Marlee Matlin

Academy Award winning actress and activist Marlee Matlin recently penned “I’ll Scream Later: Overcoming Addiction & Abuse,” a memorable autobiography that takes readers on the frank and touching journey of her life, from the frightening loss of her hearing at eighteen months old, the unexpected challenges of being thrust into the spotlight as an emissary for the deaf community, her battles with addiction and the highs and lows of Hollywood.

At the age of 21, Marlee’s unforgettable role in ‘Children of a Lesser God’ earned her the Best Actress Oscar. She simultaneously took her place as one of only four actresses to receive that honor for a film debut.

Marlee is currently a National Celebrity Spokesperson for the American Red Cross and serves on the boards of a number of charitable organizations. She has also authored three novels for children.

Marsha Linehan, P.h.D.

Marsha Linehan is a Professor of Psychology and adjunct Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington. She is also Director of the Behavioral Research and Therapy Clinics, a consortium of research projects developing new treatments and evaluating their efficacy for severely disordered and multidiagnostic and suicidal populations.

She is the developer of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) a treatment originally developed for the treatment of suicidal behaviors and since expanded to treatment of borderline personality disorder and other severe and complex mental disorders. DBT is the only treatment that has been shown effective in multiple trials across several independent research sites. It is currently the gold-standard treatment for borderline personality disorder, a disorder with an 8-10 suicide rate that afflicts between 4-6% of the population. She has written four books, including Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment for Borderline Personality Disorder and Skills Training Manual for Treating Borderline Personality Disorder.

Caroline Smith, MA, LPC, LISAC, CSAT

Caroline Smith received degrees in psychology and professional counseling from Ottawa University. She has certifications in trauma, abuse, deprivation, chemical addictions, and sexual addiction counseling. She has worked at The Meadows Treatment Center as a Family Counselor, Primary Counselor, Survivors Workshop Facilitator, Community Relations Representative, and Special Assistant to the Clinical Director. Within this program, she worked with individuals notable in the field, including Patrick Carnes, John Bradshaw, Claudia Black, Terrance Real and Pia Mellody. Ms. Smith then went on to join the professional clinical staff at Remuda Ranch Treatment Centers for Anorexia and Bulimia in Wickenburg, AZ as a Primary Therapist working exclusively with adolescent females and their families. She specializes in the field of eating disorders, trauma, and co-morbidity.

Frances Brisbane, P.h.D

Dr. Frances L. Brisbane is Professor and Dean of the School of Social Welfare, State University of New York at Stony Brook. She is Dean of the Black Alcoholism and Addictions Institute, cosponsored by Morehouse Research Institute of Morehouse College in Atlanta, and the National Black Alcoholism and Addictions Council (NBAC) in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Brisbane has written six books and edited three others on cultural competency, two for the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) and the third jointly sponsored by CSAP and the National Association of Social Workers. Most of her written work is on substance abuse, leadership, cultural competence, children of alcoholics and children of trauma.

In 2007, she received the U.S. President’s highest honor for her lifetime work in volunteerism. She is also a recipient of the University President’s Award for Excellence in Diversity and Affirmative Action.