Ellie Henkind Katz

Shoeva Village, Israel

Dr. Ellie Katz is a leading practitioner of holistic psychotherapy. For the last forty years, her eclectic interventions have featured innovative approaches to using meditation, guided thinking and the Bach Flower Remedies. Dr. Katz has lectured at Einstein/Montefiore Medical Center, the University of Istanbul, First Beijing Medical Center, and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. She has been a senior staff member at the Retorno rehab facility since 2003.

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Primary book

Finding Phoebe

Phoebe Carasso got through high school in silence. She had a serious speech impediment; in social situations, she was given to stuttering. When he could, Phoebe’s twin brother, David, saved the day by serving as her spokesman. For the most part, however, their fellow students and teachers knew not to badger her. Now in college, with David studying out of state, Phoebe has no choice but to change her modus operandi. Though it isn’t easy, for the first time in her life, she makes friends and takes risks. Her world used to be defined entirely by her small, Sephardic New York family. Now, it expands through new encounters that cross cultures, nationalities, and life experiences. On a journey of self-discovery, Phoebe learns how to field increasingly complex situations, going from someone who observes life from the shadows to an active participant. This vibrant coming-of-age story will leave readers embracing the idea that change is possible.

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Meet the author

Five questions with Ellie

01What inspired you to write your book?: I am inspired by the idea of change. All of my books, both fiction and nonfiction, are about personal progress. This is a notion that can sometimes be daunting, but I try to use examples that encourage my readers to be interested, eager, and curious to learn how change will come about and what it will entail.
02Which aspects of Jewish life and culture did you incorporate into your book?: There are always some Jewish characters, but there's a wide range. Some are devout, some are just beginning to explore their ancestry. Some are Ashkenazi Goldbergs from Brooklyn, and some are survivors of the Greek island of Thessaloniki. Irrespective of their personal differences, there is a common thread: They all identify as Jews. That sense of identity is what is most important to me.
03If you could spend a day with someone you admire, living or dead, who would it be and why?: People have asked me this before. My reply is always the same: George Gershwin, who died before he turned forty. I fell in love the first time I heard Rhapsody in Blue, and I wish we could know what else he would have written.
04What message or value do you hope readers will take away from your book?: I hope readers take away a burning desire to read another one of my books! My message, on the other hand, is that change is always possible.