New This Week

at Dr. Robin's School

Hi Reader,

Before Dr. Robin's School, I cared for patients in my solo medical practice, a clinic focused on trauma informed care for families. It's a completely different approach from typical medical care even though I used the same evidence based medicine as other physicians. But I approached physical problems knowing that my patients' bodies were carrying a lot they never asked for.

And this is something that can happen to all of us, in ways we may not even register.

It doesn't always come from one big moment. It can come from seemingly small ones. An offhand comment. Someone’s reaction in front of the mirror. The way someone talked about food at the dinner table. A three-year-old who doesn't understand the words but registers the feeling: something about bodies is wrong.

That's something my friend Lori Rose works on. She's a sexuality & relationship educator, trauma-informed coach, and somatic practitioner who helps people build healthy connections from the inside out, starting with the relationship they have with themselves.

This month, she's focusing on one of the patterns that quietly gets in the way of that: body image issues, the internalized judgment people absorbed without asking for it, and often pass on to the people they love without meaning to.

This Wednesday, June 17th at 7:30pm ET, she's hosting a free live roundtable called Breaking Up With Body Image BS. When we were talking about it my first question was: What's a roundtable??

It's 75 minutes, online, dialogue-based, and very different from the usual body positivity messaging. Her work is always grounded in science and somatics, not affirmations. You can stay off camera. There's an anonymous shared document so you can participate without speaking. No one will try to fix you or sell you anything.

I thought of you immediately when she told me about it. If you followed the 10 Conversations series with us, this feels like a natural support for us parents.

Together with You,
Dr. Robin

👉 Register for free: Breaking Up With Body Image BS​
Wednesday, June 17 | 7:30–8:45pm ET | Free | Online | No recording

🎧 I Want to Be a Doctor, Now on YouTube

The I Want to Be a Doctor podcast is now posting episodes on YouTube. If you have a student who's interested in a healthcare career, take a look!

​

📚 What I'm Reading

This week's pick is Sunnyside Plaza by Scott Simon.

Sally Miyake is 19, funny, observant, and perceptive. She lives at Sunnyside Plaza, a group home for adults with developmental disabilities and when residents start dying unexpectedly, Sally and her neighbors decide to investigate themselves. The detectives eventually recognize what the reader sees immediately: Sally is capable, resourceful, and not to be underestimated.

What I love about this book is that the characters with developmental disabilities are real people with full, interesting lives of their own. They're not there to teach someone a lesson or be inspirational. They drive the plot. They solve the mystery. They take care of each other and push back against the people who underestimate them.

Something to discuss with your family is that some people argue this story should have been published for adults since the main characters are adults (though I feel that 19 is still young enough to feel like the cool big sister rather than a real grown up). The reason people are worried about this is because disabled adults are often treated like children by society. It can be worth explaining this concern but then looking at how Sally and her friends are written: Do they feel like capable adults who control their own lives, or does the book treat them like kids?

One honest note: despite the middle grade label, I haven't used this for book club because it isn't appropriate for all middle grade readers. I recommend it for teens and adults, or as a read-aloud where you can explain more complex concepts as they come up. And remember, listening level supported by an adult is often higher than independent reading level. The author, Scott Simon, is an NPR journalist who based the story on his experience working in a group home as a young man. Find it online: ​ 📖 Check your local library on WorldCat 🛍️ Support independent bookstores on Bookshop.org​

That's all for this week! Happy Learning!

Questions? Get one-on-one assistance from Nurse Jill Cooper. Reply to this email, schedule office hours with Jill, or text or call 720-257-9030. Business hours are 9-5 M-F MST, closed for school holidays.