Caregiving
July 5, 2021
As some of you know, my father, Jerry Atkins, at the age of 74, died after living with Alzheimer’s Disease for 13 years. A passionate music lover with an extensive record collection, he sang, danced, played the drums, and always had a song in his heart and on his lips. […]
March 10, 2021
We have long realized that patients with long-term illnesses such as cancer or Alzheimer’s Disease go through phases of inevitable decline that require the medical team to continually adapt treatment to meet their changing needs. Through my work with caregivers who oversee the daily care of family members with such […]
March 3, 2020
When everything is going our way, life is great. Things fall into place and we can see possibilities and opportunities easily. We can become attached to these feelings and never want them to end. We may expect that they will not end. Then something happens and our world changes, and […]
February 4, 2020
For most of my professional career I have tried to help people come to terms with loss. The loss of the child they had hoped for and the adaptation to the one they had; the loss of a job that they wanted or had; the loss of a relationship, the […]
December 30, 2019
Many of us think our role in a conversation is to talk. In fact, what most people seem to prefer is to have a conversation partner who is a good listener. We may say too much, repeat ourselves to make a point (when the point is already made), talk about […]
July 30, 2019
It happens in life. Someone we know will be fired, go through a divorce, be informed of an illness, receive an indictment, be involved in an accident, or lose someone they love. When this happens likely, they will want to not only tell us but want to talk about it. […]
November 30, 2018
“You’re not out of the woods yet.” said the doctor to the recovering patient. “You need to take things a bit slower for a while. Listen to your body; it will guide you to where you need to go.” Being “in the woods” is an experience unlike any other. […]
November 1, 2018
Many people have been placed in detention centers or tent cities, feeling alone and isolated. Various organizations are engaged with nonprofits that focus on the well being of detainees and partner to write monthly letters. This idea has its roots in letter writing efforts to people in the military as […]
September 27, 2018
We can help our children along successful life paths by encouraging their achievement from a sense of purpose rather than a sense of obligation or a fear of disappointment. We can emphasize their unique talents and promise. Ideally, we want them to feel good about their authentic selves as they […]
July 2, 2018
Finding Resilience as a Witness. Many of us have experienced trauma in our lives. When we witness other people who are experiencing trauma, our ability to be present for their situation may be heightened or compromised. Either way, we are often (whether for a moment or longer), thrown back into […]