Dr. Carol Orsborn is the best-selling author of over 35 books including her forthcoming Spiritual Aging: Weekly Reflections for Embracing Life (Inner Traditions, December, ’24.) Her body of work includes The Making of an Old Soul: Aging as the Fulfillment of Life’s Promise. Older, Wiser, Fiercer: The Wisdom Collection and 2015 Gold Nautilus Book Award winner in the category of Consciously Aging: The Spirituality of Age: A Seeker’s Guide to Growing Older (with Robert L. Weber, Ph.D.) She has recently launched the Spiritual Aging Study and Support Group (SASS) at Spiritual Aging@ Substack.com. She founded the Conscious Aging Book Club in conjunction with Parnassus Books and now housed at CarolOrsborn.com, and the Sage-ing Book Club run in conjunction with the leading organization in the field Sage-ing International
Carol is curator of Fierce with Age: The Archives of Boomer Wisdom, Inspiration, and Spirituality, housed at CarolOrsborn.com and a leading voice of the conscious aging and spirituality and aging movements. For the past decade, she has also blogged about the Boomer Generation for Huffington Post, BeliefNet.com and PBS’s Next Avenue, among others.
Dr. Orsborn received her Masters of Theological Studies and Doctorate in History and Critical Theory of Religion from Vanderbilt University with post-graduate work in Spiritual Counseling at the New Seminary in Manhattan. She is an internationally-recognized thought leader on the fulfillment of the human potential through all life stages.
A Generational Voice
For the past forty years, Dr. Orsborn has been a leading voice of her generation, appearing on Oprah, NBC Nightly News and on The Today Show among many others. Her blogs have appeared regularly in Huffington Post, Beliefnet, NPR’s Next Avenue and McKnights, among others. She has been a frequent speaker at conferences and events such as the American Society of Aging, Sage-ing International Conference, Boomerstock, the Positive Aging Conference, Omega Institute and the American Academy of Religion.
Client List
Dr. Orsborn established her reputation as a generational expert as co-founder of the first global initiative by a top ten PR company dedicated to helping brands such as Ford, AARP, Prudential and Humana communicate with Boomers. She has brought her talks and retreats on resilience, spirituality and aging to such venues as Omega Institute, American Society of Aging, Positive Aging Conference, Vanderbilt University Hospital and many other aging, healthcare, spiritual and religious groups.
Doctorate from Vanderbilt
Dr. Orsborn received her Doctorate in History and Critical Theory of Religion from Vanderbilt University, specializing in adult development and ritual studies, including intergenerational values formation and transmission. She has served on the faculties of Pepperdine, Loyola Marymount and Georgetown Universities. Dr. Orsborn lives in Nashville, Tennessee and Toronto, Canada.
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Dr. Carol Orsborn has written 35 books translated into fifteen languages on quality of life, wellness and aging including the two classic texts on marketing to Boomer women.
Her forthcoming book is Spiritual Aging, due out by Inner Traditions, December, 2024. Pre-order HERE
Once again, Carol Orsborn stirs the reader to reflect upon aging as an opportunity for depth and expansion, and week by week to experience that which abides through life’s changes.
The Making of an Old Soul: Aging as the Fulfillment of Life’s Promise
Older, Wiser, Fiercer: The Wisdom Collection
The Spirituality of Age: A Seeker’s Guide to Aging (Coauthor Robert L. Weber, Ph.D./Inner Traditions, 10/15) was recently awarded a Gold Nautilus Book Award in the category of Consciously Aging.
Her other books include:
–Gerald G. Jampolsky, M.D., author of “Love is Letting Go of Fear”
How to Resolve Whatever’s Bothering You in Seven Hours or Less
Random House, 1995
Fierce with Age: Chasing God and Squirrels in Brooklyn
In her 2012 memoir, Fierce with Age: Chasing God and Squirrels in Brooklyn, Carol Orsborn relates the ups and downs of a tumultuous year spent facing, busting and ultimately triumphing over the stereotypes of aging. Along the way, she nurtures a love-starved friend through a doomed affair with a younger man, wrestles with the meaning of an exploding fish and regains her passion for life at the side of her squirrel-crazed dog, Lucky.
The message is as deep as it is engaging. In Carol’s own words: “Plummet into aging, stare mortality in the eye, surrender everything and what else is there left to fear? The way is perilous, danger on all sides. But we can be part of a generation no longer afraid of age. We are becoming, instead, a generation fierce with age.”
Marketing to the Ultimate Power Consumer–the Baby Boomer Woman
Mary Brown and Carol Orsborn, Ph.D. Amacom Books, October, 2006
How Would Confucius Ask for a Raise:
100 Enlightened Solutions to Tough Business Problems
William Morrow & Company, 1994 and Avon Books
“Supremely useful…fresh and funny and spiritual…an easily accessible guide for helping us live fuller lives.”
John Naisbitt, author of Global Paradox
“A reference book to keep and use again and again for many years to come. The questions it answers will never change, and its wisdom is timeless.”
James Autry, author of Love & Work
Conari Press 1999
“Each of us gets our share and kind of suffering as an inevitable part of being human: what happens in us as a result makes all the difference to the psyche…This is what these authors found separately, and then in reading each others’ stories, were moved to tears with a realization of the paradox: We are alone here, and yet at a profound level, we are not alone.”
Jean Shinoda Bolen, author of Close to the Bone
The Year I Saved My (downsized) Soul:
A Boomer Woman’s Search for Meaning…and a Job
Vibrant Nation Books, October, 2009
“With humility, humor and courageous honesty, Carol Orsborn invites us along on her journey from paralyzing fear through surrender top wisdom.” Patti Breitman, author of “How to Say No Without Feeling Guilty”
Our Generation’s Journey to Wisdom
By Drs. Smull/Orsborn, Ampersand, 2005 www.TheSilverPearl.com
“ This excellent book is about women who defied cultural stereotypes about aging to attain full physical, psychological and spiritual potential. Their stories empower all readers, regardless of age or gender.” Stanley Krippner, co-author of “Personal Mythology and the Mythic Path”
Nothing Left Unsaid:
Words to Help You and Your Loved Ones Through the Hardest Times
Conari Press
“This is the book I give to everybody in my congregation who is suffering a loss.” Rev. Mary Beth Speer
Guide to the Alignment of Values, Organizational Goals and Success
Judith Rogala and Carol Orsborn, Ph.D., 2004 Excerpt at www.TrustIncTheBook.com
“Finally…a book that gets to the very core of leadership.” Bill Catlette, co-author of “Contented Cows Give Better Milk”
What Boomer Women 50+ Know, Think, Do and Buy
Stephen Reily and Carol Orsborn, Ph.D. VN Books, October, 2010.
“Anybody who wants to know about the dual, converging trends of the longevity revolution and the increasing power of women should read this book…Kudos to our colleagues Carol Orsborn and Stephen Reily.” Ken Dychtwald and Maddy Dychtwald, “Age Wave”
Video Excerpts from Keynote Addresses:
Boomer Women in Financial Denial
Videos of Media Appearance:
Dr. Orsborn featured on CBS This Morning discussing “Downsized Labor Day.”
Boomer Bounce-back: Dr. Orsborn discusses the Fierce with Age philosophy with Stephanie Stephens of Mind Your Body TV: Build a Better Boomer.
Retrospective of Dr. Orsborn on Oprah, The Today Show, NBC Nightly News and many more coming soon.
Video Messages to Boomer Audience:
Boomer Call to Action: Consciousness Aging Groups: Video greeting to new groups: The rationale, why’s and how’s on starting or joining a Fierce with Age Consciousness Aging Group.
What is Your Life About?: A video message.
Don’t Defy Age. Embrace It. A commentary on Diane Keaton.
