Stories I Tell Myself is a shared space for individuals who wish to express their personal stories and experiences with adversity as a way to empower both themselves and others. The class is designed to help participants build self‑esteem and self‑awareness by exploring their personal strengths, recognizing their growth, and understanding the value of their lived experiences.

Through guided reflection and open conversation, participants are encouraged to leave their mark on the world by transforming their narratives into sources of connection, resilience, and inspiration.

Jania Clark is a social work student, writer, and mental health peer counselor who brings empathy, cultural humility, and reflective practice to her work. She integrates poetry, guided imagery, and open dialogue to create spaces for healing, connection, and personal growth. Influenced by her African American identity and commitment to legacy work.

Alan leads classes combining history with literature and has thought-provoking conversations about both! Alan was a lawyer and an investment banker. In 2010 he obtained a Masters degree in Literature/History. He then also became an Author.

Join Maegan for weekly classes focusing on the achievements of women in all fields of life!

Maegan is an editor and French translator by profession, allowing her to work with writers, artists, nonprofits, and businesses worldwide. Her work combines two passions: helping people build relationships through communication and learning new things. Maegan moved to NYC in 2011 for the Publishing and Digital Media program at NYU. She was excited to discover an online community center for older adults--something she had longed to see in her home city of Montreal while working for HelpAge Canada.

She has been leading VSC classes ever since, and cherishes the bond she shares with the participants over women leaders throughout history and their influence on our lives today. She loves to spend time in nature and has two small dogs, Cindy and Tucker (who sometimes pop in on classes!)

Witness the rise of the legendary Fanny Brice in this powerhouse musical that defines the word "spectacular." Set against the backdrop of the opulent Ziegfeld Follies, the film follows a girl who was told she wasn't "pretty enough" for the stage as she proves everyone wrong with talent and wit. Featuring Barbra Streisand’s definitive performance and the soaring anthem “Don’t Rain on My Parade.

Join Paul weekly for Broadway highlights and spotlights for the shows you love and know, and some you may not know! He will share his love and knowledge with you!

Paul is a lifelong musician, music educator, and performer based in Connecticut. Named after Paul Stanley from the band KISS, he grew up surrounded by music and started playing guitar, piano, and drums at a young age. He now runs his own teaching studio and also teaches at a local high school. Paul has performed everything from jazz and classical to video game music and Broadway-style cabarets.

When he’s not teaching or composing, he enjoys exploring Connecticut, going to concerts, and sharing his love of music with others. His classes are interactive, upbeat, and designed to bring music—and great stories—to life!

Join Cheryl, Ron, and volunteers as they showcase their furry friends. Enjoy their antics, cuteness, and tricks. They're waiting for you to have a great time! CJ will be hosting calls with her special little dog, Lucy! They are a therapy dog team that loves serving others virtually and in person.

Lucy is an AKC Distinguished Therapy Dog and a trickster! She also has the AKC Performer Elite title (highest level). They are excited to host these virtual pet therapy calls with VSC and look forward to having fun visits with you! Ron will be hosting or co-hosting with his dogs, Snow & Rosie - a sure good time!

Grief, Lightly is a gentle space to explore loss in all its forms—people, places, experiences, and roles. Our goal is to find more joy without burying our grief. We’ll talk about how grief ebbs and flows, how reminiscence can help, and what to do with those folks who keep telling us to “get over it.”!

We’ll take a look at how grief is shown (and sold) in our culture and at movies, music, and figures like Yo-Yo Ma, Lena Horne, Anderson Cooper, and Coretta Scott King for what they have to say about grief and loss. Think culture and conversation, not crying and Kleenex, though those are okay, too!

Anna Kruse is an MSW student at Columbia and a Master’s in Divinity student at Union Theological Seminary. She has led groups for people experiencing all kinds of life transitions. Having lost many people close to her, she knows what it’s like to feel like you’re doing grief wrong! She believes storytelling, community, laughter, and practical care can help create more joy.

View the 92nd Y On-Demand program that discusses the life and towering ambition of Philip Roth — and Zipperstein’s new landmark biography, Philip Roth: Stung By Life. Steven J. Zipperstein’s new biography of Philip Roth is “a work of literature itself”.

Tracing Roth’s life from his childhood in Newark, New Jersey, to his days rubbing shoulders with the Kennedys and engaging in a spate of famous and infamous romances, Zipperstein explores the unprecedented range of Roth’s work — from “Goodbye, Columbus” and Portnoy’s Complaint to the Pulitzer Prize-winning American Pastoral and The Plot Against America.

Join Ross to discuss these 2 topics: Are you a collector of something? and An instrument you’d like to play.

Every person has a fantastic life story that needs to be told. In this series of classes, we look at our memories and explore questions, both big and small. Our lives are so different, and we celebrate how different we each are. Our classes usually have a shorter, more straightforward question and a more involved question afterward. All of us share our stories. There are lots of smiles and laughter.

Ross lives in Sydney, Australia, and enjoys hearing how our lives differ. He has been working with Seniors for some time now. Ross continues working part-time in a nursing home, trying to help people live happier, better lives, and very much looks forward to the VSC weekly sessions.

Join Lisa to learn about yourself by tuning in to your ‘soma,’ which is defined as your body when experienced from within. Somatic yoga is a yoga practice that uses a mindful approach to movement called “somatics.” It prioritizes thoughts, feelings, and body awareness over form. The process is what matters, not athletic proficiency.

Lisa has been teaching mindful practices in NYC for about 20 years & was certified in 2021. This same year, she completed her certification in Trauma-Informed Yoga Therapy with Sundara Yoga.

More recently, she completed a certification with the HeartMath Institute in Trauma-Sensitive Healthcare & several certifications in Interpersonal Neurobiology w/ Dr. Dan Siegel. This prepared Lisa to develop class curricula for oncology, general medical & psychiatric patients in her connection to Weill Cornell Center for Health & Wellbeing. Lisa lives w/her husband, Seán, & they care for their dog, Finn MacCool. She enjoys nature & enjoys concocting in the kitchen!

Join Charles for a lot of musical potpourri and a little of “other”! The musical content will include some basic teaching of how to play a piano, singing as a group, viewing music videos to include songs and teaching about music. Then, if time, Charles takes class requests and will devote some time to discussing or finding interesting things on the internet. Enjoy the Entertainment hour!

Charles has always been a music lover and his earliest memories of loving music are hearing his beloved Mom humming, singing and listening to a transistor radio, challenging as it was to tune in to a radio station. Today he wants to bring joy to you by helping you to build a simple toolbox for playing the piano (a super user friendly and approachable instrument), that will enable them to play a lot of song as well as just enjoy the pleasures of singing and listening to Music!

Improvisation, or Improv, is spontaneous, entertaining, and fun! The first 8 people entering the class who wish to be an actor that day will be doing 2-person scenes for about 5 minutes. It’s a form of live theatre in which the plot, characters and dialogue of a scene or story are made up in the moment. You will be doing 2-person scenes for about 5 minutes. Kathy will give each pair of “actors” a situation. The actors will each be given a character to pretend to play. After the scene is acted the rest of the class will guess what characters they were portraying. There will be several scenes played out as time allows.

Example of a situation for doing an improv scene: You are preparing for your first ride in a hot air balloon.

Kathy Knox discovered improv when she took an improv class in 2016. Since then she has enjoyed teaching and performing improv at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Furman University in Greenville, SC.

Join Anna in this engaging, uplifting program. You'll begin by focusing on winter-specific realities (low light, isolation, disrupted routines, energy dips). As the season shifts, we'll expand into “finding joy” more broadly. We’d talk about joy and what people are actually doing in their lives — books, movies, TV, routines, talking to grandkids — using prompts and “dazzling questions” to keep it engaging and upbeat.

Anna Kruse is a midlife Master’s in Social Work student at Columbia and a Master’s in Divinity student at Union Theological Seminary. She has led groups for people experiencing all kinds of life transitions. She is an avid reader and loves movies. She believes storytelling, community, laughter, and practical care can create joy.

Abrahim Mahmood, DO, who trained at New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine, will present on “Colon cancer prevention” since March is Colon Cancer Awareness Month. He is affiliated with Queens New York Presbyterian Hospital.

SIX is a pop-concert musical by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss that reimagines the six wives of Henry VIII as a modern girl group competing to tell their stories and reclaim their narratives from a male-dominated history.

Maddie Gwinner is an Honors Student at the University of Arkansas pursuing a B.A. in International & Global Studies & B.A. in Political Science. Last year, she served as the 2024-25 President of Arkansas Mock Trial and was selected to attend the American Mock Trial Association’s 38th National Championship. She is also a representative on the University of Arkansas Student Conduct Board, a research assistant at the Fulbright Terrorism Research Center, and a co-founder of BridgeArkansas.

In her free time, Maddie enjoys hiking, baking, and trying new coffee shops with her friends. She has been performing in musicals for as long as she’s been able to walk, and she’s excited to share her passion for classic Broadway shows!

This interactive session explores Black history through music, storytelling, reflection, and engaging discussion. Participants are encouraged to share memories while connecting with themes of resilience, culture, and lasting impact.

Raschel Bailey-Thompson is a social work intern with a background in psychology and experience working with older adults in behavioral health settings. She is passionate about fostering supportive, engaging environments that promote connection, reminiscence, emotional well-being, and meaningful conversation.

Join Dave as he plays and sings popular tunes from a variety of genres, including Blues, Bossa, Country, Folk, Motown, 60s-90s Pop, Reggae, Rock, and American Songbook. He may even throw in some surprise holiday favorites! He loves requests, and if he doesn't know it (or can't fake it), he'll learn it.

Dave has been playing and singing for over 30 years with various groups in the Chicago area. He volunteers with Musicians On Call, performing for patients at pediatric and adult hospitals, and with the Village to Village / Share Network, performing for dementia patients and caregivers.

The Toward Self Acceptance and Growth group provides a safe space to discuss topics covering a wide range of subjects, which provides participants with new ways of thinking that may assist in better addressing life challenges.

Deirdre is an MSW, LCWS social worker with over 25 years of experience facilitating groups, which is her passion. It is Dierdre's 2nd career, having received her PhD in French. She mainly taught college-level French classes for about 13 years. She also taught meditation and is a firm believer in the ability to change, grow and constantly find additional ways to improve her life. That outlook is what she's happy to share in the group discussions.

In honor of International Day of Happiness, Rob will perform and play popular recordings of songs related to feeling happy! Rob will launch a series of sessions with some of his favorite songs from yesterday and today across a range of genres. Enjoy the music and the stories behind the songs.

Rob Lutes is an acclaimed songwriter and performer, a multiple Maple Blues Award and Canadian Folk Music Award nominee, and recipient of the 2018 Canadian Folk Music Award for Contemporary Singer of the Year. He has released eight albums, including 2021's Come Around, which hit #5 on Folk Radio in the US in August 2021. https://roblutes.com/

Join Allen for a talk on your heart health, covering topics such as your heart’s electrical system and different surgical options for heart problems. The latter part of the class will be discussions on your immune system, bacterial vs viral infections, vaccines, and antibiotics.

Allen is a former high school math teacher who enjoys leading virtual classes on a variety of topics.

Discover how to find, subscribe to, and manage podcasts, plus tips for downloading episodes, and exploring topics you love—perfect for enhancing learning and entertainment on the go.

Join Johanna of Smarter Service for Tech tips, including using your device, surfing the internet, using Email, and many more relevant tips to keep up with today's technology trends. Johanna has over a decade of experience in the tech industry and is passionate about helping older adults navigate and build confidence with technology. Originally from Texas—a place she still fondly calls home—Johanna now resides in Phoenix, Arizona, with her husband of over 12 years and their three beautiful children. When she's not spending time with her family, Johanna enjoys baking and decorating cakes!

Alan leads classes combining history with literature and has thought-provoking conversations about both! Alan was a lawyer and an investment banker. In 2010 he obtained a Masters degree in Literature/History. He then also became an Author.

Join Maegan to discuss the National Museum of Women Artists exhibit of: Colette Fu, Contemporary Artist.

Maegan is an editor and French translator by profession. Both of these positions allow her to work with writers, artists, nonprofits, and businesses worldwide. Her work combines two passions: helping people build relationships through communication and learning new things.

Maegan moved to NYC in 2011 for the Publishing and Digital Media program at NYU. She was excited to discover an online community center for older adults--something she had longed to see in her home city of Montreal while working for HelpAge Canada. She has been leading VSC classes ever since and cherishes the bond she shares with the participants over women leaders throughout history and their influence on our lives today. She loves to spend time in nature and has two small dogs, Cindy and Tucker (who sometimes pop in on classes!)

Dust off your leather jackets and poodle skirts for the ultimate feel-good trip back to the 1950s. Grease captures the electric energy of Rydell High with a soundtrack that defined a generation. From the high-octane "Greased Lightnin'" garage sequence to the colorful carnival finale, this film is a neon-soaked explosion of summer lovin' and teenage rebellion. It’s a joyful, sing-along classic that reminds us all what it’s like to be young and "hopelessly devoted."

Paul is a lifelong musician, music educator, and performer based in Connecticut. Named after Paul Stanley from the band KISS, he grew up surrounded by music and started playing guitar, piano, and drums at a young age. He now runs his own teaching studio and also teaches at a local high school. Paul has performed everything from jazz and classical to video game music and Broadway-style cabarets.

When he’s not teaching or composing, he enjoys exploring Connecticut, going to concerts, and sharing his love of music with others. His classes are interactive, upbeat, and designed to bring music—and great stories—to life!

Join Leah to learn the basics of the Internet, including getting connected, using a web browser, navigating web pages, and using search engines.

Leah Stern is an educator and aspiring librarian. She loves teaching technology and believes that it can be a tool for creativity and information accessibility! Beyond the classroom, Leah loves to read, craft, and spend time in nature.

Join Luke to share in a safe place to learn and talk about substance use and recovery later in life. The class will focus on education on substance use and resources for recovery for older adults. Personal experiences are welcome!

Luke has worked in the behavioral health and addictions field for over ten years. Most of that time was spent serving older adults in some capacity. His passion is to help others. He is a certified Substance Use Counselor and a Certified Recovery Peer Advocate.

Discover the art of chess with Benjamin as your guide! Each class begins with a brief introduction, and you'll learn the moves for the pieces. Not only is chess a delightful pastime, but it also nurtures memory and logic and fosters social connections. So, get ready for some fun!

Benjamin is passionate about chess and often competes in tournaments. Also, Benjamin is the driving force behind 'Chess in the Homes,' an intergenerational chess program. He is part of the Macaulay Honors College at Hunter and is in a Pre-Medical program.

Join Tyler to learn about mixed media and become more familiar with it. This could include collage, assemblage, sculpture, installation art, altered book art, as well as wet-and-dry media creation. What you’ll learn: - What the different methods and materials are for mixed media - How to do it at home - Resources to help you get started.

Tyler works in marketing by day; however, she loves working with paper and other media to create practical crafts in her spare time. She enjoys researching and finding simple projects for all to share and express their own creativity.

Join Ross to discuss: Join Ross to discuss: Are you a collector of something? An instrument you’d like to play?

Every person has a fantastic life story that needs to be told. In this series of classes, we look at our memories and explore questions, both big and small. Our lives are so different, and we celebrate how different we each are. Our classes usually have a shorter, more straightforward question and a more involved question afterward. All of us share our stories. There are lots of smiles and laughter.

Ross lives in Sydney, Australia, and enjoys hearing how our lives differ. He has been working with Seniors for some time now. Ross continues working part-time in a nursing home, trying to help people live happier, better lives, and very much looks forward to the VSC weekly sessions.

Join Charles for a lot of musical potpourri and a little of “other”! The musical content will include some basic teaching of how to play a piano, singing as a group, viewing music videos to include songs and teaching about music. Then, if time, Charles takes class requests and will devote some time to discussing or finding interesting things on the internet. Enjoy the Entertainment hour!

Charles has always been a music lover and his earliest memories of loving music are hearing his beloved Mom humming, singing and listening to a transistor radio, challenging as it was to tune in to a radio station. Today he wants to bring joy to you by helping you to build a simple toolbox for playing the piano (a super user friendly and approachable instrument), that will enable them to play a lot of song as well as just enjoy the pleasures of singing and listening to Music!

This game will be based on the TV show "What's My Line?". Everyone will get a chance to ask questions to the person whose job they are trying to guess. The person with the "job" can only answer "yes" or "no" to the questions.

The person asking the question will get to keep asking as long as they get "yes" answers to their questions. They will stop when they get a "No" answer and the next person will ask questions. The group will get up to 10 "no" answers to guess their profession to win the game. This is a chance to give your inquisitive minds a real workout!

Dave was formerly a Radiation Therapy Physicist. He loves a variety of gambling games including Poker & Blackjack, as it incorporates memory, psychology, and logic into an interactive group where everyone is an equal and he's happy to share that with the enliveo group!

Improvisation, or Improv, is spontaneous, entertaining, and fun! The first 8 people entering the class who wish to be an actor that day will be doing 2-person scenes for about 5 minutes. It’s a form of live theatre in which the plot, characters, and dialogue of a scene or story are made up in the moment.

You will be doing 2-person scenes for about 5 minutes. Kathy will give each pair of “actors” a situation. The actors will each be given a character to pretend to play. After the scene is acted out, the rest of the class will guess what characters they are portraying. There will be several scenes played out as time allows. Example of a situation for doing an improv scene: You are preparing for your first ride in a hot air balloon.

Kathy Knox discovered improv when she took an improv class in 2016. Since then she has enjoyed teaching and performing improv at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Furman University in Greenville, SC.