Dana Shavin
I grew up in the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia. After college–a tricky educational adventure that included one expulsion, one hospitalization for anorexia, and three transfers to three colleges (one of which I attended twice, but not consecutively)–I moved to Tifton, Georgia to work in a halfway house for recovering addicts. A year later I returned to school for a graduate degree in clinical psychology. For 15 years I worked as a therapist, a behavior specialist with developmentally disabled adults, and as a psychological examiner.
Publications
- Next Avenue8 articles
- The Ethel from AARP1 article
- Verywell Mind1 article
- Freelance Journalist1 article
- AARP1 article
- possible national outlet
- Various Publications- Freelance Writer
Writes Most On
Your Loved One Can't Speak — But What Do They Understand?20 Mar—Next AvenueWith dementia patients and others who cannot communicate, does the inability to form language alter the content of their thoughts? By Dana Shavin | March 20, 2025 | Alzheimer's and Dementia Share At the memory care unit where my mother lives, there are quite a few residents who are nonverbal. Mostly they sit propped in front of a TV in a comfortable lounger, or in a chair in the social room. Occasionally I will see someone sitting with them, speaking softly or just sitting in silence...
