Read. Talk. Grow.

80. Explore Prosopagnosia Through Fiction: A Conversation with Katherine Center

This episode was made possible by the generous support of Ken Stevens.  We talked with: Katherine Center is the New York Times bestselling author of twelve novels. She writes deep, nuanced, laugh-and-cry rom-coms that brim with hope and healing.  Her books have made countless best-of lists, including Amazon’s Top 100 Books of the Year, Barnes & Noble’s Best Books of the Year, the Indie Next Great Reads List, Goodreads’ Best Books of the Year, Library Reads Hall of Fame, People Best New Books, and more. Her spring 2026 book is The Shippers - and today we’ll be talking about Hello Stranger. Katherine lives in her hometown of Houston, Texas, with her husband and their fluffy-but-fierce dog. Dr. Keith Josephs is a Professor of Neurology and Neuroscience as well as the Ani Professor of Alzheimer’s Disease Research at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. He is an internationally recognized leading experts in neurodegenerative diseases with research focusing on clinicopathological and neuroimaging aspects of the frontotemporal dementias and atypical Alzheimer’s disease with over 750 scientific peer-reviewed manuscripts, including the 2024 Prosopagnosia: face blindness and its association with neurological disorders published in the journal Brain Communications. Purchase HELLO STRANGER: From Bookshop.org From Amazon From Barnes & Noble Got feedback? If you've got ideas or book suggestions, email us at readtalkgrow@mayo.edu The podcast is for informational purposes only and is not designed to replace the physician’s medical assessment and judgment. Information presented is not intended as medical advice. Please contact a healthcare professional for medical assistance with specific questions pertaining to your own health if needed.

79. Medically Unexplained Symptoms with Catherine Newman

This episode was made possible by the generous support of Ken Stevens.  We Talked With: Catherine Newman has written a gazillion pieces (columns, articles, canned-bean recipes) for magazines and newspapers, in addition to two memoirs, two kids’ life skills books and a middle grade novel. We All Want Impossible Things was her first adult novel and was featured on “Read. Talk. Grow.” for an episode about being a friend to a friend who is dying. Her second novel, Sandwich, was released in 2024 to great acclaim. She lives in Amherst, Massachusetts. Listen to previous “Read. Talk. Grow.” Podcasts, Episode 14 and Episode 37, featuring Catherine. Catherine Newman Author Website Read. Talk. Grow. Podcast Episode 14  Read. Talk. Grow. Podcast Episode 37 Rebecca N. Thompson, MD, is a family medicine and public health physician in Portland, Oregon, where she specializes in women's and children's health. She's also the author of Held Together: A Shared Memoir of Motherhood, Medicine, and Imperfect Love, a decade long collaborative project about the joys, the challenges, and the everything in between of parenthood and family life, which was featured on episode 67 of “Read. Talk. Grow.” Rebecca N. Thompson Author Website Read. Talk. Grow. Podcast Episode 67 Purchase WRECK: From Bookshop.org From Amazon From Barnes & Noble Got feedback? If you've got ideas or book suggestions, email us at readtalkgrow@mayo.edu The podcast is for informational purposes only and is not designed to replace the physician’s medical assessment and judgment. Information presented is not intended as medical advice. Please contact a healthcare professional for medical assistance with specific questions pertaining to your own health if needed.

BEST OF: Making a habit of happiness with Courtney Walsh

What makes you happy? Many people would answer with the basics: family, friends, good food, and (of course!) a good book. But what brings deep joy and purpose to your life? What little habits and practices could make a big difference in your mood and outlook? In this episode, author Courtney Walsh, author of “The Happy Life of Isadora Bentley,” and Mayo Clinic Medical Director of Joy and neuropsychologist Anni Shandera-Ochsner, Ph.D., L.P., encourage us to think deeper about what makes us feel alive and gives us meaning. This episode was made possible by the generous support of Ken Stevens.We talked with:Courtney Walsh is the Carol award-winning author of several low spice, small town romance novels. She’s committed to creating stories that bring joy and always promises a happy ending. Her debut novel, A Sweethaven Summer, was a New York Times and USA Today e-book best-seller and a Carol Award finalist in the debut author category. In addition, she has written two craft books and several full-length musicals. Courtney lives with her husband and three children in Illinois, where she co-owns a performing arts studio and youth theatre with her business partner and best friend—her husband.Anni Shandera-Ochsner, Ph.D., L.P., is an assistant professor of psychology at Mayo Clinic and a board-certified clinical neuropsychologist at Mayo Clinic Health System in Wisconsin. She is also the medical director of Joy for Mayo Clinic and directs the Midwest region's Mayo Clinic HABIT Healthy Action to Benefit Independence in Thinking®, which is a behavioral intervention program for people with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). Purchase “The Happy Life of Isadora Bentley.”From Barnes & Noble.From Amazon.From Bookshop.org.  Got feedback?If you've got ideas or book suggestions, email us at readtalkgrow@mayo.edu. We invite you to complete the following survey as part of a research study at Mayo Clinic. Your responses are anonymous. Your participation in this survey as well as its completion are voluntary.Connect with others talking about the podcast in the Read. Talk. Grow. group on Mayo Clinic Connect, an online community moderated by Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic Connect is free, trusted, moderated, welcoming, safe and easy-to-use. The podcast is for informational purposes only and is not designed to replace the physician’s medical assessment and judgment. Information presented is not intended as medical advice. Please contact a healthcare professional for medical assistance with specific questions pertaining to your own health if needed.

78. Running, resilience and breast cancer recovery with Josie Lloyd

What if running could help you heal? In this episode, Dr. Denise Millstine sits down with author Josie Lloyd and cancer rehabilitation expert Dr. Nandita Keole to explore the powerful intersection of breast cancer recovery and exercise through Josie’s uplifting novel The Bright Side Running Club. Inspired by her own diagnosis, Josie shares how journaling and joining a running group transformed fear into resilience and community, while Dr. Keole explains why movement—even during treatment—boosts strength, mood, and hope. Together, they remind us that thriving after cancer isn’t just possible—it starts with one step forward.This episode was made possible by the generous support of Ken Stevens. We talked with: Josie Lloyd had been writing novels for twenty-five years. Mother of three daughters and a beloved dog, Ziggy, she lives in Brighton in the UK with her husband, Emlyn Rees. Together they have written seven internationally bestselling novels and their latest joint venture, You & Me & You & Me & You & Me is out in the US in February 2026. Josie was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017 after a routine scan. She wanted to read something positive, hopeful and uplifting about what she was going through, and so wrote 'The Cancer Ladies' Running Club' published in the states as 'The Bright Side Running Club'. She's also written the screen adaptation of her novel, which is in development as a feature film. When she's not writing, Josie loves travelling, cooking and is a keen sea swimmer and swims all year round no matter what the weather. She is also the patron of the charity Lobular Breast Cancer UK and regularly runs journalling and wellbeing workshops to help women going through a cancer diagnosis.Dr. Nandita Keole is a cancer rehabilitation physician at the Mayo Clinic Arizona. She teaches at Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine and is the current chair of the Arizona Society of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.Purchase THE BRIGHT SIDE RUNNING CLUB:From Bookshop.org.From Barnes & Noble. Got feedback?If you've got ideas or book suggestions, email us at readtalkgrow@mayo.edu.Connect with others talking about the podcast in the Read. Talk. Grow. group on Mayo Clinic Connect, an online community moderated by Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic Connect is free, trusted, moderated, welcoming, safe and easy-to-use.  The podcast is for informational purposes only and is not designed to replace the physician’s medical assessment and judgment. Information presented is not intended as medical advice. Please contact a healthcare professional for medical assistance with specific questions pertaining to your own health if needed.

77. Weightlifting for women with Casey Johnston

Ready to rethink your workout? In the episode, we dive into the empowering world of weightlifting for women, inspired by Casey Johnston’s book A Physical Education: How I Escaped Diet Culture and Gained the Power of Lifting. Host Dr. Denise Millstine and guest expert Dr. Sonal Haerter join Casey to explore how shifting from calorie obsession to strength training transforms not only bodies but mindsets. This episode was made possible by the generous support of Ken Stevens.We talked with:Casey Johnston is a bestselling author, writer, and cultural critic. Her work covers the intersections of a diverse range of topics, including politics, identity, health, technology, power, womanhood, and embodiment, and has earned critical acclaim from numerous outlets.Sonal Haerter, M.D., is an internal medicine physician in the department of Internal Medicine at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center. She is also an assistant professor for Creighton School of Medicine and Associate Program Director for the Department of Internal medicine at Creighton School of Medicine in  Phoenix. She is double board-certified in internal medicine and obesity medicine. Dr. Haerter provides adult primary care services at the Internal Medicine Health Center. Her clinical interests include preventative medicine and women’s health.Purchase A Physical Education:From Bookshop.orgFrom Barnes & Noble.  Got feedback?If you've got ideas or book suggestions, email us at readtalkgrow@mayo.edu.Connect with others talking about the podcast in the Read. Talk. Grow. group on Mayo Clinic Connect, an online community moderated by Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic Connect is free, trusted, moderated, welcoming, safe and easy-to-use. The podcast is for informational purposes only and is not designed to replace the physician’s medical assessment and judgment. Information presented is not intended as medical advice. Please contact a healthcare professional for medical assistance with specific questions pertaining to your own health if needed.