PROFESSIONAL PROFILE
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Dr. Sherry E. Showalter
Keynote speaker, Author, Psychotherapist Currently speaking across the globe on topics of Professional Comittments To Excellence; loss, grief, hope in healing, interventions to restore buoyancy in care giving and business. Disaster Mental Health Specialist providing crisis intervention and trauma support, works with compassion fatigue, care giver stress, cumulative loss and spirituality and healing. Early days to 2004- Worked with; newborns, infants, Juveniles, in healthcare , mental health settings and worked in the hospice care environment. 2004 – 2009 Providing grief counseling to members of the community suffering sudden traumatic deaths, working for The Hospice of The Florida Suncoast in the Center for Loss and Healing. Dedicated to providing supportive presence, tools for healing, grief counsel to members of the community at large utilizing the hospice vision and mission to provide care and innovative strategies to enhance care and foster mind/body/spirit balance. Key Qualifications 25+ years working in health care/hospice settings. Providing social work to patients and families and members of the communities at large. Spoken to groups nationally with emphasis on loss, grief, hope, healing and ritual. Participate in opportunities to enhance practice skills and public speaking. Have worked with dying children and throughout the age spectrum, business communities and professions to enhance coping and renewal. 
Photo of community in Palm Harbor, Florida
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Education, Honors, and Certifications
Ph.D.University of Sedona, 2009 M.Msc . University of Sedona, 2008 LCSW Licensure in the states of Virginia and Florida MSW Virginia Commonwealth University 1995 BA/AAJ American University Washington D.C. 1979 2001 Award Recipient of the National Council of Hospice and Palliative Care Professionals: Psycho-Social-Spiritual Caregiver Strathmore’s Who’s Who: Lifetime member awarded 2008 Certified Mass Fatality Interventionist Board Certified Diplomaté Social Work Compassion Fatigue Specialist Certified Traumatologist Certified EMDR therapist AFFILIATIONS National Association of Social Work ·National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization · National Hospice Professional Health Care · The American Red Cross ·Association of Death Education and Counseling · Hospice & Health Care Communications http://www.hhccommunications.com/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Dr Showalter brings a spiritual tenderness to heartache with humor. clearly the best speaker I've ever heard. I felt lighter and ready to get back to work when I left the room. I thanked her for that feeling". R. Watkins, LCSW Printable Promotional Document |
"Dr. Sherry E. Showalter has produced a definitive book that gives further impetus to the whole subject of grief and it's aftermath; normal grief, abnormal or morbid and by who's standards. The work contains many teachable opportunities and lessons learned to help the living and to ease the burdens of the dying. It is a text that will enhance the skills and increase the knowledge of healthcare providers and professionals and all categories of practice and caring for the dying and their survivors in our diverse and global world. It is written from Dr. Showalter's heart, love and life experiences."
Dr. Bernice Catherine Harper, MSW, MScPH, LLD November 2010 
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"It has to be her passion, her humor, her zest. If passion had color, and humor had passion, Sherry would find it, wear it, weave it into her day and make you want it as your own. She sweeps aching hearts along a journey of recognition , with
such energy and finesse that pain becomes a beautiful and vibrant fiber skillfully woven through the very fabric of the person who now must face the world through eyes of loss.” Maggie Callanan,RN, (Photo: Maggie Callanan, Dr. Showalter, Dr. Bernice Catherine Harper, Eileen Dohmann) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
Dr. Showalter and Mary Labyak ( A pioneer of HOSPICE)
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“She used her Native American spirituality and social work skills to reach beyond cultural/religious views while allowing my friend to express and cope with suddenly saying goodbye to many friends and family. My friend referred to Ms. Showalter as her spiritual advisor, sharing her thoughts, hopes and fears. She continued to give support, counseling, storytelling and rituals to facilitate healing to Susie and those who loved her. Sherry attended the funeral service as well Susie was cremated holding a medicine wheel that Ms. Showalter had made for her to take into the spirit world. She is an extraordinary woman who made an indelible impression on all of us who had contact with her during this difficult time.” William V. Roth, Jr. U.S. Senate ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
"Showalter well... She is an extraordinary woman who made an indelible impression on all of us who had contact with her during some rather difficult times.”
William V. Roth, U.S. Senate ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "My colleagues and I were mesmerized once again. From her opening remarks, Dr Showalter, had the audience in the palm of her hands. What an uplifting and informative presentation. One that we will long remember. I would personally attend an event just to hear her keynote. After hearing her speak, I ordered her book and once again find myself captured by her poignant storytelling and could hear her voice in each page and sage of healing." Dr Beatrice Harris, MD ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hi Dr. Showalter, I have had the privilege of hearing you speak. What a joy, and how we enjoyed your wisdom and guidance. It was the best seminar our group has ever attended. I hope you will return soon. No matter what topic, we will sign up. You are amazing! * seminar participant * |
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“Dr. Showalter has had a profound impact in supporting thousands on their individual grief journey. Sherry's compassion, empathy and exquisite talent in seeing and hearing people where they are in their journey has been a special gift for the thousands of individuals she has supported and counseled. Many lives are better because of her work and support. Healing Heartaches, stories of Loss and Life will allow Sherry's special gifts to be shared with many (long overdue). Her special gift to walk beside those as they travel through their grief journey is unprecedented. Thank you Sherry!. " "Sherry is an exceptionally energetic and enthusiastic teacher/healer in the field of loss and grief… she accepted her calling and is invaluable to many”. Dr Showalter reminds us as caregivers, why we do what we do, that caregiving is hard work, energizes us and sends us back out, better than we ever thought we could be. Prepare to be acknowledged, validated, celebrated, refreshed and eager to caregive! Eileen Dohmann, RN, MBA, NEA-BC Vice-President Nursing Mary Washington Hospital Fredericksburg, Va. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “Dear Sherry, Squaw Woman, Healer of Souls, soother of troubled hearts.. The Gods must have sent you to me and my families, for you indeed make the part of living that is dying an unforgettable and deeply spiritual experience.” The Old Woman, Shirley, Arlington, VA. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Having attended seminars and keynotes most of my professional career, I had signed up to attend this one, figuring it would be just one more of the long list checked off! I was intrigued when a woman took the podium dressed rather colorfully in what I now know to be (A Cherokee Ribbon shirt) out matched only by her dark shades and winning smile. She introduced herself, and then immediately found herself in front of me, telling me I might want to loosen my tie! I laughed a bit, and did just that as she made her way back to the podium, and then quite remarkably she simultaneously proceeded to knock my socks off with a powerful seminar that got right to my brain and my heart with a powerful presentation that I will never forget! The Topic: The Cumulative Effects of a Grieving Workplace and its Costs. Thanks doc for all that you gave that day, my staff will be attending the next one. The book is great, thanks for the message you took the time to write, and I am telling all "Dr Showalter will hit you where you live, and on that you can be sure" (I left the tie with the good doc that day!) Robert Benson, CEO ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Quite simply, thank you Dr Showalter for your presentation at OPM in DC.. it has made a difference here within these walls of the Government offices and those who walk the halls and work so diligently. I can only hope that those who may read will HIRE YOU and also reap the benefits of your wisdom and your caring through such power in presenatation and call to action and gratitude you expressed to those who serve." M. Schwartz,USMC  |
