Author Description

This book presents a new paradigm for adult to adult relationships. It should be in the hands of every adult who has parents, children, or wants to grow in relationships. Healthy aging is holistic, working with body, mind and spirit. The author serves as a pathfinder to help the reader choose how to follow the guide to age well. The guide is derived from the model she developed working as a psychotherapist and a clinical specialist with parents and adult children for over 20 years. She shows readers how to use a specific strategy, called RISC, to make desired changes in their relationships, manage risks effectively, and improve their health as they age. Authenticity is a hallmark of healthy aging; cases from Dr. Lucas' practice are used to demonstrate the use of "heartwork" and the development of a "climate of acceptance" to make authentic choices about how one will age. Emphasis on the value of intentionally aging together helps the reader learn how to make the journey into aging with one or more adults committed to helping one another, e.g., adult child, spouse, friend, partner. Exercises to improve communication, strategies for stress reduction, and practical information about handling the issues of aging are included. This model for practical application of solid psychotherapeutic principles based on her experience has been well received by Dr. Lucas' clients, the public, and mental health professionals. If you want to improve your life as you age, this is the book for you! It shatters the stereotypes and myths about aging, and it shows the reader how to do the same!