Patricia Fennell

Patricia A. Fennell, MSW, LCSW-R is the creator of the Fennell Four Phase Model for understanding and treating chronic medical and mental health conditions, trauma, and the effects of crime. She lectures on these topics at professional conferences, community meetings and in the media, and has written several books and numerous articles in the lay and professional press.

She is CEO of [http://www.albanyhealthmanagement.com Albany Health Management Associates, Inc.] , in Albany, N.Y., an organization that provides counseling and case management for patients, offenders, and victims; consulting and education for employers; professional training for clinicians; and collaborative research, including that using the Fennell Phase Inventory.

Work In Chronic Illness

Ms. Fennell is best known for her work with chronic illness, most notably chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia, as well as multiple sclerosis, cancer, trauma and other conditions. The Fennell Four Phase Model (FFPM) and Fennell Four Phase Treatment (FFPT™) model for understanding and treating chronic conditions have been translated into several languages and are used by clinicians, researchers, and patients worldwide. [Van Hoof, E., Coomans, D., Cluydts, R. Association Between Fennell Phase Inventory Scores and Immune and RNase - L Parameters in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Journal of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. 2005;12(2).] [Van Hoof, E., Coomans, D., Cluydts, R., De Meirleir, K. The Fennell Phase Inventory in a Belgian Sample. Journal of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. 2004;12(1):53-69.] [Jason, L.A., Fricano,. G., Taylor, R.R., Halpert, J., and Fennell, P.A., Klein, S., Levine, S. (2000). Chronic fatigue syndrome: an examination of the phases. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 56(12):1497-1508.] [Jason, L. A., and Fennell, P. A., Taylor, R. R., Fricano, G., Halpert, J., An Empirical Verification of the Fennell Phases of the CFS Illness; Journal of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Vol. 6 N.1, 2000, p. 47-56.] [Jason, L. A. and Fennell, P. A., Klein, S., Fricano, G., Halpert, J., An Investigation of the Different Phases of the CFS Illness; Journal of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Vol. 5, 1999 No. 3/4, 35-53.] [Morris, Jeff (July, 2008). Strategies for Lifestyle Modification: Incorporating Age Management medicine Best Practices, [http://www.agemed.org/default.asp?page=MorrisLifestyleModificationStrategiesJuly08 e-Journal of Age Management Medicine] .]

She has authored three books on chronic illness: "The Chronic Illness Workbook" [ Fennell, P.A. The Chronic Illness Workbook: Strategies and Solutions for Taking Back Your Life. Second Edition. Albany Health Management Publishing, Albany, NY: 2006.] , "Managing Chronic Illness Using the Four-Phase Treatment Approach" [Fennell, P.A. Managing Chronic Illness: The Four Phase Approach. John Wiley and Sons Inc., New York: 2003.] , and "Handbook of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome" [ Jason, LA, Fennell, P.A., Taylor, R. (editors), Handbook of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fatiguing Illnesses] . John Wiley and Sons Inc., New York: 2003.] , as well as numerous [http://albanyhealthmanagement.com/fennell/articles.html scholarly and lay press articles] .

In 2008, she authored the chapter on "Chronic Illness" for the "Encyclopedia of Social Work" published by Oxford University Press [Encyclopedia of Social Work, Twentieth Edition. Eds.: Terry Mizrahi and Larry E. Davis, Oxford University Press, 2008.]

Work With Crime Victims and Perpetrators

Ms. Fennell regularly consults and lectures on the subjects of forensics, restorative justice, domestic violence, and trauma. She serves as an advisor to the [http://www.advocateprogram.com/aacjp/ American Association of Community Justice Professionals] and lectures with David Kaczynski, brother of the Unabomber, and Gary Wright, one of the Unabomber's victims, on trauma associated with crime. Her FFPT Certification Program is offered through The Advocate Program/American Association of Community Justice Professionals; it teaches individuals who work with trauma survivors to use FFPT principles to help clients solve problems and create positive change. [Rice, J.S. and Fennell, P.A. (2008). Integrating Fennell's Four Phase Treatment Model Within Restorative Justice Practices to Address Trauma's Aftermath. Justice Connections. Issue 6, Summer 2008, pp. 1, 13-15.]

Prior work includes developing and supervising the patient suspicious death reporting system and providing data and assistance to the medical examiner for the New York State Governor's Commission on Quality of Care for the Mentally Disabled. She has provided assessment, treatment, and consultation for sex offenders; victims and families in situations involving domestic violence, incest, and assault; and school-based sex crimes in the Capitol Region of New York. In this work, she has collaborated closely with the social services, law enforcement, and probation and parole. She has also served on rape crisis boards and with school districts as a sex abuse liaison.

Work In Higher Education

Ms. Fennell also collaborates with [http://snl.depaul.edu/StudentResources/TheChronicIllnessIni/index.asp DePaul University's Chronic Illness Initiative] on issues related to serving college and university students with chronic conditions. A training program led by administrators and faculty of DePaul and Albany Health Management Associates teaches educational institutions how to develop policies and deliver services to students with chronic illness. The program is based on the FFPT model of chronic illness and DePaul's Chronic Illness Initiative support services model. [Royster L, Fennell P. Policy/Service/Troubleshooting: A three-pronged, integrated approach to chronic illness management for higher education institutions. Fourth Annual Chronic Illness and Postsecondary Education Symposium; DePaul University, May 2008. DePaul University: The Chronic Illness Initiative.] [Royster L, Fennell P. Working With Students With Chronic Illness: A Problem-Solving Clinic. Fourth Annual Chronic Illness and Postsecondary Education Symposium; DePaul University, May 2008. DePaul University: The Chronic Illness Initiative.]

Work in Death, Dying and Hospice

Ms. Fennell's early career work in the New York hospice system influenced her development of the Fennell Four-Phase model. She found that the experiences of chronic illness patients were somewhat different than those of her hospice patients and families, to whom the Kübler-Ross model of death and dying was most applicable. From this understanding, the Four-Phase model was born and subsequently validated in the research setting.

In addition, she revamped the hospice volunteer system into a team-based system which combined professionals with lay volunteers. This work was presented at national and New York state-wide conferences.

Consulting

Ms. Fennell has been sought as a consultant for her expertise in chronic medical conditions, death and dying, and trauma related to medical conditions, crime, war, and other negative imposed change.

She works regularly with the criminal justice and restorative justice communities; the American Association of Community Justice Professionals and the Advocate Program; DePaul University's Chronic Illness Initiative; and as a health care expert through DeMatteo Monness' Consultant Network.

Previously, Ms. Fennell has served on a Fortune 150 health care innovation advisory board; an allied health care advisory committee for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); a peer review board for the American Pain Society; the editorial board of the "Journal of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome"; the board of directors of the [http://www.iacfsme.org International Association for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and ME] ; the medical advisory board of the National Fibromyalgia Association; and the medical advisory panel for the Fibromyalgia Support Group for Surrey and Sussex, U.K. In May 2007, Ms. Fennell was invited to present her work to the U.S. Secretary of Health's [http://www.hhs.gov/advcomcfs/index.html chronic fatigue syndrome advisory committee] .

Education

Ms. Fennell received her master's degree in social work from the State University of New York at Albany and completed one year of doctoral training at the university. She received her bachelor of arts in sociology from the College of St. Rose, also in Albany, N.Y.

References

For Further Reading

[http://www.albanyhealthmanagement.com Albany Health Management Associates, Inc.]

[http://www.patriciafennell.com Patricia Fennell Website]

[http://chronicillnessworkbook.com The Chronic Illness Workbook]

[http://www.albanyhealthmanagement.com/books/mcibook.html Managing Chronic Illness: The Four Phase Approach]

[http://www.albanyhealthmanagement.com/books/handbook.html Handbook of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fatiguing Illnesses]