It’s not often that a project speaks to both your heart and craft. Something I’ve been working on quietly over the last few months has validated all the work I’ve done over the years, as it’s so closely aligned with my purpose. When Parandaman Thechanamurthi, a Specialist Chartered Forensic Psychologist with the British Psychological Society (BPS), reached out to me, I was intrigued. Parandaman supports children and adolescents in juvenile offending, child protection, and family protection cases. Many of the young people he works with have experienced trauma or other complex mental health challenges. His focus is on understanding each child’s story and helping them feel supported, and heard, even in difficult legal or clinical settings.
For very young children involved in legal proceedings, undergoing a psychological assessment can be frightening. How do you explain trauma in a way they can understand? How do you help them feel safe in that moment? To answer this, we collaborated on an animated presentation. Through the Ellie the Elephant and Bunny the Rabbit, children learn why the brain sometimes reacts in extreme ways, and what they can do to feel calmer, grounded, and more in control.
This animated storybook is designed to be used with a counsellor, helping young ones process emotions they might not yet understand, through words and images to emotions they might not yet understand. It’s meant to be used in its animated format on a tablet, allowing plenty of time for pause and discussion.
Though this material was created for children and adolescents, I think it’s also a useful guide for adults. Swipe through below and view in full screen mode for the best experience.