Welcome back to Jonah Asks. This episode holds extra meaning for me and I hope it will for you as well. My high school guidance counselor was Mr. D'Antona. He was a beloved figure at Arlington High School, where he worked for over 40 years and was a positive influence on so many teenagers lives. I was one of those teens. During a tumultuous personal time in 10th grade, Vin's office was a refuge for me. His open-door policy allowed me to catch my breath over the course of a few months when life felt overwhelming and high school was a place I wanted to escape. This interview is wonderful because Vin (now Vincenzo) is as open-hearted and unguarded as any 80 year-old I've ever met. He's lived a full and satisfying life and he has survived life's unending obstacles while remaining optimistic. Thanks to my Mom staying in touch with Vin over the years, I was able to set up the interview over Zoom.
Topics we discuss:
*Growing up in Somerville and Everett (Massachusetts) in the 40s and 50s.
*family dynamics
*psychology
*teaching
*becoming a high school counselor
*The 60s
*social movements
*impact of War on mental health
*Vietnam
*Italian family
*Polish family
*depression
*bullying
*mental health
*community
*grieving
*therapy
*empathy
*weight
*hiking
*retirement
*COVID
*connections
If you enjoyed this, please share the episode, subscribe to the podcast, and reach out to people you know who may be going through turbulent times.
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Thanks for listening. This is temporary,
Jonah
