Dr. Joy DeGruy Leary in 2008

Dr. Joy DeGruy Leary expects to complete the publication of the Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome Workbook , to be made available in 2008!

In addition, Dr. DeGruy-Leary will be traveling throughout the country to various universities and conferences to commemorate the United States' bicentennial of the abolition of the Trans Atlantic Trade of Enslaved Africans.

Universities will include: Columbia University (TBC), University of Akron, Univ. of St. Thomas, St. Louis Community College, and many more. Details to follow in the coming weeks.

If you would like to invite Dr. DeGruy Leary to speak in your area, please contact us at info@joyleary.com

Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome

As a result of twelve years of quantitative and qualitative research Dr. Leary has developed her theory of Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome, a theory that explains the etiology of many of the adaptive survival behaviors in African American Communities throughout the United states and the Diaspora.

Respect Scale

Dr. Leary has also developed the African American Male Youth Respect Scale, a scale which measures the relationship between present and historical issues of respect in relationship to the use of violence among this population.

About the Book

Dr. Leary's book "Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome - America's Legacy of Enduring Injury and Healing" incorporates her research in both America and Africa, as well as her twenty years experience as a social work practitioner and consultant to public and private organizations.

In her book Dr. Leary first exposes the reader to the conditions that led to the Atlantic slave trade and allowed the pursuant racism and efforts at repression to continue through the present day. She then looks at the seemingly insurmountable obstacles that our ancestors faced as the result of the slave trade. Next she discusses the adaptive behaviors they developed, both positive and negative, that allowed them to survive and often even thrive. Dr. Leary concludes by reevaluating those adaptive behaviors that have been passed down through generations and where appropriate, she explores replacing behaviors which are today maladaptive with ones that will promote, ensure and sustain the healing and advancement of African American culture.