Wendy Mogel

Dr. Wendy Mogel is a nationally known clinical psychologist, parent educator, school consultant, and author. Publisher's Weekly gave her New York Times bestseller "The Blessing of a Skinned Knee" (now in its twelfth printing) a starred review, saying, "Impassioned, lyrical and eminently practical, this volume is a real treasure."

In the trenches of a typical day, mothers and fathers now find it harder than ever to uphold their own parenting principles as they seek security in a society that is more and more dangerous, grace in a culture that thrives on competition, and gratitude in an age of increasing materialism. How can this generation of parents raise optimistic, compassionate and resourceful children who are not spoiled by the plenitude around them? The answer has eluded the best-intentioned parents who overprotect, overindulge, and overschedule their children's lives.

Mogel helps parents learn how to turn their children's worst traits into their greatest attributes. Starting with stories of everyday parenting problems and examining them through the lens of the Torah, the Talmud, and other important Jewish teachings, "The Blessing of a Skinned Knee" shows parents how to teach children to honor their parents and to respect others, escape the danger of overvaluing children's need for self-expression so that their kids don't become "little attorneys," accept that their children are both ordinary and unique, and treasure the power and holiness of the present moment.

Her forthcoming book, "The Blessing of a B-," will be published in 2009 by Scribner (a division of Simon & Schuster) and is about what parents can learn from their teenagers.

An experienced and popular public speaker, Mogel's presentation is inspiring, humorous and effective in helping parents meet the day-to-day challenge of raising self-reliant children. She lectures to parents, educators and clergy across the country and has been a keynote speaker at the annual meeting of the National Association of Independent Schools, the National Association of Principals of Schools for Girls, the Educational Records Bureau, the National Association of Episcopal Schools, the American Montessori Society, and the American Camp Association.

AT A GLANCE: A graduate of Middlebury College, Dr. Wendy Mogel completed an internship and post-doctoral fellowship in the Department of Psychiatry at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where she taught psychological testing and parental guidance.

She is the co-founder of the Los Angeles Association of Independent School Counselors and serves on numerous boards including the Center for Early Education and the Council for Spiritual and Ethical Education. She is also a member of a Stanford University-based think tank engaged in raising public awareness of the causes of stress in children and adolescents.

Mogel contributes articles to a variety of educational publications including Independent School Magazine, Camping Magazine, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, and writes a parenting column for The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles.