You can pre-order my new book SANITY SAVERS: Tips for Women to Live A Balanced Life which hits bookstores Spring 2007.

It is a wonderful guide filled with all sorts of stress busting tips for women of every age based on my Sanity Saver ideas in this monthly e-newsletter.

Someone in your community, whom you may barely know, lost his wife and is dealing with being a single parent. Or a father at your kid’s school died and the mom is trying to pick up the pieces.

Everyone rallies to help them. But, you know that as time marches on, fewer and fewer folks ask if there is anything they can do. Everyone’s routine has settled in and yet this family is still grieving as school is starting and the holidays loom in the near future.

Let’s face it, this family could use some tender loving care to save their sanity.

1. Love Them, Feed Them - After someone in your community dies, it is not necessary that the cue for the casserole brigade ceases to exist. Organize neighbors and cook meals, maybe to be delivered two or three times each week for several months after the death.
2. Caring with Care Packages - Place a refrigerator box or cooler outside their home or arrange to drop the food at the same time each day so one of the family members will know it is there and can receive it. With simple instructions taped onto the container this family will unpack some great and healthy food and know they are remembered and are part of a community.
3. Helping to Heal - Sometimes, a simple act of kindness shared among neighbors makes the world of difference to someone struggling in his or her new situation. Make sure everyone understands their role and the rules. No chit chat unless requested. . . cook, deliver and leave the food and that’s it. This is not the time to visit unless you are invited to do so.

Go beyond what you think is reasonable and help heal the suffering in your back yard
. . .one person or family at a time.

TODAY Show (NBC)
Dates and times of upcoming segments will be posted on Dr. Dale's website.

The Lisa Birnbach Radio Show
Every other Wed., 9:20-10:00am
Oct 4th: Unreasonable Expectations for a Potential Mate
Oct 18th: To be Announced
The Lisa Birnbach Show airs LIVE Mon-Fri 9am-Noon EST
>Go to the Lisa Birnbach Show for Upcoming Schedule

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Pitch in and help this world be a cleaner place.

Whether it's picking up soda cans on your daily jog, recycling your throw aways or bringing trash up to the receptical at the movie theatre rather than leaving it under your seat, contribute to your community by lending a hand and clean up.

Less pollution means a cleaner world for you and your family.

You may have a friend who is battling Breast Cancer. Or maybe your mom has Parkinson’s. Someone in your office has just been diagnosed with Muscular Sclerosis. And your neighbor’s son needs a kidney transplant.

It seems as if wherever you turn or whomever you talk to, somebody is dealing with some major health issue and there is just not enough money or awareness to deal with it. Raising the consciousness of a community takes time, energy and stamina.

Keep your sanity while you support your friends when they need to feel most as if they are part of a community of caring folks.

• Do It - Raise money in honor of your friend by running, walking or bike riding and make donations to a particular organization or toward the payment for a specific medical procedure. After the event, keep donors posted on how you did and how much money you raised.
• Do It with Family and Friends – Enlist friends to be a part of the effort. If kids can’t walk or run, push, pull, or stroller them. Spread the good feeling and educate as many people as you can to the importance of prevention, health, research, treatment, and awareness as well as “giving back”.
• Do It Again – After the event, document what the experience meant to you and commit to participating again in events for causes that touch your soul.

There are many ways to participate in helping those you care about deal with their health challenges. Find the way that works for you and Do It!

"Without a sense of caring, there can be no sense of community."

Anthony J. D'Angelo, The College Blue Book