Podcast appearances and mentions of donna thomson

Our host, Donna Thomson, is joined by Adam Spencer, Content Creator at Classic Marble. Adam has Dyslexia, and today we'll be exploring dyslexia beyond reading and writing challenges.Don't forget to listen out for Donna's one thing to know, one thing to do, and one thing to think about at the end of the episode.

The care needs of a parent often creep up on us until one day, we realize that fundamental shifts in the family have made each person almost unrecognizable. In this podcast, authors Zachary White, PhD, and Donna Thomson will reveal and discuss how caregiving changes everything that we once took for granted in the family as we are transformed from loved one to caregiver.This episode of The Caregiver Community is made possible by our sponsor, Pace @ Home in Hickory, NC.While providing care for her mother, Frances S. Hall, Founder and Executive Director of ACAPcommunity began ACAP as a monthly educational support program for fellow faculty and staff on a small NC university campus, then transitioned the program into a nationally-unique, community-impact nonprofit model in 2012. With a master's degree in higher education administration and a 30+-year career in higher education and nonprofits, Frances continues to lead the growing organization as it continues to provide information, resources support, and community for adult children and others who care for older loved ones. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We've dedicated an entire season to raising awareness about dyslexia in the classroom, the workplace and beyond, in light of Dyslexia Awareness Month. Throughout season 1 you'll hear from our presenter, Donna Thomson, from Texthelp. In this episode, Donna introduces an insightful conversation between her colleague, Chelsie Spencer and Sierra Goodfellow, a learner who was diagnosed with dyslexia in the first grade. Throughout her life and education, Sierra has faced many barriers to learning. After years of self-advocating, she finally recieved the right accomodations for her and went on to find success and a love for writing. Something she never thought was possible in the early days of her dyslexia journey.This is Sierra's story...

In this AlzAuthors Live! Virtual Q&A we explore the similarities and differences caregivers and those living with dementia encounter as they seek care and search for solutions to the many questions and problems a dementia diagnosis brings. The authors featured in this event represent the United States, Canada, and Argentina. We hope their stories will inspire and empower you on your own dementia journey. Topics included: • obtaining a diagnosis • accessing care • community resources • financial concerns • insurance considerations • home care, assisted living, long-term care • stigma surrounding a dementia diagnosis This discussion was recorded on September 13th, 2022. Note: This event was originally scheduled with three of our authors - Cindy Weinstein (US), Donna Thomson (Canada), and Katya De Luisa (Costa Rica) - but heavy rainstorms prevented Donna and Katya from participating, although we did get to hear from Donna briefly. Both Donna and Katya have been on the podcast in the past. You can find their episodes here: https://alzauthors.com/podcast . Thankfully, many of our participants shared their experiences and we had a well-rounded discussion. The speakers: Marianne Sciucco, New York, US: https://alzauthors.com/2018/05/02/meet-marianne-sciucco-alzauthors-admin-and-author-of-blue-hydrangeas-an-alzheimers-love-story/ Cindy Weinstein, California, US: https://alzauthors.com/2022/01/18/cindy-weinstein-finding-right-words/ Donna Thomson, Canada: https://alzauthors.com/2020/02/04/unexpected-journey-caring-thomson-white/ Ethelle Lord, Canada: https://innocareofdementia.com/news/ethelle-lord-the-warrior-of-dementia-who-is-she/ Virginia Naeve, California, US: https://anewpathformom.com/ Dennis Dulniak, Florida, US: https://www.nanasbooks.org/ Luis Cordero, Argentina and Chicago: https://www.davidson.edu/news/2022/04/19/watson-fellows-ready-tackle-questions-health-and-well-being-around-world Vicki Tapia, Montana, US: https://alzauthors.com/2018/05/15/meet-vicki-tapia-alzauthors-admin-and-author-of-somebody-stole-my-iron/ We hope to revisit this subject with authors from other countries in the future, so please keep in touch with us at https://alzauthors.com. You can follow us on social media - Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn - to stay updated on events, new authors, books, and resources. Remember: You are not alone. One can sing a lonely song, but we chose to form a choir, and create harmony. About the Podcast Our podcast features authors who share their dementia journeys, talk about what led them to tell their stories in whatever medium they've chosen, and offer unique and painfully earned insights into life with dementia. Please subscribe so you don't miss a word. If our authors' stories move you, please leave a review. And don't forget to share our podcast with family and friends in need of knowledge, comfort, and support on their own dementia journeys. AlzAuthors is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization totally reliant on donations to do what we do. Your generosity will help cover our many operating costs, which include website hosting and maintenance fees, service charges to keep things running smoothly, and marketing expenses to promote our authors, expand our content, improve our reach, and more. Our ongoing work supports our mission to lift the silence and stigma of Alzheimer's and other dementias. To sustain our efforts please visit https://alzauthors.com/donate/ . Thank you for listening. AlzAuthors.com Want to be on the podcast? Here's what you need to know.

In this AlzAuthors Live! Virtual Q&A we explore the similarities and differences caregivers and those living with dementia encounter as they seek care and search for solutions to the many questions and problems a dementia diagnosis brings. The authors featured in this event represent the United States, Canada, and Argentina. We hope their stories will inspire and empower you on your own dementia journey. Topics included: • obtaining a diagnosis • accessing care • community resources • financial concerns • insurance considerations • home care, assisted living, long-term care • stigma surrounding a dementia diagnosis This discussion was recorded on September 13th, 2022. Note: This event was originally scheduled with three of our authors - Cindy Weinstein (US), Donna Thomson (Canada), and Katya De Luisa (Costa Rica) - but heavy rainstorms prevented Donna and Katya from participating, although we did get to hear from Donna briefly. Both Donna and Katya have been on the podcast in the past. You can find their episodes here: https://alzauthors.com/podcast . Thankfully, many of our participants shared their experiences and we had a well-rounded discussion. The speakers: Marianne Sciucco, New York, US: https://alzauthors.com/2018/05/02/meet-marianne-sciucco-alzauthors-admin-and-author-of-blue-hydrangeas-an-alzheimers-love-story/ Cindy Weinstein, California, US: https://alzauthors.com/2022/01/18/cindy-weinstein-finding-right-words/ Donna Thomson, Canada: https://alzauthors.com/2020/02/04/unexpected-journey-caring-thomson-white/ Ethelle Lord, Canada: https://innocareofdementia.com/news/ethelle-lord-the-warrior-of-dementia-who-is-she/ Virginia Naeve, California, US: https://anewpathformom.com/ Dennis Dulniak, Florida, US: https://www.nanasbooks.org/ Luis Cordero, Argentina and Chicago: https://www.davidson.edu/news/2022/04/19/watson-fellows-ready-tackle-questions-health-and-well-being-around-world Vicki Tapia, Montana, US: https://alzauthors.com/2018/05/15/meet-vicki-tapia-alzauthors-admin-and-author-of-somebody-stole-my-iron/ We hope to revisit this subject with authors from other countries in the future, so please keep in touch with us at https://alzauthors.com. You can follow us on social media - Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn - to stay updated on events, new authors, books, and resources. Remember: You are not alone. One can sing a lonely song, but we chose to form a choir, and create harmony. About the Podcast Our podcast features authors who share their dementia journeys, talk about what led them to tell their stories in whatever medium they've chosen, and offer unique and painfully earned insights into life with dementia. Please subscribe so you don't miss a word. If our authors' stories move you, please leave a review. And don't forget to share our podcast with family and friends in need of knowledge, comfort, and support on their own dementia journeys. AlzAuthors is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization totally reliant on donations to do what we do. Your generosity will help cover our many operating costs, which include website hosting and maintenance fees, service charges to keep things running smoothly, and marketing expenses to promote our authors, expand our content, improve our reach, and more. Our ongoing work supports our mission to lift the silence and stigma of Alzheimer's and other dementias. To sustain our efforts please visit https://alzauthors.com/donate/ . Thank you for listening. AlzAuthors.com Want to be on the podcast? Here's what you need to know.

Caregiving for a loved one can be difficult and confusing. Julie and her siblings are among the more than 20 million Americans who currently care for an aging parent- so this week's pick from the Top of Mind live radio archive hits close to home. In 2020, Julie spoke with Zachary White and Donna Thomson who combine their personal and professional experience into a "how to" handbook for the rest of us called “The Unexpected Journey of Caring."Guests:Donna Thomson, author, caregiver, activist, author of "The Four Walls of My Freedom: Lessons I've Learned from a Life of Caregiving"Zachary White, professor of communication, Queens University of Charlotte, co-author (with Thomson) of "The Unexpected Journey of Caring: The Transformation from Loved One to Caregiver"

Donna Thomson and Dr. Zachary White are co-authors of The Unexpected Journey of Caring: The Transformation of Loved One to Caregiver (Rowman & Littlefield, 2019). Donna Thomson is a caregiver, author, and activist. The mother of two grown children, one who has severe cerebral palsy and medical complexity, she also helped care for her mother who lived with dementia until she passed away in the summer of 2018 at the age of 96. She is also the author of The Four Walls of My Freedom: Lessons I've Learned from a Life of Caregiving (McArthur and Co., 2010 and The House of Anansi Press, 2014), and blogs regularly at The Caregivers' Living Room. She is a board director of the Kids Brain Health Network and is a leader and instructor in family engagement in health research. She also teaches families how to advocate for care at The Advocacy School and at Huddol.com. Dr. Zachary White Zachary began living, researching, and exploring the caregiver experience in 2002 during his mother's diagnosis with brain cancer. His research and teaching focus on helping people manage meaning and communicate life experiences amidst high levels of uncertainty and stress. He is the founder of the award-winning blog and resource for caregivers called "The Unprepared Caregiver." He earned his Ph.D. in communication from Purdue University and is an Associate Professor in the James L. Knight School of Communication at Queens University of Charlotte. He has researched a range of care experiences, including birth (parental NICU experiences), chronic caregiver experiences, and end-of-life caregiving (hospice care). His academic articles have been published in Management Communication Quarterly, Journal of Family Communication, Communication Research Reports, OMEGA: Journal of Death and Dying, Health Communication, and Volunteering and Communication: Studies from Multiple Contexts. In this episode, we discuss the delicate relationship between caregiver and care receiver, the multiple roles caregivers fulfill, authenticity in caregiving, and the value of silence. Read Thomson and White's AlzAuthors Post: https://alzauthors.com/2020/02/04/unexpected-journey-caring-thomson-white/ Start reading The Unexpected Journey of Caring: The Transformation from Loved One to Caregiver now! Note: We are an Amazon Associate and may receive a small commission from book sales. Connect with Donna Thomson Blog: The Caregivers' Living Room Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/donnathomsonauthor  Twitter: https://twitter.com/Thomsod Connect with Zachary White Blog: The Unprepared Caregiver Twitter: https://twitter.com/ZMWhite Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/unpreparedcaregiver/ About the Podcast Each season our podcast brings you six of our authors sharing their dementia journeys. Please subscribe so you don't miss a word. If our authors' stories move you please leave a review. And don't forget to share our podcast with family and friends in need of knowledge, comfort, and support on their own dementia journeys. AlzAuthors is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization totally reliant on donations to do what we do. Your generosity will help cover our many operating costs, which include website hosting and maintenance fees, service charges to keep things running smoothly, and marketing expenses to promote our authors, expand our content, improve our reach, and more. Our ongoing work supports our mission to lift the silence and stigma of Alzheimer's and other dementias. To sustain our efforts please visit https://alzauthors.com/donate/ . Thank you for listening. AlzAuthors.com

In this episode of RESILIENT PEOPLE, I welcome caregiving expert Donna Thomson.Through years of being a family caregiver to turning to advocacy work and research in the area, Donna shares a wealth of knowledge and personal experience. We spoke about: her essentials for being a better caregiverhow to avoid failure within the healthcare systemways that she maintains her positive mindset and resilienceavoiding caregiver burnoutfinding a community that you can really laugh withlearning to say no but also the power in saying yes LINKS:www.donnathomson.comFacebook: @thecaregiverslivingroomTwitter: @thomsodMcMaster University - Caregiving Essentials RESILIENT PEOPLE is hosted by Janet Fanaki and features conversations with EXTRAordinary people from around the world who are admired for their resilience. They have overcome a major challenge, created a purpose from it and now help others to be resilient too. The  aim is to show that your negative experience does not need to define you. It can also be a platform to help you find new meaning.  And build a positive and resilient mindset.If you are someone with a story to tell, or know someone who does, please record a voice memo or type a message and send it to: info@resilientpeople.ca. Find all interviews from the podcast, information about Janet Fanaki, hiring her for speaking opportunities and order a RESILIENT t-shirt as well as other merchandise at www.resilientpeople.ca.The RESILIENT PEOPLE podcast is available everywhere you listen including Apple Podcasts and Spotify. FOLLOW RESILIENT PEOPLE ON SOCIAL MEDIA:Instagram www.instagram.com/resilientpeopleca & Twitter www.twitter.com/resilientpeoplPROMOTIONAL PARTNER:Leanne Townsend - www.leannetownsend.ca 

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a 'bug on a wall' during a conversation between two caregivers who have adult children with medical complexities? Join Brenda and Donna Thomson as they share stories and discuss the world of caring for adult children transitioning out of the pediatric world. We also discuss how often caregivers' fears and worries can be misunderstood or misinterpreted by health professionals and one thing that they can do to help us during traumatic experiences. The insights that both Donna and Brenda share about caring for and advocating for their adult children can be applied to any caregiving situation. Donna's Blog: "The Caregiver's Living Room" LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donna4walls/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/donnathomsonauthor Twitter: https://twitter.com/Thomsod (@thomsod) Books: The Four Walls of My Freedom and The Unexpected Journey of Caregiving (with Dr. Zachary White) Nicholas' Blog: "The Hockey Ambassador"

Trauma as a result of caregiving (particularly as a result of caring for a child with a disability) with Donna Thomson (Part 2) (Episode 30)Donna Thomson, a well-known advocate for caregivers, joins Stephanie in this episode to discuss her experiences as a caregiver both to her father and her son with severe cerebral palsy and medical complexity. She also touches upon the trauma that can result from caregiving and her experiences navigating the Ontario healthcare system. Donna Thomson is the co-author with Dr. Zachary White of The Unexpected Journey of Caring and the author of The Four Walls of My Freedom: Lessons I've Learned From a Life of Caregiving. Donna facilitates Caregiving Essentials and instructs the Family Engagement in Research, both at McMaster University. Donna has sat on The Expert Group on Home and Community Care, the advisory committee for the white paper on aging and on the Working Group on Complex Care for Adults with Developmental Disabilities for the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care . She is a lifelong family caregiver and advocate. Find Donna: https://www.donnathomson.com/This episode is part 2 of 2.Visit us on our website:www.compassionincaregiving.comJoin our FREE Facebook community! https://www.facebook.com/groups/compassioncaregiverconnection For more visit our Instagram! @compassionincaregiving

Donna Thomson, a well-known advocate for caregivers, joins Stephanie in this episode to discuss her experiences as a caregiver both to her father and her son with severe cerebral palsy and medical complexity. She also touches upon the trauma that can result from caregiving and her experiences navigating the Ontario healthcare system. Donna Thomson is the co-author with Dr. Zachary White of The Unexpected Journey of Caring and the author of The Four Walls of My Freedom: Lessons I've Learned From a Life of Caregiving. Donna facilitates Caregiving Essentials and instructs the Family Engagement in Research, both at McMaster University. Donna has sat on The Expert Group on Home and Community Care, the advisory committee for the white paper on aging and on the Working Group on Complex Care for Adults with Developmental Disabilities for the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care . She is a lifelong family caregiver and advocate. Find Donna: https://www.donnathomson.com/This episode is part 1 of 2. Visit us on our website:www.compassionincaregiving.comJoin our FREE Facebook community! https://www.facebook.com/groups/compassioncaregiverconnection For more visit our Instagram! @compassionincaregiving

Today's conversation is with Bob Schrei. Bob has four decades of experience as a student, apprentice, practitioner and teacher of energy medicine. He is a Certified Advanced Rolfer, Biodynamic Cranial Sacral Therapist, and co-originator of SourcePoint Therapy®. This energetic and hands-on healing system evolved from his thirty-plus years experience in bodywork, as well as extensive personal study in vibrational medicine, sacred geometry, shamanic healing and Zen meditation. In addition to Bob's research and study, the essential principles of SourcePoint Therapy® were explored and formulated in intuitive readings with his wife and partner in healing work, Donna Thomson. With a B.A. in architecture and a Masters of Fine Arts, Bob also incorporated his lifelong interest in structure and pattern into SourcePoint Therapy®, which he developed, refined and tested for ten years before beginning to teach in the United States and Europe. This process of refinement and development continues as SourcePoint Therapy evolves. From 1970-1985 Bob was a student and teacher at the Rochester Zen Meditation Center. As a former Zen teacher Bob brings a unique perspective to the field of energetic healing and manual therapy, helping his students develop sensitivity to the subtleties of working with energy and bring a heightened awareness to their healing work. Bob currently resides in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where he maintains an active private practice of SourcePoint Therapy® in addition to teaching it worldwide. In today's conversation we spoke about Bob's history with Zen, Esoterics and Rolfing, The 10 series as a ritual, how SourcePoint emerged, basics of SourcePoint, what is "presence," and "embodiment," his artistic painting endeavors related to sourcepoint and more.  You can learn more about Bob at https://sourcepointtherapy.com/ His book Sourcepoint Therapy, Exploring the Blueprint of Health can be found here https://amzn.to/3tB4ZwI In today's call again there was some internet issues and the occasional delay in audio. If you enjoyed today's episode, we'd appreciate it if you would leave a positive review of the podcast and subscribe to it through the platform of your choice. When you do this it really helps other people find us, and we greatly appreciate your support. You can find more about Andrew at andrewrosenstock.com And more about Nikki at nikkiolsen.com Many thanks to Explorers Society for use of their song " All In" from their majestic album 'Spheres' Please check them out here https://open.spotify.com/album/1plT1lAPWEQ1oTRbWOiXm3?si=eAL08OJdT5-sJ6FwwZD50g

Donna Thomson, caregiver, author and advocate, talks with Caregiver SOS on Air co-hosts Carol Zernial, nationally known and respected gerontologist, and award winning veteran broadcaster and attorney, Ron Aaron about the "Unexpected Journey of Caring: The Transformation of Loved One to Caregiver," the title of one of Ms. Thomson's books. For more on Donna, visit www.thecaregiverspace.org.

Donna Thomson, caregiver, author and advocate, talks with Caregiver SOS on Air co-hosts Carol Zernial, nationally known and respected gerontologist, and award winning veteran broadcaster and attorney, Ron Aaron about the "Unexpected Journey of Caring: The Transformation of Loved One to Caregiver," the title of one of Ms. Thomson's books. For more on Ms. Thomson visit www.thecaregiverspace.org. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donna Thomson and Dr. Zachary White are co-authors of The Unexpected Journey of Caring: The Transformation of Loved One to Caregiver (Rowman & Littlefield, 2019). Donna Thomson is a caregiver, author, and activist. The mother of two grown children, one who has severe cerebral palsy and medical complexity, she also helped care for her mother who lived with dementia until she passed away in the summer of 2018 at the age of 96. She is also the author of The Four Walls of My Freedom: Lessons I've Learned from a Life of Caregiving (McArthur and Co., 2010 and The House of Anansi Press, 2014), and blogs regularly at The Caregivers' Living Room. She is a board director of the Kids Brain Health Network and is a leader and instructor in family engagement in health research. She also teaches families how to advocate for care at The Advocacy School and at Huddol.com. Dr. Zachary White Zachary began living, researching, and exploring the caregiver experience in 2002 during his mother's diagnosis with brain cancer. His research and teaching focus on helping people manage meaning and communicate life experiences amidst high levels of uncertainty and stress. He is the founder of the award-winning blog and resource for caregivers called "The Unprepared Caregiver." He earned his Ph.D. in communication from Purdue University and is an Associate Professor in the James L. Knight School of Communication at Queens University of Charlotte. He has researched a range of care experiences, including birth (parental NICU experiences), chronic caregiver experiences, and end-of-life caregiving (hospice care). His academic articles have been published in Management Communication Quarterly, Journal of Family Communication, Communication Research Reports, OMEGA: Journal of Death and Dying, Health Communication, and Volunteering and Communication: Studies from Multiple Contexts. In this episode, we discuss the delicate relationship between caregiver and care receiver, the multiple roles caregivers fulfill, authenticity in caregiving, and the value of silence. Read Thomson and White's AlzAuthors Post: https://alzauthors.com/2020/02/04/unexpected-journey-caring-thomson-white/ Start reading The Unexpected Journey of Caring: The Transformation from Loved One to Caregiver now! Note: We are an Amazon Associate and may receive a small commission from book sales. Connect with Donna Thomson Blog: The Caregivers' Living Room Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/donnathomsonauthor  Twitter: https://twitter.com/Thomsod Connect with Zachary White Blog: The Unprepared Caregiver Twitter: https://twitter.com/ZMWhite Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/unpreparedcaregiver/ About the Podcast Each season our podcast brings you six of our authors sharing their dementia journeys. Please subscribe so you don't miss a word. If our authors' stories move you please leave a review. And don't forget to share our podcast with family and friends in need of knowledge, comfort, and support on their own dementia journeys. AlzAuthors is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization totally reliant on donations to do what we do. Your generosity will help cover our many operating costs, which include website hosting and maintenance fees, service charges to keep things running smoothly, and marketing expenses to promote our authors, expand our content, improve our reach, and more. Our ongoing work supports our mission to lift the silence and stigma of Alzheimer's and other dementias. To sustain our efforts please visit https://alzauthors.com/donate/ . Thank you for listening. AlzAuthors.com

In this episode: Donna Thomson, the author of "The Unexpected Journey of Caring: The Transformation from Loved One to Caregiver" discusses how caregivers are reluctant to self-identify when thrust into the role.Evan's news segment shared about the VA caregiver support program, allowing for veterans to get the care they need away from the medical facility. For more information go to www.caregiver.va.gov or call: 855-260-3274. You will be connected to a caregiver support coordinator and can apply for the “Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregiver.”Our guest, Donna Thomson, talked about how caregiving is considered stifling and suffocating because few of us want to find our-selves trapped within the confines of this constrictive label. Donna is also the author of "The Four Walls of My Freedom” which is a riveting and redemptive family memoir, about raising a son with cerebral palsy and is a passionate appeal to change the way we think about the good life. She has one of the top awarded Caregiver blogs called, The Caregiver's Living Room and is known as an Alz-author, collaborating to provide resources for those living with dementia.Savy shared about Gimme a Break's most recent event for caregivers: forest bathing and how it was a cleansing, stress relieving, ever-present experience. Savy read back a thoughtful letter from the guide, recounting the series of events and how despite the unexpected downpour she was surrounded by a group of caregiver warriors.Recommended Resources:The Caregiver's Living Room - Top awarded caregiver blog by Donna Thomson, who has the unique experience of caring for both an adult child and for an elderly parent. She shares deeply personal posts on her blog with newsworthy caregiving resources. Caregiver Health Club (formerly ChillTime TV) - #1 Wellness App Made for Caregivers, By Caregivers. 7 Days Free Trial. Health & fitness classes, family-friendly meal plans, live support sessions, plus certified nutrition coachingGimme a Break - Non-profit for caregivers aiming to bring back joy to caregiving, free weekly support sessions offering caregivers a chance to relax, renew, resource and revive. Register or register a caregiver for a break. Hosts: Evan Kharrazi - founder of Caregiver Health Club, certified caregiver nutrition coach, and ambassador at the American Kidney FundSavy Makalena - founder of Gimme a Break and Givers GuidesConnect with the Caring Caregiver Show:Facebook Page: Caring Caregiver Show with Evan & SavyInstagram: caringcaregivershowWebsite: www.caringcaregivershow.comFacebook Group: Click Here to Join

Interview with Mary Shields, PhD. Mary helps healers, bodywork practitioners and other professionals who want to clear out the obstacles that get in the way of fulfilling their potential. A healing practitioner and educator since 2002, Mary brings a wealth of expert knowledge from a variety of healing systems, including Source Point therapy, BodyTalk, Bars Access Consciousness, Reiki, and more. She is also skilled in the experiential work of the Wounded Healer (healing old trauma and emotional/experiential wounds). Mary has worked with hundreds of clients from all over the globe, in person and distance, who sought her guidance for physical, emotional, and spiritual concerns. A born teacher, Mary has taught over 200 workshops where she has met participants from diverse backgrounds, challenges, and experiences. She has just launched her own course, “Mending Webs,” which focuses on healing relationships within groups and families, as well as repairing webs of coping mechanisms and belief systems that often support and create dis-ease in the body. Upcoming Free webinar on October 7: https://maryshieldsphd.com/webinar-oct7-21 Upcoming Weaving Webs course: https://maryshieldsphd.com/weaving-webs Resources: SourcePoint Therapy: Exploring the Blueprint of Health, Donna Thomson (book) What the Bleep do we Know? (film) The Biology of Belief, Bruce Lipton (video - also available as a book) Nassim Haramein, various videos Energy Medicine: The Scientific Basis, James Oshman

For our Spring Series we bring you quick 20 minute conversations with innovators who make the experience of serious illness better. This episode features Donna Thomson, a caregiver, author and activist working to make caregiving better. For more information visit: waitingroomrevolution.com  Our theme song is Maypole by Ketsa and is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Donna discusses her first caregiving experience caring for her father who suffered a stroke when she was a teenager. That was just the beginning of a journey that later included caring for her son Nicholas, who was born with cerebral palsy and her mother who passed in 2018 at the age of 96. She shares what inspired her to write two books and become a passionate advocate for caregivers. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Dr. Brian Goldman talks to Jeff Preston, Assistant Professor of Disability Studies at Western University in London, Ontario. Jeff was born with a severe form of muscular dystrophy. If he gets COVID19, he's likely to die. He says that Canada needs to prioritize people with disabilities now. Donna Thomson's 32-year-old son Nicholas has cerebral palsy and needs round-the-clock care. Donna says that excluding extremely vulnerable people like her son is ableism plain and simple.

Martha Minow of Harvard Univ and author of "When Should Law Forgive" on law and forgiveness. Alison Booth of Univ of Virgina on women in history. Edith Sheffer of Univ of California Berkeley on her book "Asperger's Children". Donna Thomson, author of "The Four Walls of My Freedom", and Zachary White, of Queens Univ of Charlotte, on their book "The Unexpected Journey of Caring". Bruce Hardy of Kenyon College on Neanderthals and rope.

Guests Donna Thomson and Dr. Zachary White talk about their book The Unexpected Journey of Caring.

In this episode, we interview Donna Thomson, Canadian author, educator and advocate for family caregivers. She talks about a public scandal in nursing homes in Québec, Canada. And how government intervention resulted in some very positive changes for caregivers of nursing home residents and their loved ones..

Show notes + transcript: DementiaSherpa.com/episode135. This week, I got author and blogger Donna Thomson to come back to the show. She has so much wisdom to share about solitude, a timely topic in this time of Covid-19. Although many states are “reopening” right now—and we've got more on that in upcoming episodes—Donna's thoughts on solitude and isolation are relevant to care partners no matter what's going on in the outside world. Donna is an exceptionally experienced care partner, having first become one as a teenager. As you'd expect, she's developed an enormous amount of wisdom along the way.  You'll also no doubt note the empathy and compassion that comes through loud and clear in the soothing sound of Donna's voice. The mother of two grown children, one of whom has severe disabilities, Donna also cared for her mother who had a diagnosis of dementia and passed away in the summer of 2018 at the age of 96. Donna is the co-author (with Dr. Zachary White) of The Unexpected Journey of Caring: The Transformation from Loved One to Caregiver (Rowman & Littlefield, 2019) and author of The Four Walls of My Freedom: Lessons I've Learned From a Life of Caregiving (The House of Anansi Press, 2014). She blogs regularly at The Caregivers' Living Room and teaches caregivers at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada.  

Full show notes with transcript + links: https://DementiaSherpa.com/episode134 Christy gets to talk with the extraordinarily-generous-with-her-time caregiver, author and activist Donna Thomson about a wide range of topics that affect care partners, including: Caregiving literacy + advocacy Anosognosia Hyperintolerance + "slices of a pie" The masks we wear        The hidden opportunities in care partnering When your family isn't who you think they should be Intentional caregiving (vs "head on fire" caregiving) The importance of what we focus on as care partners And so much more!   Donna is an exceptionally experienced care partner, having first become one as a teenager. As you'd expect, she's developed an enormous amount of wisdom along the way.  You'll also no doubt note the empathy and compassion that comes through loud and clear in the soothing sound of Donna's voice. The mother of two grown children, one of whom has severe disabilities, Donna also cared for her mother who had a diagnosis of dementia and passed away in the summer of 2018 at the age of 96. Donna is the co-author (with Dr. Zachary White) of The Unexpected Journey of Caring: The Transformation from Loved One to Caregiver (Rowman & Littlefield, 2019) and author of The Four Walls of My Freedom: Lessons I've Learned From a Life of Caregiving (The House of Anansi Press, 2014). She blogs regularly at The Caregivers' Living Room and teaches caregivers at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada.  

It's estimated that 45 million people are currently providing unpaid care for a loved one. 45 million caregivers. Donna Thomson and Zachary White are part of that statistic. In THE UNEXPECTED JOURNEY OF CARING: THE TRANSFORMATION FROM LOVED ONE TO CAREGIVER, these seasoned caregivers offer a look at the new normal that is formed when life is re-routed. Read Donna's blog at The Caregivers Living Room (www.donnathomson.com) and take advantage of the caregiver resources at Zachary's site, www.unpreparedcaregiver.com.

Charles Hankla, Georgia State Univ, on labor strikes in France. Ofir Turel of Cal State Univ Fullerton on like counts. Christopher Bedford, director of the Baltimore Museum of Art, on art by women and people of color. Donna Thomson and Zachary White, authors of “The Unexpected Journey of Caring," on caregivers. Dan Collier, Western Michigan Univ, on food insecurity at colleges.

French Transportation Strikes, Explained (0:31)Guest: Charles Hankla, PhD, Associate Professor of Political Science, Georgia State UniversityThis is the first week in more than a month and a half that metros and trains are running normally in Paris. French transportation workers have been on strike since December 5th and are promising to “completely block” transport again on Friday. It's the longest strike France has seen in decades and a major challenge to President Emmanuel Macron's leadership.  Will Hiding the Popularity of Instagram Posts Make Us Less Depressed? (18:04)Guest: Ofir Turel, PhD, Professor of Information Systems, Cal State FullertonOn Instagram, everyone can see how popular a post is by the number of “likes” it's received and so far singer Billie Eilish is winning 2020. Her Hawaii vacation pictures from a few weeks ago have already racked up more than 12 million “likes.” But Instagram is experimenting with removing that running tally of “likes” on people's posts. You'll know how many people have liked your posts, but you won't be able to see how many likes other people have scored for their posts. The hope, according to Instagram's CEO, is to “create a less-pressurized environment” where people can focus on “expressing themselves.” Will it make Instagram less addictive or anxiety-provoking?  Baltimore Museum of Art's Plan to Get More Art By Women, People of Color on its Walls (34:20)Guest: Christopher Bedford, Director, Baltimore Museum of ArtRecently on Top of Mind, we heard how art made by white men continues to dominate museum collections in the US, as well as new art acquired by major museums. The Baltimore Museum of Art has taken a dramatic stance toward addressing the gender gap in its collection: All of its acquisitions in 2020 will be from female artists and its exhibitions throughout the year will focus on women, too.  Navigating the Unexpected Journey From Loved One to Caregiver (50:40)Guest: Donna Thomson, caregiver, activist, author of “The Four Walls of My Freedom: Lessons I've Learned From a Life of Caregiving” and Zachary White, PhD, Associate Professor of Communication, Queens University of Charlotte.Some 40-million Americans have been the caregiver for an adult in the last year. Many of them are sandwiched between caring for their own children and an aging parent. And anyone who's done it–even temporarily–knows how jarring caregiving is, how unprepared most of us feel for the physical and emotional toll of it. Zachary White felt that way when his mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer and he became her caregiver. Donna Thomson became a lifelong caregiver the day her son–who's now an adult–was born with cerebral palsy.  Thomson and White have co-authored a new book called, “The Unexpected Journey of Caring: The Transformation from Loved One to Caregiver.” Being Hungry in College is Bad for Student Motivation and Grades. Here's What Colleges Can Do to Help. (1:29:38)Guest: Dan Collier, Researcher, WE Upjohn Institute for Employment ResearchEating ramen noodles on a tight budget is just a part of college life, isn't it? National surveys find that nearly half of college students have reported some degree of food insecurity –which could mean not knowing where their next meal will come from; or could just mean they can't afford the nutrients they need. Ramen isn't exactly packed with vitamins.

The guest on this week’s Seekers of Meaning Podcast is Donna Thomson, co-author with Dr. Zachary White of The Unexpected Journey of Caring: The Transformation from Loved One to Caregiver, about the experience of caring for a loved one. About the Guest Donna Thomson is a caregiver, author and activist. She is the co-author (with Dr. Zachary White) of The Unexpected Journey of Caring: The Transformation of Loved One to Caregiver (Rowman & Littlefield, 2019) and author of The Four Walls of My Freedom: Lessons I’ve Learned From a Life of Caregiving (McArthur and Co., 2010 and The House of Anansi Press, 2014). She blogs regularly at The Caregivers’ Living Room (www.donnathomson.com). Donna is a board director of Kids Brain Health Network and is a leader and instructor in family engagement in health research. She also teaches families how to advocate for care at The Advocacy School and at Huddol.com. For the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care, Donna sat on The Expert Group on Home and Community Care and on the Working Group on Complex Care for Adults with Developmental Disabilities. Donna loves: family, friends, cooking, laughing, dancing, walking in the woods in Quebec and reading on the [...] The post SOM Pod 10/11/2019: Donna Thomson, Co-Author of “The Unexpected Journey of Caring” appeared first on Jewish Sacred Aging.

The guest on this week’s Seekers of Meaning Podcast is Donna Thomson, co-author with Dr. Zachary White of The Unexpected Journey of Caring: The Transformation from Loved One to Caregiver, about the experience of caring for a loved one. About the Guest Donna Thomson is a caregiver, author and activist. She is the co-author (with Dr. Zachary White) of The Unexpected Journey of Caring: The Transformation of Loved One to Caregiver (Rowman & Littlefield, 2019) and author of The Four Walls of My Freedom: Lessons I’ve Learned From a Life of Caregiving (McArthur and Co., 2010 and The House of Anansi Press, 2014). She blogs regularly at The Caregivers’ Living Room (www.donnathomson.com). Donna is a board director of Kids Brain Health Network and is a leader and instructor in family engagement in health research. She also teaches families how to advocate for care at The Advocacy School and at Huddol.com. For the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care, Donna sat on The Expert Group on Home and Community Care and on the Working Group on Complex Care for Adults with Developmental Disabilities. Donna loves: family, friends, cooking, laughing, dancing, walking in the woods in Quebec and reading on the [...] The post SOM Pod 10/11/2019: Donna Thomson, Co-Author of “The Unexpected Journey of Caring” appeared first on Jewish Sacred Aging.

On this episode of Healing Ties, we welcome Zachary White and Donna Thomson, Co-Authors of The Unexpected Journey of Caring: The Transformation from Loved One to Caregiver. Personal transformation is usually an experience we actively seek out—not one that hunts us down. Becoming a caregiver is one transformation that comes at us, requiring us to rethink everything we once knew. Informed by original caregiver research and proven advocacy strategies, The Unexpected Journey of Caring: The Transformation from Loved One to Caregiver provides caregivers with essential tools they need to succeed on their unexpected journey. Listen in and learn how Zachary White and Donna Thomson are creating Healing Ties all around us!

On this episode of Healing Ties, we welcome Zachary White and Donna Thomson, Co-Authors of The Unexpected Journey of Caring: The Transformation from Loved One to Caregiver. Personal transformation is usually an experience we actively seek out—not one that hunts us down. Becoming a caregiver is one transformation that comes at us, requiring us to rethink everything we once knew. Informed by original caregiver research and proven advocacy strategies, The Unexpected Journey of Caring: The Transformation from Loved One to Caregiver provides caregivers with essential tools they need to succeed on their unexpected journey. Listen in and learn how Zachary White and Donna Thomson are creating Healing Ties all around us!

On this episode of Healing Ties, we welcome Zachary White and Donna Thomson, Co-Authors of The Unexpected Journey of Caring: The Transformation from Loved One to Caregiver. Personal transformation is usually an experience we actively seek out—not one that hunts us down. Becoming a caregiver is one transformation that comes at us, requiring us to rethink everything we once knew. Informed by original caregiver research and proven advocacy strategies, The Unexpected Journey of Caring: The Transformation from Loved One to Caregiver provides caregivers with essential tools they need to succeed on their unexpected journey. Listen in and learn how Zachary White and Donna Thomson are creating Healing Ties all around us!

On this episode of Healing Ties, we welcome Zachary White and Donna Thomson, Co-Authors of The Unexpected Journey of Caring: The Transformation from Loved One to Caregiver. Personal transformation is usually an experience we actively seek out—not one that hunts us down. Becoming a caregiver is one transformation that comes at us, requiring us to rethink everything we once knew. Informed by original caregiver research and proven advocacy strategies, The Unexpected Journey of Caring: The Transformation from Loved One to Caregiver provides caregivers with essential tools they need to succeed on their unexpected journey. Listen in and learn how Zachary White and Donna Thomson are creating Healing Ties all around us!

Donna Thomson is a caregiver, author and activist.  She is the co-author (with Dr. Zachary White) of The Unexpected Journey of Caring: The Transformation of Loved One to Caregiver (Rowman & Littlefield, 2019) and author of The Four Walls of My Freedom: Lessons I’ve Learned From a Life of Caregiving (McArthur and Co., 2010 and The House of Anansi Press, 2014). Donna’s son Nicholas has severe cerebral palsy and is medically complex. Donna also cared for her mother who died in August of 2018 at the age of 96. She is a board director of Kids Brain Health Network (KBHN) and is a co-instructor of an online course in family engagement in research at McMaster University. She also teaches families how to advocate for care at The Advocacy School and at Huddol.com. Dr. Zachary White is an Associate Professor in the James L. Knight School of Communication at Queens University of Charlotte. He is the co-author (with Donna Thomson) of The Unexpected Journey of Caring: The Transformation from Loved One to Caregiver (Rowman & Littlefield, 2019).  He began living and exploring the caregiver experience in 2001 during his mother's diagnosis with brain cancer.  Throughout, he has researched and published about the caregiving experience, including birth (parental NICU experiences), chronic caregiver experiences, and end-of-life caregiving (hospice care).  Zachary is the founder of the award-winning blog and resource for caregivers called “The Unprepared Caregiver.”

Author and speaker, Donna Thomson, takes us on the journey of a caregiver.   In Episode #050, I had the pleasure of interviewing Donna Thomson and we dove into the topic of caregiving. Donna is an author and speaker on issues relating to family caregiving, disability and aging. She is a patient and family advisor on health research and policy. Donna teaches family caregivers how to advocate for care in hospital and in the community.     If you find this read interesting you can listen to the conversation in its entirety by clicking play on the player below or searching ‘Empowering Ability’ on your podcast player, such as, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play.   Before my interview with Donna I took the opportunity to read Donna’s first book, ‘The 4 Walls of my Freedom’, which really helped me to gain perspective on what it is be like to be a mother with a child that has medical needs. It gave me perspective on what it must have been like for my own mother, when faced with the medical challenges my sister experienced at a young age. Quoting Donna from her book, “Mothering a child with medical needs is a very public, but lonely endeavor.”     On the podcast I ask Donna, “Can you share your experience so that others listening can also understand your perspective? And, so other mothers maybe don’t feel so alone?     Paraphrasing from the podcast Donna shares, “My son, [Nicholas], has CP [cerebral palsy] and a complex disability. At 4 months [old] he was diagnosed, and it was like he became the property of health care and social care systems. We began to be assessed and I felt as though I was under a microscope. [I was] Grateful for the assistance because you feel like it is the key to the future success of your child, and you want to present as a competent parent. Then you learn when you present as a competent parent that’s reason for people to abandon you. If you seem to be doing well then people aren’t going to help you. In order to access the help you need at home you have to demonstrate failure as a parent. What do these assessments and scores about my baby say about me? Am I a success or failure as a parent? All of this brought the bond between my son and I closer and we would have very intimate moments when alone at home.”   I ask, “Do you feel that this pushed you into being a victim?”   In summary Donna replied, “Not exactly. We had to demonstrate to the system what our needs where, and to do that they had to show them that they were struggling.”     Finding Pleasure in Peeling the Potatoes:   In a previous conversation with Donna it came up that she had to find pleasure in peeling the potatoes and this connects directly to her book title ‘The Four Walls of My Freedom.’ On the podcast, I ask Donna, “Why do we need to find pleasure in peeling the potatoes? And, how do we do that?”   Paraphrasing from the podcast Donna shares, “I can’t leave my house, so how can I make a rich life of this? Watching the lady peeling the avocados next door through the window, [I admired] the way she was able to peel the avocado without breaking the skin was beautiful. I started thinking I can do that. Then I started thinking about how well I am peeling vegetables. It was sensual, secondly, I was feeding my children. I linked what I was doing with the purpose of what I was doing.     I started thinking about the tiniest things that I was doing as forms of meditation, and it made me happy. I wasn’t doing anything differently, I was simply looking at myself doing the jobs of feeding the kids, doing the laundry, and making the bed.   Locating the extraordinary in the ordinary. We have the benefit of the slow movement lived loud in our families. We do things more slowly, we are more contemplative, we do things more purposefully. There is opportunity in finding meaning and joy in the way we live.”     Everyone is a Caregiver.   Donna shares, “The word caregiver applies to everybody. At the end of the day we are talking about dependency needs met by someone else. A pet, a friend, we all look after each other even when we are perfectly healthy in the prime of our lives. You are not feeling good I will bring you over some soup. We don’t have anything in our society to say that caring for someone is okay. The pendulum has swung so far away from providing care [being accepted in our society].   In my first conversation with Donna, she helped me to realize that I am a caregiver. When I was honest with myself it was the truth, and it felt weird. My ego didn’t want to accept this language because of the societal stigmas that are attached to caregiving. At first, it made me feel weak. Upon reflection, and acceptance that I am a caregiver there is a strength that comes with being a caregiver. Caregiving is one of the most connected and real human experiences that we can have, it has been wired into our biology as we have evolved as an advanced species. As Donna shares, “Everyone is a caregiver.”    So I ask you, how are you a caregiver? I invite you to celebrate that you are a caregiver, and not to fight it or deny it. What are the benefits that caregiving brings into your life?     Donna's Life as an Activist:   Paraphrasing from the podcast Donna Shares, “My idea was do to a post mortem on our family experience and the support that we received, or did not receive, and to determine what was helpful and what was not helpful. I thought this would be useful for other families and policy makers. I became involved in inclusion. I became active in the family movement, and I became involved with the Ottawa affiliate for PLAN, which is all about citizenship.   I became aware of and met Indian economist, Amartya Sen, who developed ‘The Capability Approach’. The Capability Approach looks at how people can be supported by the community and the State so that they can have a life that they value. It is about individual choice and being supported to have a life that you value within circumstances of adversity. Sen was looking at extreme poverty in India, but I used this approach to look at my family.”     Donna used this approach in her book 'The 4 Walls of my Freedom’  looking at how people can make personal choices, express their personal values, and live in the community to do this. Donna and I further discuss inclusion, and I recommend you listen to this episode to hear these perspectives.     Donna's New Book:   I’m co-writing a new book with Dr Zackery White, a professor at Queens University in Charlotte North Carolina.   Donna shares, “Dr. Zackery White is writing about Caregiver identity and how it is so difficult to express the transformations that happen when giving high levels of care to someone. Lots of things grow and lots of things die when you become immersed in giving care to someone. Giving people language to create the narrative to understand your life in the now.   My part of the book is the what’s next. What can you do to be an advocate and take action; personal support networks, what are the assets in your community [asset based community development], and online tools including support groups. These are actions you can take to thrive in situations of adversity. It will be titled something like ‘Transformations in Caregiving’ ”.       I thank Donna for coming on the podcast and sharing her deeply personal experiences, and her insights on caregiving. Thank you for doing the work you do Donna!   If you received value from reading this blog or listening to this podcast episode I encourage you to share it with someone else you feel would benefit.     Love & Respect, Eric Goll         Resources:     Donna's Blog: The Caregivers' Living Room  www.donnathomson.com   Book  ‘The 4 Walls of my Freedom’– Available at any major book seller.   Facebook Group - The caregivers living room       If you received value from this content please leave me a review on iTunes. By leaving a 5 star review on iTunes you make the Empowering Ability Podcast more discoverable, and more families will benefit. Click Here To Leave a Review on iTunes       The Empowering Ability Podcast is available on iTunes and various other apps so that you can listen while on the go from your smartphone!   Click Here To Listen on iTunes            Tags: #Caregiving #Donna Thompson #WeAreAllCaregivers

Ms. Donna Thomson, the parent of two adult children, one with severe disabilities, shares some of the insights she has gained after 28 years of caregiving and parenting. She reads her Humanities article, published in CMAJ, called "On becoming a full partner in care." The article is an abbreviated version of a lecture she presented at the American Academy of Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine annual meeting in September 2016. Full article (open access): www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.161284 ----------------------------------- For more stories like this one, get your copy of CMAJ’s Encounters Book. This anthology of prose and poetry of some 100 Canadian authors including Drs. David Goldbloom, Shane Neilson, Allan Peterkin and Monica Kidd, has been specially curated and includes a study guide. https://shop.cma.ca/products/encounters ----------------------------------- Subscribe to CMAJ Podcasts on iTunes, Stitcher, Overcast, Instacast, or your favourite aggregator. You can also follow us directly on our SoundCloud page. Our podcasts are also released on www.cmaj.ca and on www.cmajblogs.com.

Join Dave, The Caregiver's caregiver, along with co-host, Adrienne Gruberg, The Caregiver Space, as they interview DONNA THOMSON, who cares for her son (28 with severe disabilities) and her Mom (95). She is the author of The Four Walls of My Freedom: Lessons I've Learned From a Life of Caregiving and speaks on issues relating to family caregiving, disability and aging. Donna is a patient and family advisor on health research and advises government on caregiving policy. She teaches family caregivers how to advocate for care in hospital and in the community. Donna blogs regularly at THE CAREGIVERS' LIVING ROOM. Youtube link:  https://youtu.be/n-6io2V3YaQ

Donna Thomson, author of the best-selling book, The Four Walls of My Freedom will be interviewed by Dave, The Caregiver's Caregiver, Wednesday, June 17, at noon PDT.  Her book portrays the account of raising a son with cerebral palsy and her passionate appeal to change the way we think about "the good life." Donna Thomson’s life was forever changed by her son Nicholas. Donna gave up her career to become his primary caregiver and embarked on a second career as a disability activist, author, and consultant. She will discuss her experience in treading delicately through daily care, emergencies, and medical bureaucracy as Donna and her family cope with her son’s condition while maintaining value and dignity. She brilliantly demonstrates the vital contribution that people with disabilities make to our society and addresses the ethics and economics of giving and receiving care and will also discuss  ways that communities can help caregivers.

Patricia welcomes Donna Thomson, therapist and meditation teacher and author of The Vibrant Life: Simple meditations to Use Your Energy Effectively. She will discuss how to set boundaries, conserve energy, prevent energy drain, and work with anxiety and negative thought patterns.

Patricia welcomes Donna Thomson, therapist and meditation teacher and author of The Vibrant Life: Simple meditations to Use Your Energy Effectively. She will discuss how to set boundaries, conserve energy, prevent energy drain, and work with anxiety and negative thought patterns.