Hear the interview:

Michael C. Patterson is a consultant and coach who uses brain and mind sciences to optimize wellbeing across the lifespan. Michael and his MINDRAMP colleague Roger Anunsen have recently launched the MINDRAMP Podcasts: Live Long & Live Well. You can subscribe to the podcasts at www.mindramp.org or go directly to http://mindramp.buzzsprout.com.

The post Blinded by the White Podcast appeared first on 3rd Act Magazine.

It’s a radical approach that they put into practice through their “Joy of Dementia” workshops that use improvisational theatre and play to connect the different players in a community impacted by dementia.

CHECK OUT THE REST OF OUR CREATIVE THIRD ACT INTERVIEWS

Subscribe to the show on iTunes to listen to upcoming episodes and hear all our conversations.

And please leave a rating and review.
Need help subscribing? Click here.

Highlights from the episode:

The limitations of the “tragedy narrative” surrounding dementia.
Why the medical model for approaching dementia doesn’t work.
The importance of seeing dementia in a relational context.
Why over-valuing cognitive strength can limit our ability to see people’s other strengths and gifts.
Looking beyond the patient to see the community touched by dementia and its care.
The opportunity improv offers for giving that community a way to connect and play together.
Why development takes place in a group environment.
What a “Joy of Dementia” workshop looks like.
What opens up when we see life as a performance.
How empowering it can be to relate to group members as performers.
The power of saying “yes/and” with people with everyone, especially those with dementia.
“Appreciating people is an unrecognized and underperformed element of our lives.”

Hear the interview:

Click here to go to the full interview on iTunes (#112).

And please leave a rating and review!

More about our guest:

Mary Fridleyis pro-bono Director of Special Projects at the East Side Institute in NYC and an accomplished teacher and workshop leader. She practiced social therapy for 12 years and continues to use the social therapeutic approach as an Institute faculty member. Mary was featured in a February 2019 Washington Post article, “Changing ‘the tragedy narrative’: Why a growing camp is promoting a more joyful approach to Alzheimer” and, with Susan Massad, is co-author of several articles on this work, including one in the Australian Journal of Dementia Care. Mary is also a playwright and theater director and works as a non-profit fundraising consultant.

Susan Massad is a retired physician with 51 years of practice and teaching in internal medicine. In 2006, Susan launched a senior theater workshop, The New Timers, at the All Stars Project in NYC and is a faculty member of the Institute, where she leads ongoing conversations on health, wellness and growing older. She is co-author of a chapter, “Creating An Ensemble for Performing Health” that will appear in an upcoming book published by the Taos Institute and, with Mary Fridley, is co-author of several articles on this work, including one in the Australian Journal of Dementia Care. Susan has also written a play, Remember? Remember!, that deals with aging and memory loss.

The Show Notes

For more information about the Eastside Institute or the Joy of Dementia Workshops go here;https://eastsideinstitute.org/the-joy-of-dementia/

Mary and Susan welcome your thoughts. Mary can be reached at mfridley@eastsideinstitute.org and Susan at susanmassad38@gmail.com.

For a copy of a great article describing their work from the Australian Journal of Dementia Care. .AJDC Feb-Mar 2020_The Joy of Dementia

Books referred to:
The Overweight Brain by Eastside Institute Director Lois Holtzman
The End of Knowing by Fred Newman and Lois Holzman

The post Mary Fridley and Susan Massad: Bringing joy to dementia appeared first on 3rd Act Magazine.

Ann Hedreen is currently working on her second memoir, titled The Observant Doubter.

She published her first memoir Her Beautiful Brain (She Writes Press) in 2014, and that book continues to help caregivers who are supporting loved ones with Alzheimer’s disease while inspiring others with its compassion and candor.

Ann and her husband Rustin Thompson own White Noise Productions and together have made more than 100 documentary films, including Quick Brown Fox: an Alzheimer’s Story. You can read her Restless Nest blog.

Dr. Sally Fox is a coach, consultant, and speaker who interviews thought leaders and artists who are “Shaping the Stories that are Shaping the World” on her Vital Presence podcast. In these episodes for 3rd Act Magazine, Sally and her guests explore the new story about working creatively in the Third Act of life, showing how you can find purpose and pleasure working at any age. Check out more episodes from the Vital Presence podcast on iTunes or at www.vitalpresence.com.

The post Ann Hedreen-The Writing Dream appeared first on 3rd Act Magazine.

Lynn has studied the esoteric insights of educator and metaphysician Rudolf Steiner and made these available through her programs online and books. The awarenesses from Steiner and other spiritual teachers allows her to work at a creative depth with her clients.

Dr. Sally Fox is a coach, consultant, and speaker who interviews thought leaders and artists who are “Shaping the Stories that are Shaping the World” on her Vital Presence podcast. In these episodes for 3rd Act Magazine, Sally and her guests explore the new story about working creatively in the Third Act of life, showing how you can find purpose and pleasure working at any age. Check out more episodes from the Vital Presence podcast on iTunes or at www.vitalpresence.com.

The post Lynn Jericho–The four levels of a human being appeared first on 3rd Act Magazine.

What might they have to say about their sixtieth, seventieth or even eightieth decades?

These were questions Nan Narboe asked as she compiled the words of writers sharing their experiences of aging.

Nan Narboe is an author, therapist, and trainer who has created a tantalizing and compassionate collective portrait of what aging creatively can look like.

Dr. Sally Fox is a coach, consultant, and speaker who interviews thought leaders and artists who are “Shaping the Stories that are Shaping the World” on her Vital Presence podcast. In these episodes for 3rd Act Magazine, Sally and her guests explore the new story about working creatively in the Third Act of life, showing how you can find purpose and pleasure working at any age. Check out more episodes from the Vital Presence podcast on iTunes or at www.vitalpresence.com.

The post Nan Narboe: Aging creatively through the decades appeared first on 3rd Act Magazine.

She writes to send a message of hope to the world and distill lessons to share from the richness and challenges she encountered in a long life, well lived.

Dr. Sally Fox is a coach, consultant, and speaker who interviews thought leaders and artists who are “Shaping the Stories that are Shaping the World” on her Vital Presence podcast. In these episodes for 3rd Act Magazine, Sally and her guests explore the new story about working creatively in the Third Act of life, showing how you can find purpose and pleasure working at any age. Check out more episodes from the Vital Presence podcast on iTunes or at www.vitalpresence.com.

The post Kathyrn Carole Ellison: A poet for any age appeared first on 3rd Act Magazine.

Michael Meade, internationally known author, storyteller and mythologist has addressed this question in his latest book: Awakening the Soul: A Deep Response to a Troubled World.

We talk about his insights in this conversation about keeping the soul alive when the world is struggling.

Dr. Sally Fox is a coach, consultant, and speaker who interviews thought leaders and artists who are “Shaping the Stories that are Shaping the World” on her Vital Presence podcast. In these episodes for 3rd Act Magazine, Sally and her guests explore the new story about working creatively in the Third Act of life, showing how you can find purpose and pleasure working at any age. Check out more episodes from the Vital Presence podcast on iTunes or at www.vitalpresence.com.

The post Michael Meade: The mythic need for elders appeared first on 3rd Act Magazine.

She was a speaker at Sageing International’s global conference last fall where she addressed “Are We Wise Yet” with Bob Weber – a recent guest on this show.

Dr. Sally Fox is a coach, consultant, and speaker who interviews thought leaders and artists who are “Shaping the Stories that are Shaping the World” on her Vital Presence podcast. In these episodes for 3rd Act Magazine, Sally and her guests explore the new story about working creatively in the Third Act of life, showing how you can find purpose and pleasure working at any age. Check out more episodes from the Vital Presence podcast on iTunes or at www.vitalpresence.com.

The post Carol Orsborn: Aging fiercely and wisely appeared first on 3rd Act Magazine.

She pioneered Eco-Tourism, and has made it her life’s work to deliver a multitude of incredible adventures to thousands of people. Last year she faced the challenge of a lifetime, watching the volcano on Hawaii’s Big Island consumer her new home under 40 feet of lava.

Dr. Sally Fox is a coach, consultant, and speaker who interviews thought leaders and artists who are “Shaping the Stories that are Shaping the World” on her Vital Presence podcast. In these episodes for 3rd Act Magazine, Sally and her guests explore the new story about working creatively in the Third Act of life, showing how you can find purpose and pleasure working at any age. Check out more episodes from the Vital Presence podcast on iTunes or at www.vitalpresence.com.

The post Jane Howard: Creativity and resilience appeared first on 3rd Act Magazine.

Judy brings her research background, curiosity, and a wealth of personal experience to the study of how we can prepare for death. With the large baby boomer population moving into their later years, prepararing our systems for their care is critical.

Dr. Sally Fox is a coach, consultant, and speaker who interviews thought leaders and artists who are “Shaping the Stories that are Shaping the World” on her Vital Presence podcast. In these episodes for 3rd Act Magazine, Sally and her guests explore the new story about working creatively in the Third Act of life, showing how you can find purpose and pleasure working at any age. Check out more episodes from the Vital Presence podcast on iTunes or at www.vitalpresence.com.

The post Judy Stevens-Long: Preparing for death for better living appeared first on 3rd Act Magazine.