Susan Troyer, Author at A Beautiful Voice

Sanjay's wisdom on chronic pain
Lean Into the Pain: Why Journaling Is the First Thing a Top Brain Surgeon Recommends

Editor's Note: Zulekha Ali, a regular contributor to ABeautifulVoice.org, writes about Sanjay Gupta's wisdom in a voice reflective of the perspective of the ranchers. We three (my parents and I) engaged in all kinds of journaling - in addition to my own reflective writing at the end of the [...]

Susan Troyer2026-05-12T17:21:38-05:00May 10th, 2026|Categories: Mindful Presence|Tags: 50 million Americans live with chronic pain, Pain lives in the brain, The US consumes 90% of the world’s pain medication, You are the narrator of your pain|0 Comments

365 Ways to Say I Care
WAY #11: Blow Bubbles Together

Why this helps: Blowing bubbles is playful, low-energy, and deeply engaging. Watching bubbles float and pop encourages visual tracking and can bring spontaneous smiles and laughter. The deep breathing required to blow bubbles is also a natural relaxation technique, good for both of you. How to do it: Buy a [...]

Susan Troyer2026-05-09T23:43:49-05:00May 9th, 2026|Categories: Mindful Presence|Tags: 365 Ways to Say I Care, Alzheimer's, Blowing bubbles as activity with older loved one, Dementia, Living in the moment with an older adult with dementia, Novelty journaling|0 Comments

Editor's Special Report
When a Neurosurgeon Recommends Journaling for Chronic Pain

A quiet but extraordinary moment in the neuroscience of healing For years, journaling has often been dismissed as “just" expressive writing. But something remarkable happened recently at the end of an interview between Sanjay Gupta and Mel Robbins about chronic pain. When asked: “If the person listening were to do [...]

Susan Troyer2026-05-06T22:50:05-05:00May 6th, 2026|Categories: Mindful Presence|Tags: "100 Journaling Benefits", 50 million Americans live with chronic pain, Alzheimer's, Dementia caregivers, Journaling for chronic pain, Mel Robbins, Mel Robbins interviews Sanjay Gupta MD, Memory Journaling|0 Comments

365 Ways to Say I Care
The Novelty Explainer – Part II: How Novelty Journaling Changes Us

Novelty journaling is not about recording life as it happens. It is about shaping life by paying attention differently. Part I of The Novelty Explainer introduced the structure and philosophy behind 365 Ways to Say I Care and why it was created. Part II turns inward—exploring how novelty journaling changes [...]

Susan Troyer2026-05-02T12:40:00-05:00May 2nd, 2026|Categories: General, Mindful Presence|Tags: Activating brain systems, Alzheimer's, Creating moments worth capturing, Dementia care partners, Doing what is slightly unexpected in caregiving, Engaging the brain’s capacity for flexibility and creativity, Motivation & learning & emotional regulation, Novelty journaling, Seeking what is meaningful in caregiving, The NOVELTY EXPLAINER – Part I: What This Is|0 Comments

The air we breathe shapes our brains
Air pollution may directly contribute to Alzheimer’s disease – new study

"Air pollution has long been linked to heart and lung disease. But a large US study suggests it may also raise the risk of Alzheimer’s disease – the most common form of dementia." Author: Eef Hogervorst, Loughborough University Researchers tracked nearly 28 million older adults over six years nationwide. They [...]

Susan Troyer2026-05-01T11:23:28-05:00May 1st, 2026|Categories: A Sense of Place|Tags: Ageing, Air pollution, Alzheimer's, Brain health, Dementia|0 Comments

The impact of stigma & discrimination
Dementia and Suffering

Author: Kate Swaffer Kaurna Country The discourse of suffering has long been a topic of lived/living experience dementia advocates and activists. Most people who’ve followed me here for a while now will know I have been very vocal about it, and how it is harmful to people living with a dementia [...]

365 Ways to Say I Care
WAY #10: Make a Simple Spring Wreath

Why this helps: A hands‑on craft that welcomes the season creates a visual celebration you can both admire. For someone living with dementia, working with simple materials—faux flowers, ribbons, a foam or grapevine base—engages fine motor skills and provides a sense of accomplishment. Art activities like painting, drawing, and [...]

Susan Troyer2026-04-26T20:37:45-05:00April 26th, 2026|Categories: General, Mindful Presence|Tags: Alzheimer's, Crafting a simple spring wreath, Creative arts for people living with dementia and carers, dementia-care, How novelty journaling changes the brain, Journaling, Joy in dementia care, Neuroscience perspective on novelty journaling, Novelty journaling|0 Comments

From the famly archives
Remembering a Loved One: A Personal Reflection and Memoir

Today, on his 96th birthday, I find myself reflecting with deep gratitude on the life of my Uncle Maurice Yordy—known to many of us as Uncle Max. A gentleman, farmer, and gardener… a retired science teacher and pastor… a historian, activist, and antiques enthusiast. He is a family storyteller and [...]

Susan Troyer2026-04-14T23:22:05-05:00April 14th, 2026|Categories: Mindful Presence|Tags: Illinois Mennonite Historical and Genealogical Society, Maurice Yordy, Memoir about the loss of a loved one, Mike Yoder PhD|0 Comments

Moments that matter most
Compassionate Action in These Tangled Times – Online with John Paul Lederach – April 12, 2026

What happens when people stop showing up? A question posed recently by caregiver and culture change leader Neal Shah stopped me in my tracks: “What happens to your brain when the people you've always had around you stop showing up? We're engineering loneliness into the end of life and then [...]

Susan Troyer2026-04-10T20:29:23-05:00April 10th, 2026|Categories: Mindful Presence|Tags: "Loneliness Helplessness Boredom", Compassion, Loneliness as invisibility, loneliness at the end of life, Peacebuilder John Paul Lederach, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, Upaya Zen Center in Santa Fe|0 Comments

A healthier world starts here
Food as medicine

Announcing the world premiere of the 2026 Food Revolution Summit Docuseries: The Science of Food and Wellness! It’s the world’s largest gathering of healthy eaters, and you’re invited to join! Imagine if the world were the kind of place where doctors prescribed vegetables… A world where getting a breakdown of exactly which [...]

Susan Troyer2026-04-07T11:34:37-05:00April 7th, 2026|Categories: Food For Life, General|Tags: Alzheimer's, Brain health, Brooke Goldner MD, cancer prevention, Caregivers, David Perlmutter MD, Dean Ornish MD, Dementia, Diabetes, Food as medicine, food experts at the forefront of research, Food Revolution Summit Docuseries: The Science of Food and Wellness, Gut health, Heart disease, Inflammation, Joel Fuhrman MD, Longevity, Monisha Bhanote MD, Tony Robbins|0 Comments

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About Susan Troyer