The Roberta Series | Episode 2 - The Diagnosis

Send us a textSome years, Christmas looks quieter—and that’s okay. In this segment, Dr. Jackson and I talk about giving yourself permission to take a pass from the pressure. A full pass or a partial one. No explanations required.Because the season can still be merry and bright without all the things. And sometimes, honoring your healthy habits—rest, movement, nourishment, boundaries—is the most meaningful gift you can give yourself. You don’t have to wait for January 1 to begin again. You can start the new year now, by choosing peace.✨ If this resonates, you’re not alone.

Send us a textRoberta didn't make it easy. In this episode of The Roberta Series, I share one of the hardest parts of dementia care: figuring out whether my mom was truly declining or manipulating the moment.  With Mom’s lifelong patterns of avoidance and manipulation, it took a lot of eyes — family, doctors, APS — to determine what was real decline. From constant cancellations to getting lost behind the wheel, this episode highlights the key signs, the medical pushback, and the moment everything became undeniable.www.dawnnewton.com

Send us a textThe Roberta Series is a raw, unfiltered look at what it’s really like to care for a difficult, narcissistic parent at the end of their life. It’s about navigating dementia, denial, and decades of emotional complexity — all while trying to hold onto compassion and your own sense of self. My mom, Roberta, passed in 2021 from dementia. Caring for her — with my husband and brother by my side — was complicated, exhausting, and eye-opening.Months into our caregiving journey, I discovered a letter my dad wrote to her in 1965, just days before my first birthday. That letter revealed the truth about my parents’ relationship: how I watched him try to make up for his past mistakes, and how my mom never let it go. It became the lens through which I could finally understand the dynamics that shaped my childhood and connected the dots on the chaos I had spent my life witnessing. My dad spent years trying to make amends. My mom never let him.Through these episodes, I’ll share the stages of our journey — her diagnosis, building our care team, removing her car and cigarettes, placing her in a care facility, and ultimately navigating hospice. This isn’t about bitterness — it’s about truth, healing, and the messy reality of loving someone who could never love you back in the way you needed.Beneath the logistics lies a deeper truth — the balancing act between duty and resentment, compassion and boundaries, love and endurance.For anyone who has cared for a parent who is difficult, manipulative, or complicated — or is preparing for that day — this one’s for you.www.dawnnewton.com

Send us a textIn this opening episode, I share the story behind The Roberta Series — why I created it, what it’s about, and who it’s for. When my mom, Roberta, was diagnosed with dementia, I realized how little I actually knew about the disease — beyond the basics of memory loss, confusion, and agitation. That diagnosis was the beginning of a long, eye-opening journey for our family.This series isn’t just about dementia — it’s about the real, messy, and complicated experience of caring for a difficult parent and trying not to lose yourself in the process. My hope is that it offers understanding, support, and maybe even a little comfort for anyone walking a similar path.Caring for someone who’s nearing the end of their life — even under the best circumstances — will take a lot out of you. Especially with a difficult parent, you just want to get through it, and it’s easy to feel isolated or alone. The emotions, the history, the triggers… it’s a lot. This is a rough journey, and it’s okay to reach out. I’d love to hear from you — your questions, your story, or just to connect.www.dawnnewton.com

Send us a textThis holiday season, we’re celebrating Neighborsgiving with HGTV’s Stars of Home Town, Ben & Erin Napier, in partnership with Bob’s Red Mill and their Moregetherness movement. From cookie swaps to spontaneous doorstep drop-offs, the Napiers share how homemade food can spark real connection, build community, and ease loneliness—one dish at a time. Tune in as they reveal their favorite ways to bring neighbors together and show how a little generosity (and a lot of baking) can make your neighborhood feel like home.www.bobsredmill.com

Send us a textFrom viral outrage to violent rhetoric — are we even talking anymore, or just fighting to be heard? My thoughts on the collapse of conversation and the rise of chaos, and why it’s time to choose curiosity over conflict before we forget how to talk at all. 

Send us a textAbraham Lincoln was a loner who changed the course of history.At a time when we’re more divided than ever, his story feels more relevant than ever.In this episode, I talk with Jonathan Shapiro,  lawyer, writer and author of How to Be Abe Lincoln, about what it really means to lead with integrity, humor, and heart — even when you feel completely alone.It’s a conversation about courage, compassion, and the kind of quiet strength the world still needs.Tune in for an inspiring conversation about what it means to be a little more like Lincoln, right now.

Send us a textDr. Michelle Jackson, ND, dives into SIBO - small intestinal bacterial overgrowth.  It's a condition that happens when bacteria that normally live in the large intestine end up in the small intestine, where they don't belong. Dr. Jackson will unpack what SIBO is, why it happens and the ways it can be treated and managed. https://drjacksonnd.com/

Send us a textDid you know?Not all inflammation is bad. Acute inflammation is your body’s natural defense - it helps you heal when you’re injured or fighting off infection. But when inflammation becomes chronic, it can quietly contribute to serious health issues like heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, and even cognitive decline. Dr. Jackson joins us to break down:-  What chronic inflammation really is-  The hidden triggers behind it-  Practical lifestyle steps to calm it downTune in to learn how you can protect your long-term health, starting today.

Send us a textJanet Skeslien Charles took the world by storm in 2021 with the publication of the instant bestseller, The Paris Library. THE PARISIAN CHAPTER will give fans of her previous works a new story to devour, but it also serves as the perfect entry point into the world that the author has created for her fans. This original audiobook follows Lily, one of the protagonists of The Paris Library, after moving to France from her small town in Montana to follow in the footsteps of Odile, her beloved neighbor who told her stories of WWII heroism at the American Library in Paris.https://www.jskesliencharles.com/