Westlake children's author teaches resiliency

High school counselor and former special education teacher Kasey Crawford Kellem knows a lot about facing life challenges. Her new book series, Mind Over Matter, teaches young children how to be resilient to them.

“Everyone faces difficult or challenging times in their lives,” Kellem said. The Cleveland-area counselor said she hopes her books will teach children they can get through their stressful troubles using a mind over matter technique that is within everyone. Her first book, "Believe," is on the market now. The remaining books in the series – "Love," "Laugh," "Relax" and "Dream" – will be out within the next year.

Kellem lives in Westake and is devoted to her husband, Craig, and two step children who graduated from Westlake High School in 2009, Jessica and Joe. The Mind Over Matter (M.O.M.) series is dedicated to Kellem’s late mother, who taught the author how to be resilient. Kim Weber, a Westlake resident, is one of the graphic designers, along with a student from her visual communications class, Emily Ross.

Kellem’s goal is to get the book into the hands of as many children as possible to introduce them to five concepts of resiliency. In order to overcome challenges, the author said, one must “believe, dream, love, relax and laugh.”  If they learn these things early on, they will be able to use them the rest of their lives to overcome the many challenges that will come their way, she explained.

Kellem grew up in a “traditional nuclear family” that included her mom and dad and three sisters in Fairview Park. She attended Magnificat High School and earned her bachelor’s degree at Baldwin Wallace College and master’s degree in special education at Kent State University. She also has an Educational Specialist Degree in counseling.

The Normandy High School counselor has devoted her life to helping thousands of children facing adversity how to be resilient. She has spent 22 years in education, 10 as a special education teacher and the past 12 as a high school counselor.

Believe may be purchased at mindovermatterbooks.com or amazon.com.

kasey kellem

I am a Westlake resident.

Read More on Business & Finance
Volume 4, Issue 1, Posted 12:19 PM, 01.10.2012