This Emotional Life on PBS

PBS is coming out with a special that focuses on relationships. It is THIS EMOTIONAL LIFE, a three part series, airing January 4-6, 2010. This series examines how relationships play an important part in our lives. The interesting thing about this series, for me, is that it includes the story of a 29 year old man with Aspergers. His story touched me.

Sam Fabens with VOXGLOBAL emailed me about this series. In the email, he included a Q & A from Dyllan McGee about it. Here it is:

Here’s a Q&A from Dyllan McGee, executive producer from Kunhardt McGee Productions and one of the show’s executive producers, about why the series is important, what’s in it, and how it can help people live more fulfilling lives. Here’s the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMshm6UpYVE

Q: Why did you think it was important to produce a series like this now?

A: This is the first time a TV experience has really probed deeply into the entire life cycle and range of complex emotional issues that impact all people. Research now shows us that the real key to happiness and resilience doesn’t lie in what we own or buy, but it is made up of so many social attachments and our perspectives on scenarios, among other things. That’s incredibly powerful information to know and to share with others – particularly during a time like this when so many people are really suffering from a lot of stress and anxiety due to the economy.

Q: Why did you want to include a story about someone who has been diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome?

A: So much of our series is focused on the idea that happiness and emotional satisfaction are linked with the quality of our attachments and connections with other people. We wanted to showcase stories about interesting people – like Jason, who has been diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome – who experience challenges in making these kinds of connections. We wanted to explore and highlight the kind of social and family support that’s so important to people like Jason in our society. He shared some important things about his life and experiences – like his difficulty reading people’s emotions, and how that impacts his relationships. The whole point is to raise awareness and start conversations – and we’re grateful to Jason and his family for sharing their story.

Q: Do you think the show can help people?

A: Absolutely – our main goal in producing this project was to help people. We included a great cross-section of the latest science, interesting insight from well-known entertainers and writers, and a lot of inspiring and thought-provoking stories from real people in extraordinary situations.

I’ll be watching this and I hope you will too.