What do you think you know about growing old? When did we decide that aging begins at 65?
Aging is one of the most compelling issues today, with record numbers of seniors over sixty-five worldwide! Here Ellyn Lem, author of Gray Matters, examines a diverse array of cultural works including films, literature, and even art that represent this time of life, often made by people who are seniors themselves from all walks of life.
Ellyn Lem’s research wasn’t just from gerontology, she surveyed over 200 real people over the ages of 65....and she shares fun tidbits about how to keep it real regarding aging, sexuality, gender differences, parent child relationships, housing, money, and work. Be prepared to be surprised!
Belly of the Beast
When a courageous young woman and a radical lawyer discover a pattern of illegal sterilizations in California’s women’s prisons, they wage a near-impossible battle against the Department of Corrections. With a growing team of investigators inside prison working with colleagues on the outside, they uncover a series of statewide crimes - from inadequate health care to sexual assault to coercive sterilizations - primarily targeting women of color.
This shocking legal drama captured over 7 years features extraordinary access and intimate accounts from currently and formerly incarcerated people, demanding attention to a shameful and ongoing legacy of eugenics and reproductive injustice in the United States. Erika Cohn is the award-winning independent producer who shares how she became passionate about the subject and some of the challenges she faced making the documentary.
Radical Collaboration: How to Overcome Defensiveness
Want to have better relationships? Figure out what your own defenses are and why you have them. Then learn how to deal with your own, and with those defenses that other people have. With an increased sense of safety, openness becomes much easier.
Jim Tamm is a former judge and an expert on dispute resolution and building collaborative relationships. He’s mediated more than 1,000 employment disputes during his 25 years as a senior administrative law judge for the state of California. He shares skills from his latest book, Radical Collaboration: Five Essential Skills to Overcome Defensiveness and Build Successful Relationships.
You can learn to better deal with your own defensiveness and that of others, negotiate your way through the conflict that is inevitable in any long-term relationships, solve problems meeting the interests of all the parties, and build more collaborative environments and relationships.
Coming out of limiting beliefs
Are you noticing some of your beliefs about yourself aren't true, and are getting in your way? Dr. Patti Ashley teaches Authenticity Architecture, bringing unique insight into the identification and treatment of trauma, shame, grief and dysfunctional family patterns. Here, she talks about how we develop our beliefs and how trying to live up to them can lead to imbalance, stress and leading an inauthentic life…or a combative one as we try to prove ourselves right all the time. She gives you practical life skills to identify--and change--your own personal mythology.
No visible bruises
We call it domestic violence, private violence, intimate terrorism. But we generally do not believe it has anything to do with us. In America, domestic violence accounts for 15% of all violent crime. We have not taken the true measure of this problem. And it’s growing with sheltering in place.
Today we’ll explore key stories that explode the common myths — that if things were bad enough victims would just leave; that a violent person cannot become nonviolent; that shelter is an adequate response;
and more insidiously, that violence inside the home is disconnected from other forms of violence.
My personal experience with domestic and other violence is fairly extensive: my father and one of my long-term partners. I made my way out of that story through years of healing practices. So I speak from a place of deep compassion and experience.
Rachel Snyder, author of No Visible Bruises, joins me with tools to educate ourselves and heal this growing personal and cultural problem.
The real silver linings of COVID
We have all been affected by the Covid-19 virus, whether frightened or anxious, confused, or hopeful and excited that some things are changing for the good. It’s as though we have been plunged into a hero's journey, plagued with anxiety and fear, forced to find hope and faith inside ourselves, like few other times on the planet.
Every day is a new adventure.
And every day we're being told new information about how to conduct our lives. There are the parts of this shift that we can see, and touch and control, and yet so many we cannot.
What we do know is our priorities are changing, and we have all needed to find ways to cope with this radically changing time around the world. Some of us have thrown ourselves into service, others into distraction, others have found our way into addiction and beyond.
Our guest today, Vincent Genna, works with folks around the world teaching self-love and self-mastery.
Today he's joining us to talk about what's happening out there in the world and how it's affecting us all. He has an unique perspective on how the coronavirus pandemic can help us face and conquer our fears. We’ll find out
What is the fear people are experiencing really all about?
Why are people finding it so difficult to calm themselves and reduce their anxiety?
Why is this a time to do introspective work, bring past maladaptive beliefs to the surface, and work on healing ourselves?
What are some new coping techniques you can use to navigate the current situation and heal your past?
Kickass recovery
Addicted, recovered, clean, now what? Organizations and programs offer much-needed guidance and support to people living in recovery, but they don’t cover one inarguable truth: it’s really freaking hard not to relapse.
Billy Manas has been through the life and has experienced the frustrations of figuring out how to live a “normal” life. With warmth and humor, he offers real-world, person-to-person guidance on how to figure out what will get listeners up in the morning and keep them motivated. He shares simple techniques to reboot their confidence and attitude.
Healing trauma
Love has taken on a whole new meaning around the planet. It’s as though we have been plunged into a hero's journey, plagued with anxiety and fear, forced to find hope and faith inside ourselves, like few other times on the planet. We have all needed to find ways to cope with this radically changing time around the world. Some of us have thrown ourselves into service, others into distraction, others have found our way into addiction and beyond.
To help us better understand our ability to cope with this global pandemic David and I invited Dr. Claudia Herbert, author of the chapter Calatonia and Subtle Touch in the Healing of Trauma in Dr. Sandor’s book Calatonia: A Therapeutic Approach that Promotes Somatic and Psychological Regulation. Dr. Herbert has extensive training in large-scale disasters and healing trauma. She talks about preventing and addressing the trauma people are experiencing, and how we can reconnect afterwards.
The triumph of diversity
Differences in color, religion, sexuality, or nationality are often seen as threats to our way of life. Has exclusion and lack of interest in those suffering in other parts of the world become a way to protect us from our fears? When we close the door to those who seem dissimilar, we limit our own potential for growth. Diversity expands the mind and enriches the soul; it is the antidote to groupthink.
In The Triumph of Diversity, Dr. Ciaramicoli analyzes prejudice by tracing it to personal origins and relates true stories of courageous individuals who have overcome hatred, cruelty and sadism to become open-minded, loving resilient people. He re-emphasizes that we are in desperate need of those who unite rather than those who ostracize.
Learn how to discover your own prejudices and redirect them so you can feel genuine empathy.
Asking for and getting what you need
Have trouble asking for what you want? Maryanne and David talk with author Amy Fish, whose latest book I Wanted Fries With That: Asking for and getting what you need shows how any situation, no matter how intense, can be resolved with civility, honesty, and fairness for everyone.
Unlocking lasting love
Falling in love is never a straight line to “happily ever after.” Relationships go through seasons of change, renewal, darkness, and light. David and Maryanne talk with long-time therapist and couple’s coach Linda Carroll, whose latest book Love Skills: The Key to Unlocking Lasting, Wholehearted Love offers specific, effective solutions to the most common struggles that couples face.
Boundaries and protection in relationship
What does it mean, to set a boundary in relationship? Who sets your boundaries, and why? Can you have boundaries and still be intimate? David and Maryanne interview Pixie Lighthorse, author of Boundaries & Protection in Relationship...and share how they do it in their successful marriage!
Reconciling spirituality and sex in relationship
How do you reconcile spirituality and sex in a relationship? Maryanne and David interview Kim Krizan, author of Spy in the House of Anais Nin, and get the notorious visionary feminist/sexual pioneer's version. How might she feel about sex and technology today? They all agreed, including Anais apparently, that seeing the body/mind/spirit/soul as inseparable is ultimately the most satisfying!
Introduction to the show and why love does not have to mean suffering
Maryanne says, We created this program because we both saw the intense amount of suffering around love. Specifically, folks being externally referenced: "love happens outside of myself." Given we are relational creatures this is a problem because we need each other. But to what extent do we give up who we really are to get this love? To the degree we feel this separation from our divine nature, which is essentially love, we suffer. We don't understand what it means to love ourselves.
David comments: Over the years I have experienced and seen a lot of suffering. Primarily people doing things to get love. People are tired of being inauthentic as they try to please people to get this love.
They interview William Arntz, author of How to Suffer in 10 Easy Steps.