Writer, Veteran

they/them

Cody Mower is a non-binary author, veteran and advocate whose primary goal is help others tell their own stories.

Talks

In Your Own Words

This presentation explores the importance of veterans telling their own stories—as a practice of personal healing and as an act of challenging how veterans are portrayed in popular culture.

Mower shares stories from their published work, explores how writers like Kurt Vonnegut and Tobias Wolff have dealt with post-military life, and examines how the entertainment industry, especially in the Vietnam era, began to control the narrative of the veteran.

Occupational Therapist, Writer, Teacher

he/him

Cavenaugh Kelly is an occupational therapist, professor, and award-winning researcher who has presented and published his research nationally and internationally. His research has focused on the need to increase empathy in healthcare workers in order to reduce worker burnout and improve quality of care. In particular, his teaching and research has focused on the role of reading literary narratives and close observation of works of art to evoke on levels of empathy and ability to provide client-centered care. He is an Assistant Professor at Husson University and lives in Holden, Maine with his wife and son.

Talks

Teaching Empathy Through Stories 

What is empathy? Is empathy a given trait, or something that can be improved upon? Can empathy be taught? Why is empathy important in healthcare? Can we teach healthcare workers to be more empathic through stories? What kinds of stories facilitate empathy?