Living Mindfully and Finding Rewards in the Oldest Years
Non-Fiction / Self-Help / Health
Date Published: July 2, 2024
In this book Dr. Goldenthal presents the oldest years as a stage of life
with special challenges and opportunities. This time of life is the
culmination of many previous life stages when we have been confronted with
important issues and choices. As an elderly person herself, Dr. Goldenthal
discusses the concerns people are likely to have in the oldest years. She
focuses on dealing as wisely as we can with these concerns and to accept
what we cannot change. When we have done this to the best of our ability, we
are then free to consider what gives us pleasure and what we value most in
our lives.
Interview
Tell us about yourself
My name is Stephanie Goldenthal. I am a clinical psychologist and have been in practice for more than 50 years in New York City, where I was born and raised. My specialty is psychoanalysis
and I am particularly interested in how the self evolves and develops throughout life. I maintain a limited practice now that I am older and I value spending time with my family, which has been growing and now includes two great-grandsons. I also enjoy socializing with my friends and going to museums, concerts, plays and other cultural events.
Your journey to becoming an author
I became an author because I wanted to explore the special issues which concern elderly people like myself. When I began writing, I didn’t expect to write a book, but there were so many topics to cover that a book began to take shape. I formed a small focus group with friends and acquaintances over the age of 85 and we discussed the things which we are concerned about that relate to being in the “oldest-old” category, such as being aware of the limited time that remains in our lives, health concerns and how to cope with loss. I included many of our personal experiences, together with important research when writing the book.
About your book
I believe that my book is unique because unlike other books about aging, it is written by a clinical psychologist who is also an elderly person herself. Most books about aging aren’t written from the perspective of someone who is actually old. My book focuses on the emotional and psychological aspects of living in this stage of life and emphasizes accepting and valuing ourselves as we have become, rather than trying to look or act younger. Topics which I cover in the book include ageism and how harmful it can be if we accept the idea that we no longer have value when we are old; coping strategies to help us deal with the many challenges we face during this time of life; thinking about death and dying; finding meaning in our lives and in so doing valuing what we have that is positive and which gives us pleasure and satisfaction.
Message for our readers
I think you will find this book engaging and helpful - especially if you are coping with the many emotional and physical challenges we can encounter as we age. I find that the great majority of books on aging focus on how to live as long as you can in good physical health. While this is certainly an important goal, and I do address diet ant lifestyle habits which promote good physical health, I believe that our emotional and psychological health are of equal importance. In fact, our physical and psychological states interact with each other in such a way that you cannot separate them into two distinct categories.
About the Author
Stephanie Goldenthal is a clinical psychologist whose specialty is
psychoanalysis. She holds a doctorate from Hofstra University and a
post-doctoral Certificate in Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy from the
Gordon Derner Institute at Adelphi University. Dr. Goldenthal has maintained
a clinical practice for over fifty years. She lives in New York City, where
she regularly enjoys concerts, plays and a variety of other cultural
events.
Purchase Link
Amazon
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