Dr. Erbacher-Duff is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the School Psychology Program at PCOM. A New England native, Dr. Erbacher-Duff moved to New York to pursue her B.A. degree from Hofstra University before relocating to Philadelphia, where she received both her M.Ed. and Ph.D. degrees in School Psychology from Temple University.
As a Certified School Psychologist and Licensed Psychologist, Dr. Erbacher-Duff has worked as a full-time School Psychologist for the Delaware County Intermediate Unit (DCIU) since 2000. She has taught previously at both Temple and Widener Universities and is happy to have joined the PCOM faculty in 2007. Dr. Erbacher-Duff’s specific population and program expertise include counseling high school students, learning disabilities, early intervention, supervision of School Psychology Interns and mentoring first year psychologists and counselors. Dr. Erbacher-Duff is extensively trained in crisis management, including Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) and is a Trainer of Trainers for NASP’s PRePARE Model of Crisis Prevention, Intervention and Recovery in Schools. She is an American Association of Suicidology Certified School Suicide Prevention Specialist and is also certificated as a Specialist in Grief and Traumatic Loss.
Dr. Erbacher-Duff currently holds the position of Board President for the Philadelphia Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and is previous Chair of the Delaware County Suicide Prevention Task Force.Dr. Erbacher-Duff created and is the editor of a suicide prevention newsletter that has reached readers throughout Pennsylvania and beyond. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of Survivor of Suicide as their Chief Scientific Advisor and was most recently asked to serve on the Executive Committee of the Pennsylvania Youth Suicide Prevention Initiative. Dr. Erbacher-Duff also serves on the School Communications Committee for the Pennsylvania Psychological Association.
As suicide prevention is a particular area of research interest, Dr. Erbacher-Duff has written many articles and given multiple in-service presentations, seminars, and keynote speeches on this topic, reaching out to teachers, school administration, parents and the community, as well as those bereaved by suicide. As part of the county crisis team, Dr. Erbacher-Duff has been called to local districts in Delaware County to work with staff and students in the aftermath of suicide and runs grief support groups for students who have suffered loss. Due to her expertise and dedication to suicide prevention efforts, Dr. Erbacher-Duff was the recipient of both the 2007 Survivors of Suicide Award and the 2010 Delaware County Suicide Prevention Task Force Award. Dr. Erbacher-Duff has also been awarded Pennsylvania's School Psychologist of the Year Award for 2011 from the Pennsylvania Association of School Psychologists.
As health psychology (mind-body relationships) is also an important facet of Dr. Erbacher’-Duff's practice both professionally and personally, it is integral for her to maintain balance. She therefore is a certified Pilates instructor and also enjoys and finds time for many outdoor activities including kayaking, backpacking, running, and traveling extensively.
Radio Interview
Voices in the Family on NPR/WHYY with Dr. Dan Gottlieb. Podcast available at: http://www.whyy.org/91FM/voices.html
Selected Publications:
Erbacher, T. (2011, June) In the ether, Out of biew: Cyberbullying and Suicide Risk. The Pennsylvania Psychologist, 71(6), 23-25.
Erbacher, T. (2010, May-June). Tenn suicide and suicide clusters: A community-health problem. Delware County Medical Society Journal, Delaware County, PA. Online: http://delcomedsoc.org/features/may-june10/Teen_Suicide_for_SCMS.pdf
Erbacher, T. (2010, March). I never thought this would happen! How to help teens deal with suicide grief. Pennsylvania Psychological Association News. Online: http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs050/1100463481128/archive/1103173997917.html#LETTER.BLOCK10.
Erbacher, T.A. (2003, February). Parental spanking: Should it be illegal? The Pennsylvania School Psychologist Quarterly, 19-20.
Erbacher, T.A. & Hyman, I.A. (2005, October). Corporal Punishment. In S.W. Lee (Ed.), Encyclopedia of School Psychology (pp. 120-122). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Erbacher, T. & Salvatore, T. (2009). Suicide loss: What teens need to know – Self-help for young people who have lost a family member or friend to suicide. Booklet published by, and with, funds from a grant provided by the Delaware County Intermediate Unit, Morton, PA.
Erbacher, T., Tomes, Y.I., Czarnecki, T., Gilmartin, C., Ryder, D., Thammavongsa, V., Watson, E. & Webb, L. (2009). The other diversity: The cost of being GLBTQ in America’s health/mental healthcare. In J.L. Chin (Ed.), Volume Set: Diversity in mind and in action. Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers.
Fiorello, C.A., Hyman, I., Rosenfeld, J.G., Erbacher, T., Agresta, J., & Altschuler, K. (1999, Winter). School Psychology and the clinical/medical model: Tales of dinosaurs and straw men. Trainer’s Forum: Periodical of the Trainers of School Psychology, 17(2), 1-5.
Hyman, I.A., Cavallo, F., Erbacher, T.A., Spangler, J., & Stafford III, J.J. (1997, Fall). Corporal punishment in America: Cultural wars in politics, religion and science. Children’s Legal Rights Journal, 17(4), 36-46.
Selected Presentations:
Erbacher, T. (2011, November). Paving the way: Toward a county-wide approach of suicide prevention. Presentation to Philadelphia Behavioral Health, Philadelphia, PA
Erbacher, T. (2011, April). Ethical Suicide Risk Assessment: Initial Interviews & Monitoring Suicidality. Seminar presented to the Delaware COunty Association of School Psychologists, PA
Erbacher, T. (2011, March). The Elephant in the Room: Practical Strategies for Clinicians Dealing with Suicide Greif in Teens and Adolescents. A full-day workshop presented at Widener University's Post Graduate Center, Chester, PA.
Erbacher, T. (2010, May). You are a lifesaver: Suicide prevention and awareness for school staff. In-service presentation to Delaware County Student Assistance Team Members and Providers, PA.
Erbacher, T.A. (2008, November). Suicidal risk assessment. Psychiatry Grand Rounds continuing education presentation at Princeton House Behavioral Health, Princeton, NJ.
Erbacher, T.A. (2008, November). Teen groups for the suicide bereaved. Presentation for the Delaware County Suicide Prevention and Awareness Task Force (DCSPATF) 5th Annual Symposium on Suicide: A community-wide health problem, Drexel Hill, PA.
Erbacher, T.A. (2007, November). To be a lifesaver: A comprehensive understanding of youth suicidal risk assessment. Presentation for the Rovinsky Family Lectureship at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Philadelphia, PA.
Erbacher, T.A. (2000, August). Cross cultural perspectives on corporal punishment: Methodological issues. Paper presented at the 2000 Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association (APA), Washington D.C.
Erbacher, T. & Gilmartin, C. (2010, May). Bullying, cyber-bullying and teen suicide risk. In-service presentation to Interboro School District teachers and staff, Delaware County, PA.
Erbacher, T. & Salvatore, T. (2010). Suicide prevention 101: What teens need to know. Presentation to Delaware County High School in the aftermath of a suicide, Delaware County, PA.
Erbacher, T.A., Thammavongsa, N.V., Ryder, D.M., & Watson, E. (2008, February). Cultural competence and suicidal youth: Intervening sensitively with this preventable, community health problem. Symposium presentation at Teachers College of Columbia University’s 25th Annual Winter Roundtable on Cultural Psychology and Education, New York, NY.
Fakinos, M., Halkias, D., Serafidou, J., Eisenstein, J., Erbacher, T., & Hyman, I. (2001, May). Corporal punishment as means of discipline: Experiences and attitudes of Greece in 2000. Paper presented at the 8th Panhellenic Psychological Conference, Alexandroupolis Conference, Alexandroupolis, Greece.
Hyman, I.A., Erbacher, T.A., Eisenstein, J.M., Stafford, J.J., Swoszowski-Tran, K., Grant, T.T., Curran, K, & Strauss, M. (2000, August). Cross cultural perspectives on corporal punishment and abusive discipline. Symposium presented at the 2000 Annual International Convention of the American Psychological Association (APA), Washington D.C.
