About |
Constance Scharff, PhD, founder and director of The Human Resilience Project, is an award-winning author, explorer, and passionate advocate for global mental health. She leads expeditions to some of the world’s most remote regions to study resilience among indigenous and frequently marginalized groups, to enhance mental health practices. Dr. Scharff’s research spotlights transcultural behaviors, focusing on the use of music, community connection, ritual, and storytelling in indigenous and community mental health contexts.
Dr. Scharff is passionate about her work, giving keynote addresses and providing educational programs for groups worldwide. She enjoys speaking with the press and engaging in public education about mental health and the practices we can all use to improve our wellbeing.
As a transdisciplinary scholar, Dr. Scharff integrates diverse perspectives and scholarly disciplines to address complex questions. Sometimes called the “Indiana Jones of mental health,” her fieldwork takes her across mountain ranges, jungles, and deserts to engage with communities often overlooked in mainstream discourse. Beyond geographical exploration, she investigates inner journeys, using storytelling and narrative, and studying ritual and community connections in specific cultural contexts, to promote mental wellbeing.
Dr. Scharff’s extensive research tours include expeditions to India, Kenya, Tanzania, Scotland, Australia, Tibet, Nepal, Hawaii, South Africa, Namibia, Zambia, Israel, Peru, Morocco, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Costa Rica, Indonesia, England, Romania, Turkey, Ecuador, and New Zealand. These journeys deepen her insights into traditional healing practices and indigenous ontologies, crucial for advancing complementary mental health approaches globally.
Dr. Scharff holds a PhD in Transformative Studies, specializing in radically transformative personal experience. She is an author, educator, and speaker, dedicated to helping individuals worldwide overcome trauma and addiction. She regularly provides training through workshops and keynote addresses, to broaden the scope of mental health practice and provide opportunities for care for many who are left out of the healing process.
Dr. Scharff believes that writing popular press books is one of the best ways to reach the widest audience. Her recently released novel, The Path to God’s Promise, challenges the reader to redefine their “brokenness” to become trailblazers in the lives they dream of. This book explores themes of faith, self-determination, and environmental consciousness. Dr. Scharff’s nonfiction published works include Rock to Recovery: Music as a Catalyst for Human Transformation, recipient of a National Indie Excellence Award, a GOLD Award in the Nonfiction Book Awards, and an Award of Distinction in the 28th Communicator Awards. Her Amazon #1 bestseller, Ending Addiction for Good, and the award-winning poetry collection, Meeting God at Midnight, reflect her commitment to transformative healing.
Research underpins all of Dr. Scharff’s writing and advocacy. In her role as primary investigator for The Human Resilience Project, Dr. Scharff shares evidence-based, complementary mental health strategies globally, advocating for improved mental health outcomes and reduced stigma associated with addiction and trauma. She received St. Lawrence University’s Sol Feinstone Humanitarian Award in 2019 for her dedicated advocacy and impactful contributions to mental health, trauma, and substance use issues.