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Meet the authors

        Lynn Kerner, MSW, is a licensed independent clinical social worker (LICSW) and has nearly 30 years' experience in the field of psychiatric social work. Her experience ranges from state hospitals to community mental health clinics, to residential supports for people with mental illness. She has been both a provider and director of clinical services in multiple settings. In addition, she worked as a research associate in depression studies at McLean Hospital in Boston.
        Ms. Kerner has developed and presented training modules for the Massachusetts Mental Health Counselors Association and for the Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology on the topic of serious and persistent mental illness. As a result of hearing the stories of the people in this book she also presents seminars on “Risks and Resilience in Children of Parents with Mental Illness.”
        Ms. Kerner participated in the planning committee for the Family Options program -- a program serving families of parents in recovery in Marlborough, Mass. She co-authored two articles about the experiences of children who have a parent with a mental illness -- one published in Community Connections, a newsletter of the New York State Mental Health Association and the other, an award-winning submission to Writer’s Digest writing contest.
        Ms. Kerner lives in Massachusetts with her husband and two cats.

        Johanna Ambrosio is an award-winning journalist with over 30 years' experience. She's worked primarily in the technology field as a reporter and editor, but has also freelanced for business and other publications, covering press conferences and various beats while based in New York. She's been working for online publications since 1998, as a news editor and online director, and is a former emergency medical technician. Ms. Ambrosio earned a BS in technical writing from Polytechnic University in 1980.
        Ms. Ambrosio participated in the planning committee for the Family Options program for parents in recovery, along with Lynn Kerner and others, and co-authored Ms. Kerner's articles about children whose parents have a mental illness.
        Now working full-time as an editor and story packager for Computerworld, Ms. Ambrosio volunteers for a local literacy program, cooks for a community supper held in her town, and volunteers in various capacities for her church. She lives in Massachusetts with her husband, stepdaughter, two extremely spoiled dogs and three cats that enjoy keeping the mice population down and the dogs in line.