Elaine Clanton Harpine, Ph.D., is a motivational psychologist specializing in group counseling and motivational program design. She has 34 years of experience designing and conducting motivational programs for children and youth. Dr. Clanton Harpine earned her doctorate in Educational Psychology, Counseling from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Dr. Clanton Harpine has published eight nonfiction books, including No Experience Necessary! which received an Award of Excellence in 1995 and was selected as one of the top five childrens books in its class. Other published childrens writings include a two volume series entitled, Come Follow Me, in 2001, a three-volume family series completed in 2003, and numerous articles for teenagers on peer pressure, coping with failure, alcohol abuse, parents, and suicide.
Dr. Clanton Harpine has been interviewed on local early morning TV and radio concerning her workshop "Communication for Married Couples" and has been interviewed on local university radio concerning her work with inner-city at-risk readers. Her research for the past five years has focused on using group-centered motivational interventions with at-risk readers in a motivational efficacy retraining program. Dr. Clanton Harpine designed the motivational reading program called, Camp Sharigan, which she has used extensively in her work and research during the past five years.
She is currently teaching Group Therapy and Counseling and Human Growth and Development at the University of South Carolina Aiken and is continuing her research with group-centered interventions and at-risk readers. She was selected for inclusion in Whos Who of American Women, 2006 and 2007, for her work with children in inner-city neighborhoods.