Rita  Battat  Silverman

The Authors

Rita Battat Silverman has a BA in psychology from Texas Wesleyan University and resides in New York City. She has been a life coach for over 30 years. She also works as a talent manager and freelance literary agent. Ms. Silverman knows firsthand what it is like to grow up as a “replacement child,” having been born 18 months after the death of her 14-year-old brother. The realization of the impact on her life came to her as an adult during a chance conversation. Upon exploring the subject for many years, she realized that there was a serious lack of consciousness about this experience and the impact it has on a family. 

Abigail Brenner, MD, attended New York Medical College, becoming a physician in 1977. She completed her internship and residency in psychiatry at New York University–Bellevue Medical Center in 1981, is board certified, and is a Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. Dr. Brenner is the author of three books—Transitions: How Women Embrace Change and Celebrate Life, SHIFT: How to Deal When Life Changes, and Life Matters: Stories of Transition, Healing, and Hope—and coauthor of The Essential Guide to Baby’s First Year. In addition, she has written several articles, is a guest on radio and television, and writes a monthly blog for Psychology Today.