Nan Henderson

Nan Henderson, M.S.W., Ph.D., has traveled the world for over 25 years training all types of groups about fostering human resiliency in youth, adults, families, and organizations. Her publications on this subject are used in more than 25 countries and have been translated into Spanish and Russian. She is co-founder and President of Resiliency In Action, Inc., a training and publishing company in Southern California. She is considered a pioneering expert on fostering human resiliency, having developed The Resiliency Wheel and The Resiliency Quiz, both used worldwide. She is the author/editor of five books, including Resiliency In Schools: Making It Happen for Students and Educators, published by Corwin Press-one of its all-time best-selling books. Her most recent book is THE RESILIENCY WORKBOOK: Bounce Back Stronger, Smarter & With Real Self-Esteem, written for teens and adults, published in August of 2012. **It was the number one best-selling book on Amazon.com under "resiliency" for four years.** Other books include Resiliency In Action: Practical Ideas for Overcoming Risks and Building Strengths in Youth, Families, and Communities (2007), Mentoring for Resiliency: Setting Up Programs to Move Youth from "Stressed to Success"; and Schoolwide Approaches for Fostering Resiliency, all published by Resiliency In Action. Dr. Henderson has trained and consulted in 45 U.S. States and several foreign countries. Organizations she has worked for include Big Brothers/Big Sisters; Upward Bound; the Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission; the New Zealand Ministry of Education; Job Corps; and State Departments of Education in California, Vermont, Colorado, Maine, Texas, Pennsylvania, and New Hampshire. She has also been a trainer for hundreds of school districts, and social service and community agencies. In the past two years she has worked with the U.S. Military in their resiliency initiatives. The Pennsylvania Secretary of Education has recommended that Dr. Henderson's resiliency model be used in every school in the state. New York City Schools have also adopted Dr. Henderson's resiliency model. Hundreds of administrators in Los Angeles Unified Schools have used Dr. Henderson's books. In 2004, she provided training for New Zealand's National Federation of Children's Health Camps as well as for National Child and Youth Welfare Officials, which was introduced by the country's Minister of Child Welfare. Her experience includes several years as a youth substance abuse and other risk behavior prevention and early intervention specialist. Her work links the resiliency framework with the best in prevention and intervention with youth risk behaviors. Ms. Henderson has served on the faculty of five colleges/universities (with an emphasis on substance abuse issues in her higher education teaching); worked as a clinical therapist with youth, adults, and families in agencies and schools; and directed citywide, statewide, and school districtwide youth risk behavior prevention and resiliency implementation programs. Her articles have appeared in several national publications, including Education Digest; Hope Magazine; Principal Magazine; and Prevention Researcher. She was the featured resiliency expert on National Public Radio's "Talk of the Nation" program on resiliency.