I NEED A FRIEND

About the Book

About the Author

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Sandra Nelson, MA, NCC attended Lane Community College for 2 years majoring in Liberal Arts and Psychology. She graduated from the University of Oregon with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Developmental Psychology and a Master of Arts Degree in Counseling. She is a Nationally Certified Counselor. She has worked as a Family Therapist, a Child and Family Specialist and a Forensic Child Interviewer. She has worked in the field of Child and Family Mental Health for over 20 years and has attended numerous post-graduate trainings, seminars and workshops. She developed the model of using allies in the treatment of children with Anxiety Disorders early on in her career. She has shared the use of this treatment concept with coworkers, friends, family, and other professionals working in the field. The use of allies as a treatment tool has successfully been replicated by others. Sandy worked in a residential treatment facility for emotionally disturbed children from the ages of 3 to 12 years as a Family Therapist. While working as a Child/Family Specialist at a County Mental Health Center in Washington State she gained some local recognition for her work using children’s magical thinking as a therapeutic tool, working primarily with young children from the ages of 3 to 6. She has been known for her ability to work with such young children both as a therapist and a forensic interviewer. Sandy worked in a Child Advocacy Center as a Forensic Child Interviewer working with multi-agency law enforcement interviewing children suspected as being victims of abuse. In her personal life Sandy is the mother of four boys, now adults. She is the grandmother of 7, all boys except for one little granddaughter, whose ages range from 22 to 2. She and her husband had a therapeutic foster home for over 5 years with 4 permanent children. There was always a steady stream of kids in and out of the house. Sandy is currently retired and lives with her husband in Eugene, Oregon. She has volunteered for several agencies dealing with women’s and children’s issues. She remains an active advocate for children and families.