Phyllis Chesler, Ph.D

Website: www.phyllis-chesler.com
Residence : New York, N.Y.

Biographical information
Dr. Chesler is an Emerita Professor of Psychology and Women's Studies, a psychotherapist, and an expert courtroom witness. She has lectured and organized political, legal, religious feminist, and human rights campaigns in the United States and in Canada, Europe, the Middle East and the Far East. A popular guest on national television and radio programs, and on campuses, she has been an expert commentator on the major events of our time. She has lived in Kabul, Afghanistan, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, Israel.

Dr. Chesler is a cofounder of the Association for Women in Psychology (1969), and The National Women's Health Network (1974). Dr. Chesler's twelve books, many articles, and thousands of speeches have inspired people on many diverse issues. Her books include Women and Madness, Women, Money and Power, About Men ,With Child: A Diary of Motherhood, Mothers on Trial: The Battle for Children and Custody, Sacred Bond: The Legacy of Baby M, Patriarchy: Notes of an Expert Witness, Feminist Foremothers in Women's Studies, Psychology, and Mental Health, Letters to a Young Feminist Woman's Inhumanity to Woman, Women of the Wall: Claiming Sacred Ground at Judaism's Holy Site and The New Anti-Semitism: The Current Crisis and What We Must Do About It.

She has lectured to mental health, legal, medical, theological, and feminist groups, and at colleges and graduate schools. Dr. Chesler has appeared on The Today Show, CSPAN, the O'Reilly Factor, CNN, MSNBC, NPR, Court TV, Nightline, The History Channel, The MacNeil-Lehrer Report, Washington Journal, Good Morning America, Oprah, Donahue, Geraldo, and on network and local radio and TV programs all over North America. She was also a regular contributor to NPR's program "At the Opera." She is a named plaintiff and a Board Member of The International Committee for the Jerusalem-based group, Women of the Wall. Dr. Chesler began to study Torah in 1989 and published her first d'var Torah in 2000.

Discussion topics

• The New Anti-Semitism:
  Jews are potentially facing another Holocaust. Indeed, one has already begun in Israel but many Jews are, understandably, in denial about this. Dr. Chesler's goal is to help Jews acknowledge this painful reality so that we can strategize together about what must be done. She draws on Torah Sources to both console and uplift us on this subject.
• Woman's Inhumanity to Woman:
  Dr. Chesler discusses how to acknowledge and transcend the traditional female-female competition and aggression, and points us towards a more ethical and loving way of relating.
• Women and Madness:
  Dr. Chesler covers all topics about women and psychology or psychiatry.
• Women and Religion:
  Dr Chesler is a member of the legendary group known as The Women of the Wall. She can talk about that ongoing struggle to pray at the Western Wall and she can also talk about the transformation of religion and ritual. She can deliver a Devrai Torah as well.
• Confessions of an Expert Witness:
  Dr. Chesler has testified in cutting edge legal cases in the areas of the rights of institutionalized psychiatric patients, rape, sexual harassment, incest, male domestic violence, a woman's right to self-defense, pornography, prostitution, custody and divorce, surrogacy, adoption, economic discrimination. She can tailor a lecture to suit the client.

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