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“There’s a lot of really, really good topics coming out,” he said. “I’ve been given great ideas from people I am meeting about different mental illnesses and I want to make it known that we can live with it and not struggle.”<\/p>\n
Neal said reducing stigma is essential to support people living with mental illness now and in the future.<\/p>\n
“When people understand what’s happening to me in those moments, they can help me out a lot easier,” he said.<\/p>\n
“The book is for children to notice sadness in themselves, but it’s also about noticing sadness in other children and in adults.<\/p>\n
“It’s not just about kids exploring their own emotions but being able to recognise them in their parents, or their educators too.”<\/p>\n
The idea for the series came to Neal while contemplating how he might one day explain mental illness to his children.<\/p>\n
Seeing a gap in resources aimed at younger audiences, he decided to create one himself. Early feedback has reinforced the need for that approach.<\/p>\n
“I’ve had lots of people say ‘I wish I had this book when I was a kid’, which is sad but it’s nice to know I am writing something that will help people,” Neal said.<\/p>\n
Neal experienced a mental health episode on the day of the book’s launch. He said it reinforced the importance of the conversations he is trying to encourage.<\/p>\n
He worked with local illustrator Justine Martin to bring the story to life and hopes to continue the collaboration as the series grows.<\/p>\n
Ums & Ahs for Sadness is available online via Neal’s website and Amazon.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A GEELONG author is helping families start conversations about mental health with a new children’s book designed to make complex topics easier to understand. Daniel Neal has released the first title in his Ums and Ahs series, Ums & Ahs for Sadness, aimed at opening discussion between adults and children in a way that is […]<\/p>\n