SaraKay Smullens, Author of Setting Yourself Free and Whoever Said life is Fair?



RECENTLY PUBLISHED ARTICLES \| EMAIL REGISTRATION \| GUESTBOOK \| MEDIA INFORMATION

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SaraKay's work appears regularly in a number of publications.

Link here to find a master list of all her articles and book contributions.

2011

	“Friendship” – Chapter in Coming of Age; an eBook for Those Over Fifty, edited by Gloria Hochman, Temple University Press, Philadelphia, 2011
November	SaraKay has contributed two chapters, those on Loyalty and Courage, to the newly published book, Wisdom for Parents, edited by Robert Keim and Aminta Jacobson. All of the chapters in the book are written by certified family life educators. (Certified by the National Council of Family Relations.) Learn more and purchase the book at the publisher's website.
June	SaraKay's article, Addressing the Prevalence of Emotional Abuse with College Age Female Students was published in the NASW's newsletter, Intersections in Practice.
May	SaraKay is quoted in a John Timpane piece in the Philadelphia Inquirer, Driving the recent sex scandals is more than just a superinflated ego
March	SaraKay will present a workshop at the American Group Psychotherapy Association meeting entitled "Water, Water Everywhere: Achieving Capacities for Resilience and Change through SelfCare and Professional Replensihment". Learn more about www.AGPA.org
January 22	Sarakay pens an open letter to Mayor Nutter of Philadelphia, published in the Broad Street Review.
January 10	SaraKay contributes chapter to a new book, The Age of Change. Read The Power of Friendship.
January 9	Rendell angrily defends state's casinos to '60 Minutes' SaraKay's comment regarding Ed Rendell (Pittsburgh Post Gazette)
January 9	Outburst at Lesley Stahl on 60 Minutes is pure Rendell, observers say SaraKay quoted in article on friend, Ed Rendell (Philadelphia Inquirer)
2010

	2010 – Smullens, SK, “Why We Do It,” Private Practice Section of NASW Journal, July 2010
April 21	SaraKay will present a workshop for the staff of Lift Philadelphia about the impact of emotional abuse on the young.
April 9	SaraKay appeared on the Parent's Tool Talk Radio Show with Jody Johnson Pawel. Link here for a podcast of SaraKay's discussion on overcoming emotional abuse.
March 18	SaraKay served on a panel for the Women's Alliance of the Jewish National Fund: Women, Our Amazing Journey
Announcement	SaraKay's paper, "The Codification and Treatment of Emotional Abuse in Structured Group Psychotherapy" was published by the International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, a peer reviewed journal, in January 2010. A copy of the article may be found here.
February 2010	SaraKay's will be presenting at the annual meeting of the American Group Psychotherapy Association in San Diego. The presentation will be called "Water, Water Everywhere," and will be about how therapists can replenish themselves and avoid burnout.
2009

	SaraKay's Review of Blackbird Listed in the Best of the Broad Street Review for 2009
	A case presentation of “Glorya and Sid” written by SaraKay for the Therapist’s Notebook feature will be published in the November 2009 issue of Social Work Today.
	SaraKay's paper, "The Codification and Treatment of Emotional Abuse in Structured Group Psychotherapy" has been accepted by the International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, a peer reviewed journal. It will be published in January 2010.
	The Intergenerational Department of Temple University will publish a chapter on Friendship penned by SaraKay Smullens.
	SaraKay's papers have been accepted by the Archives of the University of Pennsylvania and can be visited at the university by anyone who is interested.
	SaraKay has been tapped to be the clinical consultant for a play called Hunter Gatherers by Pater Sinn Nachtrieb. It will open at Philadelphia's Exile Theater.
"Blackbird," an award-winning play by David Harrower	Commentary from SaraKay: I have had the honor to serve as the resident clinical consultant for the award winning play, "Blackbird," by David Harrower, which has been offered by Philadelphia's Theatre Exile from February 5 to March 1. This play focuses on the sexual abuse of a 12 year old girl by her 40 year old neighbor and the repercussions of their three month relationship, all examined when they meet years later. The playwrite describes this relationship as a "love story about two people who have been through a life changing event together." My challenge was to share with the director and founder of Theatre Exile, Joe Canuso, and the actors, Pearce Bunting, and Julianna Zinkel, real life events (always protecting the confidentiality of those I am privileged to work with) that can lead to this kind of intense union. I have long thought that psychotherapists should be trained, not by studying pathology, but instead by studying the arts, all of them, and in this way learn about human needs and what motivates humankind. This professional involvement with Theatre Exile and "Blackbird" has been a privilege for me. In addition to the work described earlier, I have participated in two discussions with the director and artists following performances, and last evening led a discussion focusing on the psychodynamics of this play and what could be possible as the characters introduced moved on to determine paths in their own lives. Though Harrower, to my knowledge, has never discussed this play beyond the one sentence shared above, there are many clues in his writing that we explored last evening.
	Multiple presentations and After Show Commentary on David Harrower’s Play “Blackbird,” Philadelphia, PA
2008

The Huffington Post	SaraKay's regular commentary may now be found in the Huffington Post
	Smullens, SK: “The University of Pennsylvania School of Social Work: Reflections of a Graduate,” in A Century of Social Work and Social Welfare at Penn, edited by Ram A. Cnaan, et. al. University of Pennsylvania Press, Philadelphia, 2008.
2006

March 2 - 4	National Association of Social Workers Pennsylvania
April 5-6	National Association of Social Workers Massachusetts
November 13	Sabbath of Domestic Peace Chestnut Hill United Methodist Church 8812 Germantown Avenue Philadelphia PA 19118
December 17	Enchantment Theatre Company "Beauty and the Beast" Post-show discussion which SaraKay will moderate. This will be after the second performance at 4 PM. The show runs approximately 60 minutes followed by a 15-minute Q & A with the actors and then the symposium. More information can be found at www.enchantmenttheatre.org
2005

March 7-12	The Five Cycles of Emotional Abuse: A Personal, Professional, Political Continuum,” American Group Psychotherapy Association Conference- New York, NY
March 20-23	The Five Cycles of Emotional Abuse: A Personal, Professional, Political Continuum,” Jewish Women International Conference-Washington D.C.,
March 31- April 2	Plenary Address: “The Five Cycles of Emotional Abuse: Implications for Practice,” PA Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers, Harrisburg, PA Workshop: “The Five Cycles of Emotional Abuse: Origins, Implications, and Treatment.”
June 10	“The Five Cycles of Emotional Abuse in Family, Community and Society,” International Psychohistorical Association, New York, NY.

2004
February 26--28	American Group Psychotherapy Association Annual Meeting New York Uncovering the Roots of Emotional Abuse in Group Therapy's Dynamic Process
March 5	Presentation Clinical Staff of Jewish Family and Children's Agency Philadelphia
March 18 - 20 Pittsburgh	National Association of Social Workers Pennsylvania Chapter Presentation SaraKay was the co-recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award presented by the Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers
March 29	Presentation, “The Five Cycles of Emotional Abuse: A Malignant Continuum” Jewish Family and Children’s Service, Philadelphia, PA
May 2 Hilton Hotel Philadelphia	SaraKay will be honored by Jewish Women International More details will be forthcoming.
May 5	Social Work PRN Belmont Center, Fort Washington, PA
June 25	Intimate Violence The University of Pennsylvania School of Social Work

2003
	Smullens, SK, “Developing an Emotional Sense of Direction: A Therapeutic Model for the Treatment of ‘Emotional Abuse,” Annals of the American Psychotherapy Association, Fall, Vol. 6/No. 3, pgs. 17-21.
	Smullens, SK, “Emotional Abuse and Office Dynamics,” EAP Digest, Spring 2003, pgs 26-29.
	Smullens, SK, “The 5 Cycles of Emotional Abuse: Investigating a Malignant Victimization,” Reprinted in Network (Newsletter for Certified Family Life Educators of the National Council on Family Relations), Summer, Vol. 15/No.3, pgs 4, 6, 9.
December 1	The Five Cycles of Emotional Abuse 92^nd Street Y, New York, NY
November 8	School District of Philadelphia: The 1^st Annual Student Anti-Violence Conference Parent Workshop: “Together We Can and Will Make a Difference.”
October 28	Presentation, “Managing the Unmanageable,” Center City Proprietors’ Association, Philadelphia, PA
October 23	Presentation, “The Five Cycles of Emotional Abuse: Diagnosis and Intervention” The Texas Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers Arlington, Texas
October 17	Workshop, “Emotional Abuse: Admitting our Gaps, Codifying Our Knowledge” American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy Long Beach, CA
October 3	Workshop, “The Cycles and Impact of Emotional Abuse” Strawberry Fields, Inc. State College, PA
August 23	Presentation, “Emotional Abuse: Admitting What We Don’t Know, Codifying What We Do” American Psychotherapy Association National Conference San Antonio, Texas
June 7	Presentation, “Emotional Abuse: A Psychohistorical Perspective” 25^th Annual Convention International Psychohistorical Association New York University New York, N.Y.
April 23	Presentation, “The Five Cycles of Emotional Abuse: Investigating a Malignant Victimization” 17^th Annual Children’s Interagency Training Conference State College, Pennsylvania
April 3	Moderated Panel on Emotional Abuse at Philadelphia Free Library, Philadelphia, PA
March 18	Workshop, “Setting YourSelf Free: Breaking the Cycles of Emotional Abuse” 92nd Street YM-YWHA New York, New York
February 21	Presentation, “The Five Cycles of Emotional Abuse: The Perpetuation of an Intergenerational Victimization” Eleventh Annual Conference on Parent Education Sponsored by the Center for Parent Education University of North Texas, Denton, Texas.
2002

	Setting YourSelf Free: Breaking the Cycle of Emotional Abuse in Family, Friendships, Work and Love, Published by New Horizon Press in October 2002
January 7	Presentation, “The Five Cycles of Emotional Abuse: A Malignant Continuum,” The Pennsylvania Society of Clinical Social Work”
	2002 Honored Author Diamond Jubilee Borrowers Ball 2002 The Free Library of Philadelphia
	Smullens, SK, “Moment of Catharsis: A Dysfunctional Family Business Turns Itself Around,” from Setting YourSelf Free, Family Business, Autumn 2002, pgs. 6-8.
October 9	Smullens, SK, Presentation, “The Five Cycles of Emotional Abuse” 12^th Annual Regional Conference Building Strong Families Committee Pennsylvania/Delaware Council on Family Relations, Grantville, Pa.
	Smullens, SK, “The Five Cycles of Emotional Abuse: Investigating a Malignant Victimization,” Annals of the American Psychotherapy Association, Vol. 5/No.5, pgs. 16-17.
2001
	Smullens, SK., “Counseling the Clergy on How to Help Victims of Domestic Violence,” Annals of the American Psychotherapy Association, Vol.4/No.6, pgs. 15-18.

Spring 2004: SaraKay will be the recipient of two very special honors. Link here for more information.

Fall 2003: "The Five Cycles of Emotional Abuse", initially published in Annals (Fall 2002), will be reprinted in the Fall issue of Network, the journal for certified family life educators of the National Council on Family Relations.

Fall 2003: "A Therapeutic Model for the Treatment of Emotional Abuse" will be published in the Annals of the American Psychotherapy Association.

Winter 2002: Setting YourSelf Free was reviewed in the Winter 2002 Newsletter for Certified Family Life Educators of the national Council on Family Relations.

"Every adult should take the opportunity to read this book for a clearer understanding of themselves and to recognize that the burden of guilt many of us carry is far from justified or necessary. Not only will this book make a wonderful gift, but it should be required reading for employers and supervisors as an aid to understanding fellow workers, friends and employees."

Read the entire review.

SaraKay was cited in the Annals of the American Psychotherapy Association with excerpts of her book Setting YourSelf Free. The Annals is the official peer-reviewed journal of the association. Link here to view the article.

Setting YourSelf Free was named by Today's Books as a "Best Read" in its August 26, 2002 edition. It was rated "!!!! Exceptional"

The 7th Annual Sabbath of Domestic Peace Interfaith Service took place on Wednesday, October 2nd at St. Malachy Church in Philadelphia. This interfaith service offered spiritual support to victims of abuse. It included readings and prayers for healing from the Muslim, Christian and Jewish faith traditions.

All with an interest in ending domestic and emotional abuse are invited to attend this moving and meaningful service. For more information, please contact the Sabbath of Domestic Peace by linking below, or by calling the office at 215-732-1539.

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