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Ellis Amdur received his BA in psychology from Yale University in 1974 and his MA in psychology from Seattle University in 1990. He is both a National Certified Counselor and a State Certified Child Mental Health Specialist. Since the late 1960s, Amdur trained in various martial arts systems, spending thirteen years studying in Japan. He is a recognized expert in classical and modern Japanese martial traditions and has authored three iconoclastic books as well as one instructional DVD on this subject. Since his return to America in 1988, Ellis Amdur has worked in the field of crisis intervention. He has developed a range of training and consultation services, as well as a unique style of assessment and psychotherapy. These are based on a combination of phenomenological psychology and the underlying philosophical premises of classical Japanese martial traditions. Amdur's professional philosophy can best be summed up in this idea: the development of an individual's integrity and dignity is the paramount virtue. This can only occur when people live courageously, regardless of the circumstances, and take responsibility for their roles in making the changes they desire. Ellis Amdur is a dynamic public speaker and trainer who presents his work throughout the United States and internationally. He is noted for his sometimes outrageous humor as well as his profound breadth of knowledge. His vivid descriptions of aggressive and mentally ill people and his true-to-life role playing of the behaviors in question give participants an almost firsthand experience of facing the real individuals in question. His books are considered unique in that he uses his own experiences, often hair-raising or outrageous, as illustrations of the principles about which he writes, but it is also backed by solid research, and boots-on-the-ground experience. After graduating from the University of Pittsburgh with an undergraduate degree in psychology, Alan began working for the Allegheny County Adult Probation Department, Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, in 1991. The first 15 years of his career were spent supervising a 'regular' caseload in a regional field office, before becoming a supervisor in March of 2006. In the fall of 2007 Alan returned to school and obtained a Master of Science degree in the Administration of Justice and Security from the University of Phoenix. In addition to his work in the field of Probation and Parole, Alan has also been studying, practicing, and teaching a number of martial arts and self-defense courses since 1984. Over the years Alan has achieved masters rank in Tae Kwon Do, a Korean art, and godan rank in Aikido, a Japanese art that he currently studies and teaches. In fact, Alan first met Ellis at his Aikido dojo in Pittsburgh some years ago, when Ellis was presenting a martial arts seminar there. Noting the similarities of both their professional and self-defense backgrounds Ellis and Alan maintained contact over the years. When Ellis approached him about co-authoring this book, Alan eagerly accepted the opportunity to meld Ellis' dynamic approach to mental illness and de-escalation with the very real personal and public safety concerns of today's Probation and Parole Officers.
"As a probation and parole officer for twenty six years I can say with authority this manual is essential reading for anyone working in the criminal justice field. A lot of practical psychology coupled with no nonsense safety strategies. The authors share their decades of experience ""in the trenches"" de-escalating volatile situations and interacting with potentially dangerous offenders with skill and poise. There were officers I worked with who seemed able to calm any storm, and others who created storms which we got drawn into. The difference was not so much personalities as it was skills, and this book highlights these skills with clarity and authority. Such a comprehensive and extremely practical manual - I only wish I read it at the beginning rather than end of my career. - Tom Collings"
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