Lennis G. Echterling, Ph.D. is a Professor of Psychology at James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Virginia, where he serves as Director of Counseling Psychology. Early in his doctorate training at Purdue University, he helped organize a volunteer telephone hotline and crisis center. Later, when tornadoes swept through the Midwest in April 1974, he worked as a disaster outreach volunteer. Since his graduation, Dr. Echterling has continued to do crisis intervention work, training, and research. He has helped design and implement programs to help communities respond to disasters and catastrophes that have occurred in various parts of the country. For 19 years, Dr. Echterling has been a member of a volunteer team that offers support to fire fighters, law enforcement officers, and emergency medical service providers. Following the 9/11 attacks, he worked as a Red Cross volunteer with survivors at the Pentagon.

Dr. Echterling received the 2002 Counseling Vision and Innovation Award from the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision. He is also the recipient of the James Madison Distinguished Faculty Award, presented by the JMU Alumni Association. He has offered numerous presentations and workshops at local, state, regional, national and international conferences. His books include "Crisis Intervention: Promoting Resilience and Resolve in Troubled Times" and "Ideas and Tools for Brief Counseling," both published by Prentice Hall, and "Thriving! A Manual for Students in the Helping Professions," published by Houghton Mifflin.