Safe Space Radio

This episode features two conversations with people involved in the hospice program within the state prison in Warren, Maine. First we speak with the program’s founder, Kandyce Powell, executive director of the Maine Hospice Council, who talks about the genesis of the prison’s hospice program, her motivation for starting it, and the difference it has made. In the second half of the episode we hear from one of those inmates, Bobby Payzant, who has been part of the program for more than two years. He talks about why he is incarcerated, and how he became interested in joining the hospice program. He also reveals that the hospice volunteers have formed a band called The Sounds of Comfort, and we close the episode with one of their songs. The post Prisoners Providing Hospice Care (Part 1) with Kandyce Powell and Bobby Payzant appeared first on Safe Space Radio.

This episode of Safe Space Radio features a conversation with public defender Michael Lepie about his work with indigent clients, and why he considers criminal defense to be a civil rights issue. He discusses how he tries to seek outcomes for his clients which won’t completely derail their lives, and the obstacles within the legal system that often make this difficult. He also discusses the challenges of defending those with mental illnesses, and which aspects of the criminal justice system he thinks are most in need of reform. The post Defending the Accused with Michael Lepie appeared first on Safe Space Radio.

Part 2 of Mike’s conversation with Safe Space Radio about the seven years he spent in federal prison. Mike talks about his experiences participating in a group inside the prison called the Jericho Circle which he credits with teaching him emotional literacy and authenticity. His work with Jericho Circle enabled him to reunite with his son after he was released, and Mike now goes back into prison to help lead circles for the men inside—not only to give back, but also because it helps keep him connected to what makes him feel most free. The post Imprisonment and Life Transformation (Part 2) with Mike appeared first on Safe Space Radio.

This episode features Mike, who spent seven years in a federal prison on a drug conviction. He talks about the circumstances which led to his arrest, including an abusive upbringing and a chemical dependency which began in his mid-teen years.  He describes his arrest in a hotel, and the subsequent trial in which the perjury of a key witness caused Mike to receive a much longer sentence than he would have otherwise. He goes on to explain how he eventually accepted this fate, dropping his legal appeal, and why this decision was an important turning point both in his prison sentence and in his life. The post Imprisonment and Life Transformation (Part 1) with Mike appeared first on Safe Space Radio.

This episode of Safe Space Radio features Liz, who spoke with us only three days after her release from prison. She discusses her shame at being arrested, and the experience of exposure and intrusion from a public trial. She also describes the surprising support she received from other women in prison, and the experiences she had inside that felt transformative. Liz remembers how difficult it was to know how to parent her teenage children from inside, the stress of the prison environment, and the vulnerability of now telling people where’s she’s been. The post On the Experience of Arrest and Imprisonment with Liz appeared first on Safe Space Radio.

Lani Peterson, of the Public Voice Project, talks about her work with formerly incarcerated men and women to help them tell their stories in a way that helps them to make peace with their past and move forward in their lives. She explains the importance of telling a story that is bigger than a narrow focus on a bad decision or mistake, and how storytelling can be key to transforming your self-image.  She also discusses the techniques she’s discovered to hold the listener through stories that can be difficult to hear, and the ways that listening can also be a transformative process. The post Helping Former Prisoners Tell Their Stories with Lani Peterson appeared first on Safe Space Radio.

This episode of Safe Space Radio features multiple stories of dementia from you, our listeners. This collection of ten stories reflects the wide range of experiences and emotions that result from having a loved one with dementia—including frustration and poignant loss, but also warmth, connection, and surprising moments of sweetness. You can watch Scott Kirschenbaum’s documentary on Alzheimer’s here. The post Your Untold Stories of Dementia appeared first on Safe Space Radio.

Bill Verrill, a former banker, now suffers from early Alzheimer’s disease. Bill describes his deep trust in his wife Shirley’s ability to take care of him—and his deepest fears about the toll his illness will take on her life. He remembers letting go of his driver’s license and learning to be more dependent while striving to continue his favorite activities. The post Life in the Early Stages of Alzheimers with Bill Verrill appeared first on Safe Space Radio.

An interview with elder-caregiving expert Carol Bradley Bursack about sibling conflict in the care of a parent with Dementia. Carol reports that most adult children caregivers are still women, and that typically the responsibilities of caregiving fall mostly to one child within a family.  This creates the conditions for old resentments, jealousies, and conflicts to resurface, especially with regard to favoritism, money, inheritance, and hours of unacknowledged caregiving work. Carol tells stories of conflict and offers preventative suggestions for how families can navigate these challenges intact. The post Sibling Conflicts Around Caregiving with Carol Bradley Bursack appeared first on Safe Space Radio.

This episode features Melynda, whose husband has frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Unlike Alzheimer’s, FTD is not first characterized by problems with memory, but by poor judgment and inappropriate behavior. Melynda’s husband, a doctor, began to make errors in judgment by over-prescribing pain medications to his patients, and was incarcerated for these mistakes. After his incarceration, the family learned that his illness is genetic and that all of the six children were at risk. Melynda talks about her initial struggles to understand what was happening to her husband and how his diagnosis transformed her frustration into compassion and forgiveness. She also discusses their children’s decisions about whether or not to find out if they carry the gene which causes FTD. The post Frontotemporal Dementia: Complications and Genetics with Melynda appeared first on Safe Space Radio.