Mariann Aalda: Becoming ‘age-full’: Snapping out of internalized ageism

Mariann Aalda: Becoming ‘age-full’: Snapping out of internalized ageism

Author: Gail Zelitzky and Catherine Marienau March 25, 2026 Duration: 29:11

Mariann Aalda—actor, hypnotherapist, and joyful “pro-aging evangelist”—invites us to rethink what it means to grow older. She interrogates ageism, asking“ Why should youth get all the good press?” And declares, “My vibrancy and vitality are due to my being Age-full, not Youth-full!” Drawing on a 30-year television career and her work in hypnotherapy and neurolinguistic programming (NLP), Mariann explores how language shapes our inner lives—“the words we use become internalized and we behave accordingly.” Today, through stand-up and solo performance, she shares her authentic self with candor and humor, encouraging women to pursue their dreams and “use our time wisely with curiosity, creativity, and joy.”

“I’m not an older version of myself—I’m the Newest Model.” - Mariann Aalda

Connect with Mariann

Email: mariannaalda@aol.com

Aging Shamelessly https://www.mariannaaldainherprime.com

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Our Sponsor: Plymouth Place in LaGrange Park, IL. has redefined senior living with options and opportunities to fit individual needs and preferences. From well-designed residences to fitness and wellness classes to social gatherings, arts experiences and care services – this is a place to thrive. As an entrance-fee based Life Plan community, Plymouth Place offers a full continuum of care including residential living, assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing and rehab – all conveniently on one campus. www.Plymouthplace.org

Age-Wise Collective: Women Over 70-Aging Reimagined connects with other women podcasters to shine the light on remarkable women in mid-life and beyond.

We recognize Jane Leder, host of Older Women and Friends: Stories of Aging Well, whose guests take a deep dive into the joys and challenges of being an older woman. Older women know a thing or two about living with a keen sense of wonder and an abiding appreciation for the gift of longevity. The second wave of the journey has just begun. https://janeleder.net

https://www.youtube.com/@olderwomenandfriends

https://www.instagram.com/older_women_and_friends_/


Hosted by Gail Zelitzky and Catherine Marienau, Women Over 70: Aging Reimagined turns the page on a well-worn cultural script. This is not a series about decline, but a collection of dialogues focused squarely on expansion. You’ll hear from women who are starting businesses, deepening their creative practices, forging new relationships, and confronting societal expectations with a refreshing blend of honesty and humor. These conversations, rooted in personal journals and lived expertise, delve into the practical and the profound-from the science of longevity to the personal journeys of resilience that define this chapter. The podcast moves beyond inspiration to offer tangible insight, framing the later decades as a time of active reinvention. Tune in for stories that replace stereotypes with specificity, and discover a community redefining what it means to grow older with purpose and curiosity.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Women Over 70: Aging Reimagined
Podcast Episodes
357 Lynn Hazan: A Passion for Performance [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:46
From the moment you hear Lynn Hazan, 70, speak, one thing is unmistakable: performance isn’t just something she does — it’s the lens through which she experiences the world.Born and raised in Canada, Lynn moves comfortab…
356 Darlene Norman: Belief in Your Own Advocacy Starts with Faith [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:46
Long a member of the Apostolic Church of God in the Woodlawn neighborhood of Chicago, Darlene’s faith has been a constant even as she experiences the inevitable ups and downs of life. At 71, Darlene’s serene manner shine…
355 Laurel Baer: Caregiving Offers a Deep Sense of Purpose [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:00
When Laurel married in her late 50s, she never imagined she’d become her husband’s full-time caregiver just five years later. Now, twenty years into that journey, she calls it a blessing: “He is so easy to care for…. I h…
354 Jody Wilhelm: From Rural Recluse to Global Filmmaker [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:20
Jody’s life reads like a movie—one she ultimately wrote and directed herself. Growing up in isolation and surviving severe trauma, she moved through poverty, rape, separation from siblings, and profound loss—the deaths o…
353 Sophy Burnam: The Inner Experience of Being Old [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:28
Sophy Burnham has lived many creative lives—and she’s still expanding. Known as a deeply imaginative and award-winning author, Sophy has written 17 books across genres: novels and nonfiction, children’s stories, poetry,…
350 Jan Golden: Jokes About Getting Older are Getting Old [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:56
Jan Golden is a one-woman force when it comes to changing how the media and greeting card agencies represent aging. For 4 years, Age-Friendly Vibes has featured cards, buttons, stickers and prints that reflect pro-aging…