Wisdom of the Aged: Counseling & Holistic Therapies

04/28/2026

One of my seniors said this to me recently:
“We can’t even talk about p***c hair without everyone pitching a fit.”

And honestly? She’s not wrong.

We’re completely comfortable talking about medications, diagnoses, and decline…
But the second sexuality comes up, everything shuts down.

Meanwhile—people in their 70s, 80s, and 90s are still falling in love.

Still wanting connection.
Still wanting closeness.

Maybe the issue isn’t them.
Maybe it’s what we’re uncomfortable hearing.


— Dawn Friedland-Perez, LCSW
Wisdom of the Aged

04/28/2026

We talk about aging as if people stop being human. One of my seniors said this to me recently:

“We can’t even talk about p***c hair without everyone pitching a fit.”

And honestly? She’s not wrong.

We’re completely comfortable talking about medications, diagnoses, and decline…
But the second sexuality comes up, everything shuts down.

Meanwhile—people in their 70s, 80s, and 90s are still falling in love.
Still wanting connection.
Still wanting closeness.

I was recently part of an article about love in assisted living that highlights exactly this.
👉 Link in bio

Maybe the issue isn’t them.
Maybe it’s what we’re uncomfortable hearing. I HEAR YOU!

— Dawn Friedland-Perez, LCSW
Wisdom of the Aged

04/27/2026

THIS is such a taboo subject that doesn't get talked about enough. So I am going to open the conversation. I SEE YOU!

04/23/2026

I was recently part of a conversation about finding love in Assisted Livings.

And while that sounds heartwarming—and it is—there’s another side of this that almost never gets talked about.

The need for connection doesn’t go away with age.
And neither does attraction, identity, or even sexuality.

But many seniors feel like they’re not allowed to talk about it.

It makes people uncomfortable—families, staff, sometimes even the person themselves.
So it gets shut down, avoided, or laughed off.

And yet, underneath it is something very human:
the need to feel seen, to feel like yourself, to still experience connection in all its forms.

I see this more often than people realize.

It’s part of aging that doesn’t get talked about—but it’s real.

Sharing the article for anyone who might find this perspective meaningful.

04/21/2026

Starting to share more about the work I do with seniors and families. If this resonates, feel free to follow!💜

I’ve spent most of my career behind the scenes.

Supporting seniors and families through aging, memory loss, and change… often in the moments people don’t talk about.

This work has always been quiet, but I’m realizing there’s so much about the emotional side of aging that doesn’t get said out loud.

So I’m going to start sharing more here.

If you’re navigating this with a loved one, you’re not alone.

04/21/2026

I’ve spent most of my career behind the scenes.

Supporting seniors and families through aging, memory loss, and change… often in the moments people don’t talk about.

This work has always been quiet, but I’m realizing there’s so much about the emotional side of aging that doesn’t get said out loud.

So I’m going to start sharing more here.

If you’re navigating this with a loved one, you’re not alone.

07/06/2025

This time of year always comes with a little sting. Some years it creeps up quietly, and some years it comes in with a bang like the fireworks. Even if it’s not in my conscious mind, my heart brain remembers. As a young woman of 24, I wasn’t really allowed to grieve. “You are young, you will find someone else. Weren’t you guys fighting anyway? Didn’t he cheat on you anyway? I don’t know why you're so upset. It’s been 6 months already, why aren’t you over it?” Only a few of my closest friends knew my heartache, even though I still hid it pretty well (most of the time). I didn’t receive much support at home because of their own grief history. At 24, what do we know about loss and death? What were we taught? It’s been 30 years. He wasn’t a saint by any means, but he was like no other (if you know you know). At the time, he was my boyfriend of almost 6 years and my best friend. It changed me. It shaped me. I wanted to show up and lean in when others were grieving, which led me to a successful and rewarding career. There isn’t any conversation about it that’s off the table. It helped me access even more of my spiritual connection, changing my vibration so I could access other dimensions. I can help others with messages from loved ones who died. To other young people experiencing loss, this is my wisdom for you. You will heal, you will grow, but there will always be a connection and maybe even a piece of your heart that dies with them. It’s ok when the memory of them begins to fade. It doesn’t mean your love didn’t exist. It’s ok to love again when you’re ready and on your terms, not society. Find a ritual that helps you honor their life. Go to a grief counselor or hypnotherapist. It saved my life and made me who I am today. Live each day to the fullest you are capable of. And most of all, you are NOT alone. I see you! Ted died in a motorcycle accident on July 6, 1995. So today, I would like to honor his memory and all that he helped me become; I am truly grateful.

03/27/2025

Robert Marder

03/27/2025

03/27/2025

03/22/2023

Dawn Friedland-Perez