"My passion is to educate, support and sustain a global community of peace by embracing the oneness and resilience of humanity." 
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Published Books:
End the Race
Published by Reel Link Films Click Here to Purchase Book on Amazon Authors: Kim Westheimer, Vicki Abeles, and Sara Truebridge Foreword by Dr. Gene Carter, Director and CEO of ASCD Pub Date: January 2011 Every parent and community has the power to transform our education system and make the well-being of children a priority. In response to unsustainable stress levels in her own children and the suicide of a 13 year old in her community, Vicki Abeles began an investigation into the nation-wide problem of America's pressure cooker culture. She uncovered an epidemic of anxiety, depression and burn-out among students and a lack of preparation for the very different demands of college and the workplace. The critically acclaimed documentary, "Race to Nowhere," features students, parents, educators and national experts including: Dr. Madeline Levine, Clinical Psychologist and author of the best seller 'The Price of Privilege' and 'Teach Your Children Well'; Dr. Wendy Mogel, Clinical Psychologist and author of 'The Blessing of a Skinned Knee' and 'The Blessing of a B Minus'; and Sara Bennett, co-author of 'The Case Against Homework.' The film has been viewed by hundreds of thousands of concerned individuals in all 50 states and more than 30 countries. The film urges audiences to challenge current thinking on how best to prepare students for the future. End the Race is a road-map for individuals and communities interested in creating a healthier, more balanced and engaging experience for today's youth. The exercises, research and resource materials and sample actions will help you create meaningful change in your home, classroom, school and community. 
The Strengths Perspective in Social Work Practice (6th Edition) Published by Pearson, 2013. Edited by Dennis Saleebey Click Here to Purchase Book on Amazon Chapter 11 - A Shift in Thinking: Influencing Social Workers' Beliefs About Individual and Family Resilience in and Effort to Enhance Well-Being and Success for All Co-authored by Bonnie Benard and Sara Truebridge "In the lore of professional social work, the idea of building on individuals’ strengths has become axiomatic. Authors of textbooks, educators, and practitioners all regularly emphasize the importance of this principle. Many of these calls to attend to the capa- bilities and competencies of clients are little more than professional cant. So let me be clear: The strengths perspective is an interesting departure from social work conven- tions. Practicing from a strengths orientation means this—that everything you do as a social worker will be predicated, in some way, on helping to unearth and embellish, explore and exploit clients’ strengths and resources in the service of assisting them to achieve their goals, realize their dreams, and shed the irons of their own inhibitions and misgivings and society’s domination. This is a versatile practice approach, relying heav- ily on the ingenuity and creativity, the courage and common sense, of both clients and their social workers. It is a collaborative process depending on clients and workers to be purposeful, engaged agents and not mere functionaries. It is an approach honoring the innate wisdom of the human spirit, the inherent capacity for transformation of even the most humbled and abused. When you adopt the strengths approach to practice, you can expect stimulating changes in the character of your work and in the tenor of your relationships with your clients." ~ Dennis Saleebey, The Strengths Perspective in Social Work Practice (6th Ed.), pg. 1 |