For the past 20+ years, Arlene has lived in and contributed to the Santa Cruz Community working in the legal field, teaching in education and business, and volunteering for arts organizations. Arlene has a Master's degree in Education and is a certified Professional in Human Resources with 30 years of experience in education and administration. She is an instructor at the UCSC teaching courses in how people learn.

The Alchemy of Caregiving takes the reader on a journey that begins with the meeting of soul mates, delights in the wonders of a deeply felt new love, is rocked by a terminal cancer diagnosis, and traverses six months of caregiving, grief and loss. Karen Young's memoir recounts her journey from the world of conventional medicine to that of alternative medicine, and reveals her spiritual and emotional challenges in the role of caregiver.