Cathren is a community collaborative artist who has been working with the Community Libraries of Providence and other non-profits since 2012, developing arts and literacy programs and creating public art installations. She has been an artist in residence at Hattie Ide Chaffee Home since 2023, implementing visual arts and health programs with seniors and dementia patients. Website: ArtHouseRI.com
Dear C and Dr. B; I am becoming concerned. My husband, who is an otherwise sane man, is beginning to follow QAnon and spend a lot of time on the internet following their posts on social media. How does an internet-driven conspiracy theory like that get attention and followers? It is seriously crazy stuff. For […]
Homegrown is an unexpected oasis on Providence’s East Side. Inside this unassuming building on Gano Street you’ll find airy, white-walled rooms, fragrant with greenery. An elegantly limned hummingbird and vine mural by artist Mary Linberg hovers on the wall above a display table lined with exotic plants and bonzai pots created by artist Paul Olson. […]
Dear C and Dr. B; I lost my mom as a teen and it’s still bothering me. But it’s not because I miss her so much, or because we had such a good relationship – it’s more because we didn’t. I was really awful when I was a teenager and I feel really crappy about […]
Dear C and Dr. B; I went to a therapist because I had longstanding problems in my marriage. My therapist and I could agree that there were conflicts that might never be resolved. My husband was emotionally abusive – he refused to come to therapy with me and would just get up and walk out […]
Dear C and Dr B; My girlfriend Hannah is smart and beautiful, but very distracting. She drinks a lot and probably smokes too much weed; she’s kind of crazy in a way. She has no interest in school. I realize she is not a good influence on me – I’m a top student, and my […]
We spoke with Howard Schulman, MD, whose photography show, My Rhode Island, is currently on exhibit at BankRI in downtown Providence through September. Cathren Housley (Motif): Which came first, the photographer or the doctor? Howard Schulman: As far as composing pictures and capturing things I’ve seen, that was definitely something that started after I became […]
It was a love of animals that inspired Susan Joseph to found the New England Humane Society in 2013. Since then, Joseph has gathered a group of dedicated workers who share her mission: to rescue animals from euthanasia at overcrowded facilities and to care for abandoned and homeless animals in need until they find their […]
Dear C and Dr. B; This happened to someone in my family, so I think this is something the mask shamers need to know. Hey, remember that woman you shamed in the grocery store today because she wasn’t wearing a mask? That was my sister. She already feels enough shame because she was raped. Having […]
Dear C and Dr. B; Issues of racism and discrimination are all over the news. Right now, Black Lives Matter is at the top of the list and people are getting fired and called out for anything that implies a personal racist attitude. Before that, the #MeToo movement went after men for discrimination and abuse […]
Dear C and Dr. B; Bob and I have been married for 20 years. We went through a rocky patch about 10 years ago and were separated for a year. During that time, Bob made some bad decisions, one of which was to start doing drugs with the guys he was hanging out with; they […]