Determination, individualism – work hard you’ll get ahead and get a piece of the American pie. Those are hallmarks of our society – but does ambition come at a cost? Do relationships hold us back? Is it possible to find a balance between work and our personal lives?

The answer may very well lie in our brains…. The neuroscience that can lead us to what Dr. Christine Carter calls The Sweet Spot. She believes we can change our lives for the better when we use tactics that flow with our brain and physiology, not against them. We’ll also talk with journalist Emily Esfahani Smith.

PHOTO: ED GREGORY

Bro-mances, buddy films –that’s the Hollywood picture of male friendship — but what do men really need to have an intimate relationship and lasting closeness? We’ll talk with Dr. Robert Garfield whose new book, “Breaking the Male Code: Unlocking the power of friendship,” suggests there is a way for men to overcome isolation and create happier, healthier lives. We’ll discuss cultivating diversity in friendship as well as ways we can teach our young boys to express love and affection?

PHOTO: JEREMY KEITH

Fatherhood will be celebrated this month on Father’s Day. For many, fathers and father figures are key to supporting and raising children, and like moms, can serve as role models and mentors throughout the life cycle.

Dr. Dan Gottlieb speaks with Solomon Jones, The Reverend Charles “Chaz” Howard, and Dr. Brad Sachs about fatherhood—its many forms and functions, wisdom imparted by dads, and the rich pageant of experiences that define this parental role.

Solomon Jones a Philadelphian, has three children. He is a bestselling author and award-winning journalist who blogs for Newsworks. He has been featured on NPR’s Morning Edition, CNN Headline News, in Essence magazine, and in a Verizon advertising campaign called Realize, which spotlighted entrepreneurs who overcame adversity to succeed.

Chaz Howard, the father of two, is chaplain at the University of Pennsylvania.

Brad Sachs, Ph.D. is the father of three children, a grandfather, and is the Director of The Father Center. A psychologist and the author of numerous articles and books on fatherhood, he has been a long-time advocate for the salient and significant role that men can and should play in family life from its very inception. His most recent book is Family-Centered Treatment With Struggling Young Adults (2013)

Dr. Dan Gottlieb shares a message to his dad on Father’s Day. Listen below, or read the letter »

Some of us are fortunate to have good neighbors. They’re the folks we chat with, invite over, borrow a cup of sugar from, and do favors for.

On the other hand, some neighbors can be a nuisance–a source of nightmares and profound anxiety. They’re noisy, nasty, messy, and seem to have no consideration for the rest of the community.

Dr. Dan Gottlieb discusses “bad neighbors” and how to deal with them with guests Dan Simon, Bob Borzotta and Rue Landau.

Dan Simon is a mediator with Minnesota-based Twin Cities Mediation. He’s a teacher and practitioner of the transformative approach. He’s associated with the Institute for the Study of Conflict Transformation.

Bob Borzotta is the author of Neighbors from Hell. He also maintains a message board called Neighbor Solutions.

Rue Landau, Esq., is Executive Director of the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations.

Want something more than simple beach reads on your summer list? We’ll hear from several authors who inform, inspire and challenge us. Rachel Simon discusses the craft of memoir and reveals what she reads when she is writing. From contemplative meditation teacher Allan Lokos comes his latest book Through The Flames, a reflection on his surviving a plane crash, while photographer Jan C. Almquist and author Ann de Forest discuss their experience writing Bayada Press’ first book, Healing on the Home Front: The Faces, Stories and Voices of Home Healthcare. Pull up a beach chair, and let us know the books that resonate with you.

Image: telekon

Links

Allan Lokos

Rachel Simon has written six books including Riding the Bus with My Sister, and The Story of Beautiful Girl. She recommends: By Dave Simpson The Way Love Comes to Me

Dave Simpson’ play, Crossing the Threshold Into the House of Bach, will be performed by Amaryllis Theatre Company on June 4 and 5 at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 7809 Old York Rd, Elkins Park and June 12 and 13 at St. Mary’s Hamilton Village, 3916 Locust Walk, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

By Dan Simpson School for the Blind

Dan Simpson’s blog

By Ona Gritz

Female soldiers are returning from deployment in record numbers, according to Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, they are 15 percent of the active-duty military. Women at higher risk than male soldiers for developing PTSD, they’re likely to have a harder time finding jobs, and they’re also more likely to be single parents with children to support. Female vets face somber statistics such as their risk becoming homeless upon returning is four times greater , and the likelihood that they will commit suicide is twice as high as their male counterparts for women under the age of 50.

We’ll be speaking with veteran Jennifer Crane, who joined us in 2009 for a show on PTSD and Returning Troops, having recently returned from Afghanistan. She now works for the organization that helped her get therapy, GiveAnHour. We’ll also be joined by Tiffany T. Johnson, a US Air Force Veteran who participated in a multi-media art project that explained to healthcare providers, through daily experiences with a video camera, what the needs of re-integrating veterans are in reality.

We’ll also be joined by three experts, Dr. Amy Street, acting Director of the Women’s Health Division of the National Center for PTSD Dr. Briana Nelson Goff, a professor who specializes in working with primary and secondary traumatic stress symptoms in trauma survivor couples, families and children, with specific focus on military and disaster-related traumatic events, at Kansas State University. We’ll also speak with Dr. Janice Krupnick, a research professor and the Department of Psychiatry Director of the Trauma and Loss Program at Georgetown University Medical Center.

We’ll hear from the organization Grace After Fire, a non- profit in Texas whose aim is to provide the means for women Veterans to gain self-knowledge and self-renewal. We’ll also hear from a filmmaker who followed female vets to the middle east and back to make the documentary Journey to Normal. In addition, the PBS special Coming Back with Wes Moore, a story of three vets re-integrating after returning from deployment, including representative Tammy Duckworth, episode 2 airs Tuesday 05/20 at 8 p.m. and Episode 3 airs Tuesday 05/27 at 8 p.m. on WHYY-TV.

What is HOSPICE care really and is there an art to dying? Can death be the final act of living fully? Nina McKissock is an RN and writes about her fourteen years as a HOSPICE nurse in her book, From Sun To Sun. She believes there is an art to dying if we use our compassion, deep joy, love and humor. We’ll discover contemplative practices, an important part of McKissock’s work. And, we’ll discuss our healthcare system and ways to improve how we help people through the final stage of life.

Learn more about Nina McKissock

Image: gregor_y

Curiosity is the driving force behind creativity, innovation, and learning in general. It is something we’re all born with- but not all of us can keep that fire kindled throughout our lifetimes.On this Voices in the Family with Dr. Dan Gottlieb, we’ll speak with author Ian Leslie about his new book Curious: The Desire To Know And Why Your Future Depends On It. We’ll talk about how to foster creativity, why some are more curious than others, and whether in this age of constant information and technology- is curiosity strengthened or harmed. We will also hear from Dr. Paul Harris of the Harvard Graduate School of Education about his research in this field.

Silences, grudges and cutoffs between family members that can last for decades. How does this happen, what’s the price everyone pays and why is it so difficult to let go of resentment? Let’s talk about what we don’t talk about—family rifts and estrangement. Dr. Ellen Berman, founder of the Center for Couples and Adult Families at the University of Pennsylvania, will discuss ways to re-establish communication and review when that might not be possible.

Learn more Center for couples

We know autism is affecting more families and as these children with autism grow up, they face new challenges. April is Autism Awareness month and to understand families touched by autism, we’ll talk to Temple Grandin and her mother, Eustacia Cutler, about their lifetime of living with and studying autism. We’ll also speak with Dr. Jim Ball, who consults on autism issues. Plus new research and treatment.

For more information on autism check out Durand