Providing Natural Solutions for Male Sexual Health
There's not much we can count on in life, but if there's one guarantee, we can bet that our bodies change as we grow older. That's especially true for men as they age. One moment you're partying at the club, waking up refreshed, and hitting the gym. The next moment, getting out of bed is a chore. You're sore in places you never thought before, and hangovers don't just go away after a hot shower and a big breakfast.
And while sore joints and backaches can be treated with aspirin and ice, other signs of aging aren't as easy to treat. Of course, we're talking about challenges in getting and maintaining erections needed to satisfy your partner. At the extreme, we all know it as erectile dysfunction or ED for short but long before full ED, there are warning signs that things aren't working as they used to work. Hearing the ED word sends shivers down most men's spines. When you think about it, that makes sense - being unable to perform when you need to most is a scary thought.
If you're beginning to suffer from ED or male performance issues or you've been dealing with performance issues for some time, it may seem like nobody has any solutions or even really understands how these issues can impact your life and sense of well-being. However, ED of varying degrees is very common. More than 18 million men suffer from the condition in the U.S. Unfortunately, many of those men hide their performance issues without ever addressing them. If you're one of those men, and it feels like you're stuck in a rut with no help, we're here to tell you you're not alone. Proactive Wellness Centers, PLC is here to provide you with a long-lasting solution to help you regain confidence and perform like you used to.
Additionally, many men including the so-called "bio hackers" are using our treatments to PREVENT the performance decline in the first place. Why wait for the inevitable when you can implement strategies to prevent the decline in the first place.

The Proactive Wellness Center Difference
Our programs are all about reversing and slowing the aging process, preventing disease, and treating chronically ill patients. We utilize a three-pronged approach:
- 1. We equip patients with the knowledge required to take charge of their health and achieve optimal well-being.
- 2. We focus on disease prevention by providing a thorough evaluation using comprehensive diagnostics including the patient-supplied information.
- 3. We work with patients to implement a rejuvenation program consisting of various science-based treatments that reduce cellular degeneration, promote tissue regeneration and healing, and slow down the aging process.
We consider every individual as physiologically unique. As such, we don't subscribe to a "one-size-fits-all" approach. Instead, our programs focus on a customized approach, leveraging genetics and advanced testing, utilizing advanced therapeutics like Gainswave and addressing risk factors that, if avoided or modified, could have beneficial effects for reducing many chronic conditions that men suffer from year-round.
Our vision is to provide the latest in scientifically-validated therapies for reversing the aging process, preventing chronic disease, and optimizing health. For men whoare just starting to have challenges, or who have erectile dysfunction, or for the biohackers that just want everything optimized, one of those proven therapies is GAINSWave therapy in Chevy Chase, MD
Our Services
- Providing Natural Solutions for Male Sexual Health
- The Proactive Wellness Center Difference
- What is GAINSWave Therapy?
- What Makes GAINSWave Therapy in Chevy Chase, MD Work?
- Other Treatments and Programs from Proactive Wellness Centers, PLC
- Achieve Your Wellness Goals at Proactive Wellness Centers, PLC
Service Areas
What is GAINSWave Therapy?
If you have ED or even a minor decline in sexual performance, there's a good chance you've already seen your primary care doctor. You've talked to them about the issues you're facing. And, if they're like many doctors, they prescribed you some pills and sent you on your way. Unfortunately, going this route doesn't do much to solve erectile dysfunction - you're just putting a band-aid on the problem. Plus, you're putting strange chemicals in your body via a "little blue pill" that may cause adverse side effects.
At the end of the day, you need a real-deal solution to ED, not a quick fix. The good news? A safe, non-invasive, injection-free answer to your problems exists. It's called GAINSWave therapy, and according to recent studies, it has shown an 85-92% success rate for mild to moderate cases of erectile dysfunction.
Reports from men who have used GAINSWave therapy in Chevy Chase, MD report the following benefits:
- Stronger, Longer Lasting Erections
- Improved Sexual Pleasure
- More Blood Circulation and Flow
- Better Girth and Length
- Less Rest Needed Between Orgasms
- Enhanced Intimacy in the Bedroom

Unlike many ED treatments, you don't have to worry about surgery or drugs when you choose GAINSWave. This revolutionary treatment uses acoustic wave technology, also called pulse wave therapy, instead of surgery or pills, which helps to rebuild blood flow to the penile region, thereby boostings erectile strength and, by proxy, confidence.
But the benefits of GAINSWave don't end there. This therapy also breaks up micro plaques and boosts nitric oxide, which forms new blood vessels and collagen. That's exciting news for men suffering from Peyronie's disease, which is another condition specific to male sexual health.
Contact Us For Services

What Makes GAINSWave Therapy in Chevy Chase, MD Work?
With time, men's blood flow decreases, sensitivity isn't what it once was, and blood vessels start to get thinner or even partially or fully blocked. With GAINSWave, high-frequency, low-intensity shockwaves rejuvenate areas of the penis that have suffered with age. For instance, micro plaques are removed, new blood vessels form, and blood flow increases. According to several clinical studies, enhanced blood flow from GAINSWave translates to more sustainable, rigid erections in 75% of men.
Though males in America are only beginning to realize the benefits of GAINSWave, it's a treatment that has been used for over a decade around the world. Backed by science and proven to rejuvenate vasculature in male erections, GAINSWave works without any pain or recovery time. In fact, it's possible to pop into Proactive Wellness Centers on your lunch break for a therapy session.
Proactive Wellness Centers' GAINSWave treatments feature:
- Low-Intensity Pulse or Shockwaves
- All Natural
- No Needles
- No Pills
- No Pain
- No Surgery
- No Recovery Time
- Quick Procedures
Because this procedure is needle, surgery, and drug-free, most men don't have to suffer through costly insurance claims or unsightly scarring. With GAINSWave and our comprehensive and personalized ED treatment plans, all you need to focus on is enjoying life, knowing your erectile dysfunction is a thing of the past.
Who Are the Best Candidates for Gainswave Therapy in Chevy Chase, MD?
If you're a man over the age of 30 and want to optimize your performance or if you are suffering a decline in this area, GAINSWave may be for you. That's even more true if other treatments never worked. For many men, those unsuccessful solutions include pills like Viagra. If prescription pills don't solve your ED problems, GAINSWave is a great option to consider. Academic studies show that shockwave therapy is successful where PDE5 inhibitors (like Viagra or Cialis) fall short.
In fact, many urologists now consider shockwave therapy the greatest revolution in ED treatment in over a decade. Even men without erectile dysfunction use GAINSWave as a preventative therapy to keep their bedroom performance strong and avoid compromised blood vessels.
Some of the key benefits of GAINSWave procedures over other ED treatments include:
- No Drugs
- Backed by Clinical Studies and Extensive Medical Research
- Vast Record of Success
- FDA-Approved for Enhanced Sexual Wellness
- Available at Proactive Wellness Centers, PLC
What Should I Expect from GAINSWave Therapy at Proactive Wellness Centers?
If you're ready to begin your journey to a healthier, happier sex life, getting started at our wellness clinic is as easy as 1-2-3:
Make an Appointment: Give our office a call at 703-822-5003. One of our Clinical Intake Coordinators will answer any question you have and get you started. If you prefer, you can text "gainswave" to 833.341.0170, and our Clinical Intake Coordinator will get back to you personally and confidentially.
Prep: Once the intake process is complete, you'll schedule a time for GAINSWave therapy in Chevy Chase, MD. You'll arrive at our wellness center for treatment at least 30 minutes before your appointment time. Procedure time is usually no longer than 30 minutes and occurs in our wellness center.
Enjoy the Benefits: Once your GAINSWave therapy session is over, you can get right back to what you were doing beforehand. Studies show that approximately 75% of men enjoy positive results like stronger, longer-lasting erections after treatment. Most men only need 6-12 sessions for optimal results.
Other Treatments and Programs from Proactive Wellness Centers, PLC
As the premier wellness clinic in Virginia and the metro D.C. area, we provide patients with a comprehensive list of treatments to slow the process of aging and treat chronic conditions. Our vision is to provide the latest in scientifically-validated therapies, like GAINSWave therapy in Chevy Chase, MD, for reversing the aging process, preventing chronic disease, and optimizing health.
Some of the most requested services we offer include:

Low-T Treatment for Men
While not as widely discussed as menopause is for women, andropause is very real for men just as menopause is significant for women. Our Low-T program for men focuses on the unique needs of men who are suffering from andropause or low testosterone. The Program Testosterone replacement when clinically indicated, optimization of DHEA and Pregenenolone, combined with nutritional guidance, nutritional supplementation recommendations to optimize your health. For men where Testosterone has declined, the Low-T program is a necessary complement to the Gainswave therapy.
Depending on lab results and patient goals, the program may also include peptides to help patients optimize their health and body composition. If you can identify with some of the symptoms below, you are likely experiencing low testosterone / andropause and are a candidate for laboratory testing to determine if BHRT is right for you.
Symptoms may include:
- Fatigue
- Erectile dysfunction
- Decreased stamina
- Loss of physical agility
- Decreased mental sharpness
- Prostate problems
- Insomnia

Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy for Women
Like men, women's bodies change as they grow older. Often referred to as menopause, this time in a woman's life can be stressful when the body uses energy differently, fat cells change, and hormones decline.
Many of the common symptoms and conditions associated with menopause are widely known and discussed, but there are many that are overlooked. At Proactive Wellness Centers, we've seen patients misdiagnosed with other illnesses that were actually caused by a decline in hormone levels. Our BHRT program for women focuses on the unique needs of women who are suffering from the common as well as the lesser-known symptoms of menopause.
Those symptoms may include:
- Hot Flashes
- Mood Swings
- Depression
- UTIs
- Irritability
- Anxiety
- Indigestion
- Osteoporosis
- Vertigo
- Anxiety Attacks
- Vaginal Dryness
- Fatigue

What are Bioidentical Hormones?
Bioidentical hormones are also known as natural hormones. They are substances with the same chemical makeup as the hormones produced in your body. Hormones are not drugs - they occur naturally and are found in every human on earth. BHRT replaces hormones at a physiologic level that is not harmful to the body.
If you're suffering through the symptoms of menopause, taking Midol isn't going to solve any problems. Fortunately, our BHRT program for women is designed to eliminate many menopausal symptoms. That way, we give women a chance to recapture their energy levels and vitality with drugs or surgery. Contact our office today to learn more about bioidentical hormone replacement therapy and how it can help you recapture the joys of your youth.
Bredesen-Protocol Strategies for Improving Brain Health
We believe that a healthy brain is paramount to overall well-being. Unfortunately, little is known about promoting brain health, lowering the risk of dementia, or stabilizing symptoms for patients experiencing early signs.
After much research, however, Dr. Lawson from Proactive Wellness Centers determined that the Bredesen protocol provides the best evidence-based approach to diagnosing and treating cognitive decline.
The approach, created by Dr. Dale Bredesen, is called ReCODE. This protocol involves multiple strategies to pinpoint specific health issues contributing to Alzheimer's Disease. The results of each strategy are measured using blood tests, dementia tests, cognitive evaluations, and other signs of overall health improvement. Now a Bredesen Certified doctor, Dr. Lawson now offers patients the full Bredesen ReCODE protocol to help them recover from debilitating illnesses like Alzheimer's.
Through this exciting approach, patients have shown dramatic improvements in cognitive function. In some cases, they achieve a reversal of symptoms and have even returned to work.
Proactive Wellness Centers' ReCODE program uses significant functional medicine experience and includes:
- Lifestyle Interventions
- Targeted Nutrients
- Therapeutic Diets
We're thrilled to add this promising Alzheimer's disease treatment for qualifying patients at Proactive Wellness Centers.

Chronic Disease Treatment
Long-term diseases like Lyme disease and Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS) can ruin a person's life and often leave them afraid to leave the house. To make matters worse, these chronic diseases are often initially misdiagnosed, complicating treatment and leaving the patient depressed and hopeless. And while some medical prescriptions can help, many chronic disease sufferers live without finding true relief.
At Proactive Wellness Centers, our innovative doctors have developed a comprehensive treatment program to address chronic diseases like CIRS and Lyme disease. Generally, our Chronic Disease Treatment follows SSRP protocols as defined below:
- Stop the progression of the disease while strengthening the immune system
- Stabilize patients by balancing hormones and restoring energy
- Reverse cellular, mitochondrial, and other damages caused by chronic diseases, based on lab markers and/or symptomatic expression
- Prevent further development of the chronic disease processes
Our SSRP protocol provides patients with a promising program based largely on the emerging bodies of evidence in the chronic disease space. This evidence is supported by peer-reviewed medical journals, clinical studies, and even double-blind placebo-controlled studies.

When choosing chronic disease treatments for patients, our team of doctors and clinicians focus on safety and efficacy before anything else. Typical therapies associated with our chronic disease treatment programs include:
- IV Vitamin Therapy
- Targeted Nutritional Supplements
- Compassionate Care and Personalized Service from Qualified Doctors
As an integrative practice, we use conventional medications when indicated, especially in cases of underlying co-infections and other areas where traditional medication offers the best course of treatment.
If you're at your wit's end living with a chronic disease, call Proactive Wellness Centers today. Our innovative treatments and therapies may be the key you need to unlock a new, healthy life.
Achieve Your Wellness Goals at Proactive Wellness Centers, PLC
From GAINSWave therapy in Chevy Chase, MD, to Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy for women, our doctors are here to serve you with care, compassion, and a commitment to your health.
That's because, at Proactive Wellness Centers, we take a patient-first approach to every service we offer. Unlike some anti-aging clinics, we focus on your goals, your experiences, and how we can address your health and well-being needs. We believe with a full heart that your story matters, and we're ready and waiting to listen. If you're looking for personalized, functional, regenerative treatments that address root causes, you're only a phone call away from living a healthier life.

Hours Open Monday through Friday 9AM to 5PM

Latest News in Chevy Chase, MD
Forbright Bank Announces 12 Month Certificate of Deposit at 5.25% APY
Business Wirehttps://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230302005495/en/Forbright-Bank-Announces-12-Month-Certificate-of-Deposit-at-5.25-APY
CHEVY CHASE, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Forbright Bank, a nationwide bank focused on decarbonization, today announced the launch of a new high-yield Certificate of Deposit (CD) to help Americans earn more and accelerate the transition to a clean energy economy. Forbright’s 5.25% APY* on a 12-month term CD is available nationwide, and this FDIC-insured product helps Americans take a high-impact step to living more sustainably.The online process to open Forbrig...
CHEVY CHASE, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Forbright Bank, a nationwide bank focused on decarbonization, today announced the launch of a new high-yield Certificate of Deposit (CD) to help Americans earn more and accelerate the transition to a clean energy economy. Forbright’s 5.25% APY* on a 12-month term CD is available nationwide, and this FDIC-insured product helps Americans take a high-impact step to living more sustainably.
The online process to open Forbright's CD takes just a few minutes at https://open.forbrightbank.com. It requires a minimum account balance of $1,000. To open an account, people will need a valid form of identification, social security number, current residential address, email address, bank account funding information, and be at least 18 years of age.
Forbright Bank is fully mission-aligned around sustainability and decarbonization. It was the seventh U.S. bank to become a signatory to the U.N. Principles for Responsible Banking. By 2025, more than half of the Bank’s portfolio will go toward clean energy projects and sustainable businesses. Recently, the Bank lead financing for two solar parks in Puerto Rico to support the island’s goal of transitioning 40% of its energy to renewable sources. And Forbright Inc’s Green Bond resulted in nearly 12,000 metric tons of estimated annual carbon equivalent emissions avoided last year.
In the year ahead, Forbright will continue to expand on its role as a leader in the sustainable finance space. It will launch additional products, including decarbonization-linked deposit accounts that allow Americans to ensure their money goes to clean energy sources like solar, wind power, or high efficiency building upgrades; continue to lead financing for the visionary companies, investors, and innovators taking action to accelerate the drive toward nationwide net-zero carbon emissions; and continue its work to provide constructive and creative financing solutions to a network of borrowers nationwide.
APY and FDIC Disclosure
*Annual Percentage Yield (APY) is accurate as of 03/2/2023. Fees may reduce earnings. Limited time offer and subject to change at any time without notice. Minimum opening deposit of $1,000 is required to earn the APY. The APY on all certificates assumes that principal and interest will remain on deposit until maturity. A penalty may be imposed for early withdrawal. FDIC insured up to the FDIC established limits. Visit FDIC.gov for more information.
Forward Looking Statements:
This news release contains estimates and forward-looking statements related to Forbright’s product initiatives. The estimates and forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties and do not guarantee future performance, as actual results or developments may be substantially different from the expectations described in the forward-looking statements.
About Forbright Bank:
Forbright Bank (www.forbrightbank.com), Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender, is a full-service bank, lender, and asset manager taking action to decarbonize the economy. Headquartered in Chevy Chase, Maryland, Forbright is committed to accelerating the transition to a sustainable, clean energy economy by financing the companies, investors, and innovators driving that change. With approximately $9 billion of owned and managed assets, the Bank provides specialty lending and banking services to clients across the United States.
4 Seats On Chevy Chase Village Board Of Managers Up For Election
Bethesda-Chevy Chase, MD Patchhttps://patch.com/maryland/bethesda-chevychase/4-seats-chevy-chase-village-board-managers-election
The Chevy Chase Village Board of Managers is made up of seven members elected by residents of the village. Four seats are up for election.CHEVY CHASE, MD — Four seats on the Chevy Chase Village Board of Managers are up for election this spring. Members of the board serve staggered two-year terms and serve without pay.The current board members whose terms expire in June and who will be allowed to run again are Gary Crockett, Lou Morsberger, Linda Willard and David Winstead.Any resident of Chevy Chase Village may r...
The Chevy Chase Village Board of Managers is made up of seven members elected by residents of the village. Four seats are up for election.
CHEVY CHASE, MD — Four seats on the Chevy Chase Village Board of Managers are up for election this spring. Members of the board serve staggered two-year terms and serve without pay.
The current board members whose terms expire in June and who will be allowed to run again are Gary Crockett, Lou Morsberger, Linda Willard and David Winstead.
Any resident of Chevy Chase Village may run for a seat on the Board of Managers as long as they are a qualified voter in Montgomery County, have lived in Chevy Chase Village for at least one year prior to the election, and file a Certificate of Candidacy and Financial Disclosure Statement.
If the number of qualified candidates equals the number of available seats, the candidates will be declared elected at the Board of Managers' annual meeting on Monday, April 17.
If the number of candidates exceeds the number of available seats, a contested election will be conducted with ballots mailed to all registered voters.
Find out what's happening in Bethesda-Chevy Chasewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The Chevy Chase Village Election Supervisors oversee village elections, including receiving nominations to serve on the Board of Managers. Residents interested in running for a seat should contact Election Supervisors Chair Mary Sheehan by email at msheehan246@aol.com.
To qualify as a candidate, a resident, including sitting Board of Managers members, must submit a completed Certificate of Candidacy, along with a Financial Disclosure Statement, by March 15. Upon receiving both completed forms, the Village Manager will submit the Financial Disclosure Statement to the Village Ethics Commission, which will review the form within 10 days of filing for compliance with the provisions of the Public Ethics Code.
Candidates will not be certified to appear on the ballot until their Certificate of Candidacy and Financial Disclosure Statement have been reviewed and determined to be filed in proper form.
Certificate of Candidacy and Financial Disclosure Statement forms are available at the Village office, or by email request to the Village Manager, Shana Davis-Cook, at shana.davis-cook@montgomerycountymd.gov, or on the Chevy Chase Village website by clicking on “Board of Managers Elections” under Quick Links on the homepage.
Chevy Chase Village is a Maryland municipality that operates under a council-manager form of government. The Chevy Chase Village Board of Managers is made up of seven members elected by residents of the village.
The Board of Managers passes local laws, adopts annual operating and capital budgets, sets property tax rates, and oversees the provision of services to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of the village’s residents.
The board holds public meetings at least once a month to conduct government business and to receive reports from village commissions, committees and staff.
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Linda Pastan, poet of concentrated beauty, dies at 90
Emily Langerhttps://www.washingtonpost.com/obituaries/2023/02/01/linda-pastan-poet-dead/
Linda Pastan, a poet who drew inspiration from seemingly ordinary events — a children’s carpool, a high school reunion, the hurried sunset of a late fall evening — and distilled them into lines of concentrated beauty, died Jan. 30 at her home in Chevy Chase, Md. She was 90.The cause was complications following cancer surgery, said her daughter, Rachel Pastan. Ms. Pastan, who had previously lived in Potomac, served from 1991 to 1995 as Maryland’s poet laureate.Ms. Pastan began writing in adolescence and, ...
Linda Pastan, a poet who drew inspiration from seemingly ordinary events — a children’s carpool, a high school reunion, the hurried sunset of a late fall evening — and distilled them into lines of concentrated beauty, died Jan. 30 at her home in Chevy Chase, Md. She was 90.
The cause was complications following cancer surgery, said her daughter, Rachel Pastan. Ms. Pastan, who had previously lived in Potomac, served from 1991 to 1995 as Maryland’s poet laureate.
Ms. Pastan began writing in adolescence and, by her senior year at Radcliffe College, had shown enough promise to win a collegiate poetry contest sponsored by Mademoiselle magazine. A young Sylvia Plath placed second.
She embarked on her career relatively late, however, publishing her first poetry collection — “A Perfect Circle of Sun” (1971) — the year before she turned 40. Her embrace of professional writing marked the end of a decade that she spent in the throes of an affliction she described as “the perfectly polished floor syndrome.”
“I didn’t think, then, that I could be the right kind of wife and mother and keep pursuing something as important to me as poetry always has been,” Ms. Pastan told Washingtonian magazine in 1996. “I think now that I was wrong. And a young woman probably wouldn’t make that mistake today.”
Over the next half-century — her most recent book, “Almost an Elegy,” was published last year — Ms. Pastan produced roughly a score of poetry collections. Two of her volumes, “PM/AM” (1982) and “Carnival Evening” (1998), were finalists for the National Book Award.
In 2003, she received the Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize, which is accompanied by an award of $100,000 and is regarded as one of the most prestigious honors in poetry. Acclaimed for their luminescent simplicity, her works were widely anthologized and earned comparisons to the works of the 19th-century poet Emily Dickinson.
Throughout her writing career, Ms. Pastan experienced what she described as an inescapable “impulse to condense.” She at times drew from biblical sources, particularly the figure of Eve, as well as the epics of Homer. But she was perhaps best known for poems that captured in short, spare lines the unnoticed emotional freight in everyday occurrences. She wrote in her poem “Meditation by the Stove”:
I have banked the fires
into a small but steady blaze
here in the kitchen
where the dough has a life of its own,
breathing under its damp cloth
like a sleeping child;
where the real child plays under the table,
pretending the tablecloth is a tent,
practicing departures; where a dim
brown bird dazzled by light
has flown into the windowpane
and lies stunned on the pavement —
it was never simple, even for birds,
this business of nests.
Ms. Pastan was regarded as a master of metaphor. A fight between father and son made her into a “no man’s land.” In a poem about teaching her daughter to ride a bicycle, she compared the young girl’s hair, flapping behind in the wind, to a “handkerchief waving / goodbye.”
Her “vision is focused, rather than sweeping, more tentative than ambitious,” poet Tina Barr wrote in a review of “Carnival Evening” published in 1998 in the Memphis Commercial Appeal. “While Pastan’s work is simple rather than technically complex, domestic rather than adventuresome … it yields quiet rewards.”
A carpool prompted Ms. Pastan to contemplate her children’s mortality, a minor surgery and gathering of old classmates her own. She wrote in the poem “25th High School Reunion”:
We come to hear the endings
of all the stories
in our anthology
of false starts:
how the girl who seemed
as hard as nails
was hammered
into shape;
how the athletes ran
out of races;
how under the skin
our skulls rise
to the surface
like rocks in the bed
of a drying stream.
Look! We have all
turned into
ourselves.
As Maryland’s poet laureate, Ms. Pastan declined to write official poems for grand occasions. Her goal, she told The Washington Post at the time, was “just to make poetry a little more visible to people, so they’ll perhaps be tempted to take a chance and read some themselves.”
Linda B Olenik — her middle initial, with no period, stood for nothing — was born in the Bronx on May 27, 1932, and spent the later years of her childhood in Armonk, in New York’s Westchester County. Her father, a Jewish immigrant from Eastern Europe, became a surgeon. Her mother was a homemaker, sometimes working in his medical office.
An only child, Ms. Pastan recalled a lonely youth in which books at times offered her only companionship. She wrote in the poem “The English Novel”:
In The English Novel, where I spent my girlhood,
I used to think chilblains were a kind of biscuit,
and everything was always pearled with fog —
the moors with their purpling heather
and the beveled windows where the heroines,
my sisters, waited for heroes …
Ms. Pastan was 12 when she submitted her first poems to the New Yorker, a magazine that along the Atlantic and the Paris Review would years later regularly publish her works.
She was married in 1953 and received a bachelor’s degree from Radcliffe the following year, then a master’s degree in library science from Simmons University in Boston in 1955 and a master’s degree in English and American literature from Brandeis University in Waltham, Mass., in 1958.
“Brandeis had a fund that paid for babysitters and allowed you to go part time, but then my husband got an internship at Yale, which had no part-time studies and no babysitter fund, so I stopped school,” Ms. Pastan recalled to The Post. “I had another baby, and I stopped writing. I was into the whole ’50s thing, kids and the clean floor bit. I was unhappy because I knew what I should be doing.”
Ms. Pastan ultimately returned to writing, her daughter said, with the strong encouragement of her husband. She began writing every day, working around her children’s nap and school schedules.
Survivors include her husband of 69 years, Ira Pastan of Chevy Chase; her daughter, a novelist, of Swarthmore, Pa.; two sons, Stephen Pastan of Atlanta and Peter Pastan of Washington; seven grandchildren; and a great-granddaughter.
Ms. Pastan said she did not wait for literary inspiration to strike her, but rather “coaxed” it from its hiding place by the simple act of sitting down at her desk and working. Asked if she had advice for aspiring writers, she implored them not to be discouraged by rejection.
“All poets get rejected, even the most famous and honored,” she told Washingtonian. “I tell young poets one trick I’ve learned. For each group of poems you send out, have an envelope ready on your desk to resubmit those poems. Then, when they come back, don’t leave them sitting around on your desk; send them right back out into the world.”
KISS Frontman Paul Stanley's Fine Art Showcased In Bethesda, Tysons
Mark Handhttps://patch.com/maryland/bethesda-chevychase/kiss-frontman-paul-stanleys-fine-art-showcased-bethesda-tysons
Paul Stanley of KISS will show his fine art, including handpainted guitars, in appearances in Bethesda and Tysons on Friday and Saturday.|Updated Thu, Feb 23, 2023 at 6:34 am ETBETHESDA/TYSONS — KISS frontman Paul Stanley will be appearing in person at the Westworth Gallery at both Westfield Montgomery Mall and Tysons Galleria this week to promote his original works of art.Stanley, who designed and created the iconic KISS emblem, one of the most recognized rock logos, will be appearing at the Wentworth Gallery at...
Paul Stanley of KISS will show his fine art, including handpainted guitars, in appearances in Bethesda and Tysons on Friday and Saturday.
|Updated Thu, Feb 23, 2023 at 6:34 am ET
BETHESDA/TYSONS — KISS frontman Paul Stanley will be appearing in person at the Westworth Gallery at both Westfield Montgomery Mall and Tysons Galleria this week to promote his original works of art.
Stanley, who designed and created the iconic KISS emblem, one of the most recognized rock logos, will be appearing at the Wentworth Gallery at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda on Friday, Feb. 24 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. On Saturday, Feb. 25, he will be appearing from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Wentworth Gallery at Tysons Galleria in McLean.
The public will get a chance to view and purchase Stanley's works at both exhibits. Westworth Gallery has nine locations across the U.S.
“Paul’s artwork really connects with people. In particular, his unique use of colors elicits strong emotions. It is extremely rare to sell an entire gallery of art during a show, but Paul does it regularly. He has become an art phenom,” Christian O’Mahony, principal of Wentworth Gallery, said in a statement.
Since the artist's last exhibit over four years ago, Stanley has created new original paintings, hand painted signature Paul Stanley Ibanez guitars, mixed media originals, and limited-edition artworks including new works on metal, the gallery said in a news release.
Find out what's happening in Bethesda-Chevy Chasewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Several of the pieces on display come from the Black Series that was originally commissioned in 2020 for museum exhibition. COVID-19 canceled that exhibition, so the series will show up at the gallery instead.
"With the Black Series, Stanley pushes the boundaries of his art by starting with a black canvas and creating vibrance and emotion with his trademark bright colors," Wentworth said.
As for Stanley as a music artist, KISS plans to continue its "End of the Road" farewell tour in April and possibly play its final show as a band later this year.
Top Local Writers, Poets To Receive Awards At Bethesda Ceremonies
Bethesda-Chevy Chase, MD Patchhttps://patch.com/maryland/bethesda-chevychase/top-local-writers-poets-receive-awards-bethesda-ceremonies
Winners of the Bethesda Essay and Short Story Contest and the Bethesda Poetry Contest will be honored at ceremonies on March 9 and 10.BETHESDA, MD — The Bethesda Urban Partnership will host the Local Writer’s Showcase March 9-10, honoring the winners of the annual Bethesda Essay and Short Story Contest and the Bethesda Poetry Contest. Both ceremonies are free and open to the public.The Annual Bethesda Poetry Contest Awards Ceremony will be held on Thursday, March 9 at 7 p.m. at The Writer’s Center, at 4508 W...
Winners of the Bethesda Essay and Short Story Contest and the Bethesda Poetry Contest will be honored at ceremonies on March 9 and 10.
BETHESDA, MD — The Bethesda Urban Partnership will host the Local Writer’s Showcase March 9-10, honoring the winners of the annual Bethesda Essay and Short Story Contest and the Bethesda Poetry Contest. Both ceremonies are free and open to the public.
The Annual Bethesda Poetry Contest Awards Ceremony will be held on Thursday, March 9 at 7 p.m. at The Writer’s Center, at 4508 Walsh Street in downtown Bethesda. All of the winners will read their original poems.
This year’s judge for the contest is award-winning poet Gabriella Fee, who received the Elizabeth K. Moser Fund for Poetry Studies Fellowship in 2021 and the Dr. Benjamin J. Sankey Fellowship in Poetry in 2022. Guest poets E. Ethelbert Miller, Adam Chiles and KaNikki Jakarta will read their poetry along with the winners.
The Essay and Short Story Contest Awards Ceremony will be held on Friday, March 10 at 7 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Bethesda, at 7400 Wisconsin Avenue.
Essays were judged by Neisha-Anne Green, director of the Writing Center at American University; author and novelist Aaron Hamburger; and bilingual writer and George Washington University Professor Ofelia Montelongo. Short stories were selected by writers Carrie Callaghan, Melanie Hatter, Mohini Malhotra, Zach Powers, Julia Tagliare and Claudia Wair.
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More than 700 pieces were submitted to this year’s Poetry, Essay and Short Story Contests as writers competed for a chance to win up to $500, a free class and membership to The Writer’s Center and have their work published in the July/August issue of Bethesda Magazine. A total of $5,350 in prize money will be awarded to the 37 winners from Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C.
The 2023 Local Writer’s Showcase is produced by the Bethesda Urban Partnership and sponsored by MoCo 360 and The Writer’s Center. Support is also provided by The Trawick Foundation.
Here are this year’s winners:
Essay Winners
High School Essay Winners
Short Story Winners
High School Short Story Winners
Poetry Winners
High School Poetry Winners
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