Caught Between Generations

Is your negative mindset affecting your happiness? Do you ever wish you could just unplug, get away, and push the reset button? If you answered yes to one or both of these questions, Dr. Merle has a show for you.

Kevin Bailey is a health and wellness coach, a life coach, motivational speaker, and author. Kevin is very passionate about helping people transform their lives by taking control of their thoughts, turning negativity into positivity, and realizing that being alone doesn’t have to mean being lonely.

Our second guest, Jacqui Phillips, is an inspirational speaker who encourages people to reset their lives to find and restore balance. Jacqui will discuss with Dr. Merle the importance of taking time during the summer to have fun and recharge, and what to do if you just can’t get away.

Are you faster than a speeding bullet? Can you leap tall buildings in a single bound? Whether you know it or not, to your children you are a superhero. You are their provider, their protector, their playmate, and their role model. You are one of the most influential people they will ever have in their lives. How do you live up to that responsibility? Dr. Meg Meeker is a pediatrician and counselor for over thirty years. In her book, Hero: Being the Strong Father Your Children Need, Meeker helps fathers build a plan for raising strong, loving, independent children, while shouldering the responsibilities that come along with being their dad. This week she joins Dr. Merle to discuss what children need from their fathers and how fathers can meet these needs.

As you grow older, does your mother seem to get smarter? Are you ever shocked when you hear your grandmother's words coming out of your own mouth? Lois P. Frankel, PhD, President of Corporate Coaching International and author of the best seller, Nice Girls Don't Get the Corner Office, discusses with Dr. Merle her new book, Ageless Women, Timeless Wisdom. Frankel's book is both lighthearted and thought-provoking as it honors and gives voice to the older women in our society. Their stories, unique insights, and wisdom are heartwarming, insightful, witty, and philosophical.

We invite our listeners to call in during this live show and honor your mother, grandmother, or other influential woman in your life by telling us what you now know to be one of the best pieces of advice she ever gave you.

Are you living with a family member who has a diagnosis of bipolar disorder or depression? Have the symptoms of depression or bipolar disorder affected your relationship with a child or parent? Depression can occur at any age, and should not be dismissed in the elderly as a normal part of the aging process, or in children as simply growing pains. Dr. Merle's first guest is Dr. Deborah Serani, psychologist and award-winning author. Dr. Serani discusses late life depression, how it differs from depression at other ages, and what caregivers need to do to keep from becoming depressed. Julie Fast lived many chaotic years before she was finally diagnosed with bipolar disorder at the age of 31. Now an author and coach for families living with bipolar disease and depression, Fast discusses depression in young children and teens, and how parents can intervene and help their children who have suicidal thoughts.

Are you a man providing care for a spouse or aging parent? Do you find it difficult to open up about your feelings and emotional stress? If so, you are not alone. 40 percent of family caregivers of adults are men, which equates to 16 million male caregivers in the U.S. Dr. Jean Accius, of the AARP Public Policy Institute, discusses who these male caregivers are and the special issues they face in their non-traditional roles. Robert Hawkins is the facilitator of the men's caregiver support group at SarahCare of Belden Village, Ohio. Once a caregiver to his mother-in-law and then to his wife, Hawkins discusses with Dr. Merle ways to cope with the stressors, special challenges and issues male caregivers encounter in caring for women.

Do you wonder if ‘limited mobility’ means you’ll have to give up family vacations or your favorite hobby?

Candy Harrington, author of “Barrier Free Travel,” shares the best travel tips for families and seniors with mobility issues. We’ll learn accessible vacation spots to keep every generation of your family traveling together.

Patty Cassidy, author of “Gardening for Seniors,” explains the therapeutic benefits of gardening and how aging adults with varying abilities can bloom while digging.

Do you want to create a better society? Do you feel like the American Dream is for others? Anu Partanen, author of ‘The Nordic Theory of Everything,’ shares how she went from a “confident and successful professional to a wary, self-doubting mess” after moving from Finland and what she’s discovered about relationships, aging and retirement in the U.S. We'll hear why Anu believes that by adopting a Nordic approach to life, more of us will have the opportunity to achieve the American Dream.

How can we help our children grow up strong and resilient? How can dependence lead to our children’s independence? Dr. Jennifer Freed, author and founder of the AHA! teen program, shares how we can help our children develop the positive traits of resilience and connection to help them grow into strong, healthy adults. Dr. Vanessa LaPointe, psychologist and founder of The Wishing Star Developmental Clinic, joins us to explain how through dependence our child’s true independence can emerge.

Linda Duxbury, Professor and author of ‘Something's Got to Give’ talks to policy makers, employers and caregivers about the challenges of balancing work and caregiving. She shares her research on caregiving in the workplace, along with caregiver stories, and highlights the dynamics of work and family.

Caregivers and managers will learn how to help each other in the workplace, while maintaining respect and work-life balance.

Is an addiction to gambling, drinking or over-spending impacting your relationships or work? Do you want to get well?

Thomas Gagliano, leader in addiction and author of ‘The Problem Was Me,’ helps us remove our masks of denial, dependency and addiction and leads us down the road of recovery.

Dr. DeSilva, author of ‘A Psychiatrist's Guide,’ explains the intricate needs of children who have addictions and disorders and explores the interventions that can improve well-being in adolescents.