Narrative Mindworks speaks with Tara Geer about carrying forward her mother’s groundbreaking work in visual thinking, using art to help people see, connect, and make meaning together.

Every year for 10 years, my Irish mother Isabel "Issy" and I attended the annual Irish Books Arts and Music (IBAM) weekend at the Irish American Heritage Center in Chicago.

In this episode of Mindworks in Conversation, Filipino American poet and educator Sarah Gambito, Director of Creative Writing and Professor at Fordham University, reflects on how language, identity, and culture shape the way we understand one another.

 Edmondson, a Mindworks member who holds an MS in Narrative Medicine from Columbia University, is a veteran health writer and editor, a narrative medicine specialist, and an expressive writing and art-journaling workshop facilitator. Here, she explores how a narrative medicine-informed advocate can be a game-changing asset for patients and providers.

Our older son, Ken, has lived four decades with a chronic condition bringing him pain, discomfort, and unwelcome surprises. Yet he carries himself cheerfully, generous with conversation and appreciation. One of his gifts is his annual tradition of sending holiday cards to friends, family, and anyone who touched his life that year—including his doctors and their staff. He spends hours writing each card by hand, filling every blank space with tiny script.