Twisting the Plot

We're back. And still twisting our plots. Listen to our new podcast where we discuss Hannah's latest creative project.

Pain. Do we ever really talk about it? Nobody wants to have it. Everybody wants it to go away. But what do we do when pain visits? And visit it will, to each of us. Listen to our new podcast where we consider Hannah's recent pain and its reverberation on her life.

Join us for part two of our conversation with Ryan Backer.    Ryan Backer is an age activist striving to undo ageism within an intersectional context. They identify as a white, non-binary ‘old person in training' and they have an undergraduate degree in Gerontology. They are a co-founder of OldSchool.info, a clearinghouse of anti-ageism resources and an international hub for age activism.

Ryan Backer is an age activist striving to undo ageism within an intersectional context. They identify as a white, non-binary ‘old person in training' and they have an undergraduate degree in Gerontology. They are a co-founder of OldSchool.info, a clearinghouse of anti-ageism resources and an international hub for age activism. Join us for a two-part conversation with Ryan. We talk about aging and the problem with binaries. We imagine how queering age could open possibilities for us all. Together we contemplate being old persons in training.

This week we bring back one of our most popular podcast guests, Laura Davis, to talk about the power of writing our stories. Laura, who wrote the award-winning memoir The Burning Light of Two Stars, tells us how she writes to gain perspective and make sense of her evolving life. To our delight, she shares her process in teaching students who take her classes and join her writing retreats. We love this conversation. We, like Laura Davis, believe in writing as a tool for self-awareness and transformation. But she explains it so well. Take a listen.   For more information about Laura Davis, her books and her writing retreats, visit www.lauradavis.net   Write, Travel, Transform…and Eat! Join me for a magical retreat in Tuscany in May of 2023! www.lauradavis.net/Tuscany Writing as a Pathway Through Grief, Loss, Uncertainty and Change: Experience the power of healing, the gift of supportive community & the profound impact guided writing can have in facing the unknown with courage. Learn more here. Free Ebook: Writing Toward Courage: A 30-Day Practice. Click here to receive this beautiful, thought-provoking creative gift. www.lauradavis.net/courage/   Check out Laura Davis on Facebook Check out Laura Davis on Instagram

We did not go into this conversation easily. Talking about money isn't something we're comfortable with. The question, what about money is important to you, is a hard one for us to answer. We don't want to think about it. In fact, the culture of consumption, accumulation, marketing and money-making turns us off, provokes waves of nausea. And even brings up shame. But this conversation was different. Laura Rotter brought a plot twist. It was pleasant, open, hopeful and even spiritual. Take a listen, if you can, we promise you will have fun. Laura Rotter, CFA, CFP is the owner of True Abundance Advisors, a heart-centered, values-based financial planning firm based in New York. After a successful career managing money for institutional investors including Citicorp and Para Advisors, Laura discovered mindfulness practices and was drawn to guide professionals facing a big life change to achieve both financial security and life satisfaction. Since making her shift, she has been featured in CNBC, the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and Westchester Senior Voice, is on the advisory council of Impact100 Westchester, a women's group giving organization, and volunteers with Savvy Ladies and My Money Workshop, teaching financial literacy to underserved communities.    Check Out TrueAbundanceAdvisors.com Laura Rotter on Facebook Laura Rotter on LinkedIn Laura Rotter on Twitter Laura Rotter on Instagram

Hannah and Cecilia sat down to chat recently, and found the conversation moving in an unexpected direction. We started asking, what matters now at this stage in our lives? Up until recently, our lives have been driven by external markers, jobs, degrees, partners and successes. But now there seems to be some buried impulse, more internal, emerging and wanting to take the lead. Listen to this week's podcast as we try to figure out how to listen to ourselves in different ways and forage new paths to live by.

Sleep is not a dead space, but a doorway to a different kind of consciousness – one that is reflective and restorative, full of tangential thought and unexpected insights. In winter, we are invited into a particular mode of sleep: not a regimented eight hours, but a slow, ambulatory process in which waking thoughts merge with dreams, and space is made in the blackest hours to repair the fragmented narratives of our days.  - Katherine May from Wintering   It's here, the pull for the long winter's nap. Time to slow down, time to review, time to take in and make sense of all that's been.  We crave it.  Rest. We have a feeling we are not alone.  So much is demanded of us day in and day out. And resting isn't baked into our cultural course. In fact, most of us feel uncomfortable, even anxious, when trying to take a break from busyness. We don't know how to do it. We don't know how to be still. We have forgotten how to listen to ourselves, or how to notice our dreams. We are too busy to stop and remember what's past, to savor the moment, or imagine a future. Still, we can try.  It's been a full year. We're getting older and thinking and feeling differently about things. Listen to the Twisting the Plot podcast and learn how we want to give our plots the twist of rest and digest.

We all tell stories about our lives, some we make up, and some we inherit.  Through stories, we figure out who we are, where we've been, and where we're headed. Stories grow as we grow. Our stories about ourselves as individuals and as a collective, are not static things that once set, never evolve. In fact, most of us encounter crossroads or thresholds of change where the past, present and the future become unclear. It is during these transitional times that our past stories must be retold, roles transformed, and feelings re-experienced and then reconfigured into a new life script. In this way, our life story making is not just for our pleasure.  It is also our work.  Life Story Work is the process of making meaning and connecting more deeply to ourselves and with others. It is the work of expanding our identities, resolving our traumas, and integrating our losses.  It is the creative act of growing, personally and culturally. It's hard work, and it's also the way we evolve. On Twisting the Plot Podcast, Dr. Shoshi Keisari explains life story work as a therapy, and tells us why it is crucial to our ongoing development, especially as we age. Take a listen.   Dr. Shoshi Keisari is a drama therapist and a lecturer at the School of Creative Arts Therapies, University of Haifa, Israel. She researches arts participation in aging, clinical gerontology, and the use of drama therapy in grief work and palliative care. Dr. Keisari has published numerous articles and co-authored a book, An Introduction to Psychotherapeutic Playback theatre: Hall of Mirrors on Stage

This week Twisting the Plot Podcast offers Part II of our conversation with the GenZer, Fran Dintino.  In many ways, this conversation is just getting started.  There is so much to explore, so many diverse lenses through which to look at one's life experience. Intergenerational conversations lead to intergenerational living that is rich and expanding. We stand on the backs of each other, one generation to the next, forever connected, always in flux. Our shared narratives twist over and over so that we can evolve, and evolve more. Listen as Boomers Hannah and Cecilia talk with GenZer Fran about community, mental health, our bodies, and aging. Fran concludes our musings with a call to cultivate a “radically open mind.”  We like this very much and will try our best. Maybe you would like to join us.

We are years and years apart.  There are decades between us, the Boomers and the Gen Zer's. Our world views are different. Our narratives do not line up.  Can we get along?  Are we able to listen to each other? We use different language,  we have varied values,  we embody diverse identities. We look different, think different and feel different. Is it possible to understand each other? We're not sure. But we'll try. On this weeks' podcast we talk with 21-year-old Fran Dintino about generational stereotypes, gender and the many waves of feminism. Take a listen and join in the conversation.

We often talk about how our minds and bodies are changing as we age. But what about our spirit? Does that evolve too? And what do we mean when we speak about the spirit? To us, spirit means that which is felt but not seen. Perspective, inner voice, energetic connection with others, gratitude, love and a mindful appreciation for the complexity of life, is what we call – spirit. To us, this experience of spirit seems to be growing as we age. We are not alone.  Erik Erikson and his wife Joan Erikson added a ninth stage to their eight stages of psychosocial development. They defined it as a time for self-reflection, deep life review and resolution. Abraham Maslow termed self-transcendence as a later stage in the hierarchy of human needs. Sociologist Lars Tornstam coined the term gerotranscendence, defining it as a time where we develop a more existential relationship to our lives and relationships. In gerotranscendence we are less egoic, less materialistic, more altruistic, with expanded awareness and tolerance for the whole of life. We know it sounds a bit unpractical and not pragmatic, but we like that.  What about you? Are you noticing the edges of something cosmic beckoning to you? We would love to hear about your twists.

Well, here we are. Another Fall.  Another starting over.  Whether it's school, work, or perspective, we (Hannah and Cecilia) find that as the seasons change, so do we. It's supposed to be that way, right?  Nothing stays the same.  Yet, as we change, we also preserve the multitudes of who we've been in the past. It's quite the collection. So many years, so many selves. Writer Anne Lamotte says, “We contain all the ages we have ever been.”   We are like living nesting dolls. Each doll holding a piece of our personal and collective histories. But the dolls aren't fixed. They grow too. Each doll, dwelling within, changes as we evolve. We are not static.  We are complex.  And getting more so each day. This week's podcast offers a reflection on change and growth. Join us, as Hannah and Cecilia talk about ways that we are, in body, mind, and spirit, becoming more and more complex.

We couldn't get enough. We wanted to learn more about elderhood from our podcast guest Dr. Tracey Gendron, so we asked her back for part II.  Dr. Gendron, author of Ageism Unmasked and Chair of the Gerontology Department at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond is back this week to take a deep dive into two relevant social constructs: caregiving and retirement. We talk about the history of caregiving, giving and getting it, and discuss how to give care more value and importance.   We tackle the concept of retirement.  Is it a stage of life? Or just a withdrawal from a job?  The more we talk, the more we understand how elderhood, in order to be unburdened with ageism, takes contemplation, work and a lot of imagination. Thank you Dr. Gendron for leading the way.

Here's a twist for you. We are getting tired of promoting “successful aging” and no longer want to buy into the social construct that defines aging and being old as a problem to avoid.  We don't know about you, but we are getting old… and loving it. But not because we are staying young, or not facing losses. We love it not despite of the challenges, but because of them. We love it because we are growing and changing. We love it because there is an opportunity to create yet another purposeful stage of life.  And that's what twisting the plot is all about. On this week's podcast we talk with Dr. Tracey Gendron. Dr. Gendron is the Chair of the department of Gerontology at Virginia Commonwealth University and the author of Ageism Unmasked: Exploring Age Bias and How to End It. She expounds the many reasons why ageism matters to all of us. She shares how the “biomedicalization” of aging has turned it into a disease, and something we need to fight. But what if we could conceptualize aging in a different way? What if aging, and even death, were embraced as a shared experience, instead of an individual failing? What if becoming old, was a transcendent experience that we all look forward to? Hard to imagine? Before you dismiss it, listen as Dr. Gendron proposes Elderhood as the antidote to the ageist roadblocks to becoming: Anti-ageism through elderhood shifts our focus from who we were to who we are in the present and who we want to become in the future. Regardless of physical ability, cognitive function, socioeconomic class, level of dependency, or a myriad of personal identifiers, we are all still becoming.  Elderhood is proposed as a stage in life that brings maturity, purpose and wisdom.  Gerontologist Lars Tornstom even suggests that aging can bring a developmental shift in perspective that is more cosmic and transcendent. We want some of that. Dr. Gendron asks us, “How do you feel about yourselves as aging beings? Thankfully, she is helping us figure this out. 

It often feels like time is a conveyer belt, ushering us forward year after year. It moves faster and faster, sometimes at a pace that makes it hard to glance back and savor what's been. Sometimes a lifetime moves too quickly for us to be intentional about where we are going.  We just keep moving. On this week's Twisting the Plot Podcast, Hannah and Cecilia take a pause and consider time from a different direction, vertically instead of horizontally. In this way, time becomes more than a runaway train. Time, and our lives, can be a multi-layered, generational weave of the past, present and future. Twisting time gives life texture.  We hope you take a listen and share your thoughts with us.

Abbe Greenberg and Maggie Sarachek have been friends since college. Throughout this time, they shared many things, even anxiety. For years they supported each other, through phobias, panic attacks and catastrophizing mindsets. As time went on, it became clear that they weren't alone. In fact, they found that many women wanted to talk about anxiety, its perils, nuances, and the many ways to cope. So they decided to start a sisterhood, an anxiety sisterhood.  In 2017 they launched their online community which now includes more than 200,000 people worldwide. Together, Abbe and Maggie (or Abs and Mags) host a monthly podcast (The Spin Cycle) facilitate workshops and retreats and give talks about everything related to anxiety. Their blog is award winning and they recently they published The Anxiety Sisters' Survival Guide. The book is filled with helpful information, we highly recommend it. We loved this conversation with Abs and Mags. Somehow, they make anxiety fun, while also taking it very seriously. They speak about complex scientific findings using language that is accessible, not triggering or pathologizing. They even offer some helpful tips and advice for all. Let's face it, anxiety is a plot twist all its own. It takes a sisterhood to get us through. Join us.   Check out anxietysisters.com Join the Anxiety Sisters on Facebook

In 1988 Laura Davis coauthored The Courage to Heal, a global phenomenon. It is the go-to, permission giving, truth telling, and healing guide for victims of sexual abuse.  Her most recent book, The Burning Light of Two stars: A Mother Daughter Story is a prequel and a sequel to The Courage to Heal. It chronicles the estrangement, reconciliation and care-giving relationship between Laura and her mother. And it is about so much more.   The Burning Light of Two Stars is plot twist after plot twist, as Laura and her mother evolve, change, stay the same, and rediscover each other over and over. It's a story of forgiveness, accountability, letting go and holding on.  We couldn't put it down.  Laura Davis is a deep thinking, soul touching writer and person. She chronicles the ongoingness of life beyond trauma. Her understanding and wonderment about herself and others touched and inspired us. Please Listen. “The price I paid to keep my mother out, at first with withdrawal, later with an armed fortress, and finally, with the polite rules of détente, was love. The pure, unfettered love I longed for. The pure, unfettered love she craved.”   For TTP Listeners from Laura Davis: You can also read the opening 5 chapters here   Direct links to buy The Burning Light of Two Stars: Buy The Burning Light of Two Stars on Amazon Buy The Burning Light of Two Stars from Elliott Bay Books Get a signed copy of The Burning Light of Two Stars from Bookshop Santa Cruz Buy The Burning Light of Two Stars from Bookshop.org   Audiobook version of The Burning Light of Two Stars (Laura is the narrator): Buy the audiobook of The Burning Light of Two Stars on Audible Buy The Burning Light of Two Stars audiobook on Libro.fm     Want to Order Internationally with Free Worldwide Delivery? Buy The Burning Light of Two Stars from book depository.com   If you're a writer or want to use writing as a tool for healing or self-discovery, you can learn about Laura's online writing workshops and in-person domestic and international retreats at www.lauradavis.net   Social media links: thewritersjourney on Facebook @laurasaridavis on Instagram Twitter (which I don't use so much) @laurasaridavis @laurasaridavis on Pinterest

Consider the Hag. Will You? Most of us cringe at the mention of her.  We would just as soon keep her banished to the deep woods.  Who can blame us?   She is rot, she is ugly, she does not follow our rules. She has one foot on the other side; death. The Hag embodies suffering, a weathering by life; she stands for oldness. She is not who we want to become. But…Marianne Franzese sees things differently.   She challenges us to re-consider.  Marianne suggests that we could go deep into the woods of our own being to find the cast-off hag. Perhaps, says Marianne, our hag offers strength and power.  She could be a container for our outrage, the keeper of the fires of social justice. She could be our biggest liberation. Marianne says that culturally the Hag has been feared by the patriarchy and therefore demonized, degraded, and diminished to the one-dimensional. According to Marianne, the Hag is as individual as each of us. She just needs to be reimagined and reclaimed. It's a big plot twist.  But given the overturning of Roe vs Wade and the impingement on the rights of LGBTQ+ and all marginalized groups, we may need a big twist.  Marianne asks us to consider “a very personal call to break out the extreme push for older women to maintain a certain level of beauty, grace and quietness.”  Perhaps some of us are called to something different. Listen to this podcast as Marianne discusses her reasons and plans to bring the Hag out of the woods and into our psyches as older women.   Reach out to Marianne at mfranzese333@gmail.com if you want to learn more about her Hag Project. 

We couldn't get enough. We wanted to learn more about elderhood from our podcast guest Dr. Tracey Gendron, so we asked her back for part II.  Dr. Gendron, author of Ageism Unmasked and Chair of the Gerontology Department at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond is back this week to take a deep dive into two relevant social constructs: caregiving and retirement. We talk about the history of caregiving, giving and getting it, and discuss how to give care more value and importance.   We tackle the concept of retirement.  Is it a stage of life? Or just a withdrawal from a job?  The more we talk, the more we understand how elderhood, in order to be unburdened with ageism, takes contemplation, work and a lot of imagination. Thank you Dr. Gendron for leading the way.

Here's a twist for you. We are getting tired of promoting “successful aging” and no longer want to buy into the social construct that defines aging and being old as a problem to avoid.  We don't know about you, but we are getting old… and loving it. But not because we are staying young, or not facing losses. We love it not despite of the challenges, but because of them. We love it because we are growing and changing. We love it because there is an opportunity to create yet another purposeful stage of life.  And that's what twisting the plot is all about. On this week's podcast we talk with Dr. Tracey Gendron. Dr. Gendron is the Chair of the department of Gerontology at Virginia Commonwealth University and the author of Ageism Unmasked: Exploring Age Bias and How to End It. She expounds the many reasons why ageism matters to all of us. She shares how the “biomedicalization” of aging has turned it into a disease, and something we need to fight. But what if we could conceptualize aging in a different way? What if aging, and even death, were embraced as a shared experience, instead of an individual failing? What if becoming old, was a transcendent experience that we all look forward to? Hard to imagine? Before you dismiss it, listen as Dr. Gendron proposes Elderhood as the antidote to the ageist roadblocks to becoming: Anti-ageism through elderhood shifts our focus from who we were to who we are in the present and who we want to become in the future. Regardless of physical ability, cognitive function, socioeconomic class, level of dependency, or a myriad of personal identifiers, we are all still becoming.  Elderhood is proposed as a stage in life that brings maturity, purpose and wisdom.  Gerontologist Lars Tornstom even suggests that aging can bring a developmental shift in perspective that is more cosmic and transcendent. We want some of that. Dr. Gendron asks us, “How do you feel about yourselves as aging beings? Thankfully, she is helping us figure this out. 

Do you move through life on a nourishing path, or do you find yourself fighting your way along a thorny harsh path?  After years of thorns, Nadya Trytan now chooses a nourishing path.  She'd love to help you find yours.  Nadya uses a technique called guided visualization to help you relax, imagine, listen to yourself and make discoveries that connect you with your own innate wisdom. Her online program, Nourishing Path Project, offers imaginary paths for us to learn and grow by. On this Twisting the Plot Podcast, Nadya takes us through a relaxing body scan and an experiential and imaginary voyage.  Enjoy.    Nadya Trytan, MA, RDT-BCT is the Founder of the Drama Therapy Center in Minneapolis, a place that values life-long learning and healing through connection to our deepest wisdom and creativity. Her professional services include: therapy and coaching for individuals & families; team building facilitation for organizations; and consultation & teaching for drama therapy clinicians and students. Nadya recently launched her Nourishing Path Project, a series of guided, creative meditative journeys (over zoom) to help one practice finding and walking their unique path through life. For more info about The Nourishing Path, check out dramatherapycenter.com. Nadya is on the faculty at Midwest Drama Therapy Institute, she is past-President of the North American Drama Therapy Association and past-Chair of the National Coalition of Creative Arts Therapies Associations. She can be contacted at: nadya@dramatherapycenter.com

Sitting myself down and writing Margaret from the heart became a story about me too. Why me? Leave me out of this, I thought. But no, it was not to be. I was not allowed to write her story without writing my own because I had unburied two women.  - From The Light Above by Maria Dintino Even though she discovered a dog-eared, post-it-filled copy of Women in the Nineteenth Century on her bookshelf, Maria Dintino hadn't remembered much about Margaret Fuller from graduate school. She was certainly captured by Margaret's New England peers Henry David Thoreau, Nathaniel Hawthorne and Ralph Waldo Emerson. But Margaret, the nineteenth century transcendentalist, women's rights advocate and journalist, claimed Maria's attention decades after graduate school. Now, Margaret has all of her attention in the form of Maria's new memoir, The Light Above. It's a powerful meeting of the souls, Margaret and Maria.  Their stories, lived centuries apart, collide and are shared through the heart and voice of Maria. Margaret's story ends in tragedy, but Maria's retelling offers redemption. In return, Maria finds a life guide, a role model, and a companion for life. In our podcast, Maria tells us why Margaret Fuller is relevant today.  We also learn how writing this book has changed Maria's life.  It is awesome to realize how much we can learn about ourselves via the lived experience of another. We are, after all, bound to one another through history. But what a gift of transformation is the literary imagination.    Get The Light Above on Amazon

Abbe Greenberg and Maggie Sarachek have been friends since college. Throughout this time, they shared many things, even anxiety. For years they supported each other, through phobias, panic attacks and catastrophizing mindsets. As time went on, it became clear that they weren't alone. In fact, they found that many women wanted to talk about anxiety, its perils, nuances, and the many ways to cope. So they decided to start a sisterhood, an anxiety sisterhood.  In 2017 they launched their online community which now includes more than 200,000 people worldwide. Together, Abbe and Maggie (or Abs and Mags) host a monthly podcast (The Spin Cycle) facilitate workshops and retreats and give talks about everything related to anxiety. Their blog is award winning and they recently they published The Anxiety Sisters' Survival Guide. The book is filled with helpful information, we highly recommend it. We loved this conversation with Abs and Mags. Somehow, they make anxiety fun, while also taking it very seriously. They speak about complex scientific findings using language that is accessible, not triggering or pathologizing. They even offer some helpful tips and advice for all. Let's face it, anxiety is a plot twist all its own. It takes a sisterhood to get us through. Join us.   Check out anxietysisters.com Join the Anxiety Sisters on Facebook

In her early twenties, Maureen Carey was called to the religious life. Her interest in the anti-war movement and civil disobedience led her to the sisterhood and years of service to others. During this time she also got her Ph.D. in social work, taught at Molloy College, and co-authored books. Twenty-five years later, Dr. Carey twisted her plot and left the religious life. More recently, she retired from teaching. She's had a new calling, art as a means for spiritual contemplation. Maureen has developed a method for using watercolors, journaling, doodling and reflection as a means for spiritual growth.  Join us as Maureen shares her story. How does a woman in the 1970's decide to join the religious life?  What makes her decide to change paths after 25 years? How is doodling a channel to the soul? We loved this conversation and the holy doodle.   Maureen E. Carey, Ph.D. is Professor Emerita of Social Work at Molloy College, Rockville Centre, NY and a practicing artist. She had taught undergraduate social work courses at Molloy College and has led many Artful Meditation Workshops both at the college and with other professional groups on Long Island.She developed a method of artful journaling using liquid watercolors, doodling and reflection for those seeking to create a pathway for their own spiritual growth. Maureen co-authored a book: The Artful Journal: A Spiritual Quest (2002) describing this artful journal method, and in another published book: Silent Presence: A Companion Through the Journey of Grief (2007). In addition, Maureen's work has been in various exhibits on Long Island. She has also done commissioned work for several colleges and local groups. She maintains an art studio in Southold, New York and continues to give Artful Contemplative Workshops on the North Fork of Long Island. Her work can be viewed on her website at maureencareyartist.com

A little improv… What is creativity?  Go.  (frozen pause) Ummm. It's green? Yes, and…It crawls. Yes, and… it morphs like a caterpillar into a butterfly. Yes, and… it can be venomous, like a snake. On this week's podcast, guest Nina Hart challenges our notions about what is art and who gets to do it. She tells us about her journey to heal what she calls her “heartbroken artist.” Nina shares how she finally freed herself from criticism, judgment and creative blocks that silenced and shamed her. She offers all of us a portal into our own spontaneous impulses, our sparks of creativity.  Nina teaches us what she calls “writing from the top of your head.” She introduces us to a writing prompt she calls “small and crappy,” a medicine for the perfectionism that inhibits us.  She also challenges each of you to participate in a small and crappy writing exercise. Give it a try and send us your results. We will make art of it. Everything, including aging, is art, according to Nina Hart. And there's a plot twist we could all use. Take a listen.   Sign up for FREE monthly creativity chats + prompts & exciting newsletters on creativity Sign up for a 30-minute complimentary creativity consult Check out Nina Hart's website writingfromthetopofyourhead.com   Nina Hart is a writer, performer, and creativity coach trained in the Kaizen-Muse method. She is also a certified Gateless Method writing teacher – “a method of teaching the art and craft of writing using creative brain science, ancient non-dual teachings and highly-effective craft tools…allowing writers to access the creative genius inside.” Her first collection of surreal short fictions called “Somewhere in a Town You Never Knew Existed Somewhere” was selected as a Short Stories category finalist in Foreword Reviews' IndieFab Book of the Year Awards. She is the founder of a unique method of teaching writing called “Writing from the Top of your Head,” which combines group Creativity Coaching with creative writing. Her workshops have also been inspired by the work of Paulo Freire and his philosophy of education for liberation, and the work of Brene Brown. Nina was an original member of the experimental dance troupe Contraband, in San Francisco and, playing a purple electric bass, has recorded and performed with numerous bands.

It often feels like time is a conveyer belt, ushering us forward year after year. It moves faster and faster, sometimes at a pace that makes it hard to glance back and savor what's been. Sometimes a lifetime moves too quickly for us to be intentional about where we are going.  We just keep moving. On this week's Twisting the Plot Podcast, Hannah and Cecilia take a pause and consider time from a different direction, vertically instead of horizontally. In this way, time becomes more than a runaway train. Time, and our lives, can be a multi-layered, generational weave of the past, present and future. Twisting time gives life texture.  We hope you take a listen and share your thoughts with us.

In 1994 Laura Davis coauthored The Courage to Heal, a global phenomenon. It is the go-to, permission giving, truth telling, and healing guide for victims of sexual abuse.  Her most recent book, The Burning Light of Two stars: A Mother Daughter Story is a prequel and a sequel to The Courage to Heal. It chronicles the estrangement, reconciliation and care-giving relationship between Laura and her mother. And it is about so much more.   The Burning Light of Two Stars is plot twist after plot twist, as Laura and her mother evolve, change, stay the same, and rediscover each other over and over. It's a story of forgiveness, accountability, letting go and holding on.  We couldn't put it down.  Laura Davis is a deep thinking, soul touching writer and person. She chronicles the ongoingness of life beyond trauma. Her understanding and wonderment about herself and others touched and inspired us. Please Listen. “The price I paid to keep my mother out, at first with withdrawal, later with an armed fortress, and finally, with the polite rules of détente, was love. The pure, unfettered love I longed for. The pure, unfettered love she craved.”   For TTP Listeners from Laura Davis: You can also read the opening 5 chapters here   Direct links to buy The Burning Light of Two Stars: Buy The Burning Light of Two Stars on Amazon Buy The Burning Light of Two Stars from Elliott Bay Books Get a signed copy of The Burning Light of Two Stars from Bookshop Santa Cruz Buy The Burning Light of Two Stars from Bookshop.org   Audiobook version of The Burning Light of Two Stars (Laura is the narrator): Buy the audiobook of The Burning Light of Two Stars on Audible Buy The Burning Light of Two Stars audiobook on Libro.fm     Want to Order Internationally with Free Worldwide Delivery? Buy The Burning Light of Two Stars from book depository.com   If you're a writer or want to use writing as a tool for healing or self-discovery, you can learn about Laura's online writing workshops and in-person domestic and international retreats at www.lauradavis.net And if you want to go to Tuscany with Laura in June of 2022, check out some serious eye candy here!   Social media links: thewritersjourney on Facebook @laurasaridavis on Instagram Twitter (which I don't use so much) @laurasaridavis @laurasaridavis on Pinterest

All the flowers of all the tomorrows are in the seeds of today. - Chinese Proverb Una Betti has worked as a nurse and project manager for many years. At the same time, she's nurtured a passion for gardening, and grew a deep appreciation for the value of intentional spaces. Now, at 62, Una has decided it's time to twist the hobby into aprofession. Her new business, Mindful Garden Designs, was created for all of us who want to embrace our spaces. Una Betti wants to show us how to design gardens that are unique, personal and enlivening. Her mission is to create peaceful spaces thatfacilitate the practice of mindfulness, foster creativity and promote health. We have learned so much about gardens, flowers, trees, birds,and even rocks, from Una. She doesn't believe in one-garden-fits-all. She wants each of us to dwell in a space that speaks to our unique history, imbues memory, inspires desire and deep-seated aspiration. She is such a resource. We are both planning to consult with Una to make a space for mindful living. We know you will want her help as well. Listen to this week's podcast and learn how Una can help you. We all need beauty. We all deserve to bloom.   Bio   Una Betti, the creator of Mindful Garden Designs LLC, has been gardening for over 30 years. Her gardens are her passion, and she finds great inspiration in the natural world around her. Una is a Registered Nurse with a Masters in Health Informatics and is a certified Professional Project Manager (PMP). Her background in nursing and project management combines the caring components and detailed mindset to design garden spaces that come to life and thrive. Her mission statement speaks to all those who want to embrace their space; "To design gardens, to create peaceful spaces, to facilitate the practice of mindfulness, foster creativity and promote health."   Check out MindfulGardenDesigns.com Check out Mindful Gardens on Facebook Follow @mindfulgardens1 on Twitter Follow Mindful Gardens on Instagram  

Here it is, another year.  Are you ready? We are. We look forward to our new group of twelve women, and the collaboration for the next twelve months. We want this to be a year when we embrace our lives even more fully, feel our feelings, and navigate with grace the twists.  Another year to celebrate our aging, honor our past, and look to the future with curiosity and wonder. How do we start? We start with a conversation with the indomitable Indrani Goradia.  On this week's Twisting the Plot Podcast, Indrani invites us to welcome what's ahead. She challenges us to think more deeply, take more action and yes, she also makes us laugh. It seems like the perfect place to begin 2022. We hope you join us.   Check out indranigoradia.com

What is a creatrix, you might ask? According to Stephanie Raffelock the word creatrix is defined as “a woman who makes or creates things.” Stephanie suggests that creatrix may be a good replacement for crone when it comes to selecting an archetype for women to age into. We love the idea of a woman continuing to “make things” beyond the biological clock of fertility. Stephanie Raffelock herself is a creatrix. She is a storyteller and writer who published two books after she was 50. Creatrix Rising is her latest, and we were thrilled to speak with her about it on this week's Twisting the Plot Podcast. Listen as Stephanie shares her story, the plot twists, and the role models who inspired her along the way. There is the poet Richard Blanco, her grandmother Julia, and the magical neighbor Austin. Relationships matter to Stephanie. And now she matters to us. We need to remind ourselves that as with all kinds of evolution, there is no destination point, no complete, all-the-way healing, but rather more unfolding, more work to be done. We grow psychologically and spiritually until the time we die. Stephanie Raffelock, The Creatrix Rising Learn more about Stephanie Raffelock at https://www.byline-stephanie.com/

Here's a question to ponder. “Can you love yourself in a hostile world?” This is the question Dr. Thema asks on this week's podcast. “We have to shift the individual, but we also have to shift the world in which the individual is living, so that we're not constantly having to push back against these messages but that we can change the larger story, that we're all worthy and deserving.” Dr. Thema Bryant-Davis is a psychologist, a professor at Pepperdine University, a minister, a dancer, and a slam poet. She is the director of the Culture and Trauma Research Lab, and has received numerous awards and recognition for her work in the fields of trauma, human trafficking, the psychology of women and anti-racism. She is also the President Elect of The American Psychological Association. And the host of The Homecoming Podcast with Dr. Thema. In this conversation Dr. Thema talks about the many plot twists in her personal and professional life. She delineates the intersection of ageism, sexism, and racism. She speaks about her calling to the ministry and her belief in the role of the arts in communal healing. Finally, she articulates her thoughts about the profession and practice of psychology. She even gifts us with a poem. Take a listen. We were blown away.   Follow Dr. Thema Bryant-Davis on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter Connect with Dr. Thema Bryant-Davis on LinkedIn Learn more about Dr. Thema Thema Bryant-Davis at drthema.com

Who knew getting older could be so funny? In the 1960's gerontologist Robert Butler told us that thinking back over our lives is therapeutic. He termed his method of reminiscence, “Life Review”. Through a life review, experiences from the past, particularly the unresolved conflicts, can be resolved and reintegrated into our life experience. There is also substantial research pointing to the benefits of humor. Humor has been found to lower blood pressure, increase pain threshold, and improve the immune system. Humor reduces cortisol and increases endorphins in our systems. It also helps us gain perspective, sharpen our memory, and allows us to forgive ourselves and others. Story and laughter bring people together. Enter, Mary Clohan, a stand-up comedian and graduate student in New York University's program for Drama Therapy. Mary decided to combine these two healing processes. For her Masters' thesis, she examined the process and benefits of what she calls, “Laugh Review.” On this week's Twisting the Plot Podcast we hear from Mary and five of her actor/subjects, all residents of Penn South, “a naturally occurring retirement community” located in NYC, fondly referred to as NORC. Take a listen and laugh along with us. We are honored to have the following participants on this podcast: Hilda Aronson, Michael Bournas-Ney, Martin Sturm, Florence Cohen, and Harriet Kriegel.   Cast Bios: Mary Clohan is a writer, performer, teaching artist and recent graduate of the NYU Master's Program in Drama Therapy. She has been performing stand-up comedy and improv comedy around NYC for the past 4 years and is interested in the therapeutic potential of humor and comedy within the creative arts therapies. Reach out to Mary Clohan via email at maryclohan@gmail.com Hilda Aronson - Hilda had her 89th birthday six months ago and, being in very poor health, or lack thereof, is very proud of her highest achievement: simply being alive. Personal and professional successes lose importance. Giving and receiving an abundance of love, that's what she identifies with. All the rest is illusion. Michael Bournas-Ney - Michael premiered as an actor in first grade, when he played the part of a washcloth. (His friend was a bar of soap.) He loves humor and was thrilled to be part of Mary's stand-up class. Martin Sturm - Martin is now a playwright, standup comedian, and actor. These are accomplishments that he didn't think were possible, in all his wildest dreams. Florence Cohen - Florence is a lifelong closet comedian who always tried to keep companions amused. She is also a current abstract painter and a senior trying to keep up with a constantly changing world. Harriet Kriegel - Harriet began as a high school English teacher, moved to health care, and became Vice President of Public Affairs, Development, and Marketing at The Jewish Home and Hospital for the Aged. After retiring, she joined the Board of Penn South Social Services, which sponsors the Penn South Program for Seniors, where she has become involved with theatre and acting, discovering new talents, and doing Stand-Up Comedy. It is a thrill to discover a new skill when you are 87!

Dr. Ellen Albertson calls herself the Midlife Whisperer.   But on this week's Twisting the Plot Podcast, she speaks up loud and clear.   Dr. Albertson has “more degrees than a thermometer” and she's confronted major plot twists in life. For years she followed all the rules and roadmaps. She had a successful career, got married, raised children, worked hard to stay thin and attractive and did a lot of people pleasing. But after life threw her a few curve balls, she devised a set of new rules to follow. These new rules have to do with being creative, trusting herself and allowing for transformation. Dr. Albertson has a new book titled Rock Your Midlife, 7 Steps to Transform Yourself and Make Your Next Chapter Your Best Chapter.  It's a great read. We enjoyed our conversation with Ellen. We think you will find her inspiring and motivating. Take a listen.   Ellen Albertson, PhD, RDN, NBC-HWC Dr. Ellen is a Psychologist, Registered Dietitian, National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach, Reiki Master, and Mindful Self-compassion Teacher. Known as The Midlife Whisperer™, she helps women raise their vibration so they have the energy, confidence, and clarity to make their next chapter their best chapter.  An author, inspirational speaker and expert on women's wellbeing, Dr. Ellen has appeared on Extra, the Food Network and NBC World News and has been quoted in Psychology Today, Eating Well and USA Today. She has written five books and articles for SELF, Better Homes & Gardens and Good Housekeeping. Her latest book is: Rock Your Midlife: 7 Steps to Transform Yourself and Make Your Next Chapter Your Best Chapter! She brings over 25 years of counseling, coaching, and healing experience to her holistic practice and transformational work. She lives on the Champlain Islands of Vermont with her high-tech, raw-food loving partner, Ken and her tree climbing Border Collie, Rosie.   Get Rock Your Midlife by Dr. Ellen Albertson on Amazon Check out Dr. Ellen Albertson's website themidlifewhisperer.com

Kwavi Agbeyegbe has a mission.   She wants to make women over 50 aware of their potential and value.   As a life coach, she started by asking 50 women who were over 50, from all over the world, to describe themselves.  Over 80% of the women she talked to reported feeling invisible.  The women don't see themselves represented in the media. They feel erased, insignificant, and not a vital to the cultural conversation. Kwavi is out to change this narrative. She is beginning by asking questions. 50 questions.  We love this. Questions and conversation are a great launching pad to diversify the story of what it means to age.  And of course Kwavi has plans for how to twist these conversations into action. Take a listen.    Check out Kwavi's website at www.kwavi.com Join Kwavi's online community Flourish Follow Kwavi on Instagram @kwavi_tv Follow Kwavi on TikTok @kwavi_tv Get Kwavi's book 50 Questions to Answer When You Reach 50

At 75 years of age, with life of plot twists that include physical, emotional and relational challenges, Ronda Tamerlane has decided it's time to tell her story.  Ronda's 12 in 12 2021 project is to write her personal memoir.  Listen to this week's Twisting the Plot Podcast as Ronda talks with us about how writing her memoir is giving the opportunity to take on new perspectives, let go of resentments, deepen her connection to the many roles she has played, and the many lives she has led.  As a retired psychotherapist, Ronda hopes that by telling her story, she will help to normalize and give voice to the experience of depression, anxiety, and generational trauma.   No more keeping quiet for Ronda.  She is both speaking out and listening more deeply to herself through her writing.  It is a memoir to grow by.  And growing is ongoing.   Check out Twelve in Twelve on twistingtheplot.com   Ronda Tamerlane was born in 1946 in Vallejo California. She has one daughter and two grandkids. Ronda was married 3 times, the last time to her soul mate who died six years after thirty years of being together. She got a BA in 1974 in psychology and had various working situations. She was even a rural carrier for 17 years. When she was in her late 40's, Ronda went to graduate school and began a career as a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist which lasted for 20 years. In 2020, during covid, she retired. She is now writing her memoir. 

We are so often bombarded with negative messages about aging that it makes us not want to do it.  We don't want to get older.  But what if aging could be a process that's creative, intuitive and deepening?  What if getting older was a creative act? On this week's Twisting the Plot Podcast, we speak with three 12 in 12 group members about how their experience in the year-long program has given them opportunities for flow, nourishment, and connection.   Maddi Cheers, Nadya Trytan and Aleka Artemis Munroe share about their growth and learning throughout 2021. According to these three remarkable women, the 12 in 12 provided a space for new perspective, joyful rebellion and dreams realized. They give good testimony and recommend that you too apply for 12 in 12 2022. Is it your turn to twist the plot?   Maddi Cheers is first and foremost a Wisdom Activist! She is a Storyteller, ceremonialist, dancer, teacher, poet and artist. She is also the founder of The Women's Oneness Project, dedicated to bringing women together to respectfully discuss and consider our differences. At 68 Maddi has dedicated her final chapter to passing on the knowledge and teachings she has gained from indigenous elders, spiritual leaders and her own life experience.  “We must create a world where each child is honored, not labeled, where each child is educated, not indoctrinated, where each child is safe and loved and part of a caring, kind community, so that they can grow and blossom and give their gifts to the world to make it a better place for all of us. That is the basis of a world at peace.” ~Maddi Cheers    Nadya Trytan has over 20 years experience practicing as a Drama Therapist in a variety of settings including inpatient hospital, partial hospitalization, day treatment, schools and private practice. She specializes in embodied, trauma-centered work, and has experience with children, adolescents, adults and elders. Nadya has a private practice in Minneapolis, MN and she is on the core faculty of Midwest Drama Therapy Institute. Nadya is Past President of the North American Drama Therapy Association and Past Chair of the National Coalition of Creative Arts Therapies Associations.    Aleka Artemis Munroe has always needed to express herself with words. At age 10, as her father forced his narcissistic interpretation of reality on his family, she began photographing with her Papou's Brownie camera, recording reality and writing poems expressing her perspective. Aleka's linguistics and foreign languages education etched words into her soul. After careers in banking, training, then teaching, and raising a theatrical and musical family where words were essential tools, her fifties hit hard with the chaos of a failed adoption and multiplying autoimmune illness. Her creative and comedic family and friends, and prayer, pulled her through. Aleka believes God gives us the strength to get through pain, sorrow and suffering, to live, love, laugh, and especially to reach out to others who are struggling to choose between despair and courage, connection and disconnection. Mindfulness training sparked a renewal of using photography and words to envision alternate interpretations of scenes in her limited physical world with her camera lens and lyrical mediations. This developed into Compasspoints: maxims for clearing the chaos in our cages. Aleka is finishing a photographic book entitled “I am Water”, an allegorical tale of being the water that constantly flows on toward the unknown of the ocean, despite the obstacles in its path.

Here's a question to ponder. “Can you love yourself in a hostile world?” This is the question Dr. Thema asks on this week's podcast. “We have to shift the individual, but we also have to shift the world in which the individual is living, so that we're not constantly having to push back against these messages but that we can change the larger story, that we're all worthy and deserving.” Dr. Thema Bryant-Davis is a psychologist, a professor at Pepperdine University, a minister, a dancer, and a slam poet. She is the director of the Culture and Trauma Research Lab, and has received numerous awards and recognition for her work in the fields of trauma, human trafficking, the psychology of women and anti-racism. She is also the President Elect of The American Psychological Association.  And the host of The Homecoming Podcast with Dr. Thema.  In this conversation Dr. Thema talks about the many plot twists in her personal and professional life. She delineates the intersection of ageism, sexism, and racism. She speaks about her calling to the ministry and her belief in the role of the arts in communal healing. Finally, she articulates her thoughts about the profession and practice of psychology. She even gifts us with a poem. Take a listen.  We were blown away.   Follow Dr. Thema Bryant-Davis on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter Connect with Dr. Thema Bryant-Davis on LinkedIn Learn more about Dr. Thema Bryant-Davis at drthema.com

Who am I anyway? Twisting the Plot's Twelve in Twelve Program asks each participant to bring all of herself to the year-long experience. Together as a group, we invite the shadow self, the wise ones, role models, inner guides, mentors, avatars, nemeses …. all are welcome. By the time one gets to our age there are a multitude of selves to encounter. Somedays our virtual 12-member group feels like a filled stadium. Listen to this week's Twisting the Plot Podcast where two 12 in 12 members, Christine Kilavos and Lilly Cataldi, talk about their many sides, and share about their 12 in 12 projects. These two women are dynamic, dimensional, and complex. They defy stereotypes. They make getting older something to look forward to.  They are twisting the plot.    Lilly Cataldi is an accomplished teacher, performer, and writer, who is known not only for her musical skills, but also for her talents as an inspiring vocal coach and acting instructor. She brings 45 years of wisdom and varied experience into her sessions with clients. As a vocalist and songwriter, Lilly has performed all styles of music from classical to contemporary to original works in numerous settings and venues. Now, after years of adventures, careers, side careers, and wrangling kids, family, and other assorted aliens, Lilly's muses pulled her out of moth balls and cobwebs and insisted she resurrect her first passion of writing and singing songs. She happily agreed and is having a blast, bringing many colorful threads to her song writing and singing tapestry. Lilly is currently working on an LP that is scheduled into be released in 2022. Christine Kilavos is a somatic coach and visual artist. She believes the body is the container to our stories and where our experiences are held. She created an experience she calls “the art of self,” a process through which we allow our bodies to become the brushes on the canvas. Christine teaches us how to let the movement of the body bring feelings from the inside out and give voice and expression to those feelings so they can be witnessed and accepted. The artistic process helps us feel, witness, name and accept ourselves, eventually making space for something new. “Every blemish, stain, scar, smear, dent, imperfection, misplaced hair, softened heart, gripped mind, child-like pleasure, are windows to more of our world.”

What does it mean to be resilient?  How does one overcome tough challenges and yet continue to inspire? On today's podcast, we hear from Aleka Artemis Munroe, who lives with serious physical disabilites.   A member of Twelve in Twelve 2021, Aleka discusses her struggles with her body, and shares the tools she uses to get through that include mindfulness, acceptance, creativity, and an incredible sense of humor. She is the creator of Compasspoints: maxims for clearing the chaos in our cages, and is finishing her beautiful book, I Am Water, an allegorical photography and poetry story about life's obstacles and the flow of it all.   Take a listen to Aleka and learn how she twists through her many plot twists.     Bio: Aleka Artemis Munroe has always needed to express herself with words. At age 10, as her father forced his narcissistic interpretation of reality on his family, she began photographing with her Papou's Brownie camera, recording reality and writing poems expressing her perspective. Aleka's linguistics and foreign languages education etched words into her soul. After careers in banking, training, then teaching, and raising a theatrical and musical family where words were essential tools, her fifties hit hard with the chaos of a failed adoption and multiplying autoimmune illness. Her creative and comedic family and friends, and prayer, pulled her through. Aleka believes God gives us the strength to get through pain, sorrow and suffering, to live, love, laugh, and especially to reach out to others who are struggling to choose between despair and courage, connection and disconnection. Mindfulness training sparked a renewal of using photography and words to envision alternate interpretations of scenes in her limited physical world with her camera lens and lyrical mediations. This developed into Compasspoints: maxims for clearing the chaos in our cages. Aleka is finishing a photographic book entitled “I am Water”, an allegorical tale of being the water that constantly flows on toward the unknown of the ocean, despite the obstacles in its path.   Check out @AlekaArtemisAuthorPhotographer on Instagram

What is a creatrix, you might ask?   According to Stephanie Raffelock the word creatrix is defined as “a woman who makes or creates things.” Stephanie suggests that creatrix may be a good replacement for crone when it comes to selecting an archetype for women to age into.  We love the idea of a woman continuing to “make things” beyond the biological clock of fertility. Stephanie Raffelock herself is a creatrix.  She is a storyteller and writer who published two books after she was 50. Creatrix Rising is her latest, and we were thrilled to speak with her about it on this week's Twisting the Plot Podcast. Listen as Stephanie shares her story, the plot twists, and the role models who inspired her along the way. There is the poet Richard Blanco, her grandmother Julia, and the magical neighbor Austin.  Relationships matter to Stephanie. And now she matters to us. We need to remind ourselves that as with all kinds of evolution, there is no destination point, no complete, all-the-way healing, but rather more unfolding, more work to be done. We grow psychologically and spiritually until the time we die.  Stephanie Raffelock, The Creatrix Rising Learn more about Stephanie Raffelock at https://www.byline-stephanie.com/  

Picture this: you've come to a crossroads. It's time for a change. But, which way do you go? Where do you start? How do you start? In our 12 in 12 program, twelve women meet for twelve months, with each woman starting out in a new direction. Each creates a project of her own design and begins work on it, supported by the group.  They decide where to start, and what comes next.  How? By constructing individual roadmaps to follow for the year. Each woman's roadmap envisions a path as well as the inevitable obstacles she may confront along the way.  The 12 in 12 roadmaps make up the stories that each woman lives and tells. Listen as Una Betti, Lori McAndrew and Ronda Tamerlane share their roadmaps, and discuss how the women in the 12 in 12 have become markers and grounding for each other as they embark on their individual year-long journeys. What about you? Do you have a roadmap that you can follow?  Does your plot need a twist?   Bios Ronda Tamerlane was born in 1946 in Vallejo California. She has one daughter and two grandkids. Ronda was married 3 times, the last time to her soul mate who died six years after thirty years of being together. She got a BA in 1974 in psychology and had various working situations. She was even a rural carrier for 17 years. When she was in her late 40's, Ronda went to graduate school and began a career as a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist which lasted for 20 years. In 2020, during covid, she retired. She is now writing her memoir.  Una Betti, the creator of Mindful Garden Designs LLC, has been gardening for over 30 years. Her gardens are her passion, and she finds great inspiration in the natural world around her. Una is a registered nurse and a certified project management professional.  Her background in nursing and project management combines both the caring components and detailed mindset to design garden spaces that will come to life and thrive. Her mission statement speaks to all those who need to embrace their space; “To design gardens to create peaceful spaces to facilitate the practice of mindfulness, foster creativity and promote health.”   Lori McAndrew is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in the state of New York. She is pursuing a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from Oregon State University and is an Adjunct clinical supervisor for the Mental Health and Wellness Center at Molloy College. Her research interests include creative pedagogy in counselor education, multicultural counseling competence, and ageism. In addition to her academic pursuits and clinical profession, Lori is a Mom, daughter, wife, sister, aunt and friend. 

Lori McAndrew has been waiting for a long time.  But now she waits no more.  At 57 she is pursuing her doctoral degree which she plans to finish when she is 60. Listen as Lori shares her journey to this point, the struggles, the obstacles, the triumphs and… the waiting… Lori, a Twisting the Plot 12 in 12 group member, discusses her project: a dissertation on ageism.  There's a lot to talk about, and it's all worth the wait.   Bio Lori McAndrew is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in the state of New York. She is pursuing a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from Oregon State University and is an Adjunct clinical supervisor for the Mental Health and Wellness Center at Molloy College. Her research interests include creative pedagogy in counselor education, multicultural counseling competence, and ageism. In addition to her academic pursuits and clinical profession, Lori is a Mom, daughter, wife, sister, aunt and friend. 

Last week we talked.  This week we act. After last week's episode, we asked ourselves, could we do this thing called psychodrama over Zoom for a podcast?   We decided to give it a try.  Listen as Cecilia participates in a psychodrama facilitated by Heidi Landis and supported by Greta Schnee, Marianne Franzese and Cara Connors.   Together we explore the technique called future projection.  Yes, future.  Even at our age. Take a listen for something entirely different.   Heidi is Licensed Creative Arts therapist (LCAT) Registered Drama Therapist and Board- Certified Trainer (RDT/BCT) and a Trainer, Educator and Practitioner of Psychodrama (TEP). Specializing in trauma-informed work and the use of creative arts therapy techniques, she has a private practice and consulting business in in New York City where she sees clients and facilitates trainings nationally and internationally. She was most recently the community coordinator of mental health at an international school in the South Bronx. For 14 years Heidi worked at Creative Alternatives of New York, as Associate Executive Director of the clinical and training programs where she ran Trauma-Informed Drama Therapy groups with many different populations as well as trained staff and site partners in using creative techniques in psychotherapy and in the classroom  Heidi is an adjunct professor at New York University and Yeshiva University in NYC, Lesley University in MA, Concordia University in Montreal and on faculty of the KINT institute. She has published about her work in the books Trauma-Informed Drama Therapy: Transforming Clinics, classrooms and communities, Handbook of Child and Adolescent Group Therapy: A Practitioner's Reference, Creative Arts-Based Group Therapy with Adolescents: Theory and Practice and Current Approaches in Drama Therapy as well as in peer reviewed journals. https://www.heidilandis.org

Psychodrama, “the psyche in action,” is an experiential form of psychotherapy where our inner and outer impulses can be explored through enactment. Heidi Landis is a trainer, educator, and practitioner of psychodrama. On this Twisting the Plot Podcast she explains that psychodrama is a kind of group therapy utilizing dramatic techniques and helps individuals understand themselves, communicate better, and imagine how else things could be.   Heidi tells us that psychodrama gives us the chance to warm up to our lives, be spontaneous and take new action.   With a good warm up, we can be more flexible, open, and more creative with what's next.   In this conversation Heidi enlightens us about psychodrama's origin and theory.   It's fascinating. Check it out.  Bio Heidi Landis is Licensed Creative Arts therapist (LCAT) Registered Drama Therapist and Board- Certified Trainer (RDT/BCT) and a Trainer, Educator and Practitioner of Psychodrama (TEP). Specializing in trauma-informed work and the use of creative arts therapy techniques, she has a private practice and consulting business in in New York City where she sees clients and facilitates trainings nationally and internationally. She was most recently the community coordinator of mental health at an international school in the South Bronx. For 14 years Heidi worked at Creative Alternatives of New York, as Associate Executive Director of the clinical and training programs where she ran Trauma-Informed Drama Therapy groups with many different populations as well as trained staff and site partners in using creative techniques in psychotherapy and in the classroom.  Heidi is an adjunct professor at New York University and Yeshiva University in NYC, Lesley University in MA, Concordia University in Montreal and on faculty of the KINT institute. She has published about her work in the books Trauma-Informed Drama Therapy: Transforming Clinics, classrooms and communities, Handbook of Child and Adolescent Group Therapy: A Practitioner's Reference, Creative Arts-Based Group Therapy with Adolescents: Theory and Practice and Current Approaches in Drama Therapy as well as in peer reviewed journals. https://www.heidilandis.org  

We are entering the last third of our 12 in 12 2021 year. Twelve women, working together for twelve months, each woman creating a project of their own choice and design.   With each other, we are learning, growing, sharing and creating. Together, we are facing our pasts, embracing obstacles and envisioning new futures. We are supporting each other. We are challenging each other. We are doing more than getting through, we are doing more than managing change, we are the change makers. And, we are having fun. If you want to know more about how all this happens, listen to this week's Twisting the Plot Podcast as three of our twelve group members share their project ideas and discuss their experience.  This conversation with Kim Dickinson, Heidi Michaels and Mary Condon Hobbs, is all about possibility.  Theirs and ours.  It's a collaborative and collective twist. If you want to be more visible, get more support and reinvigorate your own life, then considering joining us. Applications for 12 in 12 2022 are now open and available here. https://twistingtheplot.lpages.co/twelve-in-twelve/ ________________________________________________________ Heidi Michaels is a personal trainer and life coach based in Westchester NY, who specializes in working with women 45+.  Her knowledge and unique blend of skills and personal experience guide, motivate, and inspire women through any physical and mental obstacle.  Heidi@heidimichaels.com Mary Condon Hobbs is a licensed mental health counselor living in Corrales, New Mexico. She currently works with adults with developmental disabilities, assisting them in creating a meaningful life. Mary enjoys photographing in-between moments, riding a mountain bike on pavement, learning to play the drums and gathering with friends around the firepit all year round. Divorcing during the Pandemic made her question love and relationships, intimacy and desire.  Her Podcast in the making, Famished: to Fulfilled, helps women 50+ explore their passions and stay curious about their sensual selves. Kim Dickinson lives on the east coast of Massachusetts in Scituate. She found herself artificially retired from teaching due to Covid. She has a background in psychology and costume design  and has a great love of the outdoors. She finds joy in being a wife and mother and loves working with young people. Kim believes in the power of intentional action. She also thinks we could all use more humor and play in our adult lives. 

Life is filled with many twists and turns, but eventually, if you follow your heart, you find yourself exactly where you are meant to be. This week we spoke with someone who is exactly where she is meant to be; Rebecca Dudley, Children's Book Author, Architect, and Activist.  When Rebecca and her husband moved to Chicago from Seattle, they missed going to see the North West Ballet production of The Nutcracker with costumes by the late Maurice Sendak. As a gift for her husband, Rebecca decided to re-enact the ballet using stuffed animals. Inspired by the experience, Rebecca began making elaborate diorama's that she photographed and posted as a blog called Storywoods. This led to two whimsical, creative, and beautifully conceived books; Hank Finds an Egg and Hank Has a Dream.  Rebecca talks with us about how her experience in the theater, studying dance in college, a degree in economics, her work as an architect and activist have all played a role in her current work as a children's book author. Listen as Rebecca explains how she uses her camera to explore the worlds she creates and discovers the story waiting to be told.  Check out Rebecca's blog Storywoods Buy 'Hank Finds an Egg' and 'Hank Has a Dream' on Amazon.com

Every now and then, Cecilia and Hannah wonder, “are we there, have we made it, can we finally call ourselves adults?” It just seems like we've been waiting for decades for that certificate of achievement, or that special feeling that lets us know we've made the grade. Yes, we are in our sixties and still asking ourselves, What does it mean to be an adult? So this week on our Twisting the Plot Podcast we talk with Julie Lythcott-Haims, who wrote Your Turn: How To Be An Adult. A former corporate lawyer, Julie became a Dean at Stanford University and then wrote a book, How to Raise an Adult. She also wrote a memoir, Real American, about growing up black and biracial in white spaces. In her latest book, Julie has a lot to say about growing up. Her voice is direct and encouraging. She gets candid about her experience and she fills her book with stories by and about many different people navigating adulthood. Julie calls the storytelling her “commitment to inclusion.” The stories by diverse groups of storytellers confirm a very important message: being an adult is universally complex, ongoing and not easy. We felt reassured after reading the book. It gave us a lot to think about, a lot of tips and tools. We understand that being an adult is less a destination and more an ongoing process. Julie's book is written for young, emerging adults but it's good for us older adult wannabees too. Perhaps it is finally “our turn.” Visit julielythcotthaims.com

How do you bloom? Are you an annual or a perennial? Do you bloom late? Are you still sprouting? Or are you waiting, held inside some bulb that is planted deep within the earth, for your time? Today we talk to Yvonne Marchese, host of Late Bloomer Living Podcast. Yvonne believes midlife can be a time to step into a new experience, learn new things and, well, bloom again. She calls herself a “serial pivoter.” She is an actress, storyteller, photographer, wife and mother. We are so happy to connect with Yvonne. She is a part of the cultural web of women who support others in embracing life, rebooting desire and re-finding purpose in midlife and beyond. Take a Listen.   Check out Yvonne's websites latebloomerliving.com and yvonnemarchesephotography.com Check out Yvonne's free workbook 5 Steps to Your Midlife Reboot Check out Yvonne's Instagram, Facebook page, and Linkedin

Get ready for something different. Cindy Gallop doesn't do status quo. After years as a leader and change-maker in the advertising business she has moved on to new projects. At 61, Cindy shares that her life course is guided by a series of serendipitous accidents. Her current accidental mission is to help us all learn about, explore and talk about…sex. MakeLoveNotPorn aims to help us all uncover our sexual potential. Cindy explains that there are two coincidental issues preventing us from knowing who we can be as sexual beings. First, we live in a society where sex is never discussed. Second, the porn industry is bigger and more accessible than ever. Hence, what we know about sex is taught to us by porn. It leaves most of us confused, unsatisfied, and missing out. MakeLoveNotPorn is a platform that invites real people to show real sex, in all its diversity. It aims to dispel myths, bash stereotypes, and free us all physically, emotionally and intimately. It's a provocative topic. It's a bold business. Cindy shakes us up and makes us think. It's a plot twist for all.   Learn more about Cindy at cindygallop.com Check out makelovenotporn.tv

When we think about women's invisibility over 50, we rarely consider women's bodies in their purest form, naked. We have been taught to look away with shame, fear, even disgust. This week, we spoke with photographer Jocelyn Lee about her new book Sovereign. Throughout her career, Jocelyn has been photographing women in the nude, documenting how the body and our sense of ourselves changes throughout our lives. Sovereign is a collection of portraits depicting women age 55 and up. These women, captured naked in natural settings, reveal the beauty, sensuality, and strength of older women made visible.  Listen as Jocelyn talks with us about what she has learned from her work. Sovereign seeks to shine a bright light on the natural beauty of women of all ages and all body types. No body is deserving of invisibility and I believe this work marks a long overdue paradigm shift. It's time we revolutionize the image world and flood it with women in real bodies, feeling sensual and wonderful in their human skin. — Jocelyn Lee 2020   Check out Sovereign at jocelynleestudio.com Buy Sovereign at minormattersbooks.com