About the Book Founder of Melissa & Doug. Survivor of existential depression--Cover. Book Synopsis Join Melissa Bernstein, Co-Founder of the wildly successful toy company Melissa & Doug, on a journey to triumph over anxiety, depression, and despair--a story she hopes will help others find their path to meaning and inner peace. Now, more than ever, Melissas message is needed by others, and her promise to all who journey with her is that YOU ARE NOT ALONE. Who would ever guess that Melissa Bernstein, happily-married mother of 6, creator of over 5,000 toys which have sold over a billion dollars, begins many days the same way far too many others do, wondering if shell make it to tomorrow? Melissa shows us that when darkness descends, and it seems theres no escape, there actually is a way out, there actually is hope, and there actually is a path that can lead to meaning and purpose. Melissa takes us on her path through depression, revealing how her lifelines transformed despair into a beacon of hope. Filled with prose, gorgeous photography, and many of Melissas verses that express her struggles and breakthroughs, LifeLines is committed to helping others who are stuck develop a plan for themselves to survive and thrive. A book of struggle and salvation, connection and community, LifeLines is a framework for people seeking to understand their emotional lives and to develop their own path to self-discovery and inner transformation.