Guest Profile
Dr. Jennifer Freed
For more than 25 years, Jennifer Freed, Ph.D., has been a licensed marriage and family counselor, group psychotherapist and educator. She was the Clinical Director at Pacifica Graduate Institute, one of the country's leading centers for depth psychology, where she continues to serve as a professor and workshop leader. Dr. Freed is a recognized expert on behavioral matters such as teen bullying, character development, marriage and family relationships, and diversity issues. She has provided thousands with the practical tools to compassionately reassess personal behaviors and make significant life changes.
National media appearances include Good Morning America, National Public Radio, ABC News, Fox News, Sirius XM radio, Air America, USA Today, Disney.com, LIFESCRIPT.com and others. Jennifer Freed currently hosts the popular radio program FREED UP on Voice America.
Jennifer Freed is the co-founder/director of the highly successful teen program called The Academy of the Healing Arts AHA, which serves more than 1000 families annually in the state of California. AHA is dedicated to the development of character, imagination, emotional intelligence, and social conscience in teenagers , while helping them set goals, support their peers, and serve their community. For The Academy of Healing Arts, Dr. Freed created the educational book series Become Your Best Self, which includes workbooks on Relationship Wisdom, Character, Compassion and Creative Expression, targeted to teens and young adults.
In addition to the workbook series, Dr. Freed has published The Ultimate Personality Guide, a popular interactive guidebook for understanding personality typologies. Her latest book published by Penguin, Lessons from Stanley the Cat: Nine Lives of Everyday Wisdom, inspired by a beloved feline friend, has received rave reviews. To learn more about Stanley, please visit stanleythecat.com.
In her private practice, Dr. Freed provides individuals, couples, families and groups with effective communication, anger management, sexuality, parent-child communication, and drug and violence prevention. Other accomplishments include serving as the Statewide Director for the award-winning statewide teen program, The Media Project at the Human Relations Institute, and Statewide Director for Citizens' Policy Center Youthwork, in addition to several public service organizations that include the Santa Barbara Rape Crisis Center, Family Violence Prevention Program, Pacific Pride Foundation, and for Florence Crittendon in San Francisco.
Dr. Freed is the recipient of the 2009 Santa Barbara's Local Heroes Award and THE HOPE AWARD from Sierra Tucson Treatment Center, in recognition of her innovative curriculum for high school teenagers, which led to a 75% reduction in school suspensions. The Academy of Healing Arts was just awarded YOUTH PROGRAM OF THE YEAR by the City of Santa Barbara
