Voices In The Family

November 2004 Voices In The Family shows

As the information age progresses, we have all learned to multi-task; checking e-mails while talking on the cell phone, and maybe researching something on the internet. But how does all of this affect our brains? Our guest is Dr. Richard Restak, neurologist and neuropsychiatrist, who has written The New Brain. We'll also hear about some new brain research concerning "working memory" from Dr. Beatriz Luna, professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Listen »

For thirty years, Mark Borovitz was a gambler, thief, con man, and drunk. Then, while serving his second prison sentence, Borovitz says he found his soul. Today, he is the rabbi at Beit T'Shuvah the House of Return in Los Angeles, a treatment center for addicts that combines Judaism, 12 step models and psycho-therapy. Mark Borovitz's will join us to talk about his life, and his new book The Holy Thief. Listen »

11/15/04
Clergy Burnout

Clergy members often race from a funeral to a wedding to a christening in one day. They are responsible for leading their faith community, they provide counseling, and have to take care of many bureaucratic tasks. This schedule can be exhausting, and often leads to something called "clergy burnout." Dan Gottlieb will discuss clergy burnout with his guests. We'll be joined by Bishop Harold Faust, and Rabbi Richard Hirsh. Faust is a Bishop at the New Hope Revival Center in North Philadelphia. Rabbi Hirsh is the executive director of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association. We'll also hear from Keli Rugenstein, a psychotherapist at the Samaritan Counseling Center in Scotia, New York. She has just finished a study on clergy burnout among Protestant Ministers. Listen »

11/22/04
A Conversation with Betty Williams

In 1976, Betty Williams was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her activism in her native Northern Ireland. Since then, Williams has committed her life to ending hunger, and creating a better world for children. Betty is president of World Centers of Compassion for Children. We'll listen to excerpts from a recent conversation with Betty Williams, and also talk about organizations that are doing similar work in this country. We'll be joined by Dr. Eric Schockman, executive director of Mazon, an organization fighting hunger. Schockman is also the chair of the national anti-hunger organizations. Then we'll hear from Richard Cohen, director of the Southern Poverty Law Center, an organization dedicated to teaching tolerance and promoting social justice. Listen »

11/29/04
Siblings of Special Needs Children

When a child has special needs, it impacts the whole family. It often means constant distress and preoccupation. Parents spend a lot of time in doctor's offices, or attending to their child's needs. And the siblings? They become nurturers at a young age, they protect their sibling from bullies in the schoolyard. They take care of household chores. And often they resent their brother or sister, because they are not getting as much attention from their parents. During this hour, we'll hear excerpts from a panel discussion on siblings of special needs children. It was part of our "In the Spirit of Family" series, presented by WHYY's children's service. Dan Gottlieb's guests were Rachel Simon and Todd Harris. Simon is the author of "Riding the Bus with my Sister," a book about her relationship with her developmentally challenged sister Beth. Dr. Todd Harris is the Principal at Devereux CARES Program, a school for autistic children. Listen »