3 Docs Press Eleanor Gil-Kashiwabara, Psy.D., Shayna Brody Whitehouse, Ph.D., Erika Qualls Laing, Psy.D.

ELEANOR GIL-KASHIWABARA, PSY.D. Eleanor is the proud mother of two inspiring and energetic girls, ages 12 and 6. She has been a licensed psychologist since 2004, after completing her pre and postdo...view moreELEANOR GIL-KASHIWABARA, PSY.D. Eleanor is the proud mother of two inspiring and energetic girls, ages 12 and 6. She has been a licensed psychologist since 2004, after completing her pre and postdoctoral training at Oregon Health and Science University, Child Development and Rehabilitation Center in Portland, Oregon. She has worked in the mental health field, however, for over 20 years. The daughter of two social workers, Eleanor was somewhat born into the human services field. Some of her own experiences in childhood and adolescence, including being bullied, helped her to appreciate the potential impact of critical events in childhood and adolescence, and inspired a passion for child and adolescent psychology. Eleanor is currently a Research Associate Professor at Portland State University. In her professional work, she has especially focused on addressing the need for culturally responsive mental health services, conducting psychological evaluations with Latino/a children and adolescents and working with tribal communities for over 10 years related to infrastructure development for the implementation of culturally specific mental health systems. She is a former President of the Oregon Psychological Association and co-founded their Diversity Committee 10 years ago. An important component of the books created by 3 Docs Press is the presence of characters from ethnic and racially diverse backgrounds (as well as other forms of diversity), allowing all children to see characters that they can identify with. As a Latina, a psychologist, and a mom of two girls of mixed racial and ethnic backgrounds, such representation of diverse characters in children's books is important both personally and professionally. In her free time, Eleanor can be found in the yoga studio or on an early morning run, having cafecito with a close girlfriend, catching up on the latest fashion/make-up/style trends, getting out in the sun (whenever it comes out in Portland) and being an enthusiastic chauffeur to her active girls. SHAYNA BRODY WHITEHOUSE, PH.D. Shayna is the proud mother of two boys, a teen and a tween. They have taught her more about child development and social skills than gaining her psychology degree! She has been a school psychologist since 2002 when she finished her Ph.D. She has worked in the schools, in private practice and as a professor in a school psychology graduate program. She chose this field when she was in college in Cleveland and volunteered as a tutor in the public schools. This experience fueled her passion to work with children and adolescents and help them feel safe and connected in school, confident in their abilities to develop meaningful friendships, and hopeful in their future. In her interactions with families, children, educators, and her own children, she has learned of the difficult social challenges in our changing world that children encounter. Their experiences propel her desire to create these stories and discussion tools. The books and companion guides are designed to help families, educators and children to connect and discuss the challenges we face, the decisions we make, and the strength we gain when we work through problems. In her free time, you might find her skiing, hiking or spending time in the mountains with her kids and husband. ERIKA QUALLS LAING, PSY.D. Erika is the happy, frazzled, amused, and exhausted mother of 9-year-old and 11-year-old boys. She is also a psychologist who has worked in the field for 20 plus years. Erika has various clinical experience ranging the life span from very young children to older adults. She currently works with the geriatric population. Erika received her Master's Degree and Doctorate from Pacific University in Portland, Oregon. She completed her internship and postdoctoral work in Georgia, where she worked with a diverse range of populations, including private practice, group, and hospital settings. In 2007, Erika and her growing family moved to Lafayette, Colorado. Once the boys started elementary school, Erika noticed that despite their best efforts, the schools were not always able to meet the social-emotional needs of the students. Watching her own boys grow and based on her own knowledge of child development, Erika decided to team up with Shayna, a child school psychologist, and Eleanor, a psychologist friend from graduate school, to try to address these issues.....from a unique perspective... as parents and psychologists. And thus, ...3 Docs Press was born! In Erika's free time, you might find her carpooling her boys from place to place, watching movies, hiking, reading, writing, and creating art of any kind.view less