Do you ever notice that big feelings - like frustration, anxiety, or sadness - can feel overwhelming, confusing, or even unmanageable?
This month, I want to share a wonderful resource that helps kids (and anyone young at heart) learn how to notice, name, and navigate their emotions in healthy ways.
I have to admit - I really wish I’d had a book like this when I was a kid.
Growing up, I faced my own trauma and intense emotions without the words, guidance, or tools to understand or manage them. I didn’t know how to calm myself down when my feelings felt too big, or how to recognize when my thoughts were spiraling.
A story like this - playful, relatable, and full of humor - would have been such a gift.
It teaches that big feelings aren’t “bad,” and that learning ways to regulate emotions is not only possible, but also empowering.
Even as an adult, I see the value in stories like this - they normalize the experience of strong emotions and show that there are practical ways to manage them, without shame or judgment.
Sharing books like this encourages self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and resilience - lessons that are valuable at any age.
Whether you’re reading with a child or looking for a gentle reminder for yourself, it’s a simple, uplifting way to explore how we can handle our emotions instead of letting them handle us.
To healing,
Rachel
RESOURCE OF THE MONTH
A fun children’s story that empowers kids to get unstuck from life’s sticky challenges.
Join Duckie on his adventure of overcoming obstacles, changes, behaviors, anxiety and emotions. This book uses humor and creativity to equip kids to build resilience in diverse situations. Whether you get stuck in bed, on the floor, in quicksand, in the snow or stuck with big feelings, Duckie understands and he can help you find a way out through self regulation and problem solving. The beautiful illustrations and clear, simple rhyming sentences appeal to anyone from 3-99 years of age.
UPCOMING EVENTS 
Have you experienced Betrayal? How about Abandonment? Please join me and over 30 other experts for AVAIYA University’s Healing Betrayal & Abandonment Wounds online series.
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brought to you in partnership with CPTSD Foundation
THIS MONTH'S TOPIC: LIVING IN OUR BODIES
As survivors of childhood sexual abuse, many of us find living in our bodies discomforting. Our abuse is taken in through our bodies and our bodies hold a record of our memories. We will explore the discomforts and pleasures, the way healing is related, and any lessons you've learned along the way for living in your body.
