About Self Esteem Shop
Self Esteem Shop is an independent, family-owned bookstore that sells books, games, sensory items and other developmental toys and tools. We work very closely to help support mental health professionals and those they serve. While physically located in Casco, Michigan, our staff travels across the continental United States to attend conferences in the mental health field and ship resources around the world to individuals, schools and other companies and organizations. We are a small business and pride ourselves on the customer service provided by our knowledgeable staff to support education, wellness and success for every age and stage on specialty topics including grief and loss, trauma, substance abuse, mental health, socio-emotional learning, mindfulness, personal growth and so much more. We offer items from children’s books through therapeutic texts and planners and support the community in any way possible including offering free books for community members in our vestibule and educational presentations, information and resources.
NICOLE
Nicole Wilbur, MSW, LMSW Clinical and Macro, SSW, is the proud owner of Self Esteem Shop and President/ Founder of Blue Water Anchor Non-Profit Organization: Promoting Education, Wellness and Success within the Community. Mrs. Wilbur is also a School Social Worker and a Social Worker/ Discharge Planner. She has been providing direct services to the community for over 17 years. Mrs. Wilbur was named the Region M School Social Worker of the Year by the Michigan Association of School Social Workers (MASSW) in in March 2017. Additionally, she has experience in homecare, hospice, palliative care and brain injury. She has enjoyed expanding her passion of presenting to Social Workers, Nurses and other stakeholders through Macomb Community College, the MASSW, ARC, Adair Consulting and numerous other venues throughout her career in an effort to share knowledge and tools with community members that will help foster positive personal growth, resilience and success that will ultimately reverberate throughout the community as a whole.
Kathryn
Kathryn Thomas, BA is a key component of the Self Esteem Shop and a graduate of Michigan State University. Her greatest accomplishment is becoming Mom to her 3 young children. Kathryn enjoys connecting with mental health professionals and hearing about their most successful journeys with clients. Identifying and sharing books, games, toys and other resources that support both professional and personal growth in others is extremely rewarding for Kathryn. As a middle school and youth cheer coach, Kathryn strives to be a positive, motivating force for our youth. She joins her Sister Nicole Wilbur not only in this venture but as a board member of Blue Water Anchor non profit.
Our History
Self Esteem Shop had been led by Deanne “DeeDee” Ginns-Gruenberg for nearly 30 years. DeeDee was the original owner as well as licensed nurse and psychotherapist, specializing in play therapy with traumatized and grieving children.
DeeDee began her education in Nursing School at Michigan State University. Immediately following graduation, she enlisted in the Peace Corps to serve in South America. After her return, DeeDee joined Children’s Hospital in Detroit to work with terminally ill children. It was during her time at the hospital that DeeDee realized that kids don’t always open up to people they are supposed to, but rather to individuals that make them comfortable. With her eyes opened, DeeDee enrolled in the Counseling program at Oakland University. As her passion for the mental health field grew, DeeDee shifted her efforts into these pursuits.
In 1991, DeeDee and her husband Harry bought a small independent bookstore called the Self Esteem Shop. DeeDee used the knowledge from her graduate education and practical experience working with kids to find the best resources to help mental health professionals and individuals while Harry managed the finances. Their mom & pop partnership enabled this independent bookstore to survive.
In 2008, DeeDee and Cathy Malchiodi co-authored Trauma, Loss & Bibliotherapy: Healing Process of Stories in Creative Interventions with Traumatized Children. In 2011, DeeDee wrote Effectively Incorporating Bibliotherapy into Treatment for Child Sexual Abuse in The Handbook of Child Sexual Abuse: Identification, Assessment and Treatment.
Since January 2019, our staff is now led by Nicole Wilbur MSW, LMSW Clinical and Macro, SSW with the support of Kathryn Thomas as we strive to continue to provide the same great books, games, tools and other resources and materials that we have all come to expect from the Self Esteem Shop.
Self Esteem Shop is grateful for DeeDee’s work and the foundation it laid for the present and future. Additionally, we’re thankful for the loyal patrons who continue to help us surmount the challenges of the economic climate and competition from online retailers. Without you, there would be no Self Esteem Shop.