Podcast appearances and mentions of Mary Pipher

273. Wise Living: Why to Get Outside and Travel and Read Aloud with Amber O'Neal Johnston   “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” James 1:17 NIV   *Transcription Below*   Amber O'Neal Johnston is an author, speaker, and Charlotte Mason homeschooling mom who blends life-giving books and a culturally rich environment for her four children and others seeking to do the same. She recommends we offer children opportunities to see themselves and others reflected in their lessons, especially throughout their books, and she's known for sharing literary “mirrors and windows” on HeritageMom.com and @heritagemomblog. Amber is also the author of Soul School: Taking Kids on a Joy-Filled Journey Through the Heart of Black American Culture and A Place to Belong, a guide for families of all backgrounds on raising kids to celebrate their heritage, community, and the world.   www.HeritageMom.com www.SoulSchoolBook.com www.APlaceToBelongBook.com www.instagram.com/heritagemomblog www.facebook.com/heritagemomblog   Thank You to Our Sponsor:  Sam Leman Eureka   Questions that We Discussed: Looking back, what would you say has helped to shape your children's character the most? What have you learned about the importance of getting our kids (and ourselves) out into nature? How do you actually make time to be a content creator and to also homeschool and travel and host?   Other Related Episodes from The Savvy Sauce: 53 Practical Life Tips with Blogger, Rach Kincaid 57 Implementing Bite-Size Habits That Will Change Your Life with Author, Blogger, Podcaster, and Speaker, Kat Lee 82 Traveling with Your Family with Katie Mueller 84 Ordering Your Priorities with Kat Lee 103 Making Family Memories with Jessica Smartt 200 Planting Seeds of Faith in Our Children with Courtney DeFeo 204 Charlotte Mason Inspired Mini-Series: A Delectable Education with Emily Kiser 207 Cultivating Character in Our Children with Cynthia Yanof 212 School Series: Benefits of Homeschooling with Jodi Mockabee 253 Low Tech Parenting with Erin Loechner   Connect with The Savvy Sauce Our Website, Instagram or Facebook    Please help us out by sharing this episode with a friend, leaving a 5-star rating and review, and subscribing to this podcast!   Gospel Scripture: (all NIV) Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”   Romans 3:24 “and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”   Romans 3:25 (a) “God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.”    Hebrews 9:22 (b) “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”    Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”    Romans 5:11 “Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”    John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”   Romans 10:9 “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”    Luke 15:10 says “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”   Romans 8:1 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”   Ephesians 1:13–14 “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession- to the praise of his glory.”   Ephesians 1:15–23 “For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.”   Ephesians 2:8–10 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God‘s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.“   Ephesians 2:13 “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.“   Philippians 1:6 “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”   *Transcription*   Music: (0:00 – 0:09)   Laura Dugger: (0:11 - 2:01) Welcome to The Savvy Sauce, where we have practical chats for intentional living. I'm your host, Laura Dugger, and I'm so glad you're here.   The principles of honesty and integrity that Sam Leman founded his business on continue today over 55 years later at Sam Leman Chevrolet Inc. in Eureka. Owned and operated by the Burchie family, Sam Leman's in Eureka appreciates the support they've received from their customers all over central Illinois and beyond. Visit them today at LehmanGM.com.   Amber O'Neal Johnston is my fascinating guest for today. She's an author and speaker and coach and she's just chosen to live a very wise life as a wife and mother, and I think you're going to enjoy gleaning practical tips such as the benefits of getting our children out in nature regardless of their age. She has teens and makes this super practical for things that they would enjoy too, and she shares these incredible benefits of what happens when we simply step outdoors. She's also going to share approachable ways to introduce our family to great art and other cultures, and she gives us a fabulous book list, so, make sure you stay tuned through the end of the episode so that you can see some of the top books that she recommends. Finally, if you don't have a copy of her own latest release entitled Soul School, I highly recommend you purchase that today. Here's our chat.   Welcome to The Savvy Sauce, Amber.   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (2:02 - 2:04) Thank you so much. I'm so happy to be here.   Laura Dugger: (2:04 - 2:14) Well, I'd love for you just to start us off and introduce us to your family, and will you just share a glimpse of your values and lifestyle?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (2:15 - 3:48) Absolutely. So, I live outside of Atlanta, Georgia with my husband Scott and our four children. We are just entering birthday season, but shortly they will be 16, 14, 12, and 10. The girls are the two oldest. The boys are the two youngest, and they've been homeschooled from the beginning, so, we're a homeschooling family. I'm originally from Illinois. My husband's originally from Ohio, but we met here in Atlanta at the High Museum of Art, which is really special. We are art loving, you know, fine arts loving, liberal arts loving family, and so, the idea that we met at the museum, I will just cherish that forever. I came to, before homeschooling, I was a stay-at-home mom, and prior to having children, I have an MBA, and I worked in corporate America in like marketing and advertising, and Scott comes from a similar background with the MBA, and he was doing work in that area too, so, we had that as a connection point, but I have always stayed home with the kids, and you know, our values are rooted in our Christian faith, and we're an African-American family, and so, we have values and cultural aspects that enter our home through that avenue as well. We are world travelers, so, we enjoy that as part of who we are, and I'm an author and a speaker, and I'm just a very happy homeschooler.   Laura Dugger: (3:48 - 4:12) I love that, and it sounds like such a rich and abundant life, and there's two little connections that I have to go back to. My husband and I had a date at that same museum. I love that you met your husband there. Oh wow, that's wild! And so, we met when we were in Atlanta, but live in Illinois now, so, which part of Illinois were you originally from?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (4:12 - 4:33) I'm from Elgin, Illinois. It's out past O'Hare Airport, and I was born and raised there. My parents were both public school principals there. My dad was principal of Elgin High, and there's actually an elementary school, Ron O'Neal Elementary School in Elgin, named after my father, so, that is where I'm from.   Laura Dugger: (4:33 - 4:46) Wow, okay, so, then even with that piece, your father being a principal, and then you said you've homeschooled since the beginning. Did you always anticipate you would homeschool, or what was your journey into that?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (4:47 - 7:15) Oh my gosh, never, and it's both of my parents were principals, so, that's wild. My grandfather was an elected school board official. My sister was an elected school board official, so, public school is just, you know, in my blood from the very beginning, and that's what I assumed I would do for my kids at first. Once Scott and I got married, and we had discussed it, we decided that I would stay home when they were little, and when they were old enough to go to school, I would go back to work, and my salary would pay for private Christian school tuition, and as the years, you know, months really came to fruition for my oldest, my husband started backpedaling, and he started talking this crazy talk about homeschooling. I'm like, that's a switcheroo for you. What are you talking about? I was like, that's weird. I don't want to do that. I don't feel called to do that. That does not seem like a comfortable space for me. I don't want my kids to endure that, and ultimately, I lacked confidence in that. I couldn't even articulate it. It felt scary, terrifying. Why would I take something so weighty into my own hands, and Scott was very persistent, and I can't even explain why he was so persistent about it, but I think to me, I feel like it was planted in him by the Lord, and he felt that this was the way he wanted to lead his family, and he did it so graciously because I was very resistant. He asked, would you please try it for one year, and if you are unhappy, you don't think it's right. I'll never ask you about it again, and that gave me a softer place to land where I felt like it wasn't signing up for a long-term commitment because I knew I was going to hate it, and I said, sure. I will do that, and oh, my gosh. It was the most amazing year, and I laugh now because my daughter was four, so, she's like four and turned five during that year, and so, she was so young, and people were like, well, what were you really doing, but I took it so seriously. I was doing all things, and I joined a homeschool support group, and I was reading about it, and I realized on Friday, I'm a stay-at-home mom, and on Monday, I took on this identity of a homeschooling mom, and it's just been a beautiful journey for us. I'm so thankful that the Lord led Scott in that way. He knew what was right, not just for our children, but for me, too, when I had no vision for it, and so, I'm just, you know, very grateful.   Laura Dugger: (7:16 - 7:30) I love that story. That's such an encouragement, and, okay, your oldest is turning 16, so, when you look back, what would you say has helped shape your children's character the most?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (7:32 - 9:29) Well, I think the time that we've all had to spend together, like intense amounts of time, so, not just quality time or quantity time, but both, and I think that there's nothing else I could have done that could replace that, so, I think that's one of the things. I think my own acceptance of the divine nature of me being their mother and those being my children, and really that leading me to embrace my mother's intuition, which is something that I was hesitant for at first because there are so many experts, and surely they know so much more than me, and that's not to say that that's not important. I read so widely. I'm always reading expert ideas and views, but what I realized is that those things can help me as tools. They can mentor me, but they can't master me because the master has already appointed me as the perfect mom for these children, and nobody knows them, the little tiny details of them that nobody knows more than me, and so, when I leaned into that and I'm like, yeah, this says this online, this book said that, this thing says that, I can take what I can from those, but ultimately I feel the spirit telling me and leading me in this way with these children, and when I really leaned into that, I have a right to do that. I am their mother. That revolutionized things, and I think that's what's helped shape my children's character the most is my willingness to lean into how I'm led to lead them, and so, that's been a motherhood journey for me, and I hope that it's a legacy that I leave with my children.   Laura Dugger: (9:31 - 9:53) And do you have any specific stories that come to mind that were examples of that mother's intuition, something that really I think it is such a gift from the Lord and that the Holy Spirit speaks to us in some unique way as mothers to be in tune with our kids, so, is there a time that it really benefited them when you exercised your mother's intuition?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (9:53 - 12:42) Well, there was one time with my third, my son, my oldest son, his name is Beckett, and he was in the high chair eating while I was braiding my daughter's hair, and I heard him start making like these really weird noises, and I looked over and it was like he was choking and gagging, and I run over, and but he seemed fine, but then he would do it again, and he started sweating, and you know today I really would say, you should call 9-1-1, but I didn't, I threw all the kids in the car, and I rushed to the ER, and when we got there he wasn't choking anymore, he wasn't sweating, they did his vitals and everything, and they said, well mom, whatever happened passed, he's fine, and you guys can go home, and I was like, no, he's not fine, I'm looking at him, he's not my little boy, his vitals are checking out, but he's not looking at me the way he normally looks at me, he's not interacting with me, the little funny things that I can make him smile all the time, he's not responding to them, and so, like, I know you have your tests, but like my, I'm telling you something's wrong with my little boy, so, they have a doctor, he comes in to tell me everything's fine, and he's sending me home, and so, I was like, well I'm not leaving, I'll just spend the night in the ER then with all my kids, because I know something's wrong, and the doctor, who's this older man, he turns to me, he looks me in my eyes, and he says, you know, in all my years of medical training, there's something that they never told us, but something I've learned throughout my career, never doubt a mother's intuition, and he said, we'll take him and run more tests, and they took Beckett back to run more tests, and they came back and said, you were right, he has swallowed a coin, and it's like just teetering on the precipice, and so, at times it was blocking his airway, and at times it was shifted a little bit, and we have to go in immediately and get it, and that could have choked him, if you had just gone home and put him down to bed, and so, in that story, I took away two things, one, that I am his mother, and I don't care what the test says, or what the data says, or what the news, or a book, at the end of the day, I knew that something was wrong with my boy, the other thing is the graciousness of that doctor, to see my humanity and my personhood beyond just the insurance payment, or protocol, or whatever, it let me know that like there's something powerful about letting other people know that you see them, and that you are connected to them, as another part of God's creation, like he respected me on that level, so.   Laura Dugger: (12:43 - 13:35) That is incredible, I'm so grateful that that story has a happy ending, and that you were assertive to say that, I think sometimes as women, probably especially as Christian women, we can think, oh I want to be nice, or not push back on somebody, but I love that you were assertive, it was what was in your child's best interest, and like you highlighted, that doctor's humility is admirable, but Amber, you mentioned too that you're a writer, and you contribute a lot to things like the Wild and Free bundles, and I was always struck by the way that you would be out in nature, and there's so much to learn, so, if you had to boil it down, what wisdom would you have to share from what you've learned about the importance of getting our kids and ourselves outdoors into nature?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (13:36 - 16:49) Yeah, that's so funny, I love that you asked me that, because I like to tell people I was raised in the air conditioning, and so, there is no one who began motherhood further away from nature and being outdoors than me, like, and I can look back at those early days of like, I knew you could take your kids to the playground, and I did do that, but like what else would you do outside, you know, and people would be like, oh we went hiking on this trail, and I was like, where did you get on it, like where do you find a trailhead, like I mean this is back, like this is where I was coming from, and I was just like, and then what would we do, like we just walk, and do we talk about trees, I don't know any trees, I know Christmas trees are evergreens, you know, so, it was just like coming from this very like foundational place where I didn't know anything, but I believed, right, I believed, I somehow inherently believed when I read that being outdoors was important for children, so, I'm reading Charlotte Mason's work, and she's talking about nature study, I'm reading Last Child in the Woods by Louvre, and I'm hearing about this, he calls it a nature deficit disorder, and I'm reading all of these different kind of people who really respected childhood, and personhood, and really wanted the best for children, I'm reading a Christian perspective of the joy in connecting with God's creation, first and foremost, but also this idea of encouraging natural and authentic physical activity, running, climbing, balancing, exploring, developing coordination, and confidence, and the mental health components, you know, reducing stress, and improving mood, and not just for the kids, but my friend from A Thousand Hours Outside, she talks about how the first time she like took her kids out for the whole day, it was for her, because she was going crazy with these all these little kids, and the house, and the bags, and the diaper bag, and the snacks, and she didn't know what else to do, so, she just went outside, and how healing that was, and therapeutic that was for all of them, the idea of curiosity, of fueling curiosity, and creativity, I've never seen my kids come up with the most, I mean, they come up with imaginative things in our house, but outside, the, oh my goodness, the things they come up with, the things they create, and make, and the storytelling that comes out of that, and I think the family bonds, our experiences, it's another way of memory making, I mean, we make memories when we go see plays, and musicals, and travel as well, so, it's not the only way, but it's a strong way of that shared outdoor adventures, so, like a couple weeks ago, we were all whitewater rafting, it's funny, like a lot of funny things happen when you're out there doing crazy stuff, and so, we have a lot of laughter, and we have a lot of inside jokes that come from our time together, so, I think that all of those, it's not just one thing, it's one of those rare things where there are all the pros, and there really are no cons, and so, I intentionally embrace that for my family, even though it's everything that I didn't have growing up.   Laura Dugger: (16:50 - 17:41) Wow, that is so interesting, I love how books have really inspired you to make changes that have benefited your entire family, and I'm thinking back years ago when I was in grad school, studying marriage and family therapy, there was this book that we read, Letters to a Young Therapist, I believe the author is Mary Pipher, and she said something that I found to be very true in my life, she said, from childhood when we all look back, our memories typically boil down to three categories, one is family dinners around the table, the second is traveling with our family, and the third is anytime we were outdoors, and so, I'm wondering that legacy that you're giving your kids, they're going to have an abundance of memories in all three of those buckets.   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (17:42 - 18:29) Yeah, I love that, and I had never read that, it's making me want to go and read her work, but I can't agree more, I mean that's what I've seen anecdotally, at least in my family, and it's definitely been the case for us, I can totally see that, the other thing I love about outdoors too is it's free, you know, so, there have, we've had times of plenty and times of not quite enough financially throughout our journey, due to layoffs, and you know, recessions, and all these different things, but that has been one thing that the travel hasn't always been as consistent as we wanted, but the nature, the time outside has always been accessible, even during COVID, that was accessible to us, so, I love it for that too, but yeah, that's really cool.   Laura Dugger: (18:29 - 18:41) Absolutely, okay, so, you started with, you were getting some inspiration from different books and speakers, but then when did you actually implement this? Do you remember how old your kids were?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (18:42 - 20:11) Right away, so, my oldest was like four, five years old, and we started going outside, now again, we had always been going to the park, so, they had been spending a lot of time outside, but I will say like that's like a very, you know, man-made structures, and you know, I can't think of it, like very cultivated space, so, we weren't spending time in uncultivated space until around there, so, maybe a four-year-old, two-year-old, and infant, and I know they started growing up in that way, and I had kids in an ergo on the back, and I remember hiking with a kid in an ergo on the front, and then snapped another one on the back, and you know, these are memories I have of being outdoors thoroughly by the time the boys were coming along, and I remember the story where we were at a creek, and I looked up for a moment, and just sheer panic that my little boy was gone, he wasn't in my eyesight anymore, and the girls were playing there, and I'm like, you know, and I look, and look, and look, and there's nothing, and no one, and all I can think you sees in the water, and I wasn't paying attention, and my heart's racing, and I'm like, girls, where's your brother? And my daughter says, mommy, he's sleeping on your back. And I'm like, oh my gosh, I just think, like, I was so tired during those years, and I just remember, I would just think, let's just go outside, and some days that's just the most I could come up with, but yeah, I was freaking out, and the little boy was sleeping on my back.   Laura Dugger: (20:12 - 21:50) And now a brief message from our sponsor.   Sam Leman Chevrolet in Eureka has been owned and operated by the Burchie family for over 25 years. A lot has changed in the car business since Sam and Stephen's grandfather, Sam Leman, opened his first Chevrolet dealership over 55 years ago.   If you visit their dealership today though, you'll find that not everything has changed. They still operate their dealership like their grandfather did, with honesty and integrity. Sam and Stephen understand that you have many different choices in where you buy or service your vehicle. This is why they do everything they can to make the car buying process as easy and hassle-free as possible. They are thankful for the many lasting friendships that began with a simple welcome to Sam Leman's. Their customers keep coming back because they experience something different.   I've known Sam and Stephen and their wives my entire life, and I can vouch for their character and integrity, which makes it easy to highly recommend you check them out today. Your car buying process doesn't have to be something you dread, so, come see for yourself at Sam Leman Chevrolet in Eureka. Sam and Stephen would love to see you, and they appreciate your business. Learn more at their website, LehmanEureka.com, or visit them on Facebook by searching for Sam Leman Eureka. You can also call them at 309-467-2351. Thanks for your sponsorship.   I'm wondering too, so, when you began, what did you start with? What did you do outside?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (21:51 - 24:13) So, we started with walking, and I also was very verbal about my, what I felt were my inadequacies with friends, and that's why, you know, I can't overemphasize the, I haven't brought that up yet, but the idea of community. You don't need a hundred friends, just a few people who either are doing the same thing as you, have done it, or know you personally so well. But I had a friend who was like this outdoor enthusiast, and I always admired her for that, and she'd be like, oh, I went to the hydrangeas, they're coming out today, and they're gonna bloom for four days, and you know, like, and she would be like, oh, do you want some wild blueberries? And I'd be looking at her with side eye, like, girl, I only eat blueberries from Publix, because how do I know that you know what you're doing? You know, those could be poisonous berries you identified wrong. So, we had this kind of ongoing thing, I just asked her, I was like, hey, could we go outside with you guys sometimes? And she was like, of course. So, our first hike was with her and her kids, and she showed me how to go outside and do nothing. Like, we didn't do anything, we just walked. And the kids let us, you know, they would stop and ponder things and ask questions, which she knew the answers to, but wouldn't answer. So, she was like, well, what do you think? Or that's something cool we can investigate, or whatever. So, I realized, wow, here's this expert naturalist who's not even using her expertise. I don't have any expertise, so I could do the same thing. Well, what do you think about that? So, the kids let us, we stopped when they stopped, we kept going when they kept going. We had plenty of water and snacks, which she had told me, which was important. And that was my first thing. It was a hike. And after that, I only went back to that place by myself with my kids without her, because that was the only trail I knew. I knew where to park and where to go, and I felt confident. And then lo and behold, I run into Charlotte Mason's work, where she talks about returning to the same place throughout the year, and having your kids compare what's happening their season to season. And so, different rationale for why I was doing that. But then I was like, look, there's beauty, even in the simplicity of me not knowing what else to do. So, that's kind of how we got into it. And then I started having more experience and going out and being more adventurous further away from home with my kids.   Laura Dugger: (24:14 - 24:24) Okay, so, then what other ways has it evolved? You mentioned whitewater rafting. So, you've got teens now. What does your time outdoors look like in this phase?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (24:25 - 26:02) So, lots of camping. So, you know, Memorial Day weekend, you know, we were camping in yurts with friends. This past weekend, we camped, we had a big Juneteenth celebration, and then we went camping for Juneteenth weekend. And so, I would say that kayaking, paddle boards, we have paddle boards, we take out fishing, I hate fishing personally, don't like it at all. But two of my kids enjoy fishing. So, I'm there for that. I'll just bring a book or whatever, because it's quite boring to me, but they love it. So, we moved. I mean, how much of a commitment is that we moved to a different house, when we were able to have our whole property is forest floor. So, it's completely shaded and intertwined with trees and plants and a kind of wild scape. And across the road is a lake where the boys can fish and I can call their names for lunch and they can hear me now. I have to yell it loud. It's kind of country. Other people probably like what is going on? I'm like, you know, but they can hear me right there. And so, the creek and just really everything. A lot, a lot of hiking, I will say we live near a mountain and we're in Georgia. So, the North Georgia mountains are not far from us. We have Appalachia or Appalachia, as my friend said, I mispronounce it. And yeah, there's nothing that isn't my one of my first dates with Scott was whitewater rafting. So, we've always kind of embraced that.   Laura Dugger: (26:03 - 26:37) Oh, that's a special way to tie in a married couple memory with your kids and get to pass that along. And water and mountains, those things are, they never get old. But I've heard others even say like, you don't have to take stuff other than water and snacks, like you mentioned, to go outside. But I like the practical tips that sometimes people take art supplies, and they can nature journal or a book to read aloud. Do you have any other practical tips like that, that you would encourage if somebody wanted to get started with this lifestyle?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (26:38 - 28:47) Yeah, I would say, um, we, okay, the best thing I can say is to just try it like I think that oftentimes I know my I'm like this, you want to try to be an expert at something before you actually put it into practice. And the point is, like, we're looking at someone's work or something that they're doing after years that they've been in practice. And then we're expecting to do that from the very beginning. And until we get there, we don't want to do it. So, for example, nature study, nature journaling, I always admired nature journaling. But when you look at people's nature journals that they people who are willing to share, there's usually a reason they're willing to share theirs because it looks beautiful. And mine didn't also look beautiful. But I was still willing to give it a try. And I love that. And I love my kids, what they've worked on. And I cherish all of our early beginning sketches. And quite honestly, I'm still not great. But I think having tools like watercolor pens and water pens where we can do watercolor on the go. And we've done many pictures out by the side of the creek on picnic blankets, especially like my older children while younger people are like, What do I do with these little ones like water, you know, like they love that splashing, making sandcastles and things while I'm painting or doing things watercolors with the with the older ones. And were they museum worthy? No. But there was a lot of enjoyment involved in a skill-based learning. So, I think asking questions and inquiry, using pictures, sure and painting, but also keeping track of things the the date that our cherry blossoms bloom, and our white cherry blossom blooms before the pink one every year and keeping track of that or paying trying to map all of the vegetation in our yard like we are, you know, know which trees what they're called where they come from that takes time. And those are things we've done. It's not like we're only just sitting there barefoot grounding ourselves and forest bathing. You know, we're out there learning as well. And I think that, you know, both are beautiful ways to enter into that.   Laura Dugger: (28:48 - 29:34) I love it. There's so many benefits. And you even mention grounding that helps so much going barefoot with inflammation and different body systems that are reset even by getting out and getting early morning light and the serotonin that's produced that turns into melatonin at night. So, we're happier in the day and sleepier at night, resetting systems in our eyes and like healing our body in different ways to an even how much better outdoor air is for us than indoor air. The benefits just go on and on. So, would you have any to add that either your family has experienced personally, or you've learned about just benefits of getting outdoors?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (29:34 - 31:29) Yeah, I think that one, even, you know, all the things you said, yes, and also the mental clarity. And that's why I don't like being time outdoors, being tied to a negative consequence for academic related behavior. So, the house across the road from ours, you know, I could say ironically, or just be like, God chose to gift us. It's a homeschooling family. They moved in a couple years ago, and they have some kids are some of our kids are similar ages. And our boys are just outside all the time together hours and hours and hours every single day. And I see the difference on days where the weather doesn't permit it or where one family or the other, you know, isn't available. There's a difference in terms of clarity and the work that's happening at the lesson table as well. And this came up, you know, my nephew, you know, they're not homeschooled, and his parents took him on a trip, which caused him to miss a day of school. And he missed an assignment that day, he didn't turn it in. And so, the school then when he got back to school punished him by keeping him indoors for recess. And I was helping, you know, my family craft a note that talks about two things. One, they punished a child for a decision the parents made. And that is grossly unfair, they should be talking to the parents about not missing school, if that's the important thing. And the second thing is, you took away the very thing that allows these children to have what they need to sit quietly and take in, you know, that that's not, that's not how you that's not an appropriate consequence. So, anyway, I feel that the mental clarity beyond the things I would have named the same things you already said, it would be the only other thing that I would bring in and why time outside actually helps us to achieve deeper and broader and more expansive learning when we are inside.   Laura Dugger: (31:29 - 31:54) That's good. And I love how you keep mentioning the piece of community that that's the best way to do this. So, regardless of somebody homeschools, or they don't, how can all of us actually prioritize this? And what's a good, healthy goal for getting started, even as specific as how much time outdoors, how many outdoors or how many days a week should we be outdoors?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (31:55 - 33:01) Yeah, that's, it's so different for every family, I think that you should go just past the point of comfort, you know, for most of us. So, if the point of comfort for you is like 30 minutes a week, then you would start out like aim for an hour a week, you know, 20 minutes, three days, if you're already outside for, you know, 10 hours, a couple hours each day, you know, I would say, maybe shake it up with what you're doing and see what would it be like to go on a really long outdoor excursion on a Saturday, or to take a day off or something like that. So, I don't want to say an exact number, because we're all entering in at a different place. For me, if someone had told me to spend eight hours outside with my kids, when I was first starting, and I'm used to going to playground for 20 minutes, that would have been overwhelming. And I would have been like; there's no way I'm ever gonna do it. So, I think like, just taking it, like, where do I feel most comfortable? And how can I push myself just past that point would be a great place to start and kind of a nice place to always stay? Like, what's the next thing that we can do to lean further into this?   Laura Dugger: (33:02 - 33:15) That's really good, very wise counsel. And Amber, you've mentioned that your family loves to travel. So, will you share any adventures that you've had as a family with world schooling?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (33:16 - 36:20) So, our goal, and it's just a fun thing, you know, I don't know if we'll totally do it, but I think we will, is to have children. So, for us, world schooling is where we're not on vacation, but we're actually deeply immersed in a learning stance in another country, another part of the world. And we're trying to do that on every continent, except Antarctica, before my oldest graduates. So, we have two continents left, we are going to be going to Asia in the fall. So, we'll be taking that one off of our list and for that particular feat. And then her senior year, we'll do Australia and hop over to New Zealand. That's the plan, if it's God's will for us to do that, that's what we would like to do, and that will complete our journey. And then we'll keep traveling, but that was just kind of a fun thing to help lead us, because there are so many places in the world to go, like how do you know? And so, that kind of helped us know, well, let's do this continent, let's do that continent. So, we took our first trip, we spent three months in South America, most of it spent in Bolivia. And I can tell you exactly the kids' ages, because my youngest turned two in Bolivia. So, they were two, four, six, and then one turned eight there. And so, that was, you know, diapers, I had a baby in diapers, a little one in diapers and still nursing when we went on our first trip. And I've never regretted that. People have said, why would you take kids so young? You know, they're not going to remember. And I think a couple thoughts. One, you'd be surprised, they do remember. They may not remember this artifact in some museum, but that's not what we spend most of our time doing. But they remember the people. And we've kept in touch with a lot of the people that we've met in these different countries. And we've even had visitors in our home, staying in our basement apartment that we met abroad. So, they do remember. They remember how things feel and taste more than they remember exactly, like historical markers and things like that. Also, I kind of compare it to like breastfeeding and nursing, like my kids, except for one little boy who held on way too long, but they don't remember that. But I believed that it was something good for them that was forming. It was helping to form who they were, not so much who they were personality wise, but their bodies as they were growing. And so, sometimes we do things that are foundational to our children's development, even if they don't have a conscious and direct memory of that thing. And that's how I see world travel. So, we've been to Europe, and we were in Greece when COVID hit. We were in the middle of a big trip there. So, we had the whole struggle to get back to the United States. We've been to West Africa, most spent in Ghana, England, France. We're going to Ethiopia this year. So, yeah, that's kind of, that's our thing.   Laura Dugger: (36:20 - 37:04) Wow. And those memories are incredible. Even let's say your children forget some of this, or if they're too young to remember all of it, you remember this and you get to share those stories with them and pass that along. I can't even imagine all of the learning that takes place from being immersed in those other cultures. But you also mentioned welcoming people into your basement apartment. So, you sound hospitable as a family. What does that actually look like? And I'm kind of going to throw two questions at you. What does that actually look like? And then both for world schooling and hospitality, what are tips for ways we can replicate that as well?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (37:06 - 39:52) So, one thing that's important to me to always share about world schooling, I have a whole chapter about our world schooling adventures in my first book, but one important thing that I call out there is Eli Gerzen. He's the guy who came up with the word world schooling. And he says, you know, we don't even need a passport to do it. That world schooling is really learning from the world around you. It could be your local library. It could be the internet. It could be your neighbors. And so, while I use this more global term of world schooling, because that's just what we call it in our family, the truth of the matter is it's a way of seeing the world and seeing all the opportunity to make connections right where you're sitting. And people are like, oh, you guys have so much money. I can't do that. First of all, we don't have so much money. Like, for instance, we have one car, right? So, there are sacrifices that we make that other people may choose to spend their money in a different way. So, we definitely don't have a ton of money. But more importantly, I'm thinking, yeah, you're saying that you don't have money, but how much have you explored your county? Like, what do you know about the history of your county? And have you been to your local historical society? And have you really, you know, got in? Have you been to an old the oldest cemetery within driving distance of your home? Have you gotten a tour of it to hear the stories of who's there? Like, you can have that same inquiry and curiosity without ever leaving. So, I'll say that first. And in terms of the hospitality part, it's like an it's an intention, right? You have to like, decide that you're going to do that, because it's so much easier not to have people at first view, like, oh, my house is not clean, and blah, blah, blah. And people don't just stop by the way they used to stop by, like my grandparents' house, it was so fun staying there in the summer, because people just folks just came in and out all day, just they come calling is what they call it, they come calling. And even when we read Jane Austin, people leaving the call guard, you know, when they came to visit, and you weren't there, like, there was this idea that you didn't have to have an appointment. And now you do, you have to let someone know before you're coming. So, it's a choice to be vulnerable, if you want to be hospitable in that way that people will see your, you know, dirty bones of your house. And you know that you're not always presenting this, like really sanitized version of your family and your family life. And so, I think that's intentional decision to say it's more important to us to be with other people and let them in than it is for us to always sanitize everything before they get here. And I don't mean sanitizes and clean the house that too, but I mean sanitizes and everyone's behaving the way that I want them to behave in front of people and all of that as well.   Laura Dugger: (39:53 - 41:05) When was the first time you listened to an episode of The Savvy Sauce? How did you hear about our podcast? Did a friend share it with you? Will you be willing to be that friend now and text five other friends or post on your socials anything about The Savvy Sauce that you love? If you share your favorite episodes, that is how we continue to expand our reach and get the good news of Jesus Christ in more ears across the world. So, we need your help.   Another way to help us grow is to leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts. Each of these suggestions will cost you less than a minute, but it will be a great benefit to us. Thank you so much for being willing to be generous with your time and share. We appreciate you.   Well, and I think it is a biblical command for all of us and it does bless the person or the people that we are hosting, but there are also rewards for us in the process. So, if you even just could think of one reward of a way that this hospitality has blessed your family, what would you say?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (41:07 - 41:55) Well, I would say John chapter five, it says, you know, this verse we've all heard, "I am the vine, you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit apart from me, you can do nothing." So, you know, when we talk about hospitality, we spend a lot of time talking about what my family is doing for other people. But also, that means that my family is constantly in contact with other believers and other people who are helping us with our faith to helping us to remain connected to Jesus. And without that connection, we know that there's nothing that we can do, nothing of any spiritual significance. So, while I'm inviting those people into our lives, it also ensures that my family is not alone in what we're trying to do in our faith. So, like, that's one of a very easy benefit, I can say right off the top.   Laura Dugger: (41:56 - 42:18) Then that one is truly invaluable for our children to get to witness the way other people live out their faith, and it impacts each of us. But I'm also curious, how do you manage your time so that you can be a content creator, and you can homeschool and travel and cultivate these relationships?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (42:20 - 46:08) So, first, let me say that it's not always easy. And there are seasons where I feel like I'm doing a really good job with that. And there are seasons where I feel like I'm not doing a good job. I always prioritize my family first. And so, during the seasons where I feel like I'm not doing a good job, it's very public. People can see I did not post on Instagram for a month, or I'm not speaking as much. They're finding it harder to find opportunities to hear me speak, or I have a long lull before books are published. Those are times where I've turned inward towards my family, where I felt like I didn't have the bandwidth for everything. And so, that's something I have to deal with on a constant basis, because I know that my business or my ministry is not as rich and robust as it could be. I have ideas for days. I have ideas and the ability to bring them to fruition. But I'm not willing to sacrifice the time that it takes to do those things in this season. Because even though I don't have little kids, I definitely have more time than I did when I had little kids. It's not even just time; it's more mind clarity as well. But I don't have as much time as people with little kids would think, because I want to be fully present, even for my teens. When they want to talk to me, I want to be talkable too. I want to be available to them. And we're going to places. We're doing things. They're busy. I'm busy. And I'm trying to prepare them for young adulthood. And that's just as time-consuming as trying to prepare my young children for the next stage of their development. So, I guess it's so messy. Oh my gosh, it's messy. It's chaotic. It's a little bit crazy. But in the center of it all, I really appreciate the opportunities I do have to do the things that help refuel, help me refuel. So, I'm a writer. So, writing isn't just about creating a book. It's that I get to create a book, but really it's about the process and how cathartic it is for me to sit in silence and wonder about things and be able to write them out. And oh, lo and behold, there's a publisher who is interested in publishing those things. But the real work for me is in the process of writing. Then when I come home from a coffee shop or I emerge from my room, I come back more enthusiastic about what it is we're working on and what we're doing. The other thing that I would share is that I don't do all of that stuff by myself. So, things that people don't, just like I say, I have one car and we travel the world, people are like, oh, okay, this is not what I thought. My husband does all the laundry, every piece of laundry in this house that the teens do their own, but all the laundry that's done, he does and has done for over a decade. So, that's a thing I have to say, because you might be picturing that I'm doing all of those things. Or when I wrote one of my books, I was struggling and Scott was like, how can I help you? And he was like, what if we get help to come in with the kids like a nanny or something a few hours a week? I'm like, no, that's the last thing I want somebody to touch. So, he's like, well, what is it? So, we hired a chef, and she would prepare all of our dinners according to like what I, how I like my family to eat and lots of whole foods and good things. And she would drop them off at our house. It was very expensive, but I used part of the money from the advance from the publisher to pay for that so that I could write the book. So, I think those are things that a lot of times people don't talk about, but I have support in place. I'm not super woman any more than anyone else.   Laura Dugger: (46:08 - 46:49) Oh, I appreciate that real picture and those creative ideas because as mothers, we don't just make goals for ourselves. Like you said, we have these dreams and ideas that we could put into practice, but we consider our relationships as well and how it will impact everyone. So, I love hearing practically how that plays out for you and the trade-offs that you've chosen to make. And I know that you and I also share a passion for reading aloud. So, if we could get really practical for a moment, what are some of your most recommended read aloud for families from a variety of age groups?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (46:50 - 53:05) Well, I'm always ready for that question, but I have to say, it's almost asking me, which of my children are my favorite? It's so hard in so many ways, but for younger elementary, I picked three books that I think kind of help show how expansive I feel like I want my children's reading life to be. So, this book is called Indigo Dreaming, and it's a book about two girls, one's in North America and another one we can believe is off the coast of Africa. And they're both doing what they do in their own homes. And it's beautifully illustrated also, but they're both doing what they do in their own homes while wondering, is there another little girl in this world doing what I do, liking what I like? Well, indeed there is. And it's poetic and it has soft paintings. It's just stunning. And then another one is called The Magic Doll. It's a children's book inspired by African art. And in this book, the mother desperately wants to have a child, but she's dealing with infertility, and she turns to the use of an infertility doll. And what would I say about that? My family doesn't believe that, but it's a book that I read with my children because we were going to visit this culture. And I wanted to explain to them how we can respect something and learn about it even without adopting it. And that you can understand the yearning of a mother's heart to hold a child in her hand and the desperation that that could bring about. And I wanted them to know that we would see fertility dolls there and what they meant and things like that. And it's also beautifully illustrated, which is important to me. And then this one's just a fun book. It's called I Had a Favorite Dress, but as the dress starts getting too small, she cuts it and turns it into a skirt. And then it gets turned into this. And then the little, small piece gets turned into some socks. And then it's just a little scarf and snip, snip, sew, sew, pretty hair bow. And so, the same piece of fabric, this favorite dress she had, every time she can't use it in that way anymore, it gets moved and shifted. Into something else. And this book reminds me to just, you know, sometimes we share heavier topics with our children, even beautiful topics, but sometimes it's just joy. Like that's the whole purpose of the book is to smile and have fun. And I'll move more quickly for the older elementary books. I have this book called Schomburg. It's a nonfiction book about Arturo Schomburg and the man who built a library, which is now housed. His home library is now housed as part of the collection of the public library system in New York. And he collected books about all types of black and brown people. And it was considered one of the foremost library collections. So, as a book lover, I love that story. This one's called Heart and Soul. It's the story of America and African Americans with stunning illustrations by Kadir Nelson. So, I love visual art. I always say my family, we can't afford to buy the most exquisite art for our walls, but we have an exquisite art collection through our picture books that I've collected. And then the last one is for that group is John Henry by Julius Lester and Jerry Pinkney illustrations. So, those are two powerhouses of African American author and illustrator. Both have passed. And it is the tall tale of John Henry told in a way that you've never seen before. For older kids, like middle schoolers, I love this one Big Open Sky because it's about some black exodusters who are moving west. And it goes so well for families who love Little House on the Prairie. But, you know, Little House on the Prairie, in some ways, there's some instances that are a little disrespectful to Native Americans and black people. And this is like a redemptive story, not instead of but alongside of it to say that there were black people that were also moving westward and what was their journey. And it's written in verse, like, oh, my gosh, I can't even tell you enough about that. This book, The Angel Orphan, my friend Leah Bowden wrote this book, and it's the story of Charlotte Mason. So, in chapter book form. So, there's also a picture book that someone wrote, but this is a beautiful story about Charlotte Mason. And my family's all-time favorite on my kids read aloud is The Winged Feather Saga by Andrew Peterson. And that whole series, oh, my goodness, that cemented so much of our family lexicon, because it's filled with like made up words. And it I mean, we have jokes and talks and sayings for days coming out of that series. For our older teenagers, um, or even early elementary, early middle school and early teenage years, the Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry is just like a such a classic, Mildred D. Taylor that many of us read. But she also wrote a young adult version where Cassie is entering young adulthood. So, different age audiences, but same author. And a lot of people haven't heard of the other book All the Days Past, All the Days to Come. So, for high school, I love that. And then I threw a couple things in for mama. I'm an epic story of called Homegoing about two sisters and the different paths their lives take during a time I'm part of it is told in Africa and part of its told in the United States. And the last book I have is this memoir, A Black Mother's Garden. It's called Soil. And she uses her actual real garden at her home to kind of give us this idea of life. And it's, it's, you know, it's, it's hard to explain, but it's her it's part memoir, part gardening, like learning and talking about the plants, but also how all of that can turn into kind of like the soil of your life and the people being plants, and she really focuses on wildflowers. So, it's a stunningly, like poignant and beautiful memoir. So, those are my favorite, you know, and now if you ask me tomorrow, you're going to get a different stack.   Laura Dugger: (53:07 - 53:27) I love it. What a gift to get to see all of those you and I share some of those favorites, and you've introduced me to some new ones. So, I'm very grateful and hope everybody listening feels the same. But speaking of books, you've authored more than one. But will you tell us about your most recent release entitled Soul School?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (53:28 - 55:58) Yeah, so, Soul School is it's Soul School: Taking Kids on a Joy Filled Journey Through the Heart of Black American Culture. And I know it's so hard with those. But it is a book of books. So, people who have enjoyed Honey for a Child's Heart, or The Read-Aloud Family, those types of books, which I have adored, and I have all of them, and I've highlighted them or, or Give Your Child the World is another one, highlighted them and dog eared them and have used them to check out books for the library for my children for many, many years. And, and at the same time, I was always very, you know, on my heart that the books that I spend a lot of time reading with my children that I choose and I select are never really included in most of those books.   And there was the season, you know, I'm like, frustrated, you know, I'm mad. I'm like, why? Why are they putting these books in here? And then the more I thought about it, I was like, the most you can ask for a mother to do when she's sharing these books, when it's coming from that is what she read with her children. So, am I going to be mad at her that she didn't read what I think she should read? No, do I wish that it had been more expansive? Sure, I do. But how many of us wouldn't go back and do something differently if knowing what we know today or whatever. So, I wrote a companion like the I see not to replace those books. But this book is filled with African American and black diasporic children's literature starting from preschool all the way through high school.   The first part of the book, I talk about what I'm looking for specifically in books about black American culture, and why those things are important. So, the first few chapters, first five chapters are really teaching the teacher. And then the rest of the book, which makes up most of the book are really rich annotated book lists with descriptions why I chose the book discussion questions, project ideas, and something called second helpings. Like when you think of a big soul food dinner, you go through the line the first time and you fill your plate, but then you go back for second helpings of the things that taste the very best. So, if your child likes this book, then here are two second helpings that they also would probably enjoy. And you know, the book was years in the making, I read all 300 plus books in there from cover to cover. And that's kind of my contribution to raising our children.   Laura Dugger: (56:00 - 56:40) Wow, I mean, it is a stunning piece of work. And there's so much for your family, but also for all of us. So, I think of being one of your kids, what a treasure that their mom read 300 books and put this together. But for all of us, I love books on books. And like you said, we can use it to go to the library or then once we read those and find which other ones we love, we can add it to our home collection. So, thank you for that powerhouse of work. And Amber, there's still so much more that you could share with us. Where can we go after this conversation to connect with you or to learn more?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (56:42 - 56:56) Go to heritagemom.com. And there you'll find all of my books and years' worth of blog posts and book recommendations and other things. My Instagram is @heritagemomblog and the same at Facebook.   Laura Dugger: (56:56 - 57:12) Wonderful. Okay, we will add those links to the show notes for today's episode. And you may be familiar that we're called The Savvy Sauce because savvy is synonymous with practical knowledge. And so, as my final question for you today, Amber, what is your savvy sauce?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (57:12 - 57:50) Oh, this is such a great question. I love this part of your podcast. I would say that my savvy sauce is learning to be a really great listener. Like if there's nothing else, then that's listening to my husband and the things of his heart and listening to my children and my neighbors and my friends.   But also, people I don't know, people in other places. And also, people I disagree with and being willing to be quiet and listen and take what I can from what they're sharing as well. So, that is, I think my savvy sauce is being an introspective listener.   Laura Dugger: (57:50 – 58:13) That is well said. You are such an inspiring and creative soul. And I have thoroughly enjoyed this chat. And I know I've been hearing you speak on other podcasts and reading your work for years. So, this was such a treat to get to connect with you today. And I just want to say thank you for being my guest.   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (58:14 - 58:16) Thank you so much for having me.   Laura Dugger: (58:16 - 1:01:59) One more thing before you go. Have you heard the term gospel before?   It simply means good news. And I want to share the best news with you.   But it starts with the bad news.   Every single one of us were born sinners, but Christ desires to rescue us from our sin, which is something we cannot do for ourselves.   This means there is absolutely no chance we can make it to heaven on our own.   So, for you and for me, it means we deserve death, and we can never pay back the sacrifice we owe to be saved.   We need a Savior. But God loved us so much, he made a way for his only son to willingly die in our place as the perfect substitute.   This gives us hope of life forever in right relationship with him. That is good news. Jesus lived the perfect life we could never live and died in our place for our sin.   This was God's plan to make a way to reconcile with us so that God can look at us and see Jesus.   We can be covered and justified through the work Jesus finished if we choose to receive what He has done for us.   Romans 10:9 says, “That if you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”   So, would you pray with me now?   Heavenly Father, thank you for sending Jesus to take our place.   I pray someone today right now is touched and chooses to turn their life over to you. Will you clearly guide them and help them take their next step in faith to declare you as Lord of their life?   We trust you to work and change lives now for eternity. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. If you prayed that prayer, you are declaring him for me, so me for him.   You get the opportunity to live your life for him.   And at this podcast, we're called The Savvy Sauce for a reason.   We want to give you practical tools to implement the knowledge you have learned. So, you ready to get started?   First, tell someone. Say it out loud. Get a Bible.   The first day I made this decision, my parents took me to Barnes & Noble and let me choose my own Bible.   I selected the Quest NIV Bible, and I love it. You can start by reading the book of John. Also, get connected locally, which just means tell someone who's a part of a church in your community that you made a decision to follow Christ.   I'm assuming they will be thrilled to talk with you about further steps, such as going to church and getting connected to other believers to encourage you.   We want to celebrate with you too, so feel free to leave a comment for us here if you did make a decision to follow Christ.   We also have show notes including where you can read scripture that describes this process. And finally, be encouraged.   Luke 15:10 says, “In the same way I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”   The heavens are praising with you for your decision today.   And if you've already received this good news, I pray you have someone to share it with. You are loved and I look forward to meeting you here next time.

In the forty-second episode of The Motherwhelm, I am joined by Mahaley, therapist, co-author of 'Your NICU Story', and mother of four. She shares the loss of her second daughter, Sacchi, and talks about how it shaped her subsequent birth and surrogacy journey, and what it means to parent while living with grief and fear.We talk about the ongoing balance of honouring loss without letting it overshadow the lives of her living children - and how she works to give them a full, joyful childhood while carrying such profound grief.Texts mentioned in this episode:'Your NICU Story: Reflecting on Your Family's Experience' by Mahaly Patel and Emily Souder'The Whole Brain Child' by Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson'How to Talk So Little Kids Will Listen' by Joanna Faber and Julie King'The Family Firm: A Data-Driven Guide to Better Decision Making in the Early School Years' by Emily OsterDr Becky Kennedy's ouvre'Untangled' by Lisa Damour'Reviving Ophelia; by Mary Pipher

Bestselling author and psychologist Mary Pipher, PhD, joins us for a heartfelt conversation about what it means to age well as women. From redefining identity beyond beauty to embracing friendship, presence, and purpose, Mary shares wisdom for navigating life's later chapters. Though centered on aging, her insights resonate across generations, offering guidance and inspiration for women at every stage of life. As two women approaching midlife and raising young children, we left the conversation feeling more grounded, inspired, and hopeful about what lies ahead.LOVELINK is hosted by Brooklyn-based therapists Dr. Signe Simon and Dr. Simone Humphrey. If you'd like to contact us directly, send us an email to info@modernmind.co.

What an intense past couple of weeks! I don't know about you, but I've experienced a whirlwind of emotions lately. I feel sad about my kids' futures and am grieving over the state of our democracy. At the same time, I feel empowered, knowing that I have self-agency and can choose how I feel each day. By paying attention to when I'm in fight or flight versus rest and digest, I recognize that I can't help others if I'm constantly in a state of fear, hate, or anger. So, I've made a pact with myself: to feel all my feelings, but also embrace what is, and move forward from a place of love and light, guided by what I call the *mother archetype*—an image of a nurturing, protective mother that resides in the collective unconscious of all humans. This archetype is associated with qualities of love, compassion, protection, fertility, creativity, and abundance.Having both Mary Pipher and Elizabeth Lesser on the Cracking Open podcast this week felt like divine timing. Over the last month, I re-released the episodes that they had previously and individually done, to remind the listeners who they are and the vast amounts of wisdom they each have to offer. Having them back in my first-ever dual interview for this podcast was an even greater treat!This special conversation reminds us that life can be simpler if we focus on giving and receiving warmth, spending time in nature, and being present in every moment—whether it's the comfortable or the uncomfortable parts of life. Both of these women encourage us to ask ourselves each day: “What am I walking away from today, and what am I walking toward?”Their wisdom reminds us that life is not easy, and Elizabeth encourages us to be curious about what it means to be a hero: “Let's make the heroes be the ones who stay behind and tend and befriend. Who love. Let's make love be the sign of a hero.” Or, as Mary says, “Mr. Rogers was wonderful because he opened up children's eyes to the diversity of people, and also the importance of understanding and kindness toward people.”Both women embody the *mother archetype*, and they will undoubtedly give you hope for the future, remind you to love your neighbors, and inspire you to never give up on your passion to help others while also finding your own path.Elizabeth Lesser has touched millions through her bestselling books, co-founded the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, NY, helped Oprah Winfrey produce a 10-week online seminar based on Eckhart Tolle's A New Earth, is a frequent Oprah's Soul Series host and has appeared on Super Soul Sunday.Mary Pipher is a community organizer and activist for many causes and has authored 11 books including 4 New York Times bestsellers. Her latest book is A Life in Light, a luminous new memoir that taps into a cultural moment to offer wisdom, hope, and insight into loss and change.After finishing their interview, I sat in my chair with my hand on my heart and took some deep breaths. I felt immense gratitude for the opportunity to have conversations and connections with such incredible and courageous women like Elizabeth and Mary. Our time together reminded me that when I am scared or in a place of fear, I am going to pause and redirect my energy. I'm going to make Love my hero and my north star.Love,MollyLearn more about Elizabeth Lesser and her work hereLearn more about Mary Pipher and her work hereThe next 6-Month Coaching Group begins in August 2025.Click here for more details.Follow Molly on Instagram and Facebook

The Cracking Open podcast has an exciting upcoming episode where, for the first time, I host a dual interview with Elizabeth Lesser and Mary Pipher to discuss a particular and profound issue for women (stay tuned for its release on November 21st!)Leading up to that episode's release, I am re-releasing their initial interviews with me so you can soak in their deep wisdom and charm. You can listen to Elizabeth's episode here. Whether it's the first time you've listened or a refresh, you are in for a treat.This week's episode on the Cracking Open podcast is someone who I would consider a cherished guide in my personal and professional journey over the last two decades.Mary Pipher, Ph.D. is a truly extraordinary psychologist who specializes in women, trauma, and the effect of culture on our mental health.I first came across Mary's work twenty years ago while teaching at an all-girls school in San Francisco. I felt lost on how to best provide emotional support to my students when they felt left out with friends, insecure about their bodies, navigating challenges in their home lives, or struggling with feeling worthy. A fellow teacher recommended that I read a book called Reviving Ophelia by Mary Pipher.When I read her words below, I knew I had found the right guidance:“Girls struggle with mixed messages:Be beautiful, but beauty is only skin deep.Be sexy, but not sexual.Be honest, but don't hurt anyone's feelings.Be independent, but be nice.Be smart, but not so smart you threaten boys.”Ever since, I have read anything and everything that Mary has written and it has always been a compassionate, wise, and safe place to land. And because of this, I am pinching myself that I got to have this conversation with her and share it with all of you.Mary graduated in Cultural Anthropology from the University of California at Berkeley and received her Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska in Clinical Psychology. She was a Rockefeller Scholar in Residence at Bellagio and has received two American Psychological Association Presidential Citations, one of which she returned to protest psychologists' involvement in enhanced interrogations at Guantánamo and other black sites.She is a community organizer and activist for many causes and has authored 11 books including 4 New York Times bestsellers. Her latest book is A Life in Light, a luminous new memoir that taps into a cultural moment to offer wisdom, hope, and insight into loss and change.In today's episode, Mary reminds us that we don't have to be perfect, solve every problem, or "fix" anyone. She also helps us remember that we live in a universe filled with love and light that surrounds us and is available to us, at all times.I will leave you with her wise words:“I think a wonderful life doesn't mean that a person hasn't had a lot of tragedy. It means they've had a big, rich life where they've been able to experience a really wide range of emotions and people and adventures and learnings of all different kinds.And of course, in terms of loving fiercely, the price for loving fiercely is the pain of goodbye, but I would always choose to love fiercely.”Love,MollyLearn more about Mary Pipher and her work hereThe new 6-Month Coaching Group begins November 13th!Email Molly for more details!Follow Molly on Instagram and Facebook

October 19th marked the 13th anniversary of my dad's passing. It was a deeply profound day, as I experienced a revelation about my grief. I realized that to reach a healthier place with my grief, I needed to engage with it differently. For the past 13 years, I've held onto a level of consciousness regarding my grief that requires transformation. I've been wearing a cloak of identification with the narrative of someone who lost their parents too young, feeling like a victim and grappling with anger over both of my parents' deaths (my mom passed away five years ago). However, last Saturday, I realized to reach the next level of healing, I needed to cultivate a different relationship with my grief and my dad. While I'm unsure exactly what this new relationship looks like, I set an intention that day to let go and surrender, shifting from the mindset of “this happened to me” to a perspective of “this happened for me.” I aspire for my grief to embody more light than darkness, and to serve as a teacher rather than a burden. I want it to guide me toward humility and deeper wisdom. When grief resurfaces and I feel thesadness and loss in my bones, I wish to embrace it through my tears or screams, but not to identify solely with it.I share this journey because one woman who has profoundly influenced my understanding of grief is Elizabeth Lesser. I discovered her work around 11 years ago, shortly after my dad's death, when I read her book Broken Open. Every word resonated deeply and reassured me that I could survive this loss. This book radically changed my life, and I often gift it to those going through difficult transitions.The Cracking Open podcast has an exciting upcoming episode where, for the first time, I host a dual interview with Elizabeth and Mary Pipher to discuss a particular and profound issue for women (stay tuned for its release on November 21st!)Leading up to that episode's release, I will re-release their initial interviews with me so you can soak in their deep wisdom and charm. Whether it's the first time you've listened or a refresh, you are in for a treat.Elizabeth has touched millions through her bestselling books, including Cassandra Speaks: When Women Are the Storytellers, The Human Story Changes, Broken Open: How Difficult Times Can Help Us Grow and Marrow: Love, Loss & What Matters Most.She co-founded the Omega Institute, a retreat and conference center in Rhinebeck, NY, dedicated to holistic education and social change movements, attracting over 30,000 participants annually. In 2008, she also helped Oprah Winfrey produce a 10-week online seminar based on Eckhart Tolle's A New Earth, which reached more than 8 million viewers worldwide. Elizabeth is a frequent Oprah's Soul Series host and has appeared on Super Soul Sunday.Please enjoy this incredible conversation. Grab a cup of tea, a notebook, and a pen, and take this hour to soak in Elizabeth's storytelling, wisdom, and insights.Love,MollyLearn more about Elizabeth Lesser and her work hereThe new 6-Month Coaching Group begins November 6th! Email Molly for more details!Follow Molly on Instagram and Facebook

Please excuse some inferior sound, I am displaced from my studio at the moment because of some very disagreeable pipes at our house that decided to flood our bottom floor. Sex is discussed in this episode, just a heads up, but not in any graphic way.Find our Outlander podcast here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-great-outlander-rewatch/id1655047578Books referenced in this episode (purchasing them through my link supports the podcast as well as indie bookstores!):*Susan Douglas, Where the Girls Are: https://bookshop.org/a/80949/9780812925302*Mary Pipher, Reviving Ophelia: https://bookshop.org/a/80949/9780525537045*Tania Modleski, Loving with a Vengeance: https://bookshop.org/a/80949/9780415974516*Wendy McClure, The Wilder Life: https://bookshop.org/a/80949/9781594485688Support the showSupport Unsinkable on Patreon for as little as $1/month: https://www.patreon.com/unsinkablepodOr buy me a coffee!: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/labeadlesBuy Unsinkable shirts here!: https://www.bonfire.com/unsinkable-the-first-t-shirt/Support the pod via my Bookshop Storefront: https://bookshop.org/shop/unsinkablepodFind me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unsinkablepod/Website: https://www.unsinkablepod.com

In this sixth week of Eastertide, we return with the apostles to sit with Jesus at the table. Like our graduating seniors who are about to launch out into life, Jesus knew his time was short. As he left the table, he offered good gifts for those in our midst who are about to leave their family tables for a season. Two thousand years later, his gifts are still exactly what we all need. This message is based on Acts 1:1-11.Quotes: Shawn Shannon: Jesus ate with his disciples over and over again because he wanted to be with them.Duane Brooks: Jesus chose us as his people, he communes and communicates with us by his Spirit through the word, and he commissions us with powerful purpose. Farrell and Farrell: Boundless love, unending joy.  This is my life.  It's what I know.  I can't believe that he selected me.  Jesus, my Lord.  It's you I owe.Lauren Struzick: Those are my people.Mary Pipher:  We live our lives in the “shelter of each other."Virtus Gideon: At every church you will find someone who knows the Lord and knows the truth.  Knit your soul to them.T. S. Eliot:  While he was with his people, Jesus told them to wait in Jerusalem for the promised Holy Spirit to provide the power for his purposeAugustine: You have made us for yourself, O God.  We are restless until we find rest in you.To discover more messages of hope go to tallowood.org/sermons/.Follow us on Instagram, X, and YouTube @tallowoodbc.Follow us on FaceBook @tallowoodbaptist

 This is the last episode in 2023. Back on Jan. 26, 2024! *Debbie talks to Mary Pipher, a psychologist and bestselling author of 11 books including the ground-breaking Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls.  She was the first psychologist to recognize and articulate why life was difficult for adolescent girls and why so many of them felt bad about themselves.More recently, she has written Women Rowing North: Navigating Life's Currents and Flourishing As We Age, about women navigating the transition from middle age to old age (the topic of this podcast!).In 2022, she published a memoir, A Life in Light: Meditations on Impermanence. In her new book, just out in paperback, Mary, now 76, talks about her difficult childhood and her relationship with her parents, the importance of family and community, living in a small town in Nebraska, and what the particular challenges of getting old are. She also talks about forgiveness, about adopting Buddhism and her definition of happiness. Per the title, she's obsessed with light, through trees, on walks, at certain times of day, in certain rooms, and in memories — and how the light makes her feel happy and complete.She says her knowledge about happiness comes from being someone who has struggled with sadness and anxiety much of her life, something that resonates strongly with Debbie.This is a great episode. Mary articulates so well what it's really like to get old and yet still feel so alive.//////////Don't miss the Behind The Scenes essay accompanying each episode in Debbie's [B]OLD AGE on Substack.////////// Mentioned in this episode or useful:MaryPipher.comA Life in Light: Meditations on Impermanence by Mary Pipher (Bloomsbury Publishing paperback edition, Dec. 12, 2023)Reviving Ophelia 25th Anniversary Edition: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls by Mary Pipher PhD & Sara Gilliam (‎Riverhead Books 2019)Women Rowing North: Navigating Life's Currents and Flourishing As We Age by Mary Pipher (Bloomsbury Publishing paperback  2020)Finding Light in Winter by Mary Pipher (Guest Essay for The New York Times, Dec. 11, 2023)This is 74: Mary Pipher Responds to The Oldster Magazine QuestionnaireJane Jarvis, Player of Jazz and Mets Music, Dies at 94 (New York Times, Jan. 30, 2010) Connect with Debbie:debbieweil.comEmail: thebolderpodcast@gmail.com[B]OLD AGE podcast[B]OLD AGE newsletter on SubstackFacebook: @debbieweilInstagram: @debbieweilLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/debbieweil Our Media Partners:CoGenerate (formerly Encore.org)MEA and with thanks to Chip ConleyNext For Me (former media partner and in memory of Jeff Tidwell) How to Support this podcast:Leave a review on Apple PodcastsSubscribe via Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher or Spotify Credits:Host: Debbie WeilProducer: Far Out MediaMusic: Lakeside Path by Duck Lake

Mary Pipher revolutionized our understanding of adolescent girls with her best-selling book Reviving Ophelia. Since then, Mary has been writing about the skills women need to thrive across their lifespans. Drawing from her own experiences and her extensive work, including 'Letters to a Young Therapist' and 'Women Rowing North,' Pipher discusses the impact of cultural contexts on individuals, the necessity of self-discovery, and how to find rest amidst a midlife meltdown. She also encourages friendship, intention, and gratitude to cultivate happiness, illustrating that it's never too late to develop these life-coping skills.Related ResourcesGet enhanced show notes for this episodeSubscribe to my free Wise Effort newsletter.Become a MORE Life in Process member to support the show.Find out what kind of Striver you are and get your free Skillful Striving ToolkitWant to learn more about ACT? Take Diana's on-demand course, "Foundations of ACT"Diana's EventsCome to Diana's Costa Rica retreat in 2024...there are a few spots left!You can sign up for the Wise Effort Together (All-Access Pass) See Diana at an upcoming eventConnecting With DianaThank you for listening to Your Life in Process! Subscribe to the podcast for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts. Follow Diana on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Diana's website.Leave feedback for the show or a voicemail at ‪(805) 457-2776Thank you to the team Craig, Ashley Hiatt, and Yoko Nguyen. Thank you to Benjamin Gould of Bell & Branch for your beautiful music.Remember when you become psychologically flexible, you become free.

In this episode, I am joined by therapist, author, and professor Mary Pipher to discuss her memoir, A Life in Light: Meditations on Impermanence. We discuss her early childhood, participation in activism during the Vietnam War, her tenure as a therapist, her relationship with nature, light and grace, her focus on her family and, more recently, on non-attachment. https://a.co/d/gpozZHG

Een goede moeder zijn, maar ook een carrière najagen; sexy zijn, maar niet té: wat de maatschappij van vrouwen en meisjes vraagt is niet te doen. Logisch dat zo veel tienermeisjes met hun mentale welzijn worstelen, laat psycholoog Mary Pipher zien in haar klassieke boek Reviving Ophelia.  Wil je vrijblijvend kennismaken met ons journalistieke platform? Schrijf je in voor de proefmail en ontvang elke week een door redacteuren Sander van Dalsum en Milou Meulenbroek geselecteerd verhaal in je inbox: https://decorrespondent.nl/proefmail ****** Voor de beste en meest privacyvriendelijke luisterervaring kun je terecht in de Correspondent-app. Ontdek 500+ shows en verhalen en ga in gesprek met je favoriete correspondenten. Download de app snel in de app-store! Geen lid? Maak ook onafhankelijke journalistiek mogelijk en krijg toegang tot de app: corr.es/wordlid. ****** Productie: Kerem Özilhan, Julius van IJperen.
Voor vragen, opmerkingen of suggesties mail naar post@decorrespondent.nl

Een goede moeder zijn, maar ook een carrière najagen; sexy zijn, maar niet té: wat de maatschappij van vrouwen en meisjes vraagt is niet te doen. Logisch dat zo veel tienermeisjes met hun mentale welzijn worstelen, laat psycholoog Mary Pipher zien in haar klassieke boek Reviving Ophelia.  Wil je vrijblijvend kennismaken met ons journalistieke platform? Schrijf je in voor de proefmail en ontvang elke week een door redacteuren Sander van Dalsum en Milou Meulenbroek geselecteerd verhaal in je inbox: https://decorrespondent.nl/proefmail ****** Voor de beste en meest privacyvriendelijke luisterervaring kun je terecht in de Correspondent-app. Ontdek 500+ shows en verhalen en ga in gesprek met je favoriete correspondenten. Download de app snel in de app-store! Geen lid? Maak ook onafhankelijke journalistiek mogelijk en krijg toegang tot de app: corr.es/wordlid. ****** Productie: Kerem Özilhan, Julius van IJperen.
Voor vragen, opmerkingen of suggesties mail naar post@decorrespondent.nl

Today's episode on the Cracking Open podcast is someone who I would consider a cherished guide in my professional journey over the last two decades. Mary Pipher, Ph.D. is a truly extraordinary psychologist who specializes in women, trauma, and the effect of culture on our mental health.I first came across Mary's work twenty years ago when I was teaching at an all-girls school in San Francisco. I was feeling lost on how to best provide emotional support to my students when they felt left out with friends, insecure about their bodies, navigating challenges in their home lives, or struggling with feeling worthy. A fellow teacher recommended that I read a book called Reviving Ophelia by Mary Pipher. When I read her words below, I knew I had found the right guidance:“Girls struggle with mixed messages: Be beautiful, but beauty is only skin deep. Be sexy, but not sexual. Be honest, but don't hurt anyone's feelings. Be independent, but be nice. Be smart, but not so smart you threaten boys.” Ever since, I have read anything and everything that Mary has written and it has always been a compassionate, wise, and safe place to land. And because of this, I am pinching myself that I got to have this conversation with her and share it with all of you.Mary graduated in Cultural Anthropology from the University of California at Berkeley and received her Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska in Clinical Psychology. She was a Rockefeller Scholar in Residence at Bellagio and has received two American Psychological Association Presidential Citations, one of which she returned to protest psychologists' involvement in enhanced interrogations at Guantánamo and other black sites.She is a community organizer and activist for many causes and has authored 11 books including 4 New York Times bestsellers. Her latest book is A Life in Light, a luminous new memoir that taps into a cultural moment to offer wisdom, hope, and insight into loss and change.In today's episode, Mary reminds us that we don't have to be perfect, solve every problem, or "fix" anyone. She also helps us remember that we live in a universe filled with love and light that surrounds us and is available to us, at all times. I will leave you with her wise words:“I think a wonderful life doesn't mean that a person hasn't had a lot of tragedy. It means they've had a big, rich life where they've been able to experience a really wide range of emotions and people and adventures and learnings of all different kinds.And of course, in terms of loving fiercely, the price for loving fiercely is the pain of goodbye, but I would always choose to love fiercely.”Love,MollyLearn more about Mary Pipher herePurchase Mary's latest book A Life In Light hereConnect with Mary on FacebookLearn more about Molly Carroll hereConnect with Molly on Instagram and FacebookFeeling Stuck?It's Your Time To Get UNSTUCK3-Month Small Group Coaching ProgramStarting October 5, 2023Book a FREE discovery call with Molly today!

(2016) Mary Pipher, author of "Letters to a Young Therapist."

You may be familiar with the inner child and the inner adult, but when was the last time you thought about your inner teenager? In today's episode, we're exploring what qualities this often-forgotten inner part brings to the table. And, we're exploring why those of us who grew up trying to embody the “good girl” might have struggled to fully tap into the potential of our inner teenager. The characters are seemingly at odds: as Sheryl explains, if the good girl is all about saying yes, the inner teenager is all about saying no. But with our loving adult at the helm, ready to guide both the child and the teenager to safety and freedom, what might they have to learn from each other? And what might they have to teach us now?  All this, and more, in today's conversation.    References:  Little Women Play adaptation of The Diary of Anne Frank Gathering Gold Purity & Perfectionism episode Gathering Gold Sexual Sovereignty episode  Mae Martin's SAP A Midsummer Night's Dream Gathering Gold Summer episode Reviving Ophelia by Mary Pipher 

My brilliant, beautiful daughter Avery is turning 22. I'm so proud of the woman she's become, and the relationship we've built. I'm celebrating her by opening up about all the ways I screwed up raising her. Avery grew up as the younger sibling of a strong-willed older brother, so she experienced it all. But we've proven that being human and making mistakes doesn't have to drive a wedge between mother and daughter.  In this episode, you'll learn: How honesty and humility about your mistakes can help you build a close, resilient relationship with your kids, from childhood through adulthood. That it's possible to break cycles of trauma and mistreatment even if you're not a perfect parent. How the relationships you had - or wanted to have - with your parents inform the relationships you have with your kids. And much more!  As always, thanks for listening. Head over to Facebook, where you can join my free group Mastermind Parenting Community. We post tips and tools and do pop-up Live conversations where I do extra teaching and coaching to support you in helping your strong-willed children so that they can FEEL better and DO better. If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it! Get all the links, resources, and transcripts here: https://mastermindparenting.com/244 About Randi Rubenstein Randi Rubenstein helps parents with a strong-willed kiddo become a happier family and enjoy the simple things again like bike rides and beach vacays. She's the founder of Mastermind Parenting, host of the Mastermind Parenting podcast, and author of The Parent Gap. Randi works with parents across the U.S. At Mastermind Parenting, we believe every human deserves to have a family that gets along. Randi's Web and Social Links Website: https://mastermindparenting.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mastermindparenting Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mastermind_parenting/ Resources Discussed/Links Mastermind Parenting Live Assessment: https://mastermindparenting.com/live-assessment/ Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls, by Mary Pipher https://marypipher.com/reviving-ophelia/  Queen Bees and Wannabees, by Rosalind Wiseman: https://rosalindwiseman.com/queen-bees-and-wannabes

Join Shannon & Christine this week for the Season 13 wrap up of Women Connected in Wisdom. Join us in community: Women Connected in Wisdom Community Listen to past episodes: https://womenconnectedinwisdompodcast.com/ Our Sponsor - Shealo Glo - Now offering Subscriptions * Delivered on the 1st & 15th! Stillpoint: A Self-Care Playbook for Caregivers Join Christine at an event! Book a free coaching consult with Christine here: https://www.christinegautreaux.com Like & Subscribe to get notifications of when we are live: Women Connected in Wisdom Instagram Women Connected in Wisdom on Facebook   https://www.linkedin.com/posts/christine-gautreaux-msw-international-speaker_kindnessmatters-interplay-2023soca-activity-7072264236072136705-ha6t?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop INSPIRATIONAL dancer Musa Motha gets FIRST EVER GROUP GOLDEN BUZZER! | Auditions | BGT 2023 Can't Buy My Love: How Advertising Changes the Way We Think and Feel: Jean Kilbourne, Mary Pipher: 9780684866000 https://www.atlantadowntown.com/cap

It's here! Our next series, “For the Love of the Middle” kicks off this week. Many of us are at that middle stage of life, and if we aren't, we're going to get there eventually. This series brings life, hope and humor to a period of life which can at times be surprising, confusing, but ultimately, steeped in the wisdom of years lived and the harder work of our 20's and 30's behind us. We're ringing in the start of this series with an amazing first guest; Mary Pipher, a clinical psychologist, anthropologist, and author. In her full scope of work, Mary has pioneered important conversations around motherhood and raising girls.  Mary was the first to bring the effects of culture on mental health to the mainstream, especially for women and girls. She has a deep understanding of how culture can shape our thoughts, feelings, and behavior. Her most recent work has focused on aging intentionally, peppered with her own experience and her work has inspired many people to rethink the way we approach mental health and aging within our society. Join Mary and Jen as they discuss:  - Pipher's background in psychology and how she became engaged in the cultural conversations about girlhood. - The importance of cultivating personal resilience and adaptability in aging. - How society impacts the mental health of girls and women at different stages of life. - The cultural scripts that influence girls' body image and sexuality, and how they differ from reality. - The role of caregivers and the challenges they face in taking care of aging family members. Mary Pipher's work is groundbreaking in exploring the connections between culture, mental health, and their impacts on aging. Her insights are instrumental in shaping the way we approach mental health issues and caregiving, and her activism and writing continue to help women all over the world. Thank you to our sponsors! Boll & Branch | These are the softest sheets ever. Get 15% off your best night's sleep at www.BollandBranch.com  using promo code ForTheLove.  Jen Hatmaker & Friends Cruise |  Book your spot now at JenHatmaker.com/cruise   MeCourse | Let's join sexologist Dr. Celeste Holbrook and Jen as they talk about real steps you can take to improve your sex life. Head to MeCourse.org/love101 to register.   Thought-Provoking Quotes! “One of the things I really love about my life as a 75 year old is I'm very busy, but I can wake up every morning and decide what I want to be busy at. And what a gift that is.” - Mary Pipher “Every life stage has its joys and its challenges as you know. We know that there's a lot of research that women get happier as they age. They're the happiest demographic in the world.” - Mary Pipher “if you don't become better, you become bitter. Right? You either grow or you shrink.  You don't get to stay the same without growing. We all age, but we don't all grow. And the secret of being happy is growing.” -Mary Pipher “I very much believe we all find what we're looking for. And if what we're looking for is joy and love and kindness and beauty and laughter, that's what we find.” -Mary Pipher “So one of the goals of this life state is learning to detach and let go--acceptance of the fact that my world will not be as popular as before. And that means that the light I find is not in other people's eyes, it's gotta be in my own heart.” -Mary Pipher   Guest's Links! Mary Pipher's Website - www.marypipher.com Mary Pipher's Facebook - @authormarypiper Books & Resources Mentioned in This Episode Mary Pipher's Books: Hunger Pains, the American Woman's Tragic Quest for Thinness, Reviving Ophelia, Women Rowing North, Seeking Peace, The Shelter of Each Other Simone De Beauvoir: The Second Sex Jane Jarvis - American Jazz Pianist   Connect with Jen! Jen's website Jen's InstagramJen's Twitter Jen's FacebookJen's YouTube

Karen welcomes psychologist and author Dr. Mary Pipher for part two of their conversation about her career and her most recent book, A Life in Light: Meditations on Impermanence.

Today we are rewinding and sharing a holiday episode we loved.  We interview Jane Isay. She is the author of the book Walking on Eggshells, Navigating the Delicate Relationships between Adult Children and Parents. She is a New Yorker from birth and gets right to the point.Have you had enough togetherness during the holidays? "Shut the door," she says. How about when the kids come home, how to make them happy? "Give them the keys!"And, wait until you hear what she said about her son who was Chief of Staff for Chuck Schumer's first senatorial campaign.  And just as a hint - it references Al D'Amato!!!! But there is lots more. Jane's bio is extraordinary. She's been an editor for over forty years. She discovered Mary Pipher's Reviving Ophelia, commissioned Patricia O'Connor's bestselling Woe Is I and Rachel Simmons' s Odd Girl Out, and edited such nonfiction classics as Praying for Sheetrock and Friday Night Lights. And of course she's written several books of her own, including Walking on Eggshells and her latest Unconditional Love. Jane's son is Dave Isay, the founder of StoryCorps. Here is a link to an interview for TED Talks he did with his mother.We hope you laugh out loud with this episode and love Jane as much as we did.Thanks so much to Connie Gorant Fisher, our audio engineer.Support us  P L E A S E!Buy us a coffee:  LINK HERE (only 5 BUCKS and it means alot!) Buy a mug:  LINK HEREHoliday gift giving?  Think about getting something from Shapermint.  Lots of great items for your or those you are gifting!    Use this link and just put biteyourtongue (one word) in the CODE at checkout.Follow up on our social media platforms Facebook Instagram Twitter LinkedIn And remember - sometimes you might just have to BITE YOUR TONGUE!

Karen welcomes psychologist and author Dr. Mary Pipher for a conversation about her career and her most recent book, A Life in Light: Meditations on Impermanence. Part two will be released on December 20th

Zibby is joined by renowned psychologist and New York Times bestselling author Mary Pipher to discuss her radiant memoir in essays A Life in Light: Meditations on Impermanence, which focuses on resilience and finding light in dark times. Mary Pipher shares details of her lonely childhood (and the library books that saved her), what it means to feel “squishy” in times of sadness, and her thoughts on the pandemic-related loss of personal connection. She also touches on each of her previous books and expresses how wonderful it has been to be an “activist on paper”. Purchase on Amazon or Bookshop.Amazon: bit.ly/3EnwduxBookshop: bit.ly/3V6fQsTSubscribe to Zibby's weekly newsletter here.Purchase Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books merch here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A few years ago I was reading a book by Mary Pipher, entitled, Women Rowing North. In it, a notable epiphany is had by a woman named Sylvia, whose life took some unexpected turns. Pipher writes, “Sylvia in Austin has learned that she is in control not of life, but of the story about her life.“ The same time I was reading this book, I ran into some very unexpected and unwelcome travel issues. And I had to chance to try on this new insight. I have my own story to tell today, one about crafting renewed narratives. Connect with Gem on Instagram and learn more on the Unhurried Living websiteLearn about her new book, Hold That Thought: Sorting Through the Voices in Our Heads

A few years ago I was reading a book by Mary Pipher, entitled, Women Rowing North. In it, a notable epiphany is had by a woman named Sylvia, whose life took some unexpected turns. Pipher writes, “Sylvia in Austin has learned that she is in control not of life, but of the story about her life.“ The same time I was reading this book, I ran into some very unexpected and unwelcome travel issues. And I had to chance to try on this new insight. I have my own story to tell today, one about crafting renewed narratives. Connect with Gem on Instagram and learn more on the Unhurried Living websiteLearn about her new book, Hold That Thought: Sorting Through the Voices in Our Heads

We talk to Mary Pipher about A Life In Light: Meditations On Impermanence. And Anita Barros talks with us about her novel, The Language of Birds. The post Mary Pipher, A LIFE IN LIGHT & Anita Barrows, THE LANGUAGE OF BIRDS appeared first on Writer's Voice.

Join Joyce & Mary Pipher, psychologist and writer, for a casual conversation you can walk to. This beautiful conversation reminds us that there's always a way to find light, especially when you pay attention. And though we may walk through sunlight and shadows, there is impermanence in it all. About MaryMary Pipher graduated in Cultural Anthropology from the University of California at Berkeley in 1969 and received her Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska in Clinical Psychology in 1977. She has worked most of her life as a therapist and she has taught at the University of Nebraska and Nebraska Wesleyan University. She was a Rockefeller Scholar in Residence at Bellagio and has received two American Psychological Association Presidential Citations, one of which she returned to protest psychologists' involvement in enhanced interrogations at Guantanamo. Mary is the author of ten books, which include three New York Times best sellers. Her most recent book, A Life in Light, was just recently published.Connect with MaryWebsite: https://marypipher.com/Book: A Life in Light: Meditations on Impermanence

Best-selling author of "Reviving Ophelia" Mary Pipher talks about her new memoir, "A Life in Light: Meditations on Impermanence." And, before the Stonewall Inn raid in 1969, gay rights groups organized in Kansas City, Missouri, creating inroads of their own. KCUR's Mackenzie Martin reports.

Best-selling Nebraska author Mary Pipher didn't plan on writing another book, until the Covid lock down forced an inspiration upon her. All About Books host Pat Leach sat down with Pipher to learn about her latest work which deals with loss and change over time while always seeking the light. Learn about “A Life in Light: Meditations on Impermanence” with Lincoln author Mary Pipher.

Tune in for part two of the conversation with Dr. Mary Pipher - clinical psychologist, author of 9 books and activist, from her home in Lincoln, Nebraska. This is an updated interview from 2016 which explores the world of psychotherapy, what makes a good therapist and how do we insure that people are receiving good care. A favorite from the archives!

On June 17 join Genevieve Randall, Shannon Claire and guests for lively conversations about: comedian Patton Oswalt's performance; Mary Pipher's new book; Lincoln Community Playhouse's “Every Brilliant Thing;" Theatre West's season in Scottsbluff; Lewis and Clark Scenic Byway's Scavenger Puzzle Hunt; and Star City Pride and Lincoln Arts Festival. Also, poetry read by Matt Mason and a look at “Nelson Mandela: The Official Exhibition” at Durham Museum.

On June 17 join Genevieve Randall, Shannon Claire and guests for lively conversations about: comedian Patton Oswalt's performance; Mary Pipher's new book; Lincoln Community Playhouse's “Every Brilliant Thing;" Theatre West's season in Scottsbluff; Lewis and Clark Scenic Byway's Scavenger Puzzle Hunt; and Star City Pride and Lincoln Arts Festival. Also, poetry read by Matt Mason and a look at “Nelson Mandela: The Official Exhibition” at Durham Museum.

Dr. Mary Pipher is a clinical psychologist, author and activist. She has devoted her life to caring for her family, her community, and the environment - while writing nine books grounded in her straightforward and honest approach to life. Best known for her first best-selling book, Reviving Ophelia, which addressed the crisis facing adolescent girls, Dr. Pipher has been impactful in many areas of mental health. Tune in for this part one or two conversations with Dr. Pipher from her home in Lincoln, Nebraska. A "best of" interview from 2016 - updated for today,

Episode Guest: Mary Pipher, Ph.D., speaker and authorEpisode Description: Women growing older contend with ageism, misogyny, and loss. Yet as Mary Pipher shows, most older women are deeply happy and filled with gratitude for the gifts of life. Their struggles help them grow into the authentic, empathetic, and wise people they have always wanted to be.In Women Rowing North, Pipher offers a timely examination of women's cultural and developmental issues as they age. Drawing on her own experience as a daughter, sister, mother, grandmother, caregiver, clinical psychologist, and cultural anthropologist, she explores ways women can cultivate resilient responses to their challenges. "If we can keep our wits about us, think clearly, and manage our emotions skillfully," Pipher writes, "we will experience a joyous time of our lives. If we have planned carefully and packed properly, the journey can be transcendent if we have good maps and guides." About Mary Pipher:Mary Pipher graduated in Cultural Anthropology from the University of California at Berkeley in 1969 and received her Ph. D. from the University of Nebraska in Clinical Psychology in 1977. She has worked most of her life as a therapist, and she has taught at the University of Nebraska and Nebraska Wesleyan University. She was a Rockefeller Scholar in Residence at Bellagio and has received two American Psychological Association Presidential Citations, one of which she returned to protest psychologists' involvement in enhanced interrogations at Guantanamo. She is the author of ten books, including Reviving Ophelia and her latest, Women Rowing North. Four of her books have been New York Times bestsellers. She is a contributing writer for the New York Times. Get in touch with Mary Pipher:Mary's website: https://marypipher.com/  Purchase Mary's Book, Women Rowing North: Navigating Life's Currents and Flourishing As We Age: https://revolutionizeretirement.com/womenrowing  Grab our free guide, 10 Key Issues to Consider as You Explore Your Retirement Transition, at https://10keyretirementissues.com/ 

"Well-researched, skillfully written, and deeply helpful. [The authors] are cultural therapists who teach us how to help teens with the most urgent and important of lessons -- how to sleep well." -- Mary Pipher, author of "Reviving Ophelia"

Join Candace + Kyle for a dose of their personal tips/favs/thoughts on the daily practice of wellness. In this episode they cover: · Self-Care - How do we practice self-care in our physical emotional and mental lives · Stress management - What steps do we take to manage our stress so that it doesn't manage us…. “Life is short – Be kind to yourself”- Matt Haig · Promoting Healthy Routines – How do we cultivate resilient responses to the challenges we face in a world of abundant stress …(from The Comfort Book, by Matt Haig: In order to get over a problem, it helps to look at it. You can't climb a mountain that you pretend isn't there…. ) · A discussion around “how we learn new/different ways to”: Connect – better ways… than just texting and zoom calls) Be active – exercise that is both mental and physical Be creative – crafting: painting or pottery, knitting or sewing or singing or sketching…let your creative juices flow out of you and with it the tension we're holding on to for dear life (from Awakening Athena, by Dr. Kenna Stephenson Be healthy Chronological age is not as important as health …In the 21st century, we often consider ourselves middle-aged well into our 60s. Until we suffer a major health crisis or the loss of someone we love, we continue to feel young. (from Rowing North, by Mary Pipher) Be happy - A 2016 UCSD study found that as people age they report higher levels of overall satisfaction, happiness and well-being and lower levels of anxiety, depression and stress. The older the person, the better her mental health tended to be…Women's happiness ratings were consistently higher than mens' …Recent census data from the UK finds that the happiest people are women aged 65-79. Age gracefully – Quote: “We wither, sag, wrinkle, crinkle, tatter, and become marked by life's events. Time and gravity, air and water wear us down, each into a unique and precious beauty, every bit as beautiful as a landscape or plant weathered by the seasons.” – Stephanie Sugars Be grateful Quote: “Without suffering, too much is taken for granted…with a transcendent response to suffering, nothing is too small to appreciate. We can enjoy every fresh apricot, blazing October day, and visit with a friend. We can be awake and whole.” (from Rowing North, by Mary Pipher)

From 2006- Mary Pipher talks about her book "Letters to a Young Therapist."

This is part I of our double whammy holiday episodes.  Part 2 will drop on Friday - that's only two days from now.  Today we speak with Jane Isay.   She is the author of the book Walking on Eggshells, Navigating the Delicate Relationships between Adult Children and Parents.  She is a New Yorker from birth and gets right to the point.Have you had enough togetherness during the holidays? "Shut the door," she says. How about when the kids come home, how to make them happy? "Give them the keys!"And, wait until you hear what she said about her son who was Chief of Staff for Chuck Schumer's first senatorial campaign.  And just as a hint - it references Al D'Amato!!!! But there is lots more. Jane's bio is extraordinary. She's been an editor for over forty years. She discovered Mary Pipher's Reviving Ophelia, commissioned Patricia O'Connor's bestselling Woe Is I and Rachel Simmons' s Odd Girl Out, and edited such nonfiction classics as Praying for Sheetrock and Friday Night Lights. And of course she's written several books of her own, including Walking on Eggshells and her latest Unconditional Love. Jane's son is Dave Isay, the founder of StoryCorps. Here is a link to an interview for TED Talks he did with his mother. We hope you laugh out loud with this episode and love Jane as much as we did.Thanks to Connie Gorant Fisher, our audio engineer.Visit our website at www.biteyourtonguepodcast.comSupport us:Buy us a coffee:  LINK HEREBuy a mug:  LINK HERESome deals for listeners:Denise's favorite shape-wear company.  Denise particularly LOVES their best selling Truekind Daily Comfort Wireless Bra.  "It holds you up and is so comfortable.  I am hooked - truly," says Denise.  Use this link and just put biteyourtongue (one word) in the CODE at checkout.Please stay engaged.  Let us know how you like the episodes and also let us know what topics you'd like us to explore.And remember - sometimes you might just have to BITE YOUR TONGUE!

Dr. Carolina is board certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in both Adult and Geriatric Psychiatry. She owns an outpatient clinic located in Prairie Village, Kansas and is the co-founder of the Healthy Aging Revolution. Her goal is to promote the mental health of adult and elderly patients by providing psychotherapy, medication management, and diagnostic evaluation for different disorders.  Dr. Carolina works with patients to assess and understand the biological, psychological, personal, and social aspects of their symptoms. She also takes into account their character traits, life experiences, and behavioral patterns, to suggest an appropriate treatment. She was born and raised in Bogotá, Colombia, and is fluent in both English and Spanish - and is raising two bilingual children! Dr. Carolina is happily settled in the Midwest and loves helping people pursue successful and healthy aging. Memorable Quotes: “I enjoy talking with very old people, they have come before us on a road by which we too may have to travel and I think we would do well to learn from them what it is like.” - Socrates, Plato's The Republic. “We have to give our older population that place that they deserve and where they can be a very instrumental part of society.” “When people have more time to be still, they see the world differently.” “Live your life with seeds of curiosity.” What You'll Learn: The importance of intergenerational relationships and how to pursue connection with those in the senior population. This Episode Includes: The underlying reason people seek psychiatric help is because they are starving for connection. Connection is just as, if not more important than, the medical side of care. People need to be heard and supported to achieve wellbeing. The older population has wisdom and life experiences that can be shared with others. The challenges of the past year and a half have highlighted just how important it is to feel connected and supported. This prevailing loneliness, that was significant before the pandemic and is magnified now, has caused cognitive problems in the older population. Ex. memory loss, loss of sense of purpose, etc. There is hope to regain what was lost through reconnecting with others. Ways to pursue connection with the older population. A brief discussion on how the Hispanic community has faced the pandemic. Three Takeaways From Today's Episode: Pursue intergenerational relationships by reaching out to the senior community and your senior family members! Send a plant, go for a walk outdoors, or plan a zoom call with one person who is part of the senior population. Consider getting a pet to help build a sense of purpose and belonging! Mentioned In The Episode: Aging well by George Vaillant. The Healthy Aging Brain by Louis Cozzolino. Women Rowing North by Mary Pipher. Aging with Grace by David Snowdon. Color Esperanza (The color of Hope) by Diego Torres Lost Connections by Johaan Hari Michael W. Smith - Friends Wellness on a Shoestring Wheel of Support Connect: Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Twitter YouTube

A reading from James Garbarino's 1999 book on violent young men, Lost Boys: Why Our Sons Turn Violent & How We Can Save Them. Garbarino has written many other books on the topic, and this one especially can both continue to speak to us today, as well as seem like a time capsule before the internet went crazy, before smartphones, and before social media. For these reasons & others, this episode is a good companion to only the third episode of Human Voices Wake Us, where I read from Mary Pipher's 1994 book on teenage girls, Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls. Any comments, or suggestions for readings I should make in later episodes, can be emailed to humanvoiceswakeus1@gmail.com. I assume that the small amount of work presented in each episode constitutes fair use. Publishers, authors, or other copyright holders who would prefer to not have their work presented here can also email me at humanvoiceswakeus1@gmail.com, and I will remove the episode immediately.

From 2003- Mary Pipher talks about her book 'Letters to a Young Therapist."

Dr Belangee is an Adlerian clinician in private practice in Canton Georgia where she specializes in treating eating disorders from an Adlerian perspective.  In this episode we talk about social media’s impact on body image, family factors and personality traits of people who develop anorexia or bulimia, the difference between the two disorders, signs to watch for, preventative measures in your parenting, and how to approach dieting when it’s actually needed.  Check out more about Susan here:  Linkedin:  www.linkedin.com/in/susan-belangee-ph-d-lpc-b5248975 And Susan provided some great resources for listeners:  National Eating Disorders Association – www.nationaleatingdisorders.org ED Referral – www.edreferral.com (main page); for outside of US: www.edreferral.com/international Boys and Eating Disorders - https://childmind.org/article/boys-and-eating-disorders/ (The Child Mind Institute site is a great one for general mental health info as well) Book – Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls by Mary Pipher; recently revised 2019 for 25th anniversary If you are interested in learning more about Adlerian psychology and parenting, check out the North American Society of Adlerian Psychology:  https://www.alfredadler.org and consider membership.

Mythological Paths to Personal Potential Myths and fairy tales depict women’s initiation into authority and adulthood. Hades abducted Kore (maiden) into the underworld; Snow White choked on a poisoned apple and lay in stasis; Aphrodite punished forsaken Psyche with arduous tasks. As all were blossoming into the fullness of their beauty and fertility, all were also in thrall to innocence complexes that blinded them to realities of envy, aggression, and power, imaged as rapist, step-mother, and mother-in-law. Women’s initiation into adulthood and authority involves encountering shadow, finding inner fire, taking action, and wielding power. Kore became queen of the underworld; Snow White metabolized the poison and revived; Psyche reclaimed her mate and ascended to Mt. Olympus. Female initiation involves relational trauma and the sacrifice of a naively romantic and other-oriented stance. This mythological pattern points to the potential for finding clear-eyed selfhood, life direction, and the will to achieve goals. Here's the dream we analyze: "I was playing a concert with a famous elder statesman of bluegrass. We play a funny song about a cat that travels with its owner in a semi-tractor trailer, across the USA.  The song begins with me playing the bass and with the cat making some kind of meow. My cat (all grey, yellow eyes, born without a tail) was lying next to me on stage, curled up on top of a stool.v The cat's presence gave me comfort, humor and warmth. At end of song the lights went dark. A spotlight forms above the elder statesman, casting shadows across his features. He turns to me and gets very close to my face. I feel pressure at being the focus of attention. He produces a large stack of cards below his chin and starts showing them to me, one by one. At first the cards and numbers don't make sense. He draws 10 then 13 - maybe he can't guess the numbers my mind is picking. All of a sudden the "trick" begins to work. He picks 24, 48 and 72.  He is drawing the cards I’m thinking of and from a very large stack. These numbers are bigger than a deck of playing cards, yet they are similarly designed, quite intricate. I’m shocked, not afraid, that he knows the numbers. The elder smirks a slight, knowing smile." References: Michael Meade. The Water of Life: Initiation and Tempering of the Soul.  Mary Pipher. Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls.  Carol Gilligan. In a Different Voice.  Paul Foster Case. Tarot: A Key to the Wisdom of Ages. 

Melanie shares ideas, thoughts, and how-tos for easing up on ourselves.  The conflict between way too much to do and the desperate desire for rest that so many of us are struggling with makes for a toxic soup of stress and anxiety. She dives into a chapter from the book Women Rowing North: Navigating Life's Currents and Flourishing as We Age written by the psychotherapist, anthropologist, and author Mary Pipher. The chapter is "Building A Good Day". (The advice, of course, applies no matter our gender or age.) "To be happy we need to learn how to structure a day that is rich in meaning and joy-producing activities. How we spend our time defines who we are. There is no magical future. Today is our future. Our lives are events that unfurl in real time, minute by minute. Right up there with the need for oxygen, food, and sleep is the need to have a reason to get out of bed every morning." Dr. Melanie Harth's website here Mary Pipher's website here

A reading from Mary Pipher’s 1994 book, “Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls.” Buy the book here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001VCHPYA/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_api_i_hQFGFb3W306ZG Any comments, or suggestions for readings I should make in later episodes, can be emailed to humanvoiceswakeus1@gmail.com. I assume that the small amount of work presented in each episode constitutes fair use. Publishers, authors, or other copyright holders who would prefer to not have their work presented here can also email me at humanvoiceswakeus1@gmail.com, and I will remove the episode immediately.

Vivian Livanos sits down with me today to share her 20 year journey through her eating disorder. She is full of wisdom and insight for all that she learned during this time. She was in a fog and now woken up to adulthood. The 3 contributing factors for her struggle were 1. former figure skater 2. First born American to foreign parents. 3. Major event in juniors year of high school that took her away from her passion and identity. Listen in. This is a good one. The 2 books mentioned at 1. Wasted: by Marayra Hornbacher 2. Reviving Orphelia: Dr. Mary Pipher  Vivian is a Change agent now and working to help others in mentoring girls and women who are still in their struggle. You can find her vmlivanos@gmail.comLInked in: linkedin.com/in/vivian-livanos-69a9612b-----------------------------LIke this podcast ? Give it a 5 start review, subscribe and share . Join me on Facebook in my Juggling the Chaos of Recovery tribe Like what you hear about Shaklee products? the Prove it Challenge ? Find it here on my website Have a story to share? I'd love to feature you as a guest on my podcast. Click through this link and find the application and schedule Let's keep sharing the great word of recovery  

Who are we as we age? Our culture has such poor language for the who-we-are-ness across time. The ways we grow and the things that threaten to diminish us. Clinical psychologist and bestselling author, Mary Pipher knows a lot about the opportunities and costs embedded in aging. In this episode, Kate and Mary offer us a non self-helpy roadmap for how to age beautifully.For show notes, the transcript, and discussion questions: https://katebowler.com/podcasts/mary-pipher-the-art-of-aging/ To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who are we as we age? Our culture has such poor language for the who-we-are-ness across time. The ways we grow and the things that threaten to diminish us. Clinical psychologist and bestselling author, Mary Pipher knows a lot about the opportunities and costs embedded in aging. In this episode, Kate and Mary offer us a non self-helpy roadmap for how to age beautifully. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this episode of the Make Books Travel podcast I'm speaking with Becca Puglisi. Becca is an international speaker, writing coach, and bestselling author of The Emotion Thesaurus and other books for writers. Not only does Becca help make books travel in the US and other English speaking countries through her creative writing books and her coaching work, she also does so in other languages. 2 Seas Agency represents translation rights in her books, which have sold into numerous countries. We discuss what led her to becoming a writing coach, the impact the Covid-19 pandemic has had on her activities, the success of her books specifically in Japan and elsewhere in Asia, and her #1 tip for aspiring authors. SHOW NOTES Becca's book recommendations: - Mary Pipher, PhD, Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls (Riverhead Trade, 2005) - Rosalind Wiseman, Queen Bees and Wannabes: Helping Your Daughter Survive Cliques, Gossip, Boyfriends, and the New Realities of Girl World (Harmony, 2009) - Dr James Dobson, Preparing for Adolescence: How To Survive The Coming Years Of Change (Gospel Light, revised edition, 2005) - Mike Michalowicz, Clockwork: Design Your Business to Run Itself (Portfolio, 2018) About Becca: Becca Puglisi is an international speaker, writing coach, and bestselling author of The Emotion Thesaurus and other books for writers—including her latest: The Occupation Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Jobs, Vocations, and Careers. Her books have sold over 500,000 copies and are available in multiple languages, are sourced by US universities, and are used by novelists, screenwriters, editors, and psychologists around the world. She is passionate about learning and sharing her knowledge with others through her Writers Helping Writers blog and via One Stop For Writers—a powerhouse online library created to help writers elevate their storytelling.

Introduction to writer Mary Pipher in advance of her E.N. Thompson Forum talk "Trauma and Recovery: A New Story of Interconnection and Action..."

This week Brooke and Grant are challenging all kinds of assumptions—starting with unpacking books we’ve read that have challenged our own assumptions, and then with this week’s guest, Mary Pipher. Pipher, the best-selling author of Reviving Ophelia and Women Rowing North, gives us her take on ageism, “moral imagination,” and how and why she writes “for the reader, for the world.”

Sara Gilliam, award winning writer and co-author of Reviving Ophelia 25th Anniversary Edition: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls, joins Signe on Therapy Rocks! to talk about being the original "Ophelia," the trends of adolescent girls mental health over a 25 year span, and gives us some tips for helping our youth navigate social media. Sara has teamed up with her mother, bestselling nonfiction author Mary Pipher, to revisit Pipher’s American classic Reviving Ophelia with the 25th Anniversary Edition, published with Penguin less than a year ago. 

Mill Valley Public Library interviews author Mary Pipher.

Please join us for a rare opportunity to be in conversation with Parker J. Palmer, a celebrated author, educator, wise elder, and unique national treasure, as he shares his wisdom about living with both vulnerability and grace as an elder in the age of corona.  For more than five decades, Parker has written and spoken about subjects ranging from contemplation to community, the inner life to public life, education to social change. He is known as one of the nation’s most thoughtful voices, calling us all to ways of being in the world that honor the human heart and promote a humane society. His most recent book is On the Brink of Everything: Grace, Gravity and Getting Old (2018). We will also have the opportunity to hear reflections from Mary Pipher, Nebraska-based clinical psychologist and New York Times bestselling author of several works, including Women Rowing North: Navigating Life's Currents and Flourishing As We Age (January 2019), as well as from Prof. Michael Penn, whose remarkable journey -- from childhood poverty to becoming a distinguished Clinical Psychologist and Professor of Psychology at Franklin & Marshall College (all while surviving a near-death experience and focusing research on the pathogenesis of hope and hopelessness) -- is an embodiment of resilience and fortitude in the face of deep uncertainty and adversity. We will invite audience questions and reflections.  Please join us as we collectively probe the challenges and revelations of this unique time in our human unfolding!                  

SUMMARY Celebrated science journalist Lydia Denworth coalesces decades of research to bring us her book, FRIENDSHIP: THE EVOLUTION, BIOLOGY, AND EXTRAORDINARY POWER OF LIFE’S FUNDAMENTAL BOND. Studies in history, biology, neuroscience, genetics, sociology, and epidemiology confirm we humans are deeply wired to connect with others. Furthermore, we now know making and keeping those connections is critical to our health. KEY POINTS Friendship is a biological imperative. We must invest in it accordingly. Like diet and exercise, friendship is equally essential to staying healthy. Three qualities marking a friendship: long-lasting, positive, and cooperation/reciprocity Gift-giving – often a sign of true friendship Friendship styles – discerning, independent, acquisitive (selectively and unconditionally) Loneliness – the opposite of friendship (increases mortality and depression, blood pressure, aggressiveness, stress and decreases sleep quality) Kids do better in school when they collaborate with friends. Social buffering – the protective, positive effect of one individual on another; the power of one person to reduce another’s stress After puberty, parents no longer buffer stress for children; friends can take their place. The strength of relationships at 50 predicts health at 80. QUOTES FROM DENWORTH “The need to belong and the desire to connect really does unite us all.” “Learning to be a good friend and make a good friend is one of the most important skills [for kids] as they get older.” “At its best, friendship makes you feel valued and supported.” “A friendship’s rewards should outweigh its costs.” “Women…are more likely to expect their closest friends to offer emotional nourishment and support.” “We must make friendship a priority and factor it in to the way we plan our time—and our children’s time. Yes, you can choose your friends, but you must also more generally choose friendship—embrace it, invest in it, work at it.” “People vary in their appetite for friendship.” “Put time and attention into building quality relationships. Be mindful of your social convoy. You cannot afford not to.” “Good relationships don’t just protect our bodies, they protect our brains.” “Shared interest and purpose are some of the best ways to connect with people.” BUY Friendship: The Evolution, Biology, and Extraordinary Power of Life's Fundamental Bond RECOMMENDATIONS Watch the short YouTube video from “The Loneliness Project” in Britain. (#endloneliness) Listen to author Mary Pipher discuss friendship, marriage, and aging and her book WOMEN ROWING NORTH (Episode 75 of Nonfiction4Life). BUY Still Connected: Family and Friends in America Since 1970 Connect with us on social media! Facebook Instagram Twitter YouTube Special thanks… Music Credit Sound Editing Credit

Join host Elise Marquam Jahns and guest Mary Pipher  - NY Times number one bestselling author of "Reviving Ophelia" and author of her most recent book, "Women Rowing North: Navigating Life’s Currents and Flourishing As We Age". Mary graduated in Cultural Anthropology from the University of California at Berkeley and received her Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska in Clinical Psychology thereafter. She was a Rockefeller Scholar in Residence at Bellagio and has received two American Psychological Association Presidential Citations. Mary was born in the Ozarks and grew up in rural Nebraska. As a girl she liked reading, writing, swimming, being outdoors and talking to her friends and family. She still enjoys these activities to this day. Pipher is the author of 10 books and is a community organizer and activist for many causes - living in Nebraska with her husband Jim.  Learning Well is sponsored by the Integrative Health Education Center of Normandale Community College. Thank you for your interest in the Edge! Please go to edgemagazine.net to view the latest issue of the Edge. For information on advertising in the Edge please contact Cathy Jacobsen at 763.433.9291. Or via email at Cathy@edgemagazine.net For article submission please contact Tim Miejan at 651.578.8969. Or via email at editor@edgemagazine.net And for further information regarding the Edge Talk Radio contact Cathryn Taylor at 612.710.7720 or via email at Cathryn@EFTForYourInnerChild.com

We will be interviewing well-known author Mary Pipher, and learning about the new, emerging "Poor People's Campaign."

August is Read a Romance Month which is perfect because it's hot outside aaaaaand hot inside the pages (oh my!) Whether you're a regular reader or not, we've got some great insights for why romance matters and how you can find your steamy (or sweet) reads. Warning: there are some terrible romance-related puns in this one.  Show notes: https://lplks.org/blogs/post/045-isnt-it-romantic-read-a-romance-month Bookish News: Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi is Lucasfilm's first non-Star Wars or Indiana Jones Film in a loooong time. The book’s sequel, Children of Virtue and Vengence is coming out this winter (and you can join the holds list now!) Two Book Minimum: The Source of Self-regard by Toni Morrison (Rest in Power) Women Rowing North by Mary Pipher (author of Reviving Ophelia) For White Folks Who Teach in the Hood -- and the Rest of Y’all Too by Christopher Emdin Hothead by Damon Suede RrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrOMANCE! We wanted to bring you a little guide that you can refer back to all year! Listen up for themes, tropes, and recommendations! --------------- 2019 Book Squad Goals Reading Challenge can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/LPLBSG2019 Twice(-ish) a month, the librarians are in, with their favorite recommendations in Two Book Minimum, a toe-to-toe discussion on a book or topic, as well as news from the book world, updates from Lawrence Public Library, and beyond. This episode was produced by Jim Barnes in the Sound & Vision studio. Our theme song is by Heidi Lynne Gluck. You can find the Book Squad Podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, or SoundCloud. Please subscribe and leave us comments – we’d love to know what you think, and your comments make it easier for other people to find our podcast. Happy reading and listening! xo, Polli & Kate

Why are so many women horrified at being called “old”—even well into their 70s? Best-selling author and clinical psychologist Mary Piper tells us it’s because our cultural scripts about aging don’t adequately capture what it means to be an older woman today. Mary joins the podcast for an in-depth discussion about intergenerational connections, vibrant new chapters and flourishing as we age.

The road to happiness is paved by our experiences and self-exploration. While the journey may not be linear, the magic is in learning to ride the waves. Join Vivian Carrasco and Sarita in this soul-searching conversation while they unravel the process of finding your own happiness. This episode reveals some of the most daunting commonalities we all face and how to redirect our default reactions. Tune into this episode to hear more about the key components to finding self-alignment and how your fulfillment can help you better serve others.    Show Highlights:  Evaluating Finding Your Way in a Wild New World and what Vivian and Sarita learned from it  Surfing the wave of change and moving with transformation  Discovering what makes us happy and how to get more of that  Obstacles we face between ourselves and finding our happiness  The high of achievements and resetting ourselves to enjoy the journey  Creating daily rituals that reset your default  Recognizing your default state and acknowledging what you need to nurture that  Letting go of control and not letting worry guide you How to approach your happiness factor outside of basic needs  How to find alignment with your values and actions  Committing to fulfilling your needs  Turning inwardly to unearth what you need  Finding resources that bring you comfort without shame  Books for the spiritually skeptical    Links:    https://www.viviancarrasco.com   Vivian@viviancarrasco.com   Resources Mentioned:    Finding Your Way in a Wild New World by Martha Beck   Wild Mercy by Mirabal Star   Spiritual Rebel by Sarah Bowen   Women Rowing North by Mary Pipher   Art of Possibility by Rosamund Stone Zander  

When Mary Pipher first published Reviving Ophelia in 1994, she changed the way America thinks about teenage girls and their needs. Now she’s back with a new 25th anniversary edition of her landmark book—this time, published with her own daughter, Sara Pipher Gilliam. From student debt to school shootings to climate change to digital culture, a lot has changed for teen girls in the past 25 years. But many things remain the same: body image issues, anxiety, sexual harassment and abuse. We sat down with Pipher (who you may remember from the spring, when she came on to discuss [women, friendship, and aging](link to ep)) and Gilliam to talk about what teen girls experience today, what it was like to write a book together, and why it matters so much for all of us that we change our “girl-poisoning culture.” There’s a strange way in which girls today are never together and never alone. And so the primary building blocks of self—which is to be interacting face-to-face with other people and to be alone reflecting and developing one’s own inner strength—those aren’t occurring right now. Mary Pipher, co-author of Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls, 25th Anniversary Edition We chat about: How the culture we remember as teen girls in the ‘90s is so very different for teens today Why depression among teen girls has gone up and down over the years, where it stands now, and what social media has to do with it How Sara Gilliam went from reading her mom’s book for teen authenticity 25 years ago to co-authoring the update with her as an adult The ways today’s teen girls helped update Reviving Ophelia for modern times How it’s too late for parents and teachers to simply tell teens to stop using smartphones, so it’s important to encourage intentionality around social media and device usage instead Links: Reviving Ophelia 25th Anniversary Edition Mary Pipher Sara Pipher Gilliam Plus: Why we simply had to get our driver’s licenses immediately Exploring the love/hate relationship we had with our early jobs Why you need to wear at least two hemp necklaces for school pictures Fuck yeah to naps and Netflix breaks during the day

Show #247 | Guest: Dr. Louise Aronson | Show Summary: Elderhood: old age. Many of us can expect to live more years as “elders” than in either childhood or adulthood, a span of up to 40 years, yet that era of our lives has long been treated as more a symptom and burden—elderhood outright ignored or demonized. In her extraordinary new book Elderhood, already praised by readers like Mary Pipher and Abraham Verghese, Harvard-trained geriatrician Louise Aronson offers an honest and full-hearted re-examination of the later decades, with all of their joys and frustrations. Drawn in part from her medical practice and expertise, in part from personal experience, history and popular culture, Elderhood, exalts the worth of life’s third stage, inviting readers into a new relationship with the so-called “twilight” years of life.

This episode looks closely at today's adolescent girls. Guests, Dr. Mary Pipher and Sara Pipher Gilliam draw upon their new updated version of Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescents Girls, to compare the teenage girls of the 1990's with the middle though high school girls of today. Using Focus Groups of girls and mothers, interviews with teachers and guidance counselors, the latest research, as well as feedback from today's girls on the original book, they consider what challenges, needs, perils and joys have changed and what have remained the same. They will answer -How do developmental givens interface with social and cultural changes? What is the impact of social media, school shootings, and sleeping with cell phones? How have the girls of today embraced gender fluidity, racial diversity and the #metoo movement. Overall, they invite us to understand and celebrate the emerging selves and precious gifts of our adolescent girls.

Shaped: A comedy self-help podcast from two gals (women) who can't help themselves. In this episode Amy and Kelsie respond to Terry Gross' Fresh Air interview with author Mary Pipher. Mary Pipher's new book, Women Rowing North, chronicles the positive aspects of transitioning from middle age to old age: "At this life stage, women start granting themselves the power of no." www.shapedpodcast.com Discussed on this podcast: Mary Pipher on Fresh Air: https://n.pr/2Z31ywe Mary Pipher's Books: https://marypipher.com MasterClass: https://www.masterclass.com Resources: Between Friends Domestic Violence 24 Hour Crisis Hotline 800-603-HELP (4357) National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 800-273-8255 YWCA Rape Crisis Hotline Call 888-293-2080 in Chicago Metropolitan Area Call 630-971-3927 in DuPage County Call 708-748-5672 in the South Suburbs Looking for a Therapist? (Thanks listener and friend Ellen for this info) http://liveoakchicago.com Contact Us Here: http://bit.ly/2YDRUk0SHAPEDWEB

Older women. They’ve been the target of jokes forever. Clinical psychologist and bestselling author Mary Pipher doesn't like that. Pipher has written a book called “Women Rowing North" about flourishing as we age.  To round out our conversation I invited my young friend Haley Zimring to join us. Haley is 28 and has two young children. Listen to us talking young and old and all the stages in between. "Now What?" is produced with the help of Gabe Zimmer and Steve Zimmer. Audio production is by Nick Ciavatta.

Psychology professor and therapist Pipher invites listeners into her life with engaging observations and advice. Suzanne Toren’s mature pitch and thoughtful phrasing are perfect for this memoir-like study of the various ways women transition into their later years. Published by Audible, Inc. Read the full review of WOMEN ROWING NORTH at audiofilemagazine.com. For more free audiobook recommendations, sign up for AudioFile Magazine’s newsletter. On today’s episode are host Jo Reed and AudioFile Magazine Founder and Editor Robin Whitten. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Grandmothers on the Move Episode 34 - Mary Pipher, Author of Reviving Ophelia and her newest book Women Rowing North - Navigating Life's Currents and Flourishing as We Age. A profound and transformative book...I was enlightened, deeply moved and couldn't put it down. It's one of those books you want everyone you love to read right away! As Mary says in this interview "I want readers to understand that this life stage is not solely defined by diminishment but also by great spiritual and emotional growth". Mary shares deep insights about building resilience, crafting resplendent narratives, forming intimate relationships, and Grandmotherhood... this book is a real gift to us all. Distilled wisdom and beauty.

Older women are the happiest demographic in this country—but you wouldn’t know it based on how our culture talks about them. Mary Pipher, author of _Women Rowing North: Navigating Life’s Currents and Flourishing As We Age, joins us to set the record straight. If you’re a woman, you’ve probably internalized a million messages about the horrors of getting older: changing bodies, diminished careers, invisibility everywhere. But Mary Pipher wants you to know there’s more to aging than gray hair—there’s also incredible resilience, growth, and even bliss. And the more we build those skills now, the better off we’ll all be. “It’s in everybody's benefit, not just older people’s benefit, to have a new way of redefining older people that is not in terms of loss and diminishment, but in terms of growth.” —Mary Pipher, author of Women Rowing North Whatever life stage you’re in, this interview will speak to you—promise. We talk about: Why ageism is probably a bigger problem for older women than agin. The resilience of older people—and how all of us can bump up our resilience skills now. Why “friendshipping is a verb”—and why building lifetime friendships is “an emotional and mental health insurance policy” for women. Finding gratefulness and joy, even when things are tough. How to transcend our former selves, so we don’t just adapt as we age, but actually savor changes. Handling loss and the power of being with loved ones in their final days. What’s next for Mary: a 25th anniversary edition of her groundbreaking book, Reviving Ophelia, which changed the way we look at adolescent girls. Plus: On our way to a 50-year friendship, caftans on the beach, and why every book needs a launch party with a book cake. (Author photo by Sarah Greder) Links: Mary Pipher Books: Women Rowing North, out now, and the 25th anniversary edition of Reviving Ophelia, out in June The happiness of older women

In the first half hour Patricia interviews Lynn Andrews, bestselling author. She has studied with shamanic women on four continents for more than thirty years. She shares her ancient teachings in her more than 20 books, including the Medicine Woman. Lynn's most recent work, 'The Sacred Vision Oracle. Lynn will discuss The Power Deck; Cards of Wisdom, and how to use the cards to build self esteem and foster empowerment. In the second half Patrica interviews Mary Pipher. Mary is the author of 10 books including her number one New York Times bestseller Reviving Ophelia and her most recent, Women Rowing North: Navigating Life's Currents and Flourishing As We Age. Pipher will discuss Women Rowing North, a timely examination of the cultural and developmental issues women face as they age. Drawing on her own experience as daughter, sister, mother, grandmother, and caregiver she explores ways women can cultivate resilient responses to the challenges they face.

In the first half hour Patricia interviews Lynn Andrews, bestselling author. She has studied with shamanic women on four continents for more than thirty years. She shares her ancient teachings in her more than 20 books, including the Medicine Woman. Lynn's most recent work, 'The Sacred Vision Oracle. Lynn will discuss The Power Deck; Cards of Wisdom, and how to use the cards to build self esteem and foster empowerment. In the second half Patrica interviews Mary Pipher. Mary is the author of 10 books including her number one New York Times bestseller Reviving Ophelia and her most recent, Women Rowing North: Navigating Life's Currents and Flourishing As We Age. Pipher will discuss Women Rowing North, a timely examination of the cultural and developmental issues women face as they age. Drawing on her own experience as daughter, sister, mother, grandmother, and caregiver she explores ways women can cultivate resilient responses to the challenges they face.

In the first half hour Patricia interviews Lynn Andrews, bestselling author. She has studied with shamanic women on four continents for more than thirty years. She shares her ancient teachings in her more than 20 books, including the Medicine Woman. Lynn's most recent work, 'The Sacred Vision Oracle. Lynn will discuss The Power Deck; Cards of Wisdom, and how to use the cards to build self esteem and foster empowerment. In the second half Patrica interviews Mary Pipher. Mary is the author of 10 books including her number one New York Times bestseller Reviving Ophelia and her most recent, Women Rowing North: Navigating Life's Currents and Flourishing As We Age. Pipher will discuss Women Rowing North, a timely examination of the cultural and developmental issues women face as they age. Drawing on her own experience as daughter, sister, mother, grandmother, and caregiver she explores ways women can cultivate resilient responses to the challenges they face.

In the first half hour Patricia interviews Lynn Andrews, bestselling author. She has studied with shamanic women on four continents for more than thirty years. She shares her ancient teachings in her more than 20 books, including the Medicine Woman. Lynn's most recent work, 'The Sacred Vision Oracle. Lynn will discuss The Power Deck; Cards of Wisdom, and how to use the cards to build self esteem and foster empowerment. In the second half Patrica interviews Mary Pipher. Mary is the author of 10 books including her number one New York Times bestseller Reviving Ophelia and her most recent, Women Rowing North: Navigating Life's Currents and Flourishing As We Age. Pipher will discuss Women Rowing North, a timely examination of the cultural and developmental issues women face as they age. Drawing on her own experience as daughter, sister, mother, grandmother, and caregiver she explores ways women can cultivate resilient responses to the challenges they face.

"I realized that the cultural scripts about older women, first of all, they are often misogynistic, but there are also primarily scripts where are defined by what we no longer have...The real story is this life stage is catalytic for growth. It's a walking into a portal where we have so much opportunity to develop our moral imaginations. our deep sense of gratitude for life, our sense for deep time in the long view, our own authenticity and self-acceptance. So that's what I wanted to do...I wanted to write about what I was actually seeing and experiencing with women my age."   -Mary Pipher    How can we age gracefully in the world today? And, more importantly, how can we age with dignity?   I think a lot about these questions, which is why I’m so elated that I recently got to speak with Mary Pipher, the author of “Women Rowing North: Navigating Life’s Currents and Flourishing as We Age.”   Mary wrote one of the preeminent books for teenage girls back in 1994 called “Reviving Ophelia.” Her new book, in her words, is a bookend that provides perspective and wisdom about what it means to be a woman later in life.   Mary called me from her home base in Nebraska to talk about aging, the stereotypes surrounding it, and about how we can find more happiness and meaning as we get older.   I love what she has to say, and I can’t wait for you to listen.   If you’re looking for more inspiration and words of wisdom, then please sign up for my free weekly email newsletter - The Sunday Paper. Visit website mariashriver.com to subscribe. 

We're live from Pandora jewellery's flagship store in London on Friday 1st March, in partnership with Ovacome for Ovarian Cancer Awareness month. Aaaand this week we bring you Emma Thompson's open letter to The LA Times after she quit an animated movie in protest against the studio's new hire (a man accused of multiple counts of sexual harassment) and we do a deep-dive into self-discipline. Pandora's discovered the Pomodoro technique; but is Dolly a fan of self-imposed rules? Take a listen and find out. E-mail thehighlowshow@gmail.comTweet @thehighlowshowYou, Me & The Big C, a BBC podcast https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/you-me-and-the-big-c-putting-the-can-in-cancer/id1356165446?mt=2Camping, on Sky Atlantic This Time with Alan Partridge, on BBC iPlayerEmma Thompson's Open Letter to The LA Times https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-mn-emma-thompson-john-lasseter-skydance-20190226-story.html%3foutputType=ampHow I Hacked My Most-Used Apps to Calculate My Day Rate, by Anna Codrea-Rado for Contently.Net https://contently.net/2019/02/21/resources/rates/how-i-hacked-my-most-used-apps-to-calculate-my-day-rate/Relationship Advice From 3 Older Women, by Iman Hariri-Kia for Man Repeller https://www.manrepeller.com/2019/02/older-women-relationship-dating-advice.htmlThe Joy of Being A Woman in Her 70s by Mary Pipher for The NY Times https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/12/opinion/sunday/women-older-happiness.amp.htmlZadie Smith on Touré Show podcast https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/cadence13/toure-show/e/53184632The Secret Life of Spaghetti on Radio 4: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0002rk8 Russian Doll on Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/title/80211627 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Her groundbreaking book, Reviving Ophelia, psychologist Mary Pipher changed the way we looked at girls and adolescence. Now, with her 10th book, she is doing for aging what she did for adolescence, providing a wise and heartfelt guide to happiness in later life. Women Rowing North: Navigating Life’s Currents and Flourishing As We Age provides an engaging and uplifting examination of how to thrive in life’s later stages and how the struggles we face can help us become the people we’ve always wanted to be.  In this episode you’ll learn: How the end years of life can be the happiest time The role of humor and gratitude in later life Why mercy is a valuable quality to develop

From Mary Pipher, bestselling author of Reviving Ophelia, we now get Women Rowing North, a guide to wisdom and authenticity for women as they age. Cultural therapist Pipher, age 71, understands how women growing older contend with ageism, misogyny, grief, and loss. Yet her message is clear and hopeful: most older women are deeply happy and filled with gratitude for the gifts of life. Their very struggles help them let go of stereotypes and grow into authentic, wise, and empathetic women. Pipher's own life and her many roles have schooled her in ways women can cultivate resilient responses to their challenges. "If we can keep our wits about us," she writes, "we will experience a joyous time of our lives. If we have planned carefully and properly, if we have good maps and guides, the journey can be transcendent." 00:15 Intro to Mary Pipher, author of Women Rowing North: Navigating Life’s Currents and Flourishing as We Age 00:50 Other books by Pipher: Reviving Ophelia, The Shelter of Each Other, and Another Country 01:45 Chooses the metaphor of “rowing north” as a bookend to Reviving Ophelia 02:20 Younger and older women all live with cultural stereotypes and scripts 03:30 What does it mean to be old? 04:00 All of Pipher’s books stem from a deep curiosity about her own life 04:20 “Young" old age” vs. “old" old age 05:40 Women 65-75 are the happiest people in America 06:15 Most women deny being old in order to distance selves from cultural script and stories 07:20 Older women tend to be social connectors and experience a time of tremendous growth 08:00 Age can be a source of happiness, bliss, and satisfaction 08:30 Choosing happiness—a skill set often found among women in 70s 10:30 Jane Jarvis, musical prodigy (pianist), had everything she needed to be happy right between her ears 12:00 Age brings changes in body image, social invisibility, and loss of abilities 12:45 How women can reclaim their power 13:00 Story of Michelle Obama’s mother coming to live in the White House 13:45 Exploding the tired, old mother-in-law myth 14:45 "Solutions can’t be legislated; they come from the human heart." 15:15 Female friends give women power and support 15:45 Older women can rescue themselves using decades of practice fighting back against negative messaging 17:00 The power of saying “No” (walking out of any situation we don’t want to be in) 17:45 The power of saying “Yes” (instead of stilling the inner voice) 18:15 Taught to be “good girls” instead of learning to take care of ourselves 19:30 Finding a healthy approach to caregiving, which is very hard work 21:10 Contradictory research on caregiving 21:40 Caregivers need respite and creative strategies for bringing friends into the home 23:50 Keeping connections as lifelines 24:50 True secret of happiness is managing expectations 25:30 Defining happiness on your own terms 26:50 Old age is catalytic for growth 27:00 Suffering increases capacity for bliss, gratitude, empathy, moral imagination, and authenticity 28:30 Stories of resilience, gratitude, and perspective 30:40 How to lean into lessons of suffering without denial 31:20  Taking a gentle approach to our own pain and suffering 31:50 “All of us keep so many appointments we did not make, but we always have choices about how to reframe those experiences.” 32:00 Crafting resplendent narratives: we can’t have a better history, but we can have a better story 32:30 Older women tend to joke around very well and unselfconscious about their bodies 34:20 Time (the most valuable resource of all) = wealth 35:50 Many older women happy because, for the first time in their lives, they can do what they want with their time 36:50 Women becoming intentional moral storytellers for their families 41:00 A great gift of old age: the long view of family and a lifetime 41:55 Blessing of old age: the freedom to be honest 43:30 Small things can bring enormous joy 44:15  Book contains discussions of death, loneliness, and more 44:50 Recommendation: The Trip to Bountiful (1985 movie)   BUY Women Rowing North: Navigating Life’s Currents and Flourishing As We Age MORE BOOKS BY MARY PIPHER BUY Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls BUY The Shelter of Each Other BUY Another Country: Navigating the Emotional Terrain of Our Elders RECOMMENDATION  BUY The Trip To Bountiful (movie) Connect with us on social media! Facebook Instagram Twitter YouTube Special thanks… Music Credit Sound Editing Credit

Hey there, lovely radicals: Podcast ahead! This week on the "Life. Unrestricted." podcast, I get to talk to Elena Rossini from Como, Italy and Paris, France. Elena is a filmmaker, photographer, social entrepreneur and public speaker. Her latest film is called "The Illusionists", a feature-length documentary about the marketing of unattainable beauty ideals around the world. Filming locations included the United States, the UK, the Netherlands, France, Italy, Lebanon, India and Japan. The film has been featured in countless news outlets, and I hope it will be talked about for a long time. Elena has been taking "The Illusionists" on tour, showing it at the biggest companies in Silicon Valley (Apple, Facebook, Google, Twitter...) and at dozens of renowned universities in the United States and Europe. Apart from being a filmmaker, Elena is also the founder and editor-in-chief of "No Country for Young Women", a website whose aim is to provide positive role models for young girls. The site features over 100 interviews of women representing five continents, seven decades, and over two dozen professions – from NASA engineers, illustrators, architects, to filmmakers and entrepreneurs. In 2014 Rossini co-founded "Gender Gap Grader", a platform empowering companies and organizations with innovative tools to measure the gender gap. Today, you’ll hear Elena talk about: – Why she thinks that right now is the best time to be an activist – Why she is concerned about kids and body image in the age of social media and ruthless advertising – Why she lived in so many places and what country she feels most rooted in – What upsets her most about how women are being portrayed and presented in the media and in advertisement – Why we often buy into (and literally buy) the message of products we don’t really need – How much time we end up wasting just "to look in order" – What we really put on our bodies and skins every day – that basically only hurts us – just to look and smell like we think we should – What she found young girls to be most affected by in terms of their body image – The danger behind online-personalities that present their disordered behavior in a way that makes people who watch their workout-/diet-/make-up videos think that they have to achieve the same look – What sparked the idea in her to make a movie about how we are, as women, being presented with illusions, and how we then start to perform an illusion to the outside world – What she found out about the growing epidemic of body dissatisfaction in women and men – Why it took her eight years to complete "The Illusionists" – How she gets treated as a relatively young, female filmmaker – How she responded to the people who wanted to make her believe that she wasn’t "able enough" to make this movie herself – Why she selected the countries that she did – What shocking discoveries she made – Why she strongly believes in activism and how she saw that it really DOES change things – What kind of reaction she got from advertising companies when she screened the film – Why the current way eating disorders are represented in documentaries can contribute to the continuation of the problem, and why it keeps many women/men from actually seeking help – What she intents to do in the future to help women change those self-defeating behaviors – What her project "The Realists" will be about – Why we should spend more time OFFline than online... ... And so much more! Check out Elena’s work: www.elenarossini.com www.theillusionists.org The books she mentioned in our conversation: „Fat is a Feminist Issue“ by Susie Orbach, you can find it here: https://www.amazon.com/Fat-Feminist-Issue-ORBACH-SUSIE/dp/1784753092/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1490895011&sr=1-1&keywords=fat+is+a+feminist+issue Here are books about the dangerous power of advertising, by Jean Kilbourne, Mary Pipher, and others: https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=jean+kilbourne „Amusing ourselves to death“ by Neil Postman, you can find it here: https://www.amazon.de/Amusing-Ourselves-Death-Discourse-Business/dp/014303653X Please consider supporting the podcast with a donation on "Patreon"; so that I can keep producing it. Thank you! Here's the link: https://www.patreon.com/lifeunrestricted Like the podcast? Great! Do subscribe on iTunes (Apple): https://itunes.apple.com/ch/podcast/life.-unrestricted.-podcast/id1130713233?mt=2 or on Stitcher (Android): http://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=93987&refid ********* Don't forget!********* Make sure to join my tribe and meet some of the most supportive, loving and kind people of all shapes and sizes, including great coaches and leaders! We’re right over here at: http://www.lifeunrestricted.org/join/  

In Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Our Adolescent Girls, Dr. Mary Pipher shares how our American culture is impacting our adolescent girls. Dr. Pipher gives various vignettes from teen girls who struggle with body image, to social pressure, to depression, anxiety and more. She explores what it looks like from the inside of an adolescents girl’s world and asks some thought provoking questions. Dr. Pipher has a chapter for mothers, fathers, family systems and divorce. She talks about some questions she would ask her adolescent girls to journal about in hopes of them discovering more about themselves vs splitting off from their authentic self. Even though this book was written in 1990, it is still relevant in what adolescent girls struggle with today.

Dr. Julie Krull and Dr. Mary Pipher discuss 'The Green Boat', how to heal ourselves and much more on this episode of All Things Connected.

A conversation with Mary Pipher featuring Maryann Lesert.

Join us this week on Christian Devotions SPEAK UP! as Scott shares the Salvation Army work and writing passions of Michele McKnight Baker. Michele McKnight Baker's commercially published nonfiction book (Sandpaper Sisters: Addicts Turned Community Builders, Miracles Do Happen!) drew endorsements by Alma (Mrs. Colin) Powell, Tony Campolo (best-selling author on social justice issues), and Mary Pipher (author of Raising Ophelia). Recently, Michele has won awards in the Salvation Army's national writers' contest in both nonfiction and fiction, an excerpt from Soldier's Heart garnering the fiction prize. Writing has always figured in Michele's career, beginning as a journalist. No, earlier than that: as a fidgety grade schooler, shortest and second oldest in her class. She's enjoyed building a successful marketing and business performance consulting firm, while earning a Ph.D. (Union Institute and University; undergraduate: Smith College) and teaching masters and undergraduate business courses. She considers it a privilege to currently serve as Director of Advancement for The Salvation Army, York, PA. Whether for business or general audiences, nonfiction or fiction, her writing is about giving voice to compelling stories, and to characters that haunt her until she has no choice but to listen, and scribe. She is married to Frank, who has probably taken her to more Orioles and Giants baseball games than any other bi-coastal fan of teams that wear orange and black. They are the parents of Andrew and Dan. Dan and his wife Annie are the parents of two extraordinary daughters, Olivia Michele and Mary.

Join us this week on Christian Devotions SPEAK UP! as Scott shares the Salvation Army work and writing passions of Michele McKnight Baker. Michele McKnight Baker’s commercially published nonfiction book (Sandpaper Sisters: Addicts Turned Community Builders, Miracles Do Happen!) drew endorsements by Alma (Mrs. Colin) Powell, Tony Campolo (best-selling author on social justice issues), and Mary Pipher (author of Raising Ophelia). Recently, Michele has won awards in the Salvation Army’s national writers’ contest in both nonfiction and fiction, an excerpt from Soldier’s Heart garnering the fiction prize. Writing has always figured in Michele’s career, beginning as a journalist. No, earlier than that: as a fidgety grade schooler, shortest and second oldest in her class. She’s enjoyed building a successful marketing and business performance consulting firm, while earning a Ph.D. (Union Institute and University; undergraduate: Smith College) and teaching masters and undergraduate business courses. She considers it a privilege to currently serve as Director of Advancement for The Salvation Army, York, PA. Whether for business or general audiences, nonfiction or fiction, her writing is about giving voice to compelling stories, and to characters that haunt her until she has no choice but to listen, and scribe. She is married to Frank, who has probably taken her to more Orioles and Giants baseball games than any other bi-coastal fan of teams that wear orange and black. They are the parents of Andrew and Dan. Dan and his wife Annie are the parents of two extraordinary daughters, Olivia Michele and Mary.

Join us this week on Christian Devotions SPEAK UP! as Scott shares the Salvation Army work and writing passions of Michele McKnight Baker. Michele McKnight Baker's commercially published nonfiction book (Sandpaper Sisters: Addicts Turned Community Builders, Miracles Do Happen!) drew endorsements by Alma (Mrs. Colin) Powell, Tony Campolo (best-selling author on social justice issues), and Mary Pipher (author of Raising Ophelia). Recently, Michele has won awards in the Salvation Army's national writers' contest in both nonfiction and fiction, an excerpt from Soldier's Heart garnering the fiction prize. Writing has always figured in Michele's career, beginning as a journalist. No, earlier than that: as a fidgety grade schooler, shortest and second oldest in her class. She's enjoyed building a successful marketing and business performance consulting firm, while earning a Ph.D. (Union Institute and University; undergraduate: Smith College) and teaching masters and undergraduate business courses. She considers it a privilege to currently serve as Director of Advancement for The Salvation Army, York, PA. Whether for business or general audiences, nonfiction or fiction, her writing is about giving voice to compelling stories, and to characters that haunt her until she has no choice but to listen, and scribe. She is married to Frank, who has probably taken her to more Orioles and Giants baseball games than any other bi-coastal fan of teams that wear orange and black. They are the parents of Andrew and Dan. Dan and his wife Annie are the parents of two extraordinary daughters, Olivia Michele and Mary.

Join us this week on Christian Devotions SPEAK UP! as Scott shares the Salvation Army work and writing passions of Michele McKnight Baker. Michele McKnight Baker’s commercially published nonfiction book (Sandpaper Sisters: Addicts Turned Community Builders, Miracles Do Happen!) drew endorsements by Alma (Mrs. Colin) Powell, Tony Campolo (best-selling author on social justice issues), and Mary Pipher (author of Raising Ophelia). Recently, Michele has won awards in the Salvation Army’s national writers’ contest in both nonfiction and fiction, an excerpt from Soldier’s Heart garnering the fiction prize. Writing has always figured in Michele’s career, beginning as a journalist. No, earlier than that: as a fidgety grade schooler, shortest and second oldest in her class. She’s enjoyed building a successful marketing and business performance consulting firm, while earning a Ph.D. (Union Institute and University; undergraduate: Smith College) and teaching masters and undergraduate business courses. She considers it a privilege to currently serve as Director of Advancement for The Salvation Army, York, PA. Whether for business or general audiences, nonfiction or fiction, her writing is about giving voice to compelling stories, and to characters that haunt her until she has no choice but to listen, and scribe. She is married to Frank, who has probably taken her to more Orioles and Giants baseball games than any other bi-coastal fan of teams that wear orange and black. They are the parents of Andrew and Dan. Dan and his wife Annie are the parents of two extraordinary daughters, Olivia Michele and Mary.

Mary Pipher is a clinical psychologist whose area of expertise is how contemporary US culture influences the mental health of its citizens. She is the author of the New York Times bestselling book Reviving Ophelia, and recently contributed to the Sounds True anthology Darkness Before Dawn: Redefining the Journey Through Depression. In this episode of Insights at the Edge, Mary and Tami Simon discuss the connection between despair and a lack of trust, as well as how personal writing can be a panacea for hopelessness. Mary also shares advice for journeyman therapists who are dealing with clients buried deep in their own despair. Finally, Mary and Tami talk about how despair can crack the heart wide open. (52 minutes)

Mary Pipher - The Middle Of Everywhere- The World's Refugees Come To Our Town - 02/17/05 by westminsterforum

Weekly JourneywithJesus.net postings, read by Daniel B. Clendenin. Essay: *The Best of the Rest, 2013: Books and Films* for Sunday, 29 December 2013; book review: *The Green Boat; Reviving Ourselves in Our Capsized Culture* by Mary Pipher (2013); film review: *Wadjda* (2013); poem review: *BC:AD* by U.A. Fanthorpe.

Mary Pipher is an American clinical psychologist and author, most recently of The Green Boat, which was published by Riverhead Books in June 2013. The Green Boat is a ground-breaking examination of everyday life, exploring how to conquer our fears about the major environmental issues that confound us and transform them into a positive force in our lives. Tune in to this week’s episode of The Farm Report for a fascinating discussion about fear, hope, failure and success in terms of environmental activism and political action. Civic engagement has many faces, and Mary Pipher gives listeners an idea of where to best put their energy to help protect the environment and keep their communities feeling positive. Thanks to our sponsor, Cain Vineyard & Winery. Thanks to Jerome LOL for today’s break music. “One thing I talk about is a difference between actionable intelligence and distractable intelligence. If you’re a consumer of [media], you can have so much information. Most of that information just makes you feel bad and stressed and powerless. On the other hand, there’s a difference type of information that gives you a really good sense of what to do tomorrow morning when you wake up. That’s the kind of information I like to give people.” [15:00] “I have no idea if we can stop global climate change. What I do know, is that if we act, and especially if we act together, we will feel better. Because the mind functions best when it acts as if there is hope…We have a natural resilient response that we can mobilize.” [17:00] “If you want to see how this world works – try to change it.” [24:10] — Mary Pipher on The Farm Report

Psychologist Mary Pipher, already known for her 1994 award-winning book "Reviving Ophelia", which examined the effects of societal pressures on adolescent girls, has a new book called "The Middle of Everywhere: The World's Refugees Come to Our Town". The town is Lincoln, Nebraska, an official refugee re-settlement community. Pipher talks about the experience of refugees in Middle-America in a post-September 11 world. (Original show aired June 2002)

Psychologist Mary Pipher, already known for her 1994 award-winning book "Reviving Ophelia", which examined the effects of societal pressures on adolescent girls, has a new book called "The Middle of Everywhere: The World's Refugees Come to Our Town". The town is Lincoln, Nebraska, an official refugee re-settlement community. Pipher talks about the experience of refugees in Middle-America in a post-September 11 world. (Original show aired June 2002)

Mary Pipher wrote THE SHELTER OF EACH OTHER in 1996. Now she's updating this book about family communication to reflect the high tech ways that we keep in touch.