269 The Healing Power of Play: Rebuiling Life After Loss at Any Age
Growing Older Living Younger: About longevity, wellness, healthspan,
Release Date: 05/25/2026
Growing Older Living Younger: About longevity, wellness, healthspan,
Is chronic pain really an inevitable part of aging—or could it be a warning sign that deeper imbalances are affecting your healthspan, mobility, and quality of life? In this episode of Growing Older Living Younger, Dr. Gillian Lockitch speaks with physical therapist, registered nurse, educator, and functional wellness expert,Stacey Roberts, about the root causes of chronic pain and why conventional treatments often focus on symptom relief instead of true healing. Stacey explains how chronic inflammation, food sensitivities, hormone imbalance, gut health issues, biomechanics, and lifestyle...
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“You got to just move. It doesn’t matter how efficient your movements are, what matters is that you are moving.” - Susan Bock Smith
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Grief is not a problem to be solved or something we simply “get over.” In this profound conversation, Dr. Gillian Lockitch speaks with philosopher and grief expert Thomas Attig about mourning as a lifelong process of relearning how to live in a world forever changed by loss. Drawing on decades of scholarship and personal insight, Thomas explains how grief can deepen our love, strengthen resilience, and help us find wisdom and meaning in life’s most difficult transitions. This episode offers compassionate guidance for anyone grieving a loved one or supporting someone through loss. Thomas...
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I talk with Brian Morgan. President of Think Deeply, Write Clearly about bridging the many divides that are polarizing our society, through creative thought and communication.
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What if fatigue, weight gain, brain fog, and declining strength after 50 are not inevitable signs of aging, but signals of underlying metabolic dysfunction that can be corrected? In episode 275, Dr. Gillian Lockitch speaks with metabolic restoration practitioner, Lori Balue, about how women can restore energy, reduce inflammation, preserve muscle, and regain metabolic resilience through personalized nutrition and functional testing. Lori shares her remarkable journey of losing 100 pounds, reversing prediabetes and chronic inflammation, and transforming her health in midlife. Listeners will...
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THIS FLASHBACK FRIDAY EPISODE OF GROWING OLDER LIVING YOUNGER focuses on the effect of aging on brain functions, affecting many attributes of cognition, like memory and processing speed; and on the importance of recognizing the early warning signs of dementia for early treatment. Today’s guest is neuropsychiatrist and creator of the SAGE test, Dr. Douglas Scharre. Dr. Scharre is board certified in neurology, behavioral neurology and neuropsychiatry with special interests in cognitive assessment, degenerative dementias and dementia-related behaviors. He joined The Ohio...
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What if the future of aging is no longer defined simply by lifespan, but by how long we can remain mentally sharp, physically active, emotionally connected, and fully engaged with life? In this thought-provoking episode, Dr. Gillian Lockitch speaks with documentary filmmaker, David Donnelly, director of the acclaimed documentary, Forever Young, about the rapidly evolving science of longevity and the questions for humanity, emerging alongside the science. Together, they explore the difference between lifespan and healthspan, the growing role of biomarkers, wearables, epigenetics,...
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FLASHBACK FRIDAY: A recurring theme in this podcast is the importance of mindset in supporting consistency, when making the small changes in lifestyle and habits that can have a big positive impact on your health and vitality as you age. Your beliefs shape how you think, feel and act. And if you are to overcome life’s challenges when they strike, you have to believe in your ability to do so.My guest today, Adena Sampson, is the founder of Outloud Productions & The Unbreakable Spirit movement, a breakthrough coach, and best-selling author of the book. The Road Back to Me: 9...
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Are the so-called “heart-healthy” vegetable oils in your kitchen truly supporting your health—or could they be contributing to inflammation and metabolic imbalance? In this episode of Growing Older Living Younger, Dr. Gillian Lockitch speaks with nutrition expert Cherie Calbom, MS, CN, about industrial seed oils such as canola, soybean, sunflower, and corn oil, and the growing concerns surrounding their role in oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, and healthy aging. Cherie explains how highly processed oils may affect metabolic health, brain function, and overall wellness, and shares...
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Does dance also have the power to ward off dementia? Dr. Joe Verghese is Professor of Neurology at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. His research centers around the effects of aging and disease on gait and cognition in older adults, and whether cognitively stimulating activities such as dance, can reduce the risk of losing mobility, falling, developing dementia and general poor health.
info_outlineWhat if one of the most powerful tools for aging youthfully isn’t found in a supplement, a diet, or even an exercise routine—but in how you think, play, and respond to life’s most difficult moments? In this deeply moving and insightful conversation, Dr. Gillian Lockitch speaks with Kym Coco, who shares how profound loss became the catalyst for transformation, resilience, and renewed purpose. Drawing on her background in sports kinesiology, emotional awareness, and performance coaching, Kym reveals how mindset, movement, and intentional play can help rewire emotional responses and restore vitality.
Listeners will discover how grief can become a gateway to growth, how simple shifts in self-talk can transform your inner critic into a supportive coach, and how engaging fully in the present moment—through activities like golf or dance—can restore joy, clarity, and resilience at any age. This episode offers both science-informed insight and practical tools to help you take control of how you age—mentally, emotionally, and physically.
Episode Timeline
00:00 – Welcome and introduction
Overview of the episode theme: healing through play, mindset, and emotional resilience
02:30 – Kym Coco’s story and the origin of Miracle on the Mountainside
A powerful journey through trauma, recovery, and conscious healing
05:00 – Life-changing accident and mindset transformation
How surrender, belief, and active participation in healing shaped a new path
08:30 – Mind, body, and emotions as interconnected systems
How sensory input, beliefs, and emotional states influence physiology and decision-making
11:30 – Golf as a tool for healing and rebuilding life
Using structure, presence, and play to move through grief and uncertainty
14:30 – Dr. Gillian’s personal story of dance and renewal
From loss to ballroom dancing and rediscovering joy and purpose
20:00 – Creating new pathways: the “100 golf courses” vision
Using challenge, novelty, and environment to rebuild identity and resilience
23:00 – The power of symbolic reminders: the “rock ritual”
Simple daily practices to reinforce agency, intention, and emotional choice
25:00 – Communication, emotional triggers, and conscious response
Tools to create space between reaction and response for better relationships
27:00 – Transforming the inner critic into a supportive coach
Practical strategies to shift self-talk and build resilience
29:00 – Daily practice for emotional resilience and vitality
Morning awareness, reframing thoughts, and integrating body and mind
30:50 – Key takeaways and closing reflections
Choosing joy, presence, and purposeful aging
Connect with Kym Coco
Book: Miracle on the Mountainside
Call to Action
Connect with Dr. Gillian Lockitch at https://www.askdrgill.com/ or email: askdrgill@gmail.com
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