Meet Lisa Cohn
Dignified Pet Services presents 'People in the Neighborhood'
Award-winning author Lisa Cohn wears many hats. Mother, homeschool teacher, chauffeur, and writer, this energetic yet laid back Portland mom seems to have mastered the secret to making it all look easy.
“I grew up outside of Buffalo New York, attended Wesleyan, a liberal arts college in Connecticut, received my Masters in Journalism from Boston University, and moved to the west coast, ending up in Eugene for a year or so where I was the associate editor for Oregon Business Magazine while expecting my first child. We moved to Portland once my husband finished architecture school. That was 26 years ago and I’ve been here ever since.”
Perhaps best known as a local Portland author and freelance writer, Lisa has found success in allowing her diverse knowledge, background and experiences serve as the backdrop for her many books, feature stories, blogs and publications. Literally writing about everything from parenting/step-parenting to energy and the environment, she has been featured in Mothering Magazine, The Christian Science Monitor, and Parenting Magazine, to name a few. Her book, The Step-Tween Survival Guide, which she co-authored with Debbie Glasser PhD in 2008, is currently an Amazon Kindle bestseller.
“People are usually surprised to learn that I suffer from an anxiety disorder and write about energy and the environment. It’s sort of my bread and butter that has allowed me to do the fun stuff. Anxiety runs in the family, and we all laugh about it,” she says.
“Perhaps my hardest challenge as a parent was helping my son Michael through his grief over the loss of our beloved Golden Retriever, Lucy. She died suddenly, and we were at a loss as to how to explain it. Michael and I wanted to find a way to keep her memory alive in his heart so we created Bash and Lucy Fetch Confidence as a tribute. The story is about a boy and his dog and how they learn about confidence, teamwork, sports and life.”
So how exactly does this busy mother of four take a time out for herself? “I start every day walking our Golden Retriever Hudson for about 40 minutes or so. I keep busy with running, yoga, Mia classes, and even take aerial yoga with my 16-year old daughter, which is a lot of fun. Since I homeschool Michael, we keep busy with lots of outings to all our favorite places: the Playground Gym, OMSI, the zoo — seeing wonderful shows at NW Children’s and Oregon Children’s Theatres. We also frequent my favorite outdoor parks, Hillside and Wallace, and love to stop in for a treat at the Daily Café in the Pearl. Oh, and I relax by taking a bath or seeing a Broadway Series play with my daughter. That is my relaxation.”
About the shoe …”It’s a nice Italian shoe that has experienced my frenzied activity level and whose owner doesn’t have time to buy new ones. My dog Hudson loves to chew on it. The shoe is worn, but my ‘formerly fancy shoe’ represents my attempts to dress as my daughter dictates while juggling an energetic dog and 6-year-old while constantly driving my 16-year-old all around town.”
“We are proud that we are able to partner with and help raise funds for the Oregon Humane Society. Our first book release party raised $350, and we recently took part in a fundraiser that raised over $400. We have partnered with Sniff Dog Hotel for the launch of our second book in the series, Bash and Lucy Fetch Jealousy. Click here for details on this Dec. 7 event.
“As a kid I was a big reader, so I love that Michael has become such a huge reader, author and book critic, especially since he is only six. I loved reading The Diary of Anne Frank as a young girl. I also loved traveling and spending time with my grandmother and cousins. There were 15 of us and every year we would take a huge family trip with our entire family. We went to Florida a lot, Bermuda, Hilton Head, and of course back to Buffalo. I have so many wonderful memories of those days growing up.”
“My wish for my children is for them to have lots of friends, and to be happy in their careers and personal lives. For me … my goal is for our little books to turn into a series where teaching lessons and educating children through the eyes of a small boy and his dog becomes something magical.”
She’s well on her way.
About our Sponsor
Dignified Pet Services has served the Portland-area community for 13 years. In addition to their core business of cremation and memorial services, Dignified co-sponsors the beloved annual Service of Remembrance at The Old Church in downtown Portland, as well as serving as wonderful supporters and friends of pets and those working in animal welfare. Proprietors Michael, Randy and Avani live in Sherwood.
Melinda Thompson is a freelance writer with a degree in Speech Communications and a coveted "Ducktorate" from the Walt Disney World Company. She has been featured in many local magazines and newspapers. She lives in Vancouver USA with her husband, son and daughter.