Voices In The Family

February 2006

2/06/06
Encore Presentation: Talking to Teens
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Communicating with teenagers can be like learning to speak another language. Parents want what they think is best for their kids. They worry about their teens' future, their safety and well being. They struggle between wanting to be involved in their teens' lives and not alienating them. Teenagers, on the other hand, want to explore the independence that comes with growing into an adult. We'll hear excerpts from a panel discussion on teens and communication, which was part of our "In the Spirit of Family" series, presented by WHYY's Children's Service. Our guest was Dr. David Walsh, president and founder of the National Institute on Media and the Family. He has written several books. His most recent is Why Do They Act That Way?: A Survival Guide to the Adolescent Brain for You and Your Teen.

2/13/06
Psychology and the Movies
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Many movies have portrayed the stories of people with mental illnesses. There's the academy-award-winning "A Beautiful Mind" or "One flew over the Cuckoo's nest" There are also many comedies about psychologists and their relationships with their clients. Dan Gottlieb and his guests will explore if these movies are realistic, and what we can learn from them. Our guests are Brooke Cannon and Frank Pittman. Cannon is a Professor of Psychology and a Director of Clinical Training at Marywood University. She has also assembled a website, http://www.psychmovies.com, which lists films that portray psychologists and psychiatrists, as well as characters with mental illness. Frank Pittman reviews films for "The Family Therapy Networker." He is also a psychiatrist and family therapist in Atlanta, Georgia.

2/20/06
Lincoln's Melancholy
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Today, it is well-known that Abraham Lincoln suffered with clinical depression. But it wasn't always that way. What was called his melancholy in the middle 19th century somehow became mistrusted as gossip. Even reports of his two suicidal breakdowns were not regarded as solid evidence of this president's emotional problems. Up until 50 years ago, we saw Lincoln as stoic and reserved as opposed to depressed and isolated. Our guest is author and scholar Joshua Wolf Shenk. He more fully describes Lincoln's humanity in his recent book "Lincoln's Melancholy". In it, he argues that Lincoln's story is the story of our time and can give us unique insight into the nature of suffering.

2/27/06
Women and Money
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Author Liz Perle could talk to her friends about anything, from her most guarded secrets to her significant personal relationships. But when her husband decided to suddenly end their marriage, Perle, who had no home, no job, and a child, realized she couldn't talk to her friends about one the most important relationships in life, her relationship with money. In her new book, "Money, A Memoir: Women, Emotions, and Cash," Perle explores the reasons why money remains a silent topic among women and examines their complex connection to cash. Through her conversations with other women and using her own life as an example, Perle argues that if women don't actively participate in their financial lives now, they will face difficult economic consequences in the future.