Patti Kelley Criswell

Patti is a Clinical Social Worker, speaker and author living near Kalamazoo, MI. She has been working with girls and their families for almost 20 years to help girls gain the skills they need to grow into strong and powerful women. Areas of specialty include relational aggression and developing a healthy body image Patti is a recognized expert in the area of tween girls. Her work includes individual, family and group therapy with girls and their parents as well as working with young women in transition. Additionally she is on the faculty of Western Michigan University where she teaches both graduate and undergraduate courses in College of Health and Human Services in the School of Social Work. She is a writer and has numerous books and articles on relationship skills and personal growth and development in Girls ages 8-14. She has served as an author, editor and consultant to the American Girl Company for 11 years. She is a contributing writer and consultant to the American Girl Magazine’s HELP! advice column and the advice column for kids in the Knight-Ridder syndicated newspapers. Patti is a passionate advocate for those being bullied. She has presented at National conferences including the Ophelia Project and Mind on the Media. She has conducted numerous workshops for girls and their parents at American Girl Place in Chicago, New York and L.A.. Her ideas have been featured on TV, Radio and Print media. Patti is married and has two children ages 14 and 10.