in building community through activism and creative projects. On the heels of her work with neighbors to curtail crime and cultivate community involvement, New Haven's City-Wide Block Watch Association presented her with an award for outstanding work on behalf of the community. After moving back to her hometown, she spearheaded one of the most active neighborhood watch organizations in her community.
With support from the Regional Environmental Council, the City of Worcester and neighbors young and old, Leslie started Bread & Roses, an urban flower and herb garden on the median of a busy thoroughfare. Her involvement with quality of life issues has included shepherding a citizen activist group charged with reaching out to educate decision makers. The mission: highlighting independent science showing public health impacts of rapidly accelerating artificial EMF/RF; advocating for the protection school children exposed to wireless; encouraging the embrace of the Precautionary Principle. https://www.sehn.org/ppfaqs.html
Formal Preparation/A Student of Life
Leslie received her Bachelor of Music from Boston University's School for the Arts (Music Education with Applied French horn) and her Master of Arts in Teaching (Music) at Yale University where she also attended the Yale School of Music and the Yale Summer School of Music and Art in Norfolk, CT.