It was only a few months ago that Chloé Kassis-Crowe [Ireland] crossed our path. You could see from her smile that Chloé must obviously be into dentistry. What was less obvious: This passionate half American, half Irish lady, happened to be a breath-taking film producer alongside her writer/director mother and an aspiring entrepreneur. Her and her mother’s current work “Dare To Be Wild (2015)” focuses on the magical story of a young girl’s journey around the world with one vision: To build a gold medal winning garden at the Chelsea Flower Show to empower people to protect our natural habitats and preserve the wild. Next to that – as a starting entrepreneur – Chloé also works on integrating approaches from different health sciences and mindfulness techniques in order to improve the healing process of patients. Far away from all film festivals and dental floss, we ask Chloé: Who do YOU dare to be and which IMPACT do you want to stand for? – interview by ASTRID SCHRADER
The Arc: You did the film together with your mum. What was your role in that duo?
Support. To say it in one word. There were days on set, I just tried to make sure people weren’t about to collapse. I dealt with some creative, legal and financial aspects but mostly: people management. It has just been a little bit of everything, and it was crazy. I spent the summer being in a surgery in scrubs, and half an hour later I was on a movie set in a ball gown. It was 14 hour days for three months.
The Arc: What part of the film resonated most with you? Why?
It is the message “Believe it has happened and it has happened”. I remember that when I played cricket as a kid I used to put a mark on a tree and I tried for hours hitting the mark. I realized that my thoughts influenced a lot whether or not I’d hit the mark. So when I’d say “Come on, Chloé! You can do this.” I had a smaller chance of hitting the mark than when I just imagined that I had actually hit it. It was hard focusing on this, but eventually I managed to safely hit the mark twenty times in a row. Some time later, when I was thirteen years old, my team got to the finals in the school cup. I convinced my team to picture that the wicket had already fallen, and – crazy as this sounds – the first pitcher, hit the wicket, then hit it again and again opening the bowling with a hat-trick. I went “Oh my God, this is so cool!” and then four wickets were hit in a row. This was unheard of and a massive moment for me. So, indeed, this message is something I deeply believe in.
Believe it has happened and it has happened! When I’d say “Come on, Chloé! You can do this.” I had a smaller chance of hitting the mark than when I just imagined that I had actually hit it.
The Arc: After the movie you completely changed direction. You are working on your next project “Greenlight”. How did that come about?
When I was sixteen years old my step-dad died of a degenerative brain disease. That’s when I got really interested in the brain, and how it works. I studied the different sciences looking at the brain, psychology, neurology and other, alternative ways of treating diseases. I dived into spiritual development which made me realize that there is more to the brain and body than people think. Already as a teenager I thought that the key to healing would be medical, mental and social treatment altogether. Healing rather than having symptoms treated, that’s really my baby. This is how I want to make the world a better place.
Already as a teenager I thought that the key to healing would be medical, mental and social treatment altogether. Healing rather than having symptoms treated, that’s really my baby. This is how I want to make the world a better place.
My Greenlight Health program develops new approaches to patient healing by training mindful health professionals to combine conventional medicine, with physical, nutritional, mental and social care. Currently, I am still in a stage of research and testing how we gather enough data to gain a high level of evidence that this approach is necessary within our health systems, and will not just better our lives but save our economies both time and money.
The Arc: Since we are here at The Arc, we obviously have to ask this question “What is someone like you actually still scared of?”
Chloé: This is such a hard question. It sounds weird, but I am scared of non-action. I am scared of procrastination. Even if I fail I can probably see that as a success somehow, but I am scared to make my project my number one priority. To put this above my patients, my job, as my highest value.
The Arc: Knowing you, you WILL find a solution to implement your ideas in one way or another. *wink*
Chloé: The weird thing with Greenlight is that I just can’t imagine anything better. I can’t imagine it NOT coming into being. I don’t care, if I do it or someone else does it. I just wanna see it done. I guess I just should start imagining it done, and it will be done 😉
The weird thing with Greenlight is that I just can’t imagine anything better. I can’t imagine it NOT coming into being. I don’t care, if I do it or someone else does it. I just wanna see it done.
The Arc: Yup, seems like this is exactly what is going to happen. *blink* Having gotten only a glimpse of the magnitude and the meaning of your work we feel like idiots now 🙂 Do you have any advice for us how we can be more impactful?
Believe it has happened and it has happened! Next to that: Multiple times a day check your empathy. As in: Check, if you are really trying to impact. As for my patients this means: Am I giving them that little bit extra that they need to have? Am I seeing it from their perspective? Actively every day I try to be the dentist who cares. I obviously have a business, and I want to survive, too, but I just want to bring that little empathy and kindness to make life nicer for a human being. Whoever it is – I can choose if I make their day worse or better.
The Arc: Ok, last question “Who do YOU dare to be and which IMPACT do you want to stand for?” You have thirty seconds.
Aaaaah! Ok! I want to see the world heal physically, mentally and socially. I dare to be part of the glue that makes that happen. To have empathy and kindness, to shine my brightest to help others feel comfortable to shine their brightest too.
The Arc: Thanks, Chloé for the interview.
Can I say one more thing?
The Arc: Sure.
I just wanted to mention that The Arc Atélier was really one of the best and most memorable four days of my life. What I learned and experienced is just invaluable. Priceless. I grew and learned about who I am and my role. I laughed and cried and made some incredible new friends for life.
The Arc: *haha* Thanks dear. I hope people don’t think we bribed you on this comment. You know, The Arc, too, is 5% inspiration and 95% perspiration. I will pass it on to the team 😉 Guess they will be really happy to see some of their sweat paying off.