Ruthless Compassion with Dr. Marcia Sirota

215 - Restoring Meaningful Connections with Erica Gerard Di Bona

Erica Gerard Di Bona generates one thousand letters a year with an impressive speed of 110 words per minute (on a typewriter). She may very well be the United States Postal Service's consumer of the year. A former producer in network news, The Playboy Channel, documentaries, and kids' game shows, she has never let a single opportunity for a professional Thank You slide and has often received letters and messages back from such notables as Connie Chung, Norman Lear, and Henry Winkler. Currently a fundraising consultant for UC Santa Cruz and serving on the Board of Trustees for the Smithsonian Regional Council and formerly the Rhode Island School of Design, her unique letters open doors and attract donors. People frame Erica's snail mail, and she has left her influence on the power of the Thank You with high school and college students, development executives, realtors, dentists, and grateful grandparents. Erica is a proud University of California, Santa Cruz "Banana Slug" and a graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles. She lives in Los Angeles with her television producer husband, artistic daughter, and seven typewriters. Website: https://www.ArtofThankYou.com/ [https://www.ArtofThankYou.com/]  Instagram: @Powerof_ThankYou [https://www.instagram.com/powerof_thankyou?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==]  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/erica.gerarddibona [https://www.facebook.com/erica.gerarddibona]  LinkedIn: Erica Gerard Di Bona [linkedin.com/in/erica-gerard-di-bona-6a14674]  YouTube: ArtofThankYou7557 [https://youtube.com/@artofthankyou7557?si=Rhs9mqKBegE7uaEb] Her book: A Letter is Better: The Art of Thank You [https://a.co/d/09sjA5wv] (SPARK Publications, Sept. 22, 2025)

214 - The Sex-Positive Ageing Woman with Dr. Julie Merriman

Dr. Julie Merriman is a licensed mental health clinician, counselor educator, burnout researcher, author and speaker. As the founder of the Soul Joy™ brand, she serves as a premier authority for women over 50 navigating the intersection of professional burnout and personal intimacy. With over 30 years of clinical experience and academic leadership—including tenures as a professor, department head, and associate dean—Dr. Merriman has dedicated her career to the science of human helping. Her work is deeply rooted in polyvagal theory and somatic neurobiology, providing a bridge between academic rigor and soul-led transformation. Her personal journey through profound burnout and a subsequent breast cancer diagnosis informs her "scorched earth" approach to healing—proving that rebirth is possible at any age. She is the author of the 12-week guide, In Pursuit of Soul Joy [https://a.co/d/0fwPoQif], and the forthcoming book, Are We Gonna Have Sex or What? [https://a.co/d/0hDtYJ5w] (Available Now) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.juliemerriman/  [https://www.instagram.com/dr.juliemerriman/%C2%A0] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Dr-Julie-Merriman-Wellness-LLC/61564870628821/  [https://www.facebook.com/people/Dr-Julie-Merriman-Wellness-LLC/61564870628821/%C2%A0] Website: https://www.juliemerrimanphd.com/ [https://www.juliemerrimanphd.com/] Her new book: Are We Gonna Have Sex or What: The Midlife Guide to Reigniting Desire, Reclaiming Your Body, and Feeling Fully Alive [https://a.co/d/0hDtYJ5w] ( https://a.co/d/0hDtYJ5w )

213 - The Benefits of Self-Knowledge with Dr. Jeremy Thompson

DR. JEREMY THOMPSON is a medical practitioner working on the northern beaches of Sydney, Australia. He has a counseling background in Cognitive, Narrative, and Solution-Based Therapies and for two years was the president of the Australian Society for Psychological Medicine. He spent 10 years practicing hypnosis, during which time he developed the positive-centered model. This resulted from the needs of his patients to distinguish their positive features from the bad habits and unwelcome behaviors they had acquired. Their encouragement motivated him to write Understand Your True Identity [https://understandyourtrueidentity.com/], a book that he hopes will help people find their true self and fix their anxiety, depression, and relationship problems. Dr. Thompson is married with five grown-up children and a growing number of grandchildren. He enjoys surfing, snowboarding, and playing guitar. https://understandyourtrueidentity.com/ [https://understandyourtrueidentity.com/] https://www.youtube.com/DrJeremyThompson [https://www.youtube.com/DrJeremyThompson]  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremy-thompson-41a47969/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremy-thompson-41a47969/]

212 - Insights on Addiction with Dr. I. Michael Kaufmann

I. Michael Kaufmann MD Medical Director Emeritus, Physician Health Program, Ontario Medical Association Physician Health Consultant Author Dr. Kaufmann, a Fellow and life member of the College of Family Physicians of Canada, practised family and addiction medicine in rural Ontario for 14 years before becoming the founding Director of the Physician Health Program of the Ontario Medical Association in 1995. The PHP is a service to assist doctors and other health professionals with substance use problems, psychiatric disorders and other personal health challenges. He received certification in Addiction Medicine from the American and Canadian Societies of Addiction Medicine, and is a Fellow of the American and International Societies of Addiction Medicine. Dr. Kaufmann is the recipient of several awards for his work in physician health including a Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal, the Misericordia Award from the CMA and the Courage To Come Back award from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. Dr. Kaufmann is also a life member of the Canadian and Ontario Medical Associations. Dr. Kaufmann retired as PHP Medical Director in 2017 and is now PHP Emeritus Medical Director and a physician health consultant, speaker, author and mentor. At home, he has turned his creative energies towards playing music and song-writing. In 2024 he published a book entitled Drugs, Lies & Docs: A doctor's memoir of addiction, recovery and more [https://imichaelkaufmann.ca/books]. He is also a contributing author to an anthology entitled When We Forgive [https://buy.bookfunnel.com/isij6z3lv0], published in 2026. Dr. Kaufmann and his wife, Judy, live in rural Ontario and together enjoy community volunteering, walks with their four-legged family members on their farm property and bringing people together for music and discussion in the barn that once housed their chickens and sheep. Website: https://imichaelkaufmann.ca/ [https://imichaelkaufmann.ca/]  LinkedIn @i. michael kaufmann [https://www.linkedin.com/in/i-michael-kaufmann-9344a833/] Book: Drugs, Lies & Docs - a doctor's memoir of addiction, recovery and more [https://imichaelkaufmann.ca/books]

211 - When Your Father is a Father with Tony Beadle

Tony Beadle grew up in a household full of music and pursued a career as a professional musician for sixteen years after which he enjoyed a career in performing arts administration for 30 years. He served in several positions at major US orchestras, including the Boston Pops, where he had previously performed. His upbringing was one that included a loving family life, but also was one of duplicity and hiding secrets to protect the reputation of the Catholic Church. myfatherthefather.com [myfatherthefather.com] His memoir: My Father, the Father [https://www.archwaypublishing.com/en/bookstore/bookdetails/862392-my-father-the-father]