In the past few years, I had the privilege and pleasure

In the past few years, I had the privilege and pleasure of attending several of Miriam Manela’s workshops and webinars. These presentations were for large audiences of professionals including educators, psychologists, social workers and therapists. The content and presentation style were superb, well informed and with a great deal of humor utilizing multi-media and audio-visual techniques.

Mrs Manela’s presentations have had the mark of delivering knowledge and knowhow with the message of positive thinking and trust in the continual growth potential inherent in human beings. Her approach- rational, scientific, yet very humanistic and optimistic- resonates with professionals and parents alike. It is common to hear, in the remarks of the audience, how her approach has made them more positive about their work with children and families, or parents commenting how helpful her ideas are in promoting an attitude of cooperation, lessening resistance, and enhancing the chances for positive change.

The professionals from my organization who accompanied me to her presentations were eager to try out her idea and later commented how her work and approach help them in trying harder, bring about a change in attitude, and getting better outcomes and cooperation in dealing with difficult problems in their work with resistant children and parents.

In a different workshop on helping parents toward growth-promoting parenting for hundreds of mental health professionals that I attended in my role as director of psychological services for my organization, the presenter, Irit Felsen, PhD, encouraged the participants to read Miriam Manela’s book, The Parent-Child Dance as a wonderful resource in their work with children and families. Similarly, I highly recommend professionals and parents to Miriam Manela’s presentations for professional and personal growth promoting positive change.

Shoshana Rybak, PsyD
Director of psychological services
HASC schools
New York