Author Archives: Bob Ritzema

Unknown's avatar

About Bob Ritzema

I am a fourth-generation American of Dutch ancestry and am trained as a clinical psychologist. In 2012, I retired from Methodist University in North Carolina to return to Michigan to help family, and, in 2023, I started again with a move to Milwaukee to be near my children. I maintain a part-time therapy practice. I can be reached at bobritzema@hotmail.com.

On Not Starting School

Posted on September 7, 2013 by Bob Ritzema

The school year has started, but not for me; I’m entering my second year of retirement from Methodist University.  Last fall, the transition from full-time employment was eased for me since I taught an online class.  This fall I’m not … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Psyche, Relationships | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gray Divorce

Posted on September 3, 2013 by Bob Ritzema

Relationships are as important in the second half of life as in the first half.  Unfortunately, relationships in mid- and late-life are not immune to struggle and even failure.  One recent phenomenon is an increase in divorces among middle aged … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Relationships | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Social Media Might Reduce Discomfort with Death

Posted on August 27, 2013 by Bob Ritzema

NPR host Scott Simon recently attracted considerable attention when he turned what many consider a private event into a public one.  As he sat with his mother while she was dying, Simon tweeted about her last days to his 1.3 … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Death | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Who Is Art For?

Posted on August 20, 2013 by Bob Ritzema

This Friday, August 23, Square Inch Community Church, which I attend, will sponsor Inchfest, a music and art festival.  Judging from photos of the crowd at last year’s festival, no more than 10% of those in attendance were middle age or … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Psyche | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Deep Time

Posted on August 15, 2013 by Bob Ritzema

Do we experience time differently when we are elderly?  We all sense time passing more quickly as we age, but in what other ways is time different?  Richard Rohr, in his book Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Two Halves of … Continue reading →

Posted in Psyche, Spirit | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Preparing for an Aging Population

Posted on August 7, 2013 by Bob Ritzema

A recent USA Today article by Sharon Jayson considers whether the country is prepared for the tremendous increase in the number of seniors that will occur in the next few decades.  Not surprisingly, Jayson concludes:  “Despite some pockets of progress, … Continue reading →

Posted in caregiving, Resources | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

“I Wish I Didn’t Work So Hard”

Posted on August 3, 2013 by Bob Ritzema

Earlier I described the list of top regrets of the dying compiled by former hospice caregiver Bronnie Ware.  In that post I considered the first such regret, namely that many dying people wish they had lived a life true to themselves … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Psyche | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

“It’s Never Too Late to Turn to a Life of Crime”

Posted on July 25, 2013 by Bob Ritzema

The above observation comes from a report in Bloomberg Businessweek about a petty crime spree among Japanese senior citizens.  Crime by those over 65 doubled over the last decade, even though the total crime in Japan declined by 17%.  According … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Spirituality for Life’s Second Half

Posted on July 19, 2013 by Bob Ritzema

A book that I’ve been reflecting on since reading it a few months ago is  Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life by Richard Rohr.  We humans think about and experience spiritual realities differently as we mature, and Rohr offers a valuable perspective … Continue reading →

Posted in Psyche, Resources, Spirit | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

When Caregiver Guilt is Excessive

Posted on July 10, 2013 by Bob Ritzema

In an earlier post I wrote about guilt felt by caregivers.  I noted that feelings of guilt are appropriate when they result from having done harm or failing to meet one’s responsibilities.  In many cases, though, feelings of guilt aren’t connected to an … Continue reading →

Posted in caregiving, Psyche | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment