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Live at C-TAC with Dr. Stephen Bekanich and Torrie Fields

Release Date: 02/11/2018

Dance Past Sunset

For Christmas 2018, my brother, a pilot with American Airlines, gave me a gift that became the experience of a lifetime: 12 months of free travel anywhere American Airlines flies.

“Discover Your Authentic Sexual Self” with kink positive therapist Galen Fous, Part Two of Two

Dance Past Sunset

In my last show I introduced Galen Fous, a 70 year old kink-positive therapist, author, educator and sex researcher who self-identifies as a heterosexual, dominant erotic sadist. In this show I continue my conversation with Galen, where he explains a bit more about his sexual identity, plus we talk about how to have good, healthy sex in the second half of life. The show is best suited for adults interested in learning more about how to realize their sexually authentic selves.

"Discover Your Authentic Sexual Self" with kink positive therapist Galen Fous, Part One of Two

Dance Past Sunset

In this show, part one of two, I speak with Galen Fous, a 70 year old kink-positive therapist, author, educator and sex researcher. We talk about his journey of reclaiming his own sexual power as a heterosexual, dominant erotic sadist, and in doing so finally feeling witnessed, seen, and loved. He developed a profound sense of trust and depth of intimacy he would have never experienced without some courageous personal honesty.

"Sacred Sex in the Second Half" with Wendy Cobina Demos

Dance Past Sunset

At 63 years old, I can feel my body changing, and that is affecting my sex life. Furthermore, my ideas about relationships are shifting. Is traditional marriage still the right model for men and women who want to have sex, or is there something else? What about living together 24 by seven by 365? Might there be another approach that is not quite so...suffocating?

Cannabis for Seniors, with artist, stoner, and hemp advocate Daniel Roberto Ortega

Dance Past Sunset

Cannabis for Seniors is an informational resource for all things hemp. Founder Daniel Ortego and I talk about hemp, its medical and euphoric effects, the variety of ways to use cannabis, how it is helping veterans and others with pain and trauma, plus some things to be careful of. The interview is chock full of useful information for anyone who has never tried cannabis, or for those who tried years ago but might want to try again.

"A" is for Aging. "M" is for Menopause, with International Health & Wellness Consultant Sophie Benge, Part 2 of 2

Dance Past Sunset

If you want to feel better about yourself, if you want to know what the best options are for easing the symptoms of menopause, if you want more and better sex, then you will want to listen to this show, because my guest Sophie Benge lays it all out in detail, with no holds barred. While our talk is highly respectful, we do touch on topics that would not be suitable for young children, so some parental guidance is recommended, plus I do drop the occasional cuss word. Listen for the 5% discount!

“A” is for Aging. “M” is for Menopause, with International Health & Wellness Consultant Sophie Benge, Part 1 of 2

Dance Past Sunset

Sophie Benge is an international journalist and consultant on beauty and wellness, with a focus on women. In this show, we talk about menopause, the cause, symptoms, treatment options and how women and men can have more and better sex in the second half of life. Considering I knew almost nothing about this subject, she gave me a real schooling. Sophie is hosting a retreat in England from Nov. 28 - Dec. 1, 2019 on Aging Gracefully for Women Over 40.

"Fall down seven times. Get up eight" with Attorney Ron Frappier

Dance Past Sunset

This next show is deeply personal, because I have the treasured opportunity to interview one of my oldest and dearest friends, a man who was literally given up for dead by the medical establishment, and yet who lived to tell a harrowing story of devastation, faith, hard work, and eventually, restoration.

"Death Rituals from Around the World" with Professional Photographer Klaus Bo, Part 2 of 2

Dance Past Sunset

In part one of my interview with Danish photographer Klaus Bo, we learned how he got started with his dead and alive project, chronicling death rituals from Greenland, Haiti, Madagascar, Ghana, India, Indonesia and Nepal. You can see pictures on DeadandAliveProject.com. In this second and final part of my interview with Klaus, we talk about food. That’s right! When the living come together, even for a funeral, food is often and important part of that ritual, even if it’s just coffee and cake.

"Death Rituals from Around the World" with Professional Photographer Klaus Bo, Part 1 of 2

Dance Past Sunset

My interview with talented photographer Klaus Bo Christenson from Copenhagen, Denmark. Klaus travels the world chronicling death rituals, and over the years has amassed the world’s largest collection of photographs, which you can see at his deadandliveproject.com website. Does Klaus have some stories to tell? You bet he does! In fact, I was so absorbed by tales of Haitian voodoo rituals, chicken caskets from Ghana, and Indonesian funeral feasts that I had to break this interview into two parts.

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Overview:

One of the great privileges I have as host of this podcast is the opportunity to meet so many good people doing really great work. At the top of that list are the folks at the Coalition to Transform Advanced Care, or CTAC, a DC based organization dedicated to the ideal that all Americans with advanced illness, especially the sickest and most vulnerable among us, receive comprehensive, high-quality, person- and family-centered care that honors their dignity. I love that.

So naturally I was super stoked to be invited to CTACs annual conference where I got to hear from folks on the front lines of the battle to transform care from the fragmented, siloed systems that result in unnecessary suffering to one where caregivers and the people they serve are empowered and getting the care they want when and where they choose. Today I want to introduce two people from the front lines of this great challenge, Torrie Fields and Dr. Stephen Bekanich.

Now please understand these recordings were made at the conference, so you’ll hear some occasional noise in the background. But you know, I’m like a moth to the flame, and when I see a bright light, I move toward it. I think you’ll agree these two guests are shining bright. So please join me on this special episode of Dance Past Sunset, recorded live at the 2017 annual conference of the Coalition to Transform Advanced Care. First up is a women who owned the stage with her positive energy and optimism, Ms. Torrie Fields, Senior Program Mgr for Advanced Illness and Palliative Care, Blue Shield of California plus their affiliated Medicaid Carefirst Health Plan.

What You’ll Learn from Torrie:

How she advises start-up incubators and early stage entrepreneurs focused on advanced illness or end-of-life care
Blue Shield’s long running history working with new organizations and helping them to grow
The innovative ventures she has seen that really excite her
How she uses a game called “Hello” from Common Practice’s game (formerly called “My Gift of Grace”) on first dates to determine values and openness
What it means to live well all the way through the end of life,
Her personal role as caregiver, and with folks who are not comfortable talking about death, and who are not tech savvy
The needs for more ways to help people understand the progression of their disease
How tech designers don’t understand the digital divide
Her evaluation of the Trillion dollar "Silver Tsunami” and its relation to Spinal Tap
Policies and regulations that keep us in the past (e.g. restrictions on what we can do in the home) and stifle innovation
How do we enable the future

Stephen Bekanich, MD:

Many advanced care patients, like Torrie’s mom, want more help understanding what’s happening with their health now and what they can expect to face in the future. That’s one of the things my next guest helps people do. Dr. Stephen Bekanich from Iris Plans is not only focused on that challenge, he looks like he belongs in a rock&roll band with a fire red electric guitar strapped on him. And when you see a guy walking around who looks like that, you just have to ask, you know?

What You’ll Learn from Stephen:

How he uses his rock & roll attire to open a conversation with his patients and help them focus on the relationship and not just their illness
About WalMart's Angel Wings
How Iris plans targets COPD, CHF, late stage malignancies, dementia, stroke, cirrhosis and helps patients assess what’s happening now. and what will they will face in the future.
What’s missing from Obamacare
How to bring the patient and their families into the equation
When Texas will become a Republic again, his tips for finding good BBQ

Coming Up Next on the Show:

Thank you Stephen and Torrie for taking time to speak with me, and thank you CTAC for hosting such an important event. Coming up in the next episode of Dance Past Sunset, I’ll have more guests from the conference including a couple who took their 90 year old mother and a dog named Ringo on a bucket trip your across America. Good stuff!

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