The Risky Behavior Addiction Workbook: Information, Assessments, and Tools for Managing Life with a Behavioral Addiction

The Risky Behavior Addiction Workbook provides helping professionals with cognitive and behavioral assessments, tools, and exercises that can be utilized to treat the root psychological causes of an addiction to risky behavior. It helps people identify and change negative, unhealthy thoughts and behaviors that may have led to an addiction to thrill-seeking and sensation-seeking. The activities in this workbook can help participants identify the triggers that can lead to an over-engagement in risky or thrilling behavior and help them discover ways to overcome and manage those triggers.

The Risky Behavior Addiction Workbook will help participants to achieve the following:

- Reflect upon the behaviors that were part of the addiction.

- Recognize that they are experiencing an addiction problem.

- Understand the triggers for preoccupation with various aspects of risk.

- Understand recurring patterns that indicate an addiction to risky behavior.

- Learn ways to live a new life without the need to obsess over taking risks.

- Develop greater self-acceptance and the ability to change ineffective behaviors.

- Build self-esteem in positive capabilities outside of risk-taking and sensation-seeking.

The Risky Behavior Addiction Workbook is a practical tool for teachers, counselors, and helping professionals in their work with people suffering from risky behavior addiction. Depending on the role of the person using this workbook and the specific group's or individual's needs, the modules can be used individually or as part of an integrated curriculum. The facilitator can administer an activity with a group or individual or use multiple assessments in a workshop.

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.

With Whole Person Associates, Ester has co-written several workbooks and corresponding card decks including: GriefWork ~ Healing from Loss, Breaking Up is Hard to Do, Creating a Healthy Balanced Life, The Complete Caregiver Support Guide, Life Skills to Help Teens Balance Way Too Much, Motivation, and Veterans - Surviving and Thriving after Trauma, Transitional Life Skills for Teens series, Optimal Well-Being for Senior Adults series, and Nurturing Spiritual Development in Children by Understanding Our Own Spirituality. Visit WholePerson.com for a complete list.

Ester, a breast cancer survivor since 2003, counsels other survivors in overcoming body and loss issues. Ester is a board member of SOS (Survivors of Suicide) in Tucson, AZ.

John J. Liptak, EdD, has many years of experience in providing counseling services to individuals and groups in a variety of settings including job training programs, correctional institutions, colleges, and universities. In addition, John has years of teaching experience as an adjunct professor at Radford University.

John frequently conducts workshops on assessment-related topics. He has written three books on career-related issues. His books have been featured in numerous newspapers including The Washington Post, and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. His work has also been featured on MSNBC, CNN Radio, and on the PAX/ION television series, "Success without a College Degree."

With Ester and Kathy, he has written three other comprehensive books for teachers and counselors to use with their students and clients: The Self-Esteem Program, The Social Skills Program, and The Stress Management Program: Inventories, Activities and Educational Handouts.

Ester and John continue to co-write workbooks and corresponding card decks in each of these series that help facilitators help their teen and adult participants: Coping, Erasing the Stigma of Mental Health Issues through Awareness, Working With Families, Mental Health and Life Skills, Mind-Body Wellness, and Teen Mental Health and Life Skills, all published by Whole Person Associates. Visit WholePerson.com for a complete list.