Our Panel of Experts

• Edith Eva Eger, Ph.D.
  Sent to Auschwitz at age 16, Edie watched her parents led to their execution while she was kept alive to dance for the infamous Dr. Joseph Mengel. Weighing only 40 pounds, and with a broken back when rescued by allied forces, she has succeeded in conquering her demons and traversed the heroic inner journey from victim to thriver. She is now an outstanding psychotherapist and empowering keynote speaker.
  

  Phone: (858) 454-8442
  Website: Dr. Edie Eger
  Email: Dr. Eger

• Joanne Jozefowski, Ph.D., C.S., R.N.
  Author of The Phoenix Phenomenon, and founder of Counseling Affiliates, Joanne is a psychotherapist who specializes in bereavement therapy. A recognized authority on grief and loss, she created the concept of "The Phoenix Griever" and has helped thousands of people overcome the agony of their loss. Joanne has written and produced two video documentaries and is published in many books and journals. She is a diplomate and member of the advisory council of the International Academy of Behavior Medicine. Counseling, and Psychotherapy, and a member of the Association for Death Education and Counseling.
  

  Address: Prescott Health Center, 13 Elm Street, Worcester, MA 01609
  Email: Dr. Jozefowski

• James Pennebaker, Ph.D.
  Author of Opening Up: The Healing Power of Expressing Emotion. James W. Pennebaker is Bush Professor of Liberal Arts and the Departmental Chair in the Psychology Department at the University of Texas at Austin, where he received his Ph.D. in 1977. He has been on the faculty at the University of Virginia, Southern Methodist University, and, since 1997, The University of Texas. He and his students are exploring the links between traumatic experiences, expressive writing, natural language use, and physical and mental health. His studies find that physical health and work performance can improve by simple writing and/or talking exercises. His most recent research focuses on the nature of language and emotion in the real world. The words people use serve as powerful reflections of their personality and social worlds. Author or editor of 8 books and over 200 articles, Pennebaker has received numerous awards and honors.
  

  Address: James Pennebaker, Ph.D., Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712
  E-mail: Dr. Pennebaker
  

• William Steele, M.S.W., Psy.D.
  Founder and Director of The National Institute for Trauma and Loss in Children (TLC), Dr. Steele has presented to over 50,000 educators and human service professionals nationally about working with traumatized children. He was selected by the Kuwait government after the Gulf War to train their newly formed mental health staff. He is the author of many nationally distributed programs and publications including Trauma Debriefing for Schools and Agencies, Kids On the Inside Looking Out After Loss and the training video, Children of Trauma: Tools to Help the Helper (VHS 60 minutes). He is the developer of the Structured Sensory Intervention for Traumatized Children, Adolescents and Parents (SITCAP) Model, and is the author of the Trauma Intervention Program. He established and directs the Certification Program for Trauma and Loss School Specialist and Trauma and Loss Consultant. Bill has assisted over 1,500 school districts develop or upgrade their crisis response teams and actively consults and provides debriefing to those exposed to critical, trauma-inducing incidents.
  

  Address: Dr. William Steele, 900 Cook Road, Grosse Pointe Woods, MI 48236
  E-mail: Dr. Steele
  Note: During this current tragedy, a free set of guidelines for parents, teachers. and school administrators can be obtained from TLC by fax. Call toll-free: 877-306-5256 or 313-885-0390.

• Richard Tedeschi, Ph.D.
  Rich is an Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of North Carolina where he supervises students in the graduate program in clinical psychology. As a therapist he has been developing integrative therapy approaches to trauma and loss to enhance growth outcomes. He is the co-developer of the Post Traumatic Growth research inventory and is nationally recognized for his research into coping and growth in response to trauma. His is co-author with Lawrence Calhoun of Trauma and Transformation, and Post Traumatic Growth: Positive Changes in the Aftermath of Crises.
  

  Address: Richard Tedeschi, Ph.D., Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina, 9201 University City Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28223
  E-mail: Dr. Tedeschi

• Richard Williams, Oklahoma City bombing survivor
  When the truck bomb exploded in the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City on April 19th, 1995, shards of glass and sharp chunks of concrete from the explosion tore into Richard Williams' face, fractured his skull, ripped off his left ear, crushed his right hand, and slashed open his leg. Tons of rubble crashed down on him. When he was found, he was kept alive by extensive, emergency surgery. Richard spent many months in rehabilitation. After returning to work, he became very involved in the Memorial process. He has served on the Board of Directors of the Oklahoma City National Memorial Foundation, Co-chair of the Survivors Definition Committee, Co-chair of the Memorial Center Committee, member of the Design Solicitation Committee, Archives Committee, and Government Liaison Committee for the memorial design.

  Phone: 405/736-1421
  E-mail: Richard Williams

• And, the late Al Siebert, PhD, Survivor Guidelines website founder and coordinator
  Internationally recognized for his research into the inner nature of highly resilient survivors, Al is author of The Resiliency Advantage and The Survivor Personality and was founding director of The Resiliency Center. After serving as a paratrooper during the Korean war, he earned his MA and PhD in clinical psychology from the University of Michigan. His works are quoted in many books and magazines, and he appeared on the NBC Today Show, The Unexplained, and OPRAH television programs. His popular quiz "How Resilient Are You?" is regularly featured in many publications. Website: The Resiliency Center