Theresa Sareo Public Speaking Lectures
"She is an inspiration for a generation of people, myself included.
The mettle of an individual cannot be judged when things are going well, only when things are not.
She is way above the curve."
Dr. H. Leon Pachter, Chief of Surgery at NYU School of Medicine/
Former Trauma Chief at Bellevue Hospital Center
"We should all hear her story and realize what is truly important in our daily lives."
Bebe Winkler, NY Interior Designer
"I was struck by her incredible strength, warmth and passion...her story, voice and songs
blew me away"
Fran Fracassi, Jacoby Medical Center
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Theresa Sareo - singer, songwriter, survivor - aims to show audiences how she uses art and self-expression to deal with adversity, life's challenges and personal growth. By sharing her story and her music, Theresa demonstrates how she moves through the various stages of trauma survival, coping with loss and how her experience can help teach, heal and inspire.
Theresa offers her personal story to audiences in order to:
- Broaden their understanding of what trauma recovery is
- Broaden their understanding of what disability is
- Build on life tools such as courage, perseverance and humility
- Heighten the health care professional's overall awareness
as to provide support and
effective therapeutic intervention
- Broaden the health care professional's ability to better communicate with patients;
how to listen and ask questions
- Provide a powerful example of how
to deal with life challenges by focusing on one's
sense of purpose
- Encourage the listener to engage in the grieving processes and seek the help they need
- Emphasize how giving back to community enhances one's ability to cope
- Convey the messages of drinking and driving and taking responsibility for one's actions
Theresa has appeared on television shows including Larry King Live and Law and Order, in publications including New York Magazine and the NY Post, and has spoken to the School of Visual Arts Graduate Art Therapy Program; to medical staff and students at NY's Bellevue Hospital's departments of Psychiatry, Psychology, Social Work, Trauma, and Rehabilitation Medicine; at NYU's School of Medicine's Patient Narrative Course; at the New York City Health and Hospital Corporation Exhibit "Creative Healing; Beyond Words," co-sponsored by City Hall, to the Disabled Students Department at Brooklyn's College of Technology, for the Delaware State Council of Emergency Nurses' Association, and at the Jacobi Medical Center Trauma Symposium in the Bronx. She is also a regular speaker/performer for the Dept. of Education's ELS (English as a second language) schools.
Theresa is also a well-known supporter and visitor of wounded troops throughout the country. She is a regular invited guest speaker/performer at military conventions and bases including Forts Hamilton, Monmouth, Bragg, Lee, Eustis and the Fighting 69th. She recently made history as the only civilian to sing the National Anthem at Walter Reed Army Hospital for their 100th Anniversary Celebration and is featuring wounded soldier Joel Tavera and the James A. Haley VA Hospital, which is the largest TBI (traumatic brain injury) center in the country, in her upcoming documentary film: Theresa Sareo: Alive Again.
She is certified by the Amputee Coalition of America's Peer Visitation Training Division, and has created the Amputee Support Program at Bellevue Hospital in New York City where she functions as a peer counselor to support individuals and families affected by traumatic injury.
Contact Theresa for more information on her lecture performances at Sareo222@aol.com