
Dr. Robert Cochrane is a graduate of UNLV's Integrated Health Sciences department. He's researching the effect of improvisation and storytelling on Parkinson’s disease. He received grants from the Parkinson's Foundation and support from the Davis Phinney Foundation along the way. He is a popular, unique and high energy Keynote speaker, bringing joy, optimism and practical tools for people in the PD community to thrive today.
He has a background in filmmaking, with the Artisan Entertainment release, The Playaz Court, and two Stephen King-based short films among his credits. His father, Dan, was diagnosed with PD in 2001, which shifted Robert’s artistic lens to health. He made his first documentary, the award-winning Boys of Summer in 2004. There are two follow up films in the series with the fourth film coming in 2023.
He moved his family back to Walnut Creek, CA, where he grew up. He lives there with his beautiful wife, two teenagers who are, indeed, "all that" and is a proud care partner for his amazing parents.
Recent Content

On Valentine’s Day, February 14th, over forty participants gathered online for The Hero’s Journey of Love, a heartwarming and thought-provoking Cinema Therapy event hosted by Yes, And…eXercise! …
On Valentine’s Day…
On Valentine’s Day, February 14th, over forty participants gathered online for The Hero’s Journey of Love, a heartwarming and thought-provoking Cinema Therapy event hosted by Yes, And…eXercise! and its founder, Robert Cochrane, PhD. Through the magic of film, storytelling, and community, we embarked on an exploration of love’s many dimensions—its joys, sorrows, complexities, and triumphs.The event featured 12 carefully selected clips from classic films that encapsulate the essence of love in its many forms. From grand romantic gestures to quiet moments of connection, each clip spa…


Valentine's Day 2025. We got together to celebrate a Cinema Therapy Hero's Journey of Love. We watched 12 clips from 12 different movies to explore, discuss and share our feelings about what love look…
Valentine's Day 2025…
Valentine's Day 2025. We got together to celebrate a Cinema Therapy Hero's Journey of Love. We watched 12 clips from 12 different movies to explore, discuss and share our feelings about what love looks and feels like and how we can cultivate more of it.


Today's the day we discuss the Hero's Journey of Love - our new Cinema Therapy presentation coming up on Valentine's Day (Fri, Feb. 14 at 12 noon pacific). Sign up here: https://www.yesandexercise.org…
Today's the day we d…
Today's the day we discuss the Hero's Journey of Love - our new Cinema Therapy presentation coming up on Valentine's Day (Fri, Feb. 14 at 12 noon pacific). Sign up here: https://www.yesandexercise.org/loveWho is this show for? Short answer: everyone. As we like to say at YAX: You belong. Have fun. Is there something we're not talking about that we should? Let us know and be the guest that shines the light on what we're missing!Robert and Susan are the creators of the Daily Dose form an interesting duo. Robert is a longtime care partner for his father with Parkinson's disease (PD). Susan i…


"Today’s the day” is a powerful phrase in improvisation and storytelling. It calls us to the present moment, pulling our focus from the noise of the past and future to right now. This phrase remi…
"Today’s the day…
"Today’s the day” is a powerful phrase in improvisation and storytelling. It calls us to the present moment, pulling our focus from the noise of the past and future to right now. This phrase reminds us that change begins today, that transformation starts at this very moment. It’s the kind of phrase that great films echo — those stories that stop us in our tracks, that make us forget the familiar and see the world through fresh eyes. Great stories leave us delighted, awestruck, and refreshed, showing us what’s possible.With that in mind, today’s the day we invite you to join us…


The devastating fires in Los Angeles have left lasting psychosocial and Trauma-related impacts on the community. In response, the novel program Raising Los Angeles Up aims to support individuals and …
The devastating fire…
The devastating fires in Los Angeles have left lasting psychosocial and trauma-related impacts on the community. In response, the novel program Raising Los Angeles Up aims to support individuals and families in their healing journey through Cinema Therapy—an innovative, sensory-based approach that uses movies to foster personal Growth and resilience. This program will feature the Pixar movie Up, analyzed through the lens of Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey, to help participants process trauma, find meaning, and build psychological well-being. Participants are welcome to come to the clas…


We're talking about our Cinema Therapy program, Raising Los Angeles Up. You can find out more and sign up here: https://www.yesandexercise.org/post/raising-los-angeles-up. (Part five of a five in a se…
We're talking about …
We're talking about our Cinema Therapy program, Raising Los Angeles Up. You can find out more and sign up here: https://www.yesandexercise.org/post/raising-los-angeles-up. (Part five of a five in a series)Who is this show for? Short answer: everyone. As we like to say at YAX: You belong. Have fun. Is there something we're not talking about that we should? Let us know and be the guest that shines the light on what we're missing!Robert and Susan are the creators of the Daily Dose form an interesting duo. Robert is a longtime care partner for his father with Parkinson's disease (PD). Susan i…


We're talking about our Cinema Therapy program, Raising Los Angeles Up. You can find out more and sign up here: https://www.yesandexercise.org/post/raising-los-angeles-up. (Part four of a five in a se…
We're talking about …
We're talking about our Cinema Therapy program, Raising Los Angeles Up. You can find out more and sign up here: https://www.yesandexercise.org/post/raising-los-angeles-up. (Part four of a five in a series)Who is this show for? Short answer: everyone. As we like to say at YAX: You belong. Have fun. Is there something we're not talking about that we should? Let us know and be the guest that shines the light on what we're missing!Robert and Susan are the creators of the Daily Dose form an interesting duo. Robert is a longtime care partner for his father with Parkinson's disease (PD). Susan i…


We're talking about our Cinema Therapy program, Raising Los Angeles Up. You can find out more and sign up here: https://www.yesandexercise.org/post/raising-los-angeles-up. (Part three of a five in a s…
We're talking about …
We're talking about our Cinema Therapy program, Raising Los Angeles Up. You can find out more and sign up here: https://www.yesandexercise.org/post/raising-los-angeles-up. (Part three of a five in a series)Who is this show for? Short answer: everyone. As we like to say at YAX: You belong. Have fun. Is there something we're not talking about that we should? Let us know and be the guest that shines the light on what we're missing!Robert and Susan are the creators of the Daily Dose form an interesting duo. Robert is a longtime care partner for his father with Parkinson's disease (PD). Susan …


We're talking about our Cinema Therapy program, Raising Los Angeles Up. You can find out more and sign up here: https://www.yesandexercise.org/post/raising-los-angeles-up. (Part one of a five in a ser…
We're talking about …
We're talking about our Cinema Therapy program, Raising Los Angeles Up. You can find out more and sign up here: https://www.yesandexercise.org/post/raising-los-angeles-up. (Part one of a five in a series)Who is this show for? Short answer: everyone. As we like to say at YAX: You belong. Have fun. Is there something we're not talking about that we should? Let us know and be the guest that shines the light on what we're missing!Robert and Susan are the creators of the Daily Dose form an interesting duo. Robert is a longtime care partner for his father with Parkinson's disease (PD). Susan is…


We're talking about our Cinema Therapy program, Raising Los Angeles Up. You can find out more and sign up here: https://www.yesandexercise.org/post/raising-los-angeles-up. (Part one of a five in a ser…
We're talking about …
We're talking about our Cinema Therapy program, Raising Los Angeles Up. You can find out more and sign up here: https://www.yesandexercise.org/post/raising-los-angeles-up. (Part one of a five in a series)Who is this show for? Short answer: everyone. As we like to say at YAX: You belong. Have fun. Is there something we're not talking about that we should? Let us know and be the guest that shines the light on what we're missing!Robert and Susan are the creators of the Daily Dose form an interesting duo. Robert is a longtime care partner for his father with Parkinson's disease (PD). Susan is…


The word “story” gets thrown around a lot, especially in the Parkinson’s community. Every major organization seems to have a place on their website asking you to submit your story. But what does…
The word “story”…
The word “story” gets thrown around a lot, especially in the Parkinson’s community. Every major organization seems to have a place on their website asking you to submit your story. But what does that really mean? Is it about the day you were diagnosed? The way your doctor treated—or mistreated—you? Or is it simply a string of facts? Something like: "I noticed a tremor. I got a diagnosis. It flattened me. I started carbidopa. It helped. I went to an exercise class. Now I'm...fine."If that feels familiar, it’s because many of us approach storytelling this way. But stories lik…


Program Overview The devastating fires in Los Angeles have left lasting psychosocial and trauma-related impacts on the community. In response, the novel program Raising Los Angeles Up aims to support…
Program Overview The…
Program Overview The devastating fires in Los Angeles have left lasting psychosocial and trauma-related impacts on the community. In response, the novel program Raising Los Angeles Up aims to support individuals and families in their healing journey through Cinema Therapy—an innovative, sensory-based approach that uses movies to foster personal growth and resilience. This program will feature the Pixar movie Up, analyzed through the lens of Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey, to help participants process trauma, find meaning, and build psychological well-being. Participants are welcome to…


You can read part one of this blog series by clicking here.The Danger of Minimizing Parkinson's Disease At a recent Parkinson’s summit, I found myself in a conversation that left my skin cra…
You can read part on…
You can read part one of this blog series by clicking here.The Danger of Minimizing Parkinson's Disease At a recent Parkinson’s summit, I found myself in a conversation that left my skin crawling. A coordinator asked a person with Parkinson’s (PWP) how he was doing. The PWP smiled and said, “I’ve learned Parkinson’s isn’t that bad. In fact, I’d rather have Parkinson’s than colon Cancer.”His opinion is, of course, his own, and I respect his right to feel that way. But as I listened, it struck me that he wasn’t just sharing his experience—he was trying out a narra…


2025 marks the 40 year anniversary of Michael J. Fox's most iconic role of Marty McFly in Back to the Future. Yes, And...eXercise! is proud to host this free, online discussion to celebrate and explo…
2025 marks the 40 ye…
2025 marks the 40 year anniversary of Michael J. Fox's most iconic role of Marty McFly in Back to the Future. Yes, And...eXercise! is proud to host this free, online discussion to celebrate and explore Michael J. Fox's Hero's Journey through 12 films in his career that give further understanding of who he is, what he's been through and why he means so much to so many of us. As the discussion of rebranding Parkinson's disease is heating up, this is a perfect time to come together to discuss what has been and what we will be.Join us for our Cinema Therapy course, Taking Parkinson's Back to th…


We're talking dangerous stories in the world of Parkinson's disease. You can read the blog here: https://www.yesandexercise.org/post/rewriting-the-dangerous-stories-in-parkinson-s-disease (six of six)…
We're talking danger…
We're talking dangerous stories in the world of Parkinson's disease. You can read the blog here: https://www.yesandexercise.org/post/rewriting-the-dangerous-stories-in-parkinson-s-disease (six of six)Who is this show for? Short answer: everyone. As we like to say at YAX: You belong. Have fun. Is there something we're not talking about that we should? Let us know and be the guest that shines the light on what we're missing!Robert and Susan are the creators of the Daily Dose form an interesting duo. Robert is a longtime care partner for his father with Parkinson's disease (PD). Susan is a w…


We're talking dangerous stories in the world of Parkinson's disease. You can read the blog here: https://www.yesandexercise.org/post/rewriting-the-dangerous-stories-in-parkinson-s-disease (five of six…
We're talking danger…
We're talking dangerous stories in the world of Parkinson's disease. You can read the blog here: https://www.yesandexercise.org/post/rewriting-the-dangerous-stories-in-parkinson-s-disease (five of six)Who is this show for? Short answer: everyone. As we like to say at YAX: You belong. Have fun. Is there something we're not talking about that we should? Let us know and be the guest that shines the light on what we're missing!Robert and Susan are the creators of the Daily Dose form an interesting duo. Robert is a longtime care partner for his father with Parkinson's disease (PD). Susan is a …


We're talking dangerous stories in the world of Parkinson's disease. You can read the blog here: https://www.yesandexercise.org/post/rewriting-the-dangerous-stories-in-parkinson-s-disease (four of six…
We're talking danger…
We're talking dangerous stories in the world of Parkinson's disease. You can read the blog here: https://www.yesandexercise.org/post/rewriting-the-dangerous-stories-in-parkinson-s-disease (four of six)Who is this show for? Short answer: everyone. As we like to say at YAX: You belong. Have fun. Is there something we're not talking about that we should? Let us know and be the guest that shines the light on what we're missing!Robert and Susan are the creators of the Daily Dose form an interesting duo. Robert is a longtime care partner for his father with Parkinson's disease (PD). Susan is a …


We're talking dangerous stories in the world of Parkinson's disease. You can read the blog here: https://www.yesandexercise.org/post/rewriting-the-dangerous-stories-in-parkinson-s-disease (three of si…
We're talking danger…
We're talking dangerous stories in the world of Parkinson's disease. You can read the blog here: https://www.yesandexercise.org/post/rewriting-the-dangerous-stories-in-parkinson-s-disease (three of six)Who is this show for? Short answer: everyone. As we like to say at YAX: You belong. Have fun. Is there something we're not talking about that we should? Let us know and be the guest that shines the light on what we're missing!Robert and Susan are the creators of the Daily Dose form an interesting duo. Robert is a longtime care partner for his father with Parkinson's disease (PD). Susan is a…
