▁un lo ving ". ▁She ▁described ▁her ▁mother ▁as ▁a ▁person ▁with ▁" path ological ▁pride ", ▁who ▁" was ▁never ▁grateful ", ▁who ▁" w ould ▁always ▁find ▁something ▁to ▁critic ize ," ▁and ▁who ▁" const antly ▁expressed ▁dis d ain ▁for ▁men , ▁sex , ▁and ▁love ". ▁She ▁cred ited ▁her ▁father ▁with ▁giving ▁her ▁the ▁drive ▁to ▁succeed . ▁ ▁Sch less inger ▁attended ▁West bury ▁High ▁School ▁and ▁Jer ich o ▁High ▁School , ▁where ▁she ▁showed ▁an ▁interest ▁in ▁science . ▁She ▁received ▁a ▁b ach elor ' s ▁degree ▁from ▁St ony ▁Brook ▁University . ▁Mov ing ▁to ▁Columbia ▁University ▁for ▁gradu ate ▁studies , ▁she ▁earned ▁a ▁master ' s ▁and ▁Ph D ▁in ▁phys i ology ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 4 . ▁Her ▁doctor al ▁th esis ▁was ▁on ▁ins ul in ' s ▁effects ▁on ▁labor atory ▁r ats . ▁After ▁she ▁began ▁disp ens ing ▁personal ▁advice ▁on ▁the ▁radio , ▁she ▁obtained ▁training ▁and ▁cert ification ▁in ▁marriage ▁and ▁family ▁coun sel ing ▁from ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Southern ▁California , ▁where ▁she ▁worked ▁in ▁the ▁bi ology ▁department , ▁and ▁a ▁ther ap ist ' s ▁license ▁from ▁the ▁State ▁of ▁California . ▁In ▁addition , ▁she ▁opened ▁up ▁a ▁part - time ▁practice ▁as ▁a ▁marriage ▁and ▁family ▁ther ap ist . ▁ ▁Radio ▁career ▁ ▁Sch less inger ' s ▁first ▁appearance ▁on ▁radio ▁was ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 5 ▁when ▁she ▁called ▁in ▁to ▁a