ABOUT THE BOOK

Talk to My Brain: The book consists of 6 stories with illustrations and is meant for young children (5 through 9 years); and parents, counselors, psychologists, social workers, and other allied mental health professionals who work with them.

The book aims to enhance overall emotional regulation in children, through being mindful of their feelings, and developing the realization that we have some power in changing how we feel, by changing our thoughts and behaviors.

The book is based on the theory of CBT and tries to bring those principles to young children through stories and characters who have similar experiences and struggles.

Though primarily aimed at a therapeutic setting, the book is informal in it's nature and can be used in both therapeutic and non-therapeutic situations, such as bedtime stories. After each story, there are some questions and activities to reinforce the message.

Here is the link to buy a copy from Amazon

USA -  https://a.co/d/fonGdhY

Germany - https://amzn.eu/d/42L6fGI

Australia - https://amzn.asia/d/0x6wZFI

Dear readers, while working with my daughter as well as with the kids in the clinical practice, I often tried to bring the principles of CBT to young minds via these stories. They remembered it better over multiple weeks, multiple sessions as well as at home. We would not talk about CBT principles directly; rather, I would refer to one of the story characters and what the character did in that situation. Working with children, I found these stories very helpful in delivering the message, and helping young brains to retain the ideas over the years. It took a long time, but eventually, I wrote several of these stories, and compiled them into this book!

I hope that you will read these stories with your clients or with your children to address the emotional and behavioral issues that they face in everyday life! I would suggest that you read the stories to them or with them. Have some time in hand and let them look through the pictures, ask the questions, and discuss the scenario as you read. At the end of each story, there is a set of questions that you may discuss with them in detail. It helps if we as adults give them ample time to think about questions and listen patiently to their experiences and opinions; and, if applicable, you may also share your own experiences or opinions about the characters or incidents.

And if you see a similar issue emerging again in different therapy sessions or in everyday life, refer back to the related story. Ask the child to recall what Kevin or Shina did or would do in a similar situation. It works better if the child recalls the story instead of us telling them, though of course, feel free to give them hints to bring out and clarify the relevant point.

I hope that these stories will help you with your children and young clients.

Happy reading!

Parul Cedilnik

Here is the link to buy a copy from Amazon

USA -  https://a.co/d/fonGdhY

Germany - https://amzn.eu/d/42L6fGI

Australia - https://amzn.asia/d/0x6wZFI

What's in the Book: List of Contents

1. SHIRLEY'S STORY: TALK TO MY BRAIN

This story introduces the concept of deep breathing as a calming technique. It also     introduces the concept of being mindful of one’s internal thoughts and the fact that we can talk to ourselves; and can change how we feel and think about different issues.

2. KEVIN'S STORY: TRY AGAIN AND TRY AGAIN

This story continues to elaborate the concept of self-talking, being persistent, and not giving up. It also uses the fundamental concept of growth mind-set.

3. SHINA'S STORY: SHOO AWAY THE UNHELPFULTHOUGHTS

This story further elaborates the nature of our internal thoughts, helpful and unhelpful; and being mindful of them. It uses the CBT strategies to change the   unhelpful thoughts to the helpful ones.

4. RINKY'S STORY: WHAT DO YOU THINK?

This story addresses the issue of our fear of how others would perceive us. It talks about the unhelpful and undue mind reading.

5. MIGUEL'S STORY:  BE FLEXIBLE

This story emphasizes the concept of mental flexibility, an understanding that changes are hard to deal with, and reinforces the mindset of trying different things and different approaches.

6. RISHI AND OMAR'S STORY: MEAN SHOULD, YOU SHOULD GO AWAY

This story brings out and discusses the core aspect of our thinking - our strong, and undue internal demands from ourselves and others, in the form of mean and demanding shoulds.

Here is the link to buy a copy from Amazon

USA -  https://a.co/d/fonGdhY

Germany - https://amzn.eu/d/42L6fGI

Australia - https://amzn.asia/d/0x6wZFI

Dr. Parul Cedilnik, Clinical Psychologist 
Stadtgraben Strasse 2, First Floor, 71032 Böblingen
Tel:     +49 (0) 157 7536-7424
Email:  pcedilnik@apstherapy.org