About Laura

Laura Rice-Oeschger, LMSW, leads the Wellness Initiative at the University of Michigan Alzheimer’s Disease Center where she designs, implements and evaluates wellbeing and mindfulness-based programming. She is a founding member of the Ann Arbor Center for Mindfulness and serves as CEO for the Presence Care Project where she trains new facilitators in Mindfulness-based Dementia Care (MBDC).

Laura holds advanced professional certifications in aging, dementia and contemplative clinical care. As a long-time meditator she began teaching mindfulness meditation in 2010 and has extensive professional training in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindfulness-Based Dementia Care (MBDC).  She is a national and state presenter on memory loss and caregiver wellbeing.  She is committed to co-creating and sharing contemplative programs assisting care partners, adults living with memory loss and community members in their desire to live meaningful, connected and healthy lives. 

Masters of Social Work Degree:                                                                        University of Michigan School of Social Work  (1997)

Specialist in Aging; Advanced Cert in Dementia Care:                            University of Michigan School of Social Work

Advanced Certification in Contemplative Clinical Care:                           Smith College of Social Work 

B.A. – Sociology & Music: Alma College

Presence Care Project                        https://www.presencecareproject.com/

Michigan Alzheimer's Disease Center  https://alzheimers.med.umich.edu/

Ann Arbor Center for Mindfulness                                                                https://www.aacfm.org/

Jon Kabat-Zinn,  PhD                                                                          https://www.mindfulnesscds.com/pages/about-the-author 

Mindfulness Center at Brown                                                                        https://www.brown.edu/public-health/mindfulness/home

*artwork Chair - a painting in my home by Candace Compton Pappas  (2008) - acrylic, ink, clay on board  https://www.comptonpappas.com/

This is an entirely  homespun podcast. Any sound issues or gaffes are completely my doing.  Recording, editing and music are mixed in-house using a Tascam DR-40X recorder, various microphones, speakers and Logic Pro X for editing and production.   All efforts will be made to edit out lip smacking, chewing, heavy breathing, swearing and the dog barking in the background.  All complaints can be directed into a pillow at any volume of your choosing.