Author Karen Howard joins Mark for a look at an exciting new book, her first, Upset is Optional.  Bob Duggan was a young priest who left the Vatican to live a life committed to teaching a new worldview of health. He worked to legalize acupuncture, founded a school, and created Penn North, a non-profit addiction treatment facility in Baltimore, Maryland, where they continue to use his acupuncture program.  His views on transforming our disease-based healthcare system to one embedded in wellness and true disease prevention were sought by business leaders, lawmakers, and political campaigns. 

In exploring his remarkable stories, Karen shares how his practices have affected her personally:

“My life’s journey led me to Tai Sophia, the first accredited acupuncture school in the U.S., and its founder Bob Duggan.  My pursuit in the school’s Applied Healing Arts program was transformative.  Bob’s last gift was to hone his work into a series of simple practices in an apprentice program.  Each practice is centered on understanding how you feel in your body will impact your thoughts, actions, and health.  Bob taught me how to breathe and changed my life.  The stories in this book illustrate how the practices can create peace in your body and your world of work and family.  These are practices that enable successful navigation through the disruptions, disagreements, and misunderstandings that can ruin a family holiday dinner, disrupt the success of a project, or prevent us from experiencing the joy of life.  They are healing.  And they require practice.”

A portion of the proceeds from Upset is Optional will go to support Bob’s vibrant community center.