Rick Hanson, Ph.D, Mother and Couple Wellness

Rick Hanson, Ph.D., is a psychologist and the first author of Mother Nurture: A Mother's Guide to Health in Body, Mind, and Intimate Relationships (Penguin, 2002). He has written and lectured extensively on parental stress and depletion, ways to nurture mothers and fathers, and how a couple can be both strong teammates and intimate friends while raising a family. He also has a substantial background with psychological assessment, consulting with schools, child and family therapy, and advising parents about childrearing practices.

A summa cum laude graduate of UCLA, Dr. Hanson did management consulting before earning his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the Wright Institute. He has been President of the Board of FamilyWorks, a non-profit agency serving families in Northern California, and he currently sits on the Board of Spirit Rock Meditation Center, in Woodacre, California. He and his wife of over twenty years ? Jan Hanson, an acupuncturist and nutritionist ? are raising a teenage daughter and son. His personal interests include hiking outdoors, rock-climbing, meditation, literature, and having fun with his kids.

Michele Stake, DPT, MHS, Exercise Kinesiology & Physiology

Michele has been a licensed physical therapist since 1976 and since then has developed a number of physical therapy rehabilitation programs, including "Women's Health Physical Therapy?, the first course on women's health and physical therapy created for and taught in a graduate physical therapy school in the United States.

Michele has been an adjunct faculty member at Hahnemann University and Widener University, as well as Arcadia University where she remains on faculty and continues to teach on women's health and physical therapy for graduate students. She is a regular national speaker for various physical therapy organizations, and has been an advisor to the Susan G. Komen 3 day Breast Cancer Walk since March 2004.

Michele has a B.Sc. in Physical Therapy and a B.A. in Psychology, both from S.U.N.Y. @ Buffalo, a Master of Health Science Program in Orthopedic Physical Therapy from Hahnemann University and a Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Arcadia University.