Your Turn with Allison Aubrey

Latest Episodes:

Optimism, Adaptation and the power of a SuperAger Nov 12, 2026

Show notes

What are the secrets to staying sharp and thriving as we grow older? Is it in our genes? Our lifestyle? And what can be done to increase our longevity? In this episode we meet Bob Rubin, an official "SuperAger"— with the cognitive ability of someone decades younger. Together with geriatrician and Elderhood author Dr. Louise Aronson, they share insights into the power of adaptation, social connection - and some surprising ways to flip the script on aging.
Sign up for our newsletter to get access to tools for midlife reinvention.
We would love to hear from you. Which stories have inspired you – or which tools of discovery have you tried? Tell us about it. Record a voice memo on your phone and send it to yourturn@wbur.org. Tell us your name, where you're from and ONE thing that may help inspire someone else
Show notes:
Dr. Louise Aronson’s book Elderhood: Redefining Aging, Transforming Medicine, Reimagining Life
Music: courtesy of APM and Argo-Chess Records
Your Turn is a production of WBUR, in partnership with NPR.
Sound Design by Fred Greenhalgh. Project manager Lyndsey McKenna. Executive producer is Ben Brock Johnson.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy

Can art help slow aging? Nov 05, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, we explore how bringing the arts into our lives can improve mental health, enhance brain neuroplasticity, and may help slow biological aging. A recent study found people who regularly engage with the arts seem to age about 4% slower compared to those who don’t, a correlation that appears comparable to the positive effects of exercise. Featuring insights from filmmaker Mira Nair, UCL researcher Dr. Daisy Fancourt, and physician assistant and singer Kristi Kalajian.
Show notes:
“Art Cure: The Science of How the Arts Save Lives” by Daisy Fancourt
Music courtesy of APM. Live performance recordings courtesy of Kristi Kalajian.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy

Feeling "meh"? Burnout, hidden depression and a path to joy Oct 29, 2026

Show notes

When the pandemic forces Genevieve to close down her restaurant, she’s left with a massive void in her life. With time and space to reflect, she begins to ask questions: Who am I without my work? What have I spent all these years working towards? What’s next? As she tells her story, Dr. Judith Joseph guides us through the science of high functioning depression, and offers tools for redefining your purpose in middle age.
A warning: this episode contains explicit language.
Sign up for our newsletter to get access to tools for midlife reinvention.
We want to hear from you. What kind of challenging...EXCITING midlife questions are you facing?
You can write to us at yourturn@wbur.org. And we may put your voice or your story in an upcoming episode. And please, Be sure to REVIEW the show on whatever podcast app you use.
Show notes:
Dr. Judith Joseph: “High Functioning: Overcome Your Hidden Depression and Reclaim Your Joy”
Music: courtesy of APM
Your Turn is a production of WBUR, in partnership with NPR.
Sound Design by Fred Greenhalgh. Project manager Lyndsey McKenna. Executive producer is Ben Brock Johnson.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy

Unlock the power of your dreams Oct 22, 2026

Show notes

Ready to decode your dreams? Imagine falling asleep tonight and waking up with insights to help you move forward. Jungian analyst Lisa Marchiano explains how our unconscious “dreammaker” can help guide us through midlife transitions. A dream psychologist reveals what our dreams can teach us and Stanford physician Dr. Harrison Chow, describes how anesthesia dreams may help people process fear and trauma. Plus, a step-by-step guide to ‘dream incubation’, an ancient practice to steer your dreams to a challenge you’d like to solve. We spend about two hours each night creating “home movies” in our sleep, and there’s a resurgence of research on why our dreams matter.
Sign up for our newsletter to get access to tools for midlife reinvention.
We want to hear from you. What kind of challenging...EXCITING midlife questions are you facing?
You can write to us at yourturn@wbur.org. And we may put your voice or your story in an upcoming episode. And please, Be sure to REVIEW the show on whatever podcast app you use.
Show notes:
Lisa Marchiano — This Jungian Life
Dr. Harrison Chow’s work with the Heifets Lab at Stanford University
Music: courtesy of APM
Your Turn is a production of WBUR, in partnership with NPR.
Sound Design by Fred Greenhalgh. Project manager Lyndsey McKenna. Executive producer is Ben Brock Johnson.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy

How to find “Flow” when you’ve lost it Oct 15, 2026

Show notes

Welcome to Your Turn with Allison Aubrey — a new roadmap for midlife. In this first episode, we explore the science of the flow state. You know that feeling when you look up from a task and you realize hours have gone by? That's flow. And in midlife, it can be an important signal. Paying attention to that feeling (or returning to the things that brought you that feeling earlier in your life) may be one of the best clues you have about where you wanna go next. We're gonna hear from violinist Diane Allen, who lost her flow and then tried to find it again, and also from Dr. Richard Huskey, who studies the flow state and how each of us can find it.
Sign up for our newsletter to get access to tools for midlife reinvention.
We want to hear from you. What kind of challenging...EXCITING midlife questions are you facing?
You can write to us at yourturn@wbur.org. And we may put your voice or your story in an upcoming episode. And please, Be sure to REVIEW the show on whatever podcast app you use.
Show notes:
Diane Allen — Personal Website
Richard Huskey’s Cognitive Communication Science Lab
Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, By Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
Music: courtesy of APM
Diane Allen performance courtesy of Diane Allen, Composer & Performer; Fahmie Farhan, Arranger.
Your Turn is a production of WBUR, in partnership with NPR.
Sound Design by Fred Greenhalgh. Project manager Lyndsey McKenna. Executive producer is Ben Brock Johnson.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy

Your Turn with Allison Aubrey Sep 15, 2026

Show notes

Midlife comes with a lot of twists. Your Turn with Allison Aubrey is here to help you navigate them. Hosted by longtime NPR health correspondent Allison Aubrey, the show brings together scientists, experts and inspiring stories of women making life-defining changes in their 50s and beyond. We tackle one challenge at a time with practical, evidence-backed ideas for feeling healthier, more connected and more confident about what's next. Episodes available starting in October.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy