A man with Parkinson’s plays himself on screen, and it changes the entire temperature of the room. We sit down with writer-director Joe Burke to talk about “Burt,” a black-and-white indie film inspired by (and starring) his real-life friend Burt Berger, a singer-songwriter Joe met 15 years ago playing music near Malibu. Joe breaks down how they said yes to the impossible: a one-week shoot, a three-person crew, and a $7,000 budget, all to capture Burt’s spirit while he could still play and perform.

Travis shares what it’s like to watch authentic Parkinson’s disease symptoms on screen and recognize your own movements and voice, and Judy digs into the tricky balance of people with Parkinson's wanting to be seen as a person first while also admitting PD is an indelible part of their life. Joe also opens up about the parallels with his father’s Parkinson’s diagnosis, the emotional whiplash of caregiving, and the way a creative project can delay reflection until the work is finally “out of your hands.”

We also talk about the less glamorous side of independent filmmaking: festival rejections, industry politics, and the pressure of a ticking clock when the people you’re honoring are still living with Parkinson's disease progression.

“Burt” is now available to rent or buy on Apple TV and Amazon, with a portion of proceeds supporting Parkinson’s Community Los Angeles (PCLA). Listen, share this with someone who needs a more honest view of Parkinson’s, and if it resonates, subscribe and leave us a review.

You can watch the movie by going to https://www.joeburke.net/burt

• Co-hosts: Judy Yaras & Travis Robinson
• www.INDYpodcast.net
  
  
  

The hardest losses aren’t always the obvious ones. Sometimes it’s the moment you realize you might never ride again, never rebuild the full set of tools you spent decades collecting, or never feel as fearless in your body as you once did. Travis opens up about a brutal stretch of life with Parkinson’s disease, the aftermath of a house fire, and how a DBS battery failure can spark a terrifying thought: is this a snapshot of my future?

We talk about grief and mourning as something that can hit in “moments” that start coming closer together. We get into the identity question that sits underneath it all: if you stop climbing, riding, training, or creating the way you used to, are you still the same person? Judy shares her own version of letting go, from bikes that sit unused to the emotional weight of items you keep because they hold a previous self. We also unpack the real-world pressure of limited resources like money, time, and energy, and how those limits can make grief feel sharper.

We don’t offer a neat fix, because sometimes there isn’t one. What we do offer is language for the experience, permission to be “okay with not being okay,” and a path back toward acceptance without surrender. If you’re living with chronic illness, caregiving, Parkinson’s, or major life change, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs it, and leave a review telling us what helps you stay present when the future feels heavy.

• Co-hosts: Judy Yaras & Travis Robinson
• www.INDYpodcast.net
  
  
  

Freezing can feel like your body hits a hard pause at the exact worst time, mid twist, mid bend, halfway to the thing you’re trying to pick up. Travis opens up about what freezing looks like for him, why it doesn’t always match the “feet glued to the floor” description, and how he learned to get unstuck without gadgets, panic, or waiting for someone to rescue him. We talk through a simple mindset shift: stop fighting the big movement and find the small part that can still move, then use it to create a safe momentum change.

We also get into breakthrough tremor and the messy reality of deep-brain stimulation. DBS can be life-changing, but it’s not a set-it-and-forget-it solution, especially after a battery replacement and months of programming tweaks. Travis shares a practical technique he uses to interrupt a growing resting tremor with a deliberate motion, and how he carefully experiments with DBS settings and medication while paying close attention to patterns.

The bigger takeaway is self-advocacy with Parkinson’s disease. Your movement disorder specialist only sees you for a short clinic snapshot, so your symptom journal and clear priorities matter. We cover easy ways to track symptoms using apps, voice recordings, or quick notes, and how to bring that data into appointments so treatment fits real life at home. If this helps, subscribe, share with someone who needs it, and leave a review so more people living with Parkinson’s can find these strategies.

• Co-hosts: Judy Yaras & Travis Robinson
• www.INDYpodcast.net