What is a creatrix, you might ask?   According to Stephanie Raffelock the word creatrix is defined as “a woman who makes or creates things.” Stephanie suggests that creatrix may be a good replacement for crone when it comes to selecting an archetype for women to age into.  We love the idea of a woman continuing to “make things” beyond the biological clock of fertility. Stephanie Raffelock herself is a creatrix.  She is a storyteller and writer who published two books after she was 50. Creatrix Rising is her latest, and we were thrilled to speak with her about it on this week’s Twisting the Plot Podcast. Listen as Stephanie shares her story, the plot twists, and the role models who inspired her along the way. There is the poet Richard Blanco, her grandmother Julia, and the magical neighbor Austin.  Relationships matter to Stephanie. And now she matters to us. We need to remind ourselves that as with all kinds of evolution, there is no destination point, no complete, all-the-way healing, but rather more unfolding, more work to be done. We grow psychologically and spiritually until the time we die.  Stephanie Raffelock, The Creatrix Rising Learn more about Stephanie Raffelock at https://www.byline-stephanie.com/  

Twisting the Plot

Creatrix Rising, a conversation with Stephanie Raffelock

Picture this: you’ve come to a crossroads. It’s time for a change. But, which way do you go? Where do you start? How do you start? In our 12 in 12 program, twelve women meet for twelve months, with each woman starting out in a new direction. Each creates a project of her own design and begins work on it, supported by the group.  They decide where to start, and what comes next.  How? By constructing individual roadmaps to follow for the year. Each woman’s roadmap envisions a path as well as the inevitable obstacles she may confront along the way.  The 12 in 12 roadmaps make up the stories that each woman lives and tells. Listen as Una Betti, Lori McAndrew and Ronda Tamerlane share their roadmaps, and discuss how the women in the 12 in 12 have become markers and grounding for each other as they embark on their individual year-long journeys. What about you? Do you have a roadmap that you can follow?  Does your plot need a twist?   Bios Ronda Tamerlane was born in 1946 in Vallejo California. She has one daughter and two grandkids. Ronda was married 3 times, the last time to her soul mate who died six years after thirty years of being together. She got a BA in 1974 in psychology and had various working situations. She was even a rural carrier for 17 years. When she was in her late 40’s, Ronda went to graduate school and began a career as a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist which lasted for 20 years. In 2020, during covid, she retired. She is now writing her memoir.  Una Betti, the creator of Mindful Garden Designs LLC, has been gardening for over 30 years. Her gardens are her passion, and she finds great inspiration in the natural world around her. Una is a registered nurse and a certified project management professional.  Her background in nursing and project management combines both the caring components and detailed mindset to design garden spaces that will come to life and thrive. Her mission statement speaks to all those who need to embrace their space; “To design gardens to create peaceful spaces to facilitate the practice of mindfulness, foster creativity and promote health.”   Lori McAndrew is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in the state of New York. She is pursuing a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from Oregon State University and is an Adjunct clinical supervisor for the Mental Health and Wellness Center at Molloy College. Her research interests include creative pedagogy in counselor education, multicultural counseling competence, and ageism. In addition to her academic pursuits and clinical profession, Lori is a Mom, daughter, wife, sister, aunt and friend. 

12 in 12 Stories with Una Betti, Lori McAndrew and Ronda Tamerlane

Lori McAndrew has been waiting for a long time.  But now she waits no more.  At 57 she is pursuing her doctoral degree which she plans to finish when she is 60. Listen as Lori shares her journey to this point, the struggles, the obstacles, the triumphs and… the waiting… Lori, a Twisting the Plot 12 in 12 group member, discusses her project: a dissertation on ageism.  There’s a lot to talk about, and it’s all worth the wait.   Bio Lori McAndrew is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in the state of New York. She is pursuing a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from Oregon State University and is an Adjunct clinical supervisor for the Mental Health and Wellness Center at Molloy College. Her research interests include creative pedagogy in counselor education, multicultural counseling competence, and ageism. In addition to her academic pursuits and clinical profession, Lori is a Mom, daughter, wife, sister, aunt and friend. 

Why Wait? 12 in 12 Stories with Lori McAndrew

Last week we talked.  This week we act. After last week’s episode, we asked ourselves, could we do this thing called psychodrama over Zoom for a podcast?   We decided to give it a try.  Listen as Cecilia participates in a psychodrama facilitated by Heidi Landis and supported by Greta Schnee, Marianne Franzese and Cara Connors.   Together we explore the technique called future projection.  Yes, future.  Even at our age. Take a listen for something entirely different.   Heidi is Licensed Creative Arts therapist (LCAT) Registered Drama Therapist and Board- Certified Trainer (RDT/BCT) and a Trainer, Educator and Practitioner of Psychodrama (TEP). Specializing in trauma-informed work and the use of creative arts therapy techniques, she has a private practice and consulting business in in New York City where she sees clients and facilitates trainings nationally and internationally. She was most recently the community coordinator of mental health at an international school in the South Bronx. For 14 years Heidi worked at Creative Alternatives of New York, as Associate Executive Director of the clinical and training programs where she ran Trauma-Informed Drama Therapy groups with many different populations as well as trained staff and site partners in using creative techniques in psychotherapy and in the classroom  Heidi is an adjunct professor at New York University and Yeshiva University in NYC, Lesley University in MA, Concordia University in Montreal and on faculty of the KINT institute. She has published about her work in the books Trauma-Informed Drama Therapy: Transforming Clinics, classrooms and communities, Handbook of Child and Adolescent Group Therapy: A Practitioner’s Reference, Creative Arts-Based Group Therapy with Adolescents: Theory and Practice and Current Approaches in Drama Therapy as well as in peer reviewed journals. https://www.heidilandis.org

Psychodrama with Heidi Landis, Part 2: The Method

Psychodrama, “the psyche in action,” is an experiential form of psychotherapy where our inner and outer impulses can be explored through enactment. Heidi Landis is a trainer, educator, and practitioner of psychodrama. On this Twisting the Plot Podcast she explains that psychodrama is a kind of group therapy utilizing dramatic techniques and helps individuals understand themselves, communicate better, and imagine how else things could be.   Heidi tells us that psychodrama gives us the chance to warm up to our lives, be spontaneous and take new action.   With a good warm up, we can be more flexible, open, and more creative with what’s next.   In this conversation Heidi enlightens us about psychodrama’s origin and theory.   It’s fascinating. Check it out.  Bio Heidi Landis is Licensed Creative Arts therapist (LCAT) Registered Drama Therapist and Board- Certified Trainer (RDT/BCT) and a Trainer, Educator and Practitioner of Psychodrama (TEP). Specializing in trauma-informed work and the use of creative arts therapy techniques, she has a private practice and consulting business in in New York City where she sees clients and facilitates trainings nationally and internationally. She was most recently the community coordinator of mental health at an international school in the South Bronx. For 14 years Heidi worked at Creative Alternatives of New York, as Associate Executive Director of the clinical and training programs where she ran Trauma-Informed Drama Therapy groups with many different populations as well as trained staff and site partners in using creative techniques in psychotherapy and in the classroom.  Heidi is an adjunct professor at New York University and Yeshiva University in NYC, Lesley University in MA, Concordia University in Montreal and on faculty of the KINT institute. She has published about her work in the books Trauma-Informed Drama Therapy: Transforming Clinics, classrooms and communities, Handbook of Child and Adolescent Group Therapy: A Practitioner’s Reference, Creative Arts-Based Group Therapy with Adolescents: Theory and Practice and Current Approaches in Drama Therapy as well as in peer reviewed journals. https://www.heidilandis.org  

Psychodrama with Heidi Landis, Part 1: The Theory

We are entering the last third of our 12 in 12 2021 year. Twelve women, working together for twelve months, each woman creating a project of their own choice and design.   With each other, we are learning, growing, sharing and creating. Together, we are facing our pasts, embracing obstacles and envisioning new futures. We are supporting each other. We are challenging each other. We are doing more than getting through, we are doing more than managing change, we are the change makers. And, we are having fun. If you want to know more about how all this happens, listen to this week’s Twisting the Plot Podcast as three of our twelve group members share their project ideas and discuss their experience.  This conversation with Kim Dickinson, Heidi Michaels and Mary Condon Hobbs, is all about possibility.  Theirs and ours.  It’s a collaborative and collective twist. If you want to be more visible, get more support and reinvigorate your own life, then considering joining us. Applications for 12 in 12 2022 are now open and available here. https://twistingtheplot.lpages.co/twelve-in-twelve/ ________________________________________________________ Heidi Michaels is a personal trainer and life coach based in Westchester NY, who specializes in working with women 45+.  Her knowledge and unique blend of skills and personal experience guide, motivate, and inspire women through any physical and mental obstacle.  Heidi@heidimichaels.com Mary Condon Hobbs is a licensed mental health counselor living in Corrales, New Mexico. She currently works with adults with developmental disabilities, assisting them in creating a meaningful life. Mary enjoys photographing in-between moments, riding a mountain bike on pavement, learning to play the drums and gathering with friends around the firepit all year round. Divorcing during the Pandemic made her question love and relationships, intimacy and desire.  Her Podcast in the making, Famished: to Fulfilled, helps women 50+ explore their passions and stay curious about their sensual selves. Kim Dickinson lives on the east coast of Massachusetts in Scituate. She found herself artificially retired from teaching due to Covid. She has a background in psychology and costume design  and has a great love of the outdoors. She finds joy in being a wife and mother and loves working with young people. Kim believes in the power of intentional action. She also thinks we could all use more humor and play in our adult lives. 

12 in 12 Stories

Life is filled with many twists and turns, but eventually, if you follow your heart, you find yourself exactly where you are meant to be. This week we spoke with someone who is exactly where she is meant to be; Rebecca Dudley, Children’s Book Author, Architect, and Activist.  When Rebecca and her husband moved to Chicago from Seattle, they missed going to see the North West Ballet production of The Nutcracker with costumes by the late Maurice Sendak. As a gift for her husband, Rebecca decided to re-enact the ballet using stuffed animals. Inspired by the experience, Rebecca began making elaborate diorama’s that she photographed and posted as a blog called Storywoods. This led to two whimsical, creative, and beautifully conceived books; Hank Finds an Egg and Hank Has a Dream.  Rebecca talks with us about how her experience in the theater, studying dance in college, a degree in economics, her work as an architect and activist have all played a role in her current work as a children’s book author. Listen as Rebecca explains how she uses her camera to explore the worlds she creates and discovers the story waiting to be told.  Check out Rebecca's blog Storywoods Buy 'Hank Finds an Egg' and 'Hank Has a Dream' on Amazon.com

Summer Replay - Storywoods, with Rebecca Dudley

Every now and then, Cecilia and Hannah wonder, “are we there, have we made it, can we finally call ourselves adults?” It just seems like we’ve been waiting for decades for that certificate of achievement, or that special feeling that lets us know we’ve made the grade. Yes, we are in our sixties and still asking ourselves, What does it mean to be an adult? So this week on our Twisting the Plot Podcast we talk with Julie Lythcott-Haims, who wrote Your Turn: How To Be An Adult. A former corporate lawyer, Julie became a Dean at Stanford University and then wrote a book, How to Raise an Adult. She also wrote a memoir, Real American, about growing up black and biracial in white spaces. In her latest book, Julie has a lot to say about growing up. Her voice is direct and encouraging. She gets candid about her experience and she fills her book with stories by and about many different people navigating adulthood. Julie calls the storytelling her “commitment to inclusion.” The stories by diverse groups of storytellers confirm a very important message: being an adult is universally complex, ongoing and not easy. We felt reassured after reading the book. It gave us a lot to think about, a lot of tips and tools. We understand that being an adult is less a destination and more an ongoing process. Julie’s book is written for young, emerging adults but it’s good for us older adult wannabees too. Perhaps it is finally “our turn.” Visit julielythcotthaims.com

Summer Replay - How to be an Adult, with Julie Lythcott-Haims

How do you bloom? Are you an annual or a perennial? Do you bloom late? Are you still sprouting? Or are you waiting, held inside some bulb that is planted deep within the earth, for your time? Today we talk to Yvonne Marchese, host of Late Bloomer Living Podcast. Yvonne believes midlife can be a time to step into a new experience, learn new things and, well, bloom again. She calls herself a “serial pivoter.” She is an actress, storyteller, photographer, wife and mother. We are so happy to connect with Yvonne. She is a part of the cultural web of women who support others in embracing life, rebooting desire and re-finding purpose in midlife and beyond. Take a Listen.   Check out Yvonne's websites latebloomerliving.com and yvonnemarchesephotography.com Check out Yvonne's free workbook 5 Steps to Your Midlife Reboot Check out Yvonne's Instagram, Facebook page, and Linkedin

Summer Replay - Late Bloomer Living, with Yvonne Marchese

Get ready for something different. Cindy Gallop doesn’t do status quo. After years as a leader and change-maker in the advertising business she has moved on to new projects. At 61, Cindy shares that her life course is guided by a series of serendipitous accidents. Her current accidental mission is to help us all learn about, explore and talk about…sex. MakeLoveNotPorn aims to help us all uncover our sexual potential. Cindy explains that there are two coincidental issues preventing us from knowing who we can be as sexual beings. First, we live in a society where sex is never discussed. Second, the porn industry is bigger and more accessible than ever. Hence, what we know about sex is taught to us by porn. It leaves most of us confused, unsatisfied, and missing out. MakeLoveNotPorn is a platform that invites real people to show real sex, in all its diversity. It aims to dispel myths, bash stereotypes, and free us all physically, emotionally and intimately. It's a provocative topic. It’s a bold business. Cindy shakes us up and makes us think. It’s a plot twist for all.   Learn more about Cindy at cindygallop.com Check out makelovenotporn.tv

Summer Replay - Sex and the Plot Twist with Cindy Gallop, founder of MakeLoveNotPorn

When we think about women's invisibility over 50, we rarely consider women’s bodies in their purest form, naked. We have been taught to look away with shame, fear, even disgust. This week, we spoke with photographer Jocelyn Lee about her new book Sovereign. Throughout her career, Jocelyn has been photographing women in the nude, documenting how the body and our sense of ourselves changes throughout our lives. Sovereign is a collection of portraits depicting women age 55 and up. These women, captured naked in natural settings, reveal the beauty, sensuality, and strength of older women made visible.  Listen as Jocelyn talks with us about what she has learned from her work. Sovereign seeks to shine a bright light on the natural beauty of women of all ages and all body types. No body is deserving of invisibility and I believe this work marks a long overdue paradigm shift. It’s time we revolutionize the image world and flood it with women in real bodies, feeling sensual and wonderful in their human skin. — Jocelyn Lee 2020   Check out Sovereign at jocelynleestudio.com Buy Sovereign at minormattersbooks.com

Summer Replay - Sovereign: the sensual body with photographer Jocelyn Lee

Nikki Giovanni has a gift for making the everyday extraordinary. She is an American poet, commentator, activist and educator. She has published multiple poetry anthologies, children’s books and spoken word recordings. In the 1960’s she was dubbed “the poet of the black revolution.” She was an activist in the civil rights movement and an inspiration for the Black Arts movement. She has won 7 NAACP Image awards, the Langston Hughes Medal, and was the first recipient of the Rosa Parks Woman of Courage Award. In the 1970’s Nikki produced and made several appearances on the television program Soul!, where she engaged in a memorable dialogue with James Baldwin. She has taught writing and literature at Queens College, Rutgers and Ohio State, and is now the University Distinguished Professor of English at Virginia Tech. We are so, so fortunate to have Nikki on our Twisting the Plot Podcast. We could have talked together for hours. Conversations with Nikki are like poetry itself. Multiple meanings exude from each word she speaks. She’s a wordsmith, a storyteller, and a wise guide. And she lets her imagination run free. She thinks growing older is a good idea. She reads from her most recent book, Make Me Rain.   Make Me Rain make me rain turn me into a snowflake   let me rest on your tongue   make me a piece of ice so I can cool you   let me be the cloud that embraces you   or the quilt that gets you dry   snuggle close listen to me sing on the windowsill   make me rain on you   Check out Nikki's website at www.nikki-giovanni.com Read some more of Nikki's poems at poetryfoundation.org Buy Make Me Rain: Poems and Prose by Nikki Giovanni on Amazon

Summer Replay - Make Me Rain, A Conversation with Poet Nikki Giovanni

When the pandemic hit New York City, internationally acclaimed designer Rebecca Moses turned to her art for comfort, imagination, and connection. She put a post on Instagram asking women to write about their pandemic experience, letters from the heart. In return, she would paint their portrait.  And the “Stay Home Sisterhood” was born.  To date, over 410 women from all over the world have shared their stories and seen themselves through Rebecca’s eyes, a remarkable gift. Rebecca also volunteered to paint the portraits of 50 nurses at Mount Sinai Hospital in honor of “The Year of The Nurse.” A moment of kindness and love in a very dark time.  Listen to today’s Twisting the Plot Podcast as Rebecca talks about the importance of trusting your voice, finding the beauty within, and lifting women up. Rebecca also shares with us what she’s learned about “The power of the paintbrush,” and our ongoing evolution.   Visit rebeccamoses.com Check out Rebecca Moses' Instagram @rebeccamosesofficial

Summer Replay - Power of the Paintbrush. Rebecca Moses.

Over fifty, we often feel the desire for something more, something new. But to get there, we have to clear out the weeds and thorn bushes of old beliefs, expectations, and fears so that we can make space for new possibilities.  This week we spoke with Kathy Lockhardt, founder of Flourish Farms, who did just that, both physically and metaphorically. At 59, Kathy had a dream to reclaim a long-overgrown field on the family farm and turn it into a truck garden. Her family was doubtful that it could be done, but Kathy persisted. With the help of her brother-in-law and a lot of sweat and back-breaking work, Kathy created her field of dreams. With metaphors aplenty, Kathy shares with us what she discovered about her own strength, and about listening to one’s desires, trusting your dream, and learning when to rest.  Sign Up for the Flourish Farm Newsletter

Summer Replay - Field of Dreams with Kathy Lockhardt

Who knew getting older could be so funny? In the 1960’s gerontologist Robert Butler told us that thinking back over our lives is therapeutic. He termed his method of reminiscence, “Life Review”. Through a life review, experiences from the past, particularly the unresolved conflicts, can be resolved and reintegrated into our life experience.   There is also substantial research pointing to the benefits of humor. Humor has been found to lower blood pressure, increase pain threshold, and improve the immune system. Humor reduces cortisol and increases endorphins in our systems. It also helps us gain perspective, sharpen our memory, and allows us to forgive ourselves and others.  Story and laughter bring people together. Enter, Mary Clohan, a stand-up comedian and graduate student in New York University’s program for Drama Therapy. Mary decided to combine these two healing processes. For her Masters’ thesis, she examined the process and benefits of what she calls, “Laugh Review.” On this week’s Twisting the Plot Podcast we hear from Mary and five of her actor/subjects, all residents of Penn South, “a naturally occurring retirement community” located in NYC, fondly referred to as NORC.   Take a listen and laugh along with us. We are honored to have the following participants on this podcast:  Hilda Aronson, Michael Bournas-Ney, Martin Sturm, Florence Cohen, and Harriet Kriegel.     Cast Bios: Mary Clohan is a writer, performer, teaching artist and recent graduate of the NYU Master’s Program in Drama Therapy.  She has been performing stand-up comedy and improv comedy around NYC for the past 4 years and is interested in the therapeutic potential of humor and comedy within the creative arts therapies. Reach out to Mary Clohan via email at maryclohan@gmail.com Hilda Aronson - Hilda had her 89th birthday six months ago and, being in very poor health, or lack thereof, is very proud of her highest achievement: simply being alive. Personal and professional successes lose importance. Giving and receiving an abundance of love, that's what she identifies with. All the rest is illusion. Michael Bournas-Ney - Michael premiered as an actor in first grade, when he played the part of a washcloth. (His friend was a bar of soap.) He loves humor and was thrilled to be part of Mary's stand-up class. Martin Sturm - Martin is now a playwright, standup comedian, and actor. These are accomplishments that he didn't think were possible, in all his wildest dreams. Florence Cohen - Florence is a lifelong closet comedian who always tried to keep companions amused. She is also a current abstract painter and a senior trying to keep up with a constantly changing world. Harriet Kriegel - Harriet began as a high school English teacher, moved to health care, and became Vice President of Public Affairs, Development, and Marketing at The Jewish Home and Hospital for the Aged. After retiring, she joined the Board of Penn South Social Services, which sponsors the Penn South Program for Seniors, where she has become involved with theatre and acting, discovering new talents, and doing Stand-Up Comedy. It is a thrill to discover a new skill when you are 87!

Laugh Review: Stand-Up Comedy with Mary Clohan and the Penn South Troupe

Plot twists don’t just happen in novels or the movies, they show up in our everyday lives, whether we want them or not. Each week Dr. Cecilia Dintino and Psychotherapist Hannah Murray Starobin will speak with women who have twisted their plots and discovered that life after 50 can be filled with imagination, inspiration, laughter, and endless possibilities.

hubhopper

Twisting the Plot

hubhopper