Inspiring Conversations with Sally Harvey Anderson of Radical Tenderness

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sally Harvey Anderson.

Sally, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I started doing improv about 20 years ago in a middle school theatre class in Anderson, SC. It wasn’t until adulthood, when I lived in Los Angeles in 2011, that I started really pursuing improv and acting professionally. I am an alumnus of the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre LA, which is well known in the entertainment industry, but outside of our industry most know it as “the improv school Amy Poehler started.” My story isn’t linear because I’ve struggled with addiction and mental illness since I was a teenager.

I would make progress and then regress and it would take me a while to get back on my feet. I’ve also had a lot of jobs, which is common for artists. I think my greatest triumph is just being alive at this point because when you’re one of those “troubled youths” in and out of programs and hospitals, the future looks a bit grim. When people look at me now- I have a really normal haircut, a master’s degree, a lovely apartment, an acting career, a book of poetry, a successful husband, and I’ve managed to start my own coaching business- they have no idea that 12 years ago I was this lost kid living out of my car in Southern California.

How I got here today is… a good question. I had parents who weren’t perfect, but they didn’t give up on me. When I moved home from CA, they sent me to this therapist who kicked my a*s. Literally, the first thing she said was, “don’t f*ck with me.” And going to therapy regularly every week for over seven years was what got me on track, I think. Then, I got my master’s degree at Belmont University and became an adjunct professor. At that time, I thought I wanted to be an English professor. I also started taking classes at the 4th Wall Acting studio and started my own improv program there. For about four years, I taught English at Belmont, improv, and acting at the 4th wall and pursued my own acting and writing.

And I published a book of poetry, Nine Lives of Catfire, and started a podcast called Radical Tenderness. Through trying on all of those different careers, I’ve decided that I love to coach humans, so I started my brand, Radical Tenderness. And when I say “started my brand” I mean I am in the process of launching my coaching business right now.

Nailing down my specific coaching niche is a work in progress. I’m in a life coaching certification program, but I’d like to get more specific. I’m continuing to teach improv, but I’m calling it “Emprov: Improv with emotional intelligence.” And my newest program, The 90 Day Screenplay Bootcamp, launches in January.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
L to the O to the L. I covered this pretty well in the previous question, but, no, it was not a smooth road. I suppose no one is. Like I said in the last question, I struggled with addiction and mental illness and there are all kinds of things that go along with that. I also struggled to fit in as a sort of offbeat person who doesn’t fit the “professional” model (I do have fun surprising people- for example, as an adjunct professor at Belmont, I once got so excited about a poem that I did a handstand in class. And the students were shocked to their cores).

I think the struggle is what gifted me the ability to help and connect so deeply with other humans. So I absolutely would not change it.

As you know, we’re big fans of Radical Tenderness. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
I have three offerings in my biz right now. The first is “Emprov: Improv for Emotional Intelligence.” This class is a blend of actors and non-actors. I noticed that improv helps people with way more than acting, so I started this class. I’ve had a lot of students tell me that it changed their lives- not just in booking for actors, but in terms of giving them confidence and the ability to connect with others in a more effective way. I’m known for being an excellent coach.

I give a balance of feedback and always focus on the positive. I have found that so many teachers only focus on the negative, which actually backfires to get students “into their heads.” At the end of class, I like to go around the circle and have an emotional check-in before everybody leaves. I also like to jump into a class and do the exercises with them. Not only is this fun for me, but it also shows them that I’m human learning just like them. I laugh a lot with my students. And I’m always transparent with them- if I’m having a bad day, I’ll let them know. And they let me know about theirs. It creates this open line of honest communication that not all teachers are vulnerable enough to have.

My second offer, which is brand new, is The 90 Day Screenplay Bootcamp. I’m going to help actors write a page a day for roughly the first 3 months of 2022. I just announced this course and it’s already filling up.

The other offer I have right now is one on one life coaching over zoom. This is a newer thing for me, but I’ve noticed I can get in on a deeper level when one on one. Coaching is co-creative, so I can work with clients to figure out how to bust through blocks, clear up limiting beliefs, get clear on what they want, and achieve it. My podcast is a part of this whole thing- it’s called Radical Tenderness and it’s basically an irreverent take on mental health. I call it “the funny mental health podcast.” There are about 15 episodes currently, and I’m working on switching up the format.

I’m moving to seasons and I’ve got a wonderful producer on board to help me up the production value.

As far as the acting career goes, I was in two comedy pilots this summer. So I’m still pursuing it with the help of my agent, Melinda, at The Avenue Agency. I’ve learned that even working actors aren’t on set that much, so you have plenty of time to pursue another career simultaneously.

We’d love to hear about how you think about risk-taking?
My first thought when I read this question was– I eat risks for breakfast. Lol. An exaggeration, of course. I think risks are what attracted me to improv. Improv allows you to take risks with very low stakes. I always tell my students, “don’t worry, it’s just make-em-ups!”

Pursuing a career as a creative entrepreneur is a big risk, too. After struggling so much to become a functional adult, I have reinvented myself so many times that I’ve become pretty scrappy. So it’s my second nature to flex and bend and lean into what is working and, over time, let go of what isn’t working.

In that way, improv is my lifestyle as well as my trade. I use it in everything.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.radicaltenderness.com
• Instagram: @sallyharveyanderson @radicaltenderness.co
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/show/63cBIWcSCOoQuWMOkAyuBf?si=_1IvFhlLR5uXvAYMbGuOwA&dl_branch=1

Image Credits
Elisabeth Donaldson