Special Events

Book Presentation by Jan Elise Sells, Author

Lost And Found: Healing Troubled Teens In Troubled Times

Friday, April 26th 7:00pm
Members/Non-Members: Complimentary
Location: TBA

Contact Katy Yong for more information or reservations at kyong@claremont-hotel.com or 510-549-8512

About the author

After three years volunteering as a counselor at King, the school administrators found local grant money to fund her; Jan expanded the counseling program there over a period of two decades, funded through grants written by the school principal.

Every year Jan trained and supervised Marriage Family Therapists interns and school counselor trainees, as well as licensed psychotherapists from the community who volunteered in her program. In addition, Jan trained community volunteers to be mentors and mediators. King students considered it “cool” to have a counselor. King’s counseling program was so successful, the model was brought to the two other middle schools in Berkeley, where personal counseling, crisis intervention, conflict resolution and a GSA are integral parts of the Berkeley middle school culture today.

In recognition of her work at King, Jan was one of seven honorees to receive an award as Outstanding Woman of Berkeley for the year 2006, which coincided with her retirement from King. Meanwhile, Jan has also taught at U.C. Berkeley Extension; in 1996 she began teaching “Effective Interventions with Adolescents in Crisis,” which became a popular course in their Adolescents program.

Jan has been interviewed on National Public Radio’s “Week End Edition” and in the journal of the Buddhist Peace Fellowship, The Turning Wheel, as well as local newspapers such as The Berkeley Voice and The San Francisco Chronicle.

Jan Elise Sells is presently on the staff of Saint Mary’s College in Moraga, CA, as a Lecturer/Supervisor working with students in the Graduate Counseling Program. She also gives workshops on Crisis Intervention with Youth to other school districts and agencies in the Bay area and beyond.

Jan continues to supervise interns who work with students at King Middle School, where the program she created is still going strong. Jan is available for consultation, demonstrations, and workshops. She may be reached by email at jesells@yahoo.com. For more information visit https://troubledteensintroubledtimes.com/TheAuthor.php