019 - Sharife Gacel, USA

In this episode of Aspiring Martians, I’m joined by Sharife Gacel, a licensed therapist, analog astronaut, NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador, and the creator of The Space Therapist and the Blue Marble Project. Sharife’s work brings together psychology, art, and space exploration to help people build emotional resilience here on Earth—and someday, on Mars. She believes that the perspective shift astronauts feel when seeing Earth from space can be a healing force, and she’s spent years helping others connect to that feeling through outreach, therapy, and awe-driven storytelling.

We talk about the emotional challenges of space travel, what representation looks like in the space world, and how something as simple as looking through a telescope can rewire your whole sense of purpose. We also cover her underwater origin stories, the wonders of astronomy clubs, exploration genes, spacesuit cardboard cutouts, Martian domes in Hawaii, representing by showing up, and finding motivation through the lens of a telescope.