Estrangement from a loved one is painful every day of the year, but the pain can be particularly sharp during the holidays.

In this episode, Dr. McCoy talks about this pain and how to reconnect with a loved one or, failing that, how to deal with feelings of hurt, disappointment, loneliness and shame, as other families seem to share such joy.

As time goes by, as we grow and change, the nature of our class reunions can change. We may have new insights into how we've grown with the years, the wisdom of letting go of what no longer matters, the value of warm reconnections and the blessing of love that has thrived and matured through the years. In this episode, Dr. McCoy shares insights, reflections and surprises that came from her own recent 50th college reunion at Northwestern University.

Why do people cry at weddings? From happiness as well as sadness? When feelings and life are so full? Or when they feel hopeless and alone?

In this episode, Dr. McCoy discusses all kinds of tears and reasons we shed them. She also discusses the therapeutic value of tears that may extend beyond a release of stress hormones. The fact is, there are times when we need to cry for our own health and well-being. And that old saying about real men not crying? From the wisdom of the ages, we hear that tears are a sign of strength and self-awareness and an important part of our lives in transition.

The conflicts and fears may center on you or your spouse going deaf or not engaging in enough self-care or getting alarmingly forgetful. These are the emotional ghosts and goblins of older age: decline, disease, death, the fear of losing each other.

In this episode, Dr. McCoy discusses how to hear and how to deliver words of concern and how to cherish your life as it is today without letting fears for tomorrow come between you and those you love most.