On today’s show we talk about a subject that’s carried a lot of stigma over the years: mental illness. But more recently, there seems to be a growing awareness and willingness to talk about mental health issues among both younger and older people, in part, spurred by the experiences of isolation, loneliness and disruption brought about by the COVID pandemic. We know, in fact, that one in five adults today experience a mental illness and one in 20 adults experience serious mental illness, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Certainly, we’re more open about it, but it’s still a difficult conversation. In today’s episode, Dr. Steven Lesk, a practicing psychiatrist for some four decades, discusses his new book, Footprints of Schizophrenia: The Evolutionary Roots of Mental Illness. It’s a fascinating book that offers a perspective you probably wouldn’t expect. Dr. Lesk spent his medical career dedicated to those affected by schizophrenia and, in his determination to find the answer to its origins, he integrates insights from psychiatry, neuroscience, anthropology, and perhaps surprisingly, evolutionary biology. He’s not only a psychiatrist, but a groundbreaking theorist.

Among the most stressful events in life, moving is often cited as a top stressor, ranking third, only after the death of a spouse and divorce. In today’s episode, we tackle the many challenges of moving—especially for older individuals and families—in our wide-ranging conversation with Robert Esposito, the entrepreneurial owner of Relocators, a multi-dimensional moving and transitioning company. The author of a new book, Nobody Move! (Without Reading This), Rob lays out his roadmap that has helped thousands of families manage the logistical complexities and emotional struggles of relocation. He’ll explain how he assembles a comprehensive range of services, from same-day moving and relocation, to clean-outs, storage, estate sales and online auctions. Rob will offer stories, advice and insights into the moving process, while answering a host of questions he’s addressed over the course of his professional career: What do families need to know before they start a move? What are the tasks people most often overlook and fail to plan for? When (and how) should family members be involved? Ultimately, Rob’s goal is to disrupt the real estate industry, exhorting other professionals to listen more to their clients and help them understand the complex journey they will be going through.

As we move forward through our career, perhaps it’s time to consider some bigger aspirations beyond professional advancement—especially as we get older and ponder our legacy. How might we create a significant contribution to making a better world? In today’s episode, I talk with Emiliana Vegas and Harvard professor and author of the recent book, “Let’s Change the World,” who has spent her career focusing on issues to improve the educational opportunities in the so-called Global South—Latin America, the Caribbean and other developing regions. Dr. Vegas offers a practical and encouraging guide for everyone, no matter their age, who wants to make a positive change through their professional life—from ensuring access to quality schools and clean water, to improving healthcare and creating safer communities. Finding global institutions on that path are often difficult to understand, hard to get into, and even harder to navigate. Dr. Vegas, who has 20 years of experience working in international development organizations, will not only describe her own personal and professional journey, but provide a compendium of insider tips, best practices, and targeted advice, offering a blueprint for all of us determined to be a force for good.GUEST CONTACT INFORMATION:Contact: [email protected]: https://www.emilianavegas.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EmiVegasVLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emivegasv/X: @EmiVegasv

For my generation of older TV watchers, there was a time—at least before DVRs totally upended weekly viewing habits—that Friday nights were frequently reserved to watch the iconic police drama, Blue Bloods. While the show recently completed its 14-year run, its executive producer and show runner, Kevin Wade, (thankfully for us) has not retired. He recently debuted with an extraordinarily accomplished crime thriller, Johnny Careless. In today’s 45 Forward episode, Kevin will take us through his storied tenure with Blue Bloods, as well as his eclectic career as a playwright, actor, screenwriter and producer that shaped his vision for the show. He’ll talk about how he shaped the show’s development, worked with a multigeneration of stars, managed demanding shooting schedules, budgets and surprising challenges. Kevin will also describe how he unexpectedly transitioned as a novelist, how he found his footing as a different kind of writer, and how he developed a new world of characters for Johnny Careless. As you’ll discover, no matter what the genre, Kevin Wade really knows how to tell a story.