Erik Kolbell is a writer, psychotherapist, and ordained minister. A Yale Divinity School graduate, Kolbell was the first Minister of Social Justice at Riverside Church in New York City where he worked on fair housing, racial equality, nuclear disarmament, prison reform and other issues. His work took him to Nicaragua as an official US observer for the first democratic elections, to Cuba with Pastors for Peace delivering medical supplies, and to South Africa on a fact finding mission during the apartheid years. As a Congregational minister with a concentration in Judaic studies, Kolbell has a broad understanding of religious issues and where they intersect with American culture. Prior to his ministry at Riverside Church, Kolbell worked for several years as a college chaplain. His psychotherapy practice incorporates his expertise in family and couples counseling. Kolbell has appeared on The Today Show and Dateline on NBC, The Early Show on CBS, The Charlie Rose Show on PBS, Morning Joe on MSNBC, The Jane Pauley Show, Your Total Health, local television, and numerous radio programs. Kolbell's writing has covered a wide variety of topics, from the spiritual to the practical, with a common theme being that of tying ethical principles to everyday living.