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Sharing anxiety coping skills through children's literature

As the school holidays come to an end, and the first few weeks of term one approach, a new children’s book Don’t Worry Felix aims to help alleviate and navigate childhood anxiety.
According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, anxiety is the second most common mental health diagnosis in Australian children aged 5-14 years.
Author Yohann Devezy, a counsellor and member of Murdoch University’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion team, said the book was a resource inspired by his own journey with childhood anxiety.
“Growing up, I often felt overwhelmed by anxiety without really understanding why,” Mr Devezy said.
“This can be as distressing for children as it is for their parents, and many kids experience similar struggles.”
Mr Devezy and co-author Katherine Alice, an occupational therapist, wrote about practical ways for children to manage anxiety even when they don’t fully understand the root or cause - and illustrations by Zoe Bennett accompany the message in a way that is both colourful and engaging.
“It’s about helping them build emotional resilience and strategies early on, which is so important,” he said.
Among these strategies are hands-on ways to help children calm their body and mind – in tackling common anxiety-provoking situations such as starting school, speaking on front of others and joining socials activities, the book opens the dialogue surrounding children’s mental health.
Teacher’s notes, including discussion topics and breathing techniques, accompany the story as a guide for mindfulness and wellbeing practices.
Research has shown that children's books can be an effective means of sharing research with youth, and Mr Devezy and Ms Alice have used Don't Worry Felix as a catalyst for embedding scientifically-proven proven methods of reducing anxiety into literature which can be implemented at home or in the classroom..
Another key message in the book, Mr Devezy said, was challenging traditional gender roles, particularly for fathers.
“The father in Don’t Worry, Felix is fully engaged in supporting his child emotionally, normalising vulnerability in men,” he said.
We wanted to reflect the diversity of real-world families with subtle yet meaningful details. For example, ‘how cool are the dad’s outfit and tattoos?’ Those details bring such a touch of reality to the story.
Research from The Black Dog Institute revealed that children and young people struggling with anxiety disorders experienced difficulty getting to school, engaging and staying at school.
Mr Devezy said he hoped Don’t Worry Felix would be used by parents, guardians, teachers, caregivers and librarians as a catalyst for change, and a reminder that mental health is a complex, yet important topic to navigate.
“What I really hope readers take away is the understanding that it’s okay not to have all the answers when it comes to emotions and mental health. What truly matters is that there are strategies to manage those feelings,” he said.
For me this resonates deeply with my work in Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and as a counsellor. Visibility is key – people need to see themselves reflected in the stories they read to feel a sense of belonging.
“It’s not just a story about managing anxiety, it’s a reminder that every child, regardless of their background, deserves to see themselves and their emotions represented.”
Copies of Don’t Worry Felix can be purchased here.
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Sharing anxiety coping skills through children's literature
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