The Importance of Family Dinners on Wellness

Anne Fishel
Executive Director and co-founder of The Family Dinner Project

Anne Fishel is a family therapist, clinical psychologist and Associate Clinical Professor of Psychology at the Harvard Medical School. She is Director of the Family and Couples Therapy Program at Massachusetts General Hospital, where she trains child and adult psychiatry residents and psychology interns in family therapy. She has published numerous scholarly articles and chapters about family issues, and has also written family-oriented articles for NPR, PBS, Washington Post, and other media outlets. She is the author of three books: A Life-Cycle Approach to Treating Couples: From Dating to Death (Momentum Press, 2018); Home for Dinner: Mixing Food, Fun, and Conversation for a Happier Family and Healthier Kids (Harper Collins, 2015) and Treating the Adolescent in Family Therapy: A Developmental and Narrative Approach (Rowman and Littlefield, 1999). She lectures widely at academic conferences, medical Grand Rounds, and to parent and teacher groups. She has been featured in media articles, radio shows, and TV appearances, including NYT, CNN, ABC news, Web MD, and NPR. She is the mother of two young adult sons who are better and more adventurous cooks than their mother.

Kristin Young, LICSW
Clinical Director for Herren Project

Kristin is currently the Director of Clinical Services for Herren Project. Completing her Master’s in Social Work from Boston University in 2009, she has worked in the field of mental health and addictive disorders for 18 years. Kristin’s past experience includes working with individuals with chronic and severe mental health issues and co-occurring disorders. She also has experience working in mental health centers and recovery residences. Kristin specializes in addiction and recovery, trauma and chronic mental health issues.