Dr. Harriet Lerner

Dr. Harriet Lerner was born in Brooklyn, New York, on November 30, 1944. She is the second daughter of Rose and Archie Goldhor. Her parents were first-generation Americans, both born to Russian-Jewish immigrant parents. They were high school graduates who pursued jobs for financial reasons but had passions that brought them great joy.

Archie worked for the New York State Employment Agency for over three decades, but his real passion was woodworking in the basement of their home. He crafted all of the family's furniture, toys, lamps, and jigsaw puzzles. Rose worked in an office, but her true passion was art, which she pursued later in life by working for artists she admired and creating an art gallery in her home.

Growing up in Brooklyn, Harriet and her sister Susan, who is five years her senior and a biologist and researcher, spent many weekends exploring local cultural sites. Their mother had a strong belief in the value of therapy, which influenced Harriet's career choice. From a young age, she was determined to become a clinical psychologist.

EDUCATION AND CAREER

Dr. Lerner attended Midwood High School in Brooklyn and later the University of Wisconsin at Madison, where she majored in psychology and Indian studies. She received her M.A. in educational psychology from Teachers' College of Columbia University and a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the City University of New York. During her studies, she met her future husband, Steve Lerner, also a clinical psychologist. The couple moved to Topeka, Kansas, in 1972 for a postdoctoral program at the Menninger Foundation, where they eventually joined the staff.

After the Menninger Foundation relocated, Dr. Lerner and her husband settled in Lawrence, Kansas, where they established a private practice. They have two sons, Matt and Ben.

Dr. Lerner is a respected authority on the psychology of women and family relationships. Her writing, informed by feminism and family systems theory, aims to make complex theories accessible and practical. She has authored several influential books, including the New York Times bestseller "The Dance of Anger" and other notable works like "The Dance of Intimacy," "The Dance of Deception," "The Mother Dance," and "The Dance of Connection." Her books have been translated into more than thirty languages.

Dr. Lerner's insights have been featured in major publications such as The New York Times, The Boston Globe, and The Washington Post, and she has appeared on national media outlets including Oprah, CNN, and NPR. She is also a sought-after speaker, offering lectures and keynote programs on relationship dynamics, communication in key relationships, and strategies for managing anger in the workplace.

Speech Topics

Programs Include: - "The Dance of Connection": How to communicate effectively when emotions are high. - "Marriage and Couples": Steps to strengthen relationships. - "Mothers and Daughters": Exploring this crucial familial bond. - "The Mother Dance": How children reshape your life. - Additional topics include: "The Dance of Courage," "The Dance of Life: New Steps to Remarkable Relationships," and special issues for women. Dr. Lerner's lectures can be customized for diverse audiences, addressing both general and specifically female-focused themes.