Yet, a sensitive person can see through the layers, and pick up a lot of inside information by our facial expression, body language and "vibes." Handwriting, too, reveals much about our personality, emotions, inner struggles and even our very soul.

Roxanne Perri is a graphologist, an expert in handwriting analysis. This petite, lovely woman uses the insights that her trained eye gleans from a scrawl in multiple ways. She has served as an expert witness in criminal testimony, and helped employers evaluate the working attitudes and aptitudes of potential employees. Roxanne has also used her skill in cult deprogramming, has evaluated the compatibility of potential mates, and identified learning disabilities.

Using psychology and graphology, as well as the Torah, Kabbalah and Chassidic philosophy, Roxanne can distinguish between a Tzaddik- a righteous holy person, and an evil Hitler or Stalin by examining their handwriting. Those are obvious extremes, but Roxanne can also help the average person to overcome stumbling blocks and weaknesses through their John Hancock.

The twists and curves of Roxanne's life journey have given her the skills and insights that she artfully combines in her work. Roxanne has had four careers. Working as a teacher, she earned a BA in Elementary Education. She then became a Private Investigator, and became interested in Handwriting Analysis to help her investigative work.

After independent study, Roxanne studied with Felix Klein, a master of gestalt graphology. She completed his advanced course and was certified by the National Society of Graphology. Roxanne considers herself fortunate to have found her "professional mentor in this man of incredible warmth and character."

Graphology actually saved Klein's life. As a young man in Germany, he had studied graphology before being sent off to Auschwitz. Heaing of his talent, an SS officer demanded, " Analyze my handwriting!" Thinking quick, Felix replied, " I can't do it here, it's too pressured and crowded."

Removed from the barracks he declared, "I'm too cold, hungry and tired to do it properly." After a nutritious meal, proper clothing and a decent rest, the inmate studied several pages of the nazi's writing. Felix told the officer, "You better see a doctor immediately. Your heart and lungs are blocked, and your life is in danger."

The suspicious officer retorted, "And you better be right, or YOUR life is in danger!" Upon examination, the doctor ordered immediate surgery to remove the officer's heart blockage. Klein was vindicated and released from Auschwitz months before the Liberation.

Roxanne established a graphology practice in Aventura, Florida. Things were moving along when a big curve came into her path, without a warning sign on the road.

"An acquaintance met Rabbi Casriel Brusowankin, the Chabad rabbi in Aventura, and was very impressed. 'Roxanne, you must meet and talk with this rabbi!' she insisted. We had an exciting exchange of ideas and spoke on the phone for an hour! I made an appointment to meet him." "I wasn't looking for Judaism at all, at least not consciously," she laughingly insists. "Rabbi Brusowankin and I then talked for four hours! He opened up a whole world of spirituality for me through stories, parables and the Rebbe's teachings.

"I described to the rabbi the Eastern path I'd dabbled in, such as karma, reincarnation, soul mates and psychic experiences that intrigued me. He asked me, 'So, did you find answers?' 'No, not satisfying ones,' I replied. "Why look elsewhere, when we have it all right in the Torah? Our sages and prophets are permeated with holiness! We have our own crayons to color a rainbow!" "It wasn't a dry recitation of facts. His personality, wit, wonder and excitement were contagious. My soul was thirsty, and he knew where the water was and helped me drink. I came for Shabbos dinner. The challah, cholent and charm of his wonderful family and the Shabbos atmosphere welcomed me.

"I quickly grew into Jewish life and started keeping Shabbos and kosher. Rabbi B. knew how to open the door, and I knew how to walk through. An attorney friend once told me. In life there naturally is loss- death, sickness, change. Only the Torah will never leave or abandon you. As a therapist I hear about abandonment and emptiness, and certainly appreciate this truth."

Jewish involvement enhanced Roxanne's practice, practically and spiritually. "I received a special blessing from the Rebbe, and my business expanded. I say certain kabbalistic verses before an analysis, so that my work should be imbued with holiness and goodness. The insights into human nature I gained from psychology are totally surpassed by Chassidus. Tanya, the basic text of Chassidic philosophy is way above Freud and Jung, and the profound Chassidic teachings about the soul are visible in handwriting."

"The righteous have a pure soul, infused with holiness. Their handwriting is clean, pure and pristine. It has clarity and the letters are crisp, sharp and defined with a sense of energy, purpose and movement. The handwriting of the evil, on the other hand, is muddy and dirty, reflecting their besmirched soul. It may appear black, smeary, and blotchy. It's devoid of light and unhealthy, with ugly letters, uneven pressure and bizarre forms and shapes. Napoleon's writing had the positive traits of energy and movement, but the pressure was dark, muddy and crude. When the soul isn't clean- it shows."

"We, the average good but sometimes faltering folk, reveal our soul and psyche as well. The average healthy person uses primary (even) pen pressure. A person with emotional challenges has secondary (uneven) pen pressure due to stress, tension and psychological factors."

Twenty-five years of Handwriting Analysis have given Roxanne valuable therapeutic insights. "Graphology is an art and a science, it takes years of schooling and experience to properly analyze a writing sample. Hundreds of traits are examined to develop the analysis. Gestalt graphology is really psychologically based. By examining the overall picture one can determine the personality and character of the writer."

Roxanne completed her master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy in 1998. She combines the insights of gestalt graphology with the clarity and morality of Torah to hone in on the client's issues and help them change.

"I tell people that I am a Torah-based opinion therapist, that I'm going to tell them what I really think and not coddle them. I'm a combination of Dr. Laura, Dr. Phil, and a laid-back type. Handwriting Analysis shows me what the issues and problems are."

One of Roxanne's tools is grapho-therapy. By changing the handwriting, the client can work towards changing their personality. "A person may write, 'I want to be happy,' with a downward slant, and small weighted letters. I may have them write straight, or even uphill, faster and with more energy. This change is often threatening, so in therapy we examine the emotions that the new writing style evokes. In conjunction with supportive therapy, grapho-therapy can be a catalyst for awareness and change."

"Handwriting Analysis can help identify family dynamics, sexual abuse, gender issues, and with anger management. It helps teachers understand their students and for schools to choose appropriate staff. I use it in my school counseling in a Miami yeshiva."

During the personal self-examination of the High Holiday season, Handwriting Analysis can help clarify one's path and roadblocks, and be an inroad to honest repentance. Our doodles and scribbles are significant! Roxanne's insights have helped people improve their personal lives, to better write their chapter in the great work of humanity. Roxanne can be contacted at Roxyperri@yahoo.com, or 305-795-9386.