About the Author
Ester R.A. Leutenberg has worked in the mental health field for many years as a publisher, author and advocate for those suffering from loss. She personally experienced a devastating loss when her son Mitchell, after struggling with a mental illness for eight years, died by suicide in 1986. Soon after, as a way of both healing and helping others, Ester co-founded Wellness Reproductions & Publishing with her daughter Kathy Khalsa and began developing therapeutic products that help facilitators help their clients. Ester is the co-author of the SEALS series for teen-agers, Life Management Skills series for adults and Meaningful Life Skills for older adults, as well as a variety of other therapeutic card games, board games and posters. Ester has co-written the Mental Health & Life Skills Workbook Series, the Teen Mental Health & Life Skills Workbook Series, the Coping Workbook Series, three books on GriefWork, Creating a Healthy Balanced Life, and The Complete Caregiver Guide all published by Whole Person Associates.
Carol A. Butler, MSEd, RN, C, has a Master of Science in Education and School Counseling, a Certificate in Alcohol and Drug Studies and is a Board Certified Psychiatric and Mental Health Registered Nurse. The activities in her publications were developed in response to clients needs, and have been utilized effectively with diverse populations. She has taught children and adults, provided vocational and employee assistance counseling, worked in mental health care for children, adolescents and adults in hospital and community settings. Carol is the author of the book and corresponding car deck, 100 Interactive Activities for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Recovery. Together, Ester and Carol have authored Motivation ~ Identifying Strengths, Interests, Abilities, Hopes and Dreams and Veterans ~ Surviving and Thriving after Trauma, and, in the Transitional Life Skills for Teens series, Teens ~ Body Image and Beyond, Teens ~ It s Time to Grow Up, Teens ~ Social Skill Strategies, Teens ~ Relationships with People, Places and Things and Teens ~ Accept and Embrace Diversity.