Beyond Well with Sheila Hamilton

This episode looks at how Karen Karbo deliberately changed her life to live abroad and how she balances the pull of familial obligations, French paperwork, and a new, expanded way of living in middle age.

Karen is an American novelist, non-fiction writer, and journalist. Karbo's three comic novels, Trespassers Welcome Here, The Diamond Lane, and Motherhood Made a Man Out of Me, were each named New York Times Notable Books.

Sabrina Ullman Matthews is one of my favorite people; a brilliant therapist, a curious and sharp mind, and such insightful views on ageism and true beauty. We spoke with her about how she lives the back half of her life with optimism and passion.

How do we avoid and ignore the negative stereotypes of aging and live with full authenticity and joy? This is an episode filled with Sabrina's insight and humor.

There is no role as humbling or fraught with the potential for heartbreak than caring for an aging parent. Siblings who live nearby often shoulder the majority of hands on work, while others who live remotely do the best they can to offer financial assistance and other expertise.

In this episode, Dr. James Polo talks about how communication at every step of your parent's aging process can help alleviate some of the problems that inevitably crop up when making decisions about care, housing, and end of life decisions.

The share of American adults providing uncompensated care to friends or family members with serious medical conditions and the elderly is growing rapidly. What is even more alarming is that thirty percent of long term facilities could face bankruptcy in the coming years, forcing even more of the caregiving impact in-home and onto unpaid family and friends.

Dr. James Polo discusses the psychological impact of long term caregiving and shares some of the strategies for staying well.

The stigma of mental illness prevents far too many people from seeking care. Even more concerning is how difficult it is to find a practitioner in a timely manner, especially one who is taking new patients.

Dr. James Polo talks about the difficulty of navigating mental healthcare and provides tips for running the gauntlet.

Dr. James Polo talks about some of the difficulties, challenges and opportunities of middle age.

Ellen Urbani is a human rights activist, mother, and urban farmer who has spent most of her life in service of others.

Now, Ellen shares with us the excruciating process of uncoupling from her life partner in order to fulfill her dream of living internationally. With exquisite care, Ellen sets the stage for eventual divorce and her departure from the people and the life she’s nurtured so lovingly.

The CDC has released a worrying report on adolescent mental health. More than 2/3 of teenage females report suffering from persistent sadness. Dr. Polo discusses the role of social media, early puberty, and external pressures that are creating a pressure cooker for adolescent mental health.

Dr. LeJune and Dr. Brian Goff talk about cancel culture, the increase in trigger warnings, and the pros and cons of safe spaces on college campuses, businesses and public gathering places.

Sheila Hamilton is a national speaker on suicide prevention, mental health, and resilience. In this live presentation, Sheila talks about the unique opportunity we have to remake ourselves, again and again. During Suicide Prevention month, reach out to someone who may be suffering from prolonged grief, complicated depression or suicidal thoughts and remind them: One day, your story about what you are going through will help someone else survive another day. There is an opportunity for growth in every aspect of our suffering. Stay Another Day.