In her captivating memoir, Deborah K. Shepherd examines her first great love, with a man thirty-four years her senior. In 1968 and at age 21, she ditched college in Tucson for hippie life in New York. When that soured, she found a low-level corporate job, where she met Bill Shepherd, an unhappily married, 55-year-old senior executive. That they had a fling is unsurprising for the time. What is surprising is that they stayed together, for twenty years and two children, despite their age gap, differing religions, and society's expectations. With today's perspective, and the benefits of both age and hindsight, she revisits her past, scouring old letters and asking tough questions, of herself and about romantic love, religious roots, judgement from others, and feminism. Deborah's essays have appeared in Oldster Magazine,Fauxmoir, Motherwell Magazine, Herstry, Eat Darling Eat, Persimmon Tree and more.

Racism and how it has developed over the years is constantly evolving, shaped by shifting social norms, political power, and the everyday assumptions people often take for granted. Ainsley LeSure PhD offers some powerful insight on how racism since the end of the civil rights era has fundamentally weakened our ability to fight it. She explains how we got from the Obama era to Trump's openly racist politics--and why our current frameworks made this trajectory not just possible, but predictable. She offers a different approach and insight about what it would actually take to combat racism: a democratic politics grounded in observable reality that makes equality something people can act on in their daily lives, not just an abstract ideal. LeSure is the Richard and Edna Salomon Assistant Professor of Political Science and Africana Studies at Brown University.

Choosing Emotions

For centuries, emotion has been debated, measured, regulated, and theorized, yet no single work has mapped the full range of everyday emotional experience across disciplines—until now. D. Earl Johnston introduces a groundbreaking reference that defines 272 emotional states, drawing on 3,000 years of thought spanning philosophy, science, linguistics, psychology, art, and spiritual traditions.Expanding far beyond psychology, the work integrates perspectives from seven fields and over 30 philosophical and faith traditions. Organized as an accessible "Emotionary," it also presents three frameworks: emotions as an internal operating system, the gears driving behavior, and a unifying bridge across cultures. Mr. Johnston is a former corporate executive, testifying expert and world champion sailor. Over a multi-decade career spanning banking, private equity and litigation consulting, he developed a sustained interest in language, motivation and emotional definition.

Good Girl Detox

Many women are socialized to act as constant caregivers, the "good girls" who prioritize everyone else's needs above their own. However, mental health clinician, professor, and author Dr. Julie Merriman reminds us that you cannot pour from an empty cup. This deeply ingrained "Good Girl" pattern lives within the nervous system. Releasing it requires gentle, manageable steps that avoid overwhelming the body, while rebuilding connection to oneself and embracing small, guilt-free moments of joy. She offers insights and compassionate strategies to help women reclaim balance, energy, and authentic connection in daily life. With over 30 years of clinical experience and academic leadership, Dr. Merriman has dedicated her career to the science of human helping.

Autoimmunity and The Good Girls

For generations, women have been conditioned to prioritize others, silence their voices, and neglect their own needs. In her latest work, Sara Hirsh Bordo addresses a critical gap in women's wellness: the power of self-permission to speak, transform, and heal. Drawing on more than 50 hours of interviews, she explores why women often minimize their own suffering and health concerns, and offers a path toward self-prioritization. Her new book encourages women to put themselves first, alongside her limited-edition podcast, Behind the Page: Autoimmunity and the Good Girls, launching March 31. Bordo is an award-winning filmmaker and founder of Women Rising®, recognized by Inc. for leading a purpose-driven, innovative women-led company. She is currently directing short documentary films for Toyota and ESPN Women, and most recently served as executive producer of the ConnectHer International Film Festival.

A Letter Is Better

In a world of texts, DMs, and disappearing messages, one woman is bringing back the lost art of the thank-you note, typing over 1,000 letters a year on vintage typewriters, and the results are nothing short of extraordinary. Erica Gerard Di Bona explores why expressing gratitude in writing doesn't just make someone feel appreciated; it strengthens relationships, boosts mental wellbeing, and even opens unexpected professional doors. Erica is a former producer in network news, The Playboy Channel, documentaries, and kids' game shows. She has often received letters and messages back from such notables as Connie Chung, Norman Lear, and Henry Winkler.

A Letter is Better

In a world of texts, DMs, and disappearing messages, one woman is bringing back the lost art of the thank-you note, typing over 1,000 letters a year on vintage typewriters, and the results are nothing short of extraordinary. Erica Gerard Di Bona explores why expressing gratitude in writing doesn't just make someone feel appreciated; it strengthens relationships, boosts mental wellbeing, and even opens unexpected professional doors. Erica is a former producer in network news, The Playboy Channel, documentaries, and kids' game shows. She has often received letters and messages back from such notables as Connie Chung, Norman Lear, and Henry Winkler.

Autoimmunity and The Good Girls

For generations, women have been conditioned to prioritize others, silence their voices, and neglect their own needs. In her latest work, Sara Hirsh Bordo addresses a critical gap in women's wellness: the power of self-permission to speak, transform, and heal. Drawing on more than 50 hours of interviews, she explores why women often minimize their own suffering and health concerns, and offers a path toward self-prioritization. Her new book encourages women to put themselves first, alongside her limited-edition podcast, Behind the Page: Autoimmunity and the Good Girls, launching March 31. Bordo is an award-winning filmmaker and founder of Women Rising®, recognized by Inc. for leading a purpose-driven, innovative women-led company. She is currently directing short documentary films for Toyota and ESPN Women, and most recently served as executive producer of the ConnectHer International Film Festival.

Many affairs happen in relationships that seem perfectly happy. And when betrayal is discovered, it doesn't just break hearts; it shatters a person's identity- their entire sense of who they are in the world. Lora Cheadle's expertise is born from lived experience. When she discovered her husband had been unfaithful for 15 years, she faced a choice: remain a victim or become an architect of her own healing. She chose transformation. The work she and her husband did to repair their marriage—with accountability, integrity, and commitment—became the foundation for her work in betrayal recovery. Lora is an author, TEDx speaker, and leadership wellness coach who specializes in burnout and betrayal recovery. She has spoken and trained internationally, and hosts the top-rated podcast, FLAUNT! Create a Life You Love After Infidelity or Betrayal.

Mario Cartaya found the inner peace he needed by confronting memories he didn't know he had. Born in Havana in 1951, he left Cuba at age eight, after the turbulent winds of change forced his family to immigrate to the United States. Years passed, and the memories of his childhood were seemingly lost—until 56 years later when he returned to Cuba to rediscover the faded origins of his existence. He offers the universal message that facing the challenges of our past provides the soul the clarity it needs to rest, and then evolve. Mario's life story and award-winning architectural designs were entered into the United States Congressional Record of the House of Representatives in 2019, forever enshrined into the US Library of Congress. An American flag was flown over the US Capitol to celebrate his legacy in 2022.