The University of Maine at Presque Isle will present educator and award-winning author Dr. Maureen Healy as the first speaker in its 2025-2026 Libra Distinguished Lecture Series on Thursday, Sept. 18 at 6 p.m. in the Campus Center. During her talk, Strengthening Student Resilience and Emotional Health, Dr. Healy will share insights and observations from her best-selling book, The Emotionally Healthy Child. This talk is being presented in partnership with the Central Aroostook Council on Education (CACE). The public is encouraged to attend this free event as well as enjoy a book signing and reception with light refreshments after the talk.
A leader in the field of children’s emotional health, Dr. Healy has a global background teaching and counseling children on the “how” of becoming emotionally healthy. She lived at the base of the Himalayas in 2007 and taught Tibetan refugee children. In subsequent years, she has spoken across Europe, Asia, and the Americas, helping adults gain a fresh perspective and positive strategies. In 2017, Dr. Healy co-founded the “World Happiness Summit,” for parents, teachers, and professionals, focused on children’s emotional health.
Her best-selling book, The Emotionally Healthy Child: Helping Children Calm, Center, and Make Smarter Choices, has a preface from His Holiness the Dalai Lama (New World Library, 2018) and gives adults the ideas they need to nurture positive emotional health in today’s children. Her prior book, Growing Happy Kids, focused on cultivating confidence and notably won several awards. Her latest book is The Happiness Workbook for Kids: 24 Fun Activities to Help Kids Focus, Make Smart Choices, and Bounce Back from Challenges. She regularly blogs at Psychology Today, reaching millions of adults worldwide.
Dr. Healy is traditionally trained in the field of child development and positive psychology. She holds a bachelor’s degree and a Master of Business Administration degree from Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts and completed her doctorate coursework in child clinical psychology from Fielding Graduate University in Santa Barbara, California. Additionally, she has authored a social and emotional learning (SEL) curriculum for K-8 students, which has been implemented in several independent schools.
Her work has been featured on TV, radio, and across all media outlets such as: Disney’s The Fatherhood Project with Hank Azaria, Scholastic, Parents magazine, PBS, Martha Stewart Living Radio, and television such as the CW’s San Diego Living as well as Happier TV with Tal Ben-Shahar.
The University’s Libra Distinguished Lecture Series was established in 1999. Each year, the LDLS Committee sponsors four to six speakers who come from Maine and beyond, representing a range of disciplines and viewpoints. While the emphasis tends to be on featuring visiting academics, it is not exclusively so. The speakers typically spend two days at the University meeting with classes and presenting a community lecture.
UMPI welcomes the campus and community to hear Healy speak on Sept. 18. For more information, about Dr. Healy’s books, visit growinghappykids.com. For more information about this event, contact Emma McNally at 207-768- 9520 or email emma.mcnally@maine.edu.