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About Our ITC Team

Bernhard Meissner
Email address: meissner@ispaweb.org
Bernhard Meissner is a retired school psychologist from Würzburg, Bavaria, Germany. Bernhard passed the first state exam for teachers at the Univeristy of Würzburg and the second state exam for teaching German, History and English in a “Gymnasium” in Nürnberg.  He abtained the diploma in psychology in Würzburg 6 years later and worked since then as one of the first school psychologists in Bavaria. He was been trained in Behaviour Therapy, for leading groups according to the Theme-Centred-Interaction (founded by Ruth Cohn) and for supervision and coaching.

He has trained school psychologists for 25 years after their first state exam in-service finishing with a state exam in Bavaria for teaching and working as a school psychologist.

His professional interests are school development, school safety, school crisis management, highly gifted children, and supervision and coaching. He was Treasurer in the Charter Executive Committee of the International School Psychology (ISPA) in 1982, since 1986 he served as its first Colloquium Coordinator till 1992. In 1987 he was the first chairperson of the newly founded Bavarian School Psychology Association (LBSP).

In 1999 the International Crisis Response Network was founded of which he was the first Co-Chair. Since 2005 he is the Chair of ISPA’s European Committee and since 2008 Director of ISPA’s European Training Centre.

He has written several articles and books.

Bernhard has organized the first training for school psychologists in school crisis intervention in Bavaria and been leader of intervention teams after the shooting in Erfurt, Germany and has been working with schools in many other critical incidents with schools since then.  He has organized and been part of the trainer group of many trainings for European school psychologists since 2003, funded by the COMENIUS programme of the EU

Bernhard is a honoraray member of ISPA and got the ISPA’s Distinguished Services Award in 1998.
 
He enjoys traveling, hiking and meeting colleagues. He is married and father of five.

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Dr. Shulamit Niv
Email address: nivms@netvision.net.il

Dr. Shulamit Niv  (F)  was born in  Israel and lives in Shavey-Zion ( western Galilee in the north of Israel). She is Married and has four children and five grandchildren.

She obtained her  B.A. degree in  Educational counseling Haifa University . Israel  1971, her  M.A. Degree in Clinical Psychology- J. F.Kennedy University Ca. U.S.A.in 1983, and  her Ph.D. degree in Human Behavior –Newport University ,U.S.A .1996

She is a Certified  trainer of Family and couple  Therapy since 2003 and ended her study in  Medical Psychology in 2003 Since 2003 she is a member of  ISPA .at the same year –a member  of the International Family Therapy organization .

She worked as a school counselor since 1971 and as a school psychologist since 1983.  In 1983 she joined the Israeli Education Ministry  Regional & National Emergency Team.

Since 1992 a member of  the community stress prevention center(CSPC ) in Kiryat –Shemona ( in the north of Israel).  She has trained and gave workshops guidance , and professional help (Helping the Helpers) to  school   psychologists, school counselors and social workers in Israel.

She has been treating terror-attacks victims and people who undergo other traumatic experiences.

She took part in Special projects-after disasters in the world:
2005-2006 Sri- Lanka - Post Tsunami Training for medical and Psychological helpers. As a member of a special  Helping the Helpers project.
 
Since 2004 she has been part of the  trainers' team of  EU and ISPA for crisis management in schools, organized by Mr. Bernhard Miessner, and had trained many school psychologists.
 
In 1999 -2000 , in  Istanbul –Turkey   . She trained  mental health professionals-Clinical and school psychologists  in crisis management and in post –trauma methods and skills ,following the great earthquake, in the project  “Hands “:( Helpers assisting natural disasters ).

In 1993-1995: Helping The Helpers in several countries of  former Yugoslavia as a  facilitator in UNICEF projects.

1992:Singapor Emergency Behavior Officer Project facilitator .(EBO)

1991-Intervention and treatment with Gulf war victims in Israel.
She had published articles about crisis managements.
Her main professional  interests are in school crisis management, treating trauma and post trauma victims .

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Dr. Yehuda Shacham
Email address: yshacham@netvision.net.il

Dr. Yehuda Shacham  (M)  was born in  Israel and lives in the Galilee in a small town  Karmiel.  Yehuda obtained his B.A. degree in psychology and educational counseling (1972) and his M.A. degree in social psychology,(1982), Tel Aviv University, Israel.

He received Ph.D. degree in Human Behavior Newport University Utah, USA, 1996.

In 1985 he was accepted as a member in Educational and the Medical Sections of the Israeli Psychological Association, as well as in the Israeli Association for Marital and Family Therapy. Since 2003 he is a certified trainer in marital and family therapy.

He worked as a an educational counselor and as school psychologist from 1979 till 1998 in the western Galilee and since 1980 is a Member of the Israeli Education Ministry regional & National Emergency Teams.

In  1990 he became a team member in the community stress prevention center(CSPC ) in Kiryat –Shemona in the north of Israel, and from 1992 till 1996 he served as the Deputy director of the CSPC.

His professional interests are crisis management and family therapy for bereaved and trauma affected families. He has written several articles and book chapters about crisis intervention and crisis management.

He took part as an helper for individuals, families, schools and communities following many terror attacks and other disasters in Israel and since 1990 trained numerous professionals and paraprofessionals in crisis intervention and management.

He took part in special project for empowering and training psychologists and other professionals following natural and man maid disasters: 1993-5 former Yugoslavia civil war, 1999-2000 post-earthquake Turkey, 1994-5 school hostages and massacre Beslan North Ossetia, 2005 post Tsunami Sri Lanka, 2006-2007 Mississippi USA Resilience Training for police & fire brigade following hurricane Katrina. 

Since 2004 he has been part of the trainers’ team of EU and ISPA for crisis management in schools, organized by Bernhard Miessner.

Yehuda is Married and has three children and two grand children. Since his first grandchild was born, he quitted practicing paragliding and now enjoys mountain biking and grandparenthood.

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William (Bill) Pfohl,  Psy.D. NCSP
Email address: billnasp@aol.com
Bill Pfohl is a Professor of Psychology at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Kentucky. He has trained school psychologists for 30 years. Bill obtained his bachelor and masters degree in school psychology from St. Bonaventure University in upstate New York. He received his Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) degree from Rutgers – The State University of New Jersey – Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology in 1979. He is a licensed psychologist in Kentucky, and a certified school psychologist in New York, New Jersey, and Kentucky. He is a Charter, Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP) sponsored by NASP.

His professional interests are school safety, school crisis intervention, and research on emotional intelligence in students. He was National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) President twice (1996-97 & 2005-06). He serves on NASP’s National Emergency Assistance Team (NEAT) since 1997, responding to school crises. He is currently Co-Chair of NEAT (2008-2010). He is currently the President-elect of the International School Psychology Association (ISPA) - (2007-09).  He has written several articles and a book chapter about crisis intervention.

Bill has trained school psychologists in school crisis intervention in the United States and internationally. Bill has led three NOVA sponsored crisis response teams in the United States. He has responded to numerous crises in Kentucky and his home region. He is the Senior Mental Health Coordinator for the Southcentral Kentucky Chapter of the American Red Cross.

Bill was awarded Rutgers University - Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology Alumni Peterson Prize for Outstanding Contributions to the field of professional psychology in 2000. He was also awarded the Joseph P. Cangemi Leadership in Psychology and Education Award in 2002 at Western Kentucky University. He is listed the Who’s Who in America – 60th Anniversary Edition (2005), as well as Who’s Who in Science and Engineering (2006).

He enjoys traveling, photography, technology, and jogging. He is married and father of three and has one grandchild.

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