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; The first time I saw Brian was at the Starbucks downtown, and I remember thinking that he had the most beautiful face I’d ever seen – soulful eyes, chiseled cheekbones, a perfect mouth. He seemed unapproachable and totally out of my league. He was also the saddest looking guy I’d […]
Dear C and Dr. B; I had lunch with my cousin Mary today, and I mentioned a problem to her about a male friend who got unexpectedly pushy and I had to slap him and throw him out. She said, “Really? That happened to me last month, but I didn’t want to hurt the guy’s […]
It’s allergy season, and we all know what that means – itchy eyes, runny nose, sneezing, coughing – all the symptoms of a cold, without an end in sight. Here are some practical steps to take, even before you hit the drugstore. Check up-to-date pollen counts in your neighborhood every day. The pollen count is […]
Dear C and Dr. B; Scott is the best thing that ever happened to me. He’s thoughtful, polite, he opens the door for me and helps me with my coat. I’ve never had a guy make me feel so special. I dated a lot of men who dished out the compliments in the beginning – […]
If life were a game and you entered at square one, there is only one thing that you would bring with you – your genetic blueprint. Every part of you is mapped out there, your psychological traits along with your physical characteristics. For many years, it was largely a word-of-mouth observation that certain temperaments seemed […]
Dear B&C Can you explain something to me? I read about the wave of suicides that comes one year after school shootings. I thought that the initial grief was the hardest, and then time began to heal the wounds. Why would suicides occur so much later on? Time’s Up Dr. B – Although there is […]
When the question of weight has passed from being a matter of vanity to becoming a dangerous health condition, a diet and exercise program isn’t enough. For some patients, bariatric surgery may be the last chance to change the course of their health. Bariatric surgery describes any surgical procedure on the stomach or intestines intended […]
Dear C and Dr. B; I have a friend who told me that every time someone tells her that she’d be pretty if she wore makeup or did her hair, it makes her want to cut herself. She feels that it’s demeaning and humiliating to be seen or noticed because of her “meat bag packaging.” […]
I watched my father turn from a marathon runner and 11-time elected public official into a shrunken, lost soul, as transparent as wax. At the assisted living home where he finally landed, he believed he was in a hotel and getting ready to move on to the next destination. His vacant eyes, and the total […]
PD Ouspensky once wrote that man could be classified as “an animal that lies.” This is most certainly true. Much of the time, it can be a harmless feelings-sparing, or time-buying, act, but sometimes it can be dangerous. According to a recent study published in JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association), 60% to 80% […]