Episode 90: Odelya Gertel Kraybill​, PhD

Odelya is a trauma survivor who became a therapist, trainer, facilitator and consultant with over a decade of experience working with survivors and aid workers in locations of conflict and trauma.  She has worked for the UN, governmental institutions, and NGOs in the US, Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Asia.

Odelya focused on trauma studies in three graduate studies programs, earning a Master of Arts in Conflict Transformation as a Fulbright scholar at Eastern Mennonite University, a Masters in Expressive Therapies at Lesley University, and a PhD in which she researched efficacy of strategies for mitigating secondary traumatic stress in aid workers, also at Lesley.

In her practice she works primarily in an expressive therapies modality, supported by wholistic approaches to trauma integration, especially nutritional awareness and sensory integration.

Before relocating to the Washington, DC area with her husband and twin sons in April, 2015, Odelya resided in the Philippines, Lesotho and Israel. 

In addition to training and consulting for organizations, government agencies, and individuals in these and other locations, she has provided expressive eTherapy by phone and Skype to aid and development workers worldwide.

Her personal self-care interests include parenting, reading, dancing, music, puzzles, yoga and meditation, cooking, and movies.  For more on herwork as a trainer, consultant, and writer on stress and trauma-related topics, see her website on Expressive Trauma Integration at www.eti.training.