Amanda Greenslade
Help children learn how to acknowledge big feelings, talk about sadness and try to focus on positive aspects of their lives.
"The Sorrow Sea: A Book About Sadness for Kids" is for children who need to know they are not alone, people care and can help them. A powerful ice-breaker for opening discussions about feelings of guilt, misery and sadness, this book can be read to young children and used to teach big words like 'emotion' and 'mindset'. It can be read by older children and used by therapists to build a child's awareness of their own emotions and of other people's empathy for them.
This book is not meant to replace the one-on-one coaching of doctors and other professionals; in fact, it encourages readers to seek help.
Available in print and ebook NOW!
Are you in Australia?
Hard Cover (203 x 203 mm) Print
RRP AUD $23.99 + p&h (Order on Amazon)
Ebook RRP AUD $3.99 (Search for it on Apple, Amazon, Kobo or GooglePlay)
Ebook Editions
Are you in the USA?
Hard Cover (8 x 8 inches) Print RRP USD $17.99 + p&h (Order on Amazon)
Ebook RRP USD $2.99 (Search for it on Apple, Amazon, Kobo or GooglePlay)
Are you in Canada?
Here is the Amazon link, where you can choose between hardcover or ebook.
Are you in the UK?
Order on Amazon
You can choose between hardcover or ebook.
Dear readers located in other countries,
Please order from your local book store or your local Amazon store.
Also available on Booktopia, Book Depository and many other online book stores. If you'd like to order in bulk or directly from the author please contact me.
What age group is this book for?
I've tried to cover all ages with the techniques and encourage you and your child to come up with positive strategies for dealing with extreme sadness also (info. at back of book).
There are a variety of suggestions in The Sorrow Sea and the main thing is for you to teach the principle of seeking help, practising thankfulness and being mindful of your thoughts. There are lots of websites about techniques for dealing with sadness (and the more serious disorders of anxiety and depression), so this is by no means the be all and end all, but in the mix I hope it will be helpful.
When to seek help for a very sad child
The primary carers of the child need to spend quality one-on-one time with a very sad child, doing something fun that they like. The purpose of this is to let them know they are loved and supported no matter what. All children need to be encouraged regularly:
If your child is self-harming or you suspect they are depressed, nothing replaces good cognitive behaviour therapy from a trained psychologist! Please get help for you and your children if you are having problems managing sadness. It is normal for all of us to get sad sometimes. We all feel sorrow from time to time and that is OK.
What's not OK is when a child is withdrawing from society, no longer enjoying things they previously enjoyed, or harming themselves because of their big feelings of sorrow. It may be that your child is dealing with something too overwhelming and they need help.
Help might be in the form of education, medication, counselling, freedom from oppression/techniques to deal with conflict (eg. bullies, abusive relatives, dysfunctional family, substance abuse, discrimination etc.). If you’ve read this far, you may need to involve some professionals (eg. doctors, psychiatrists, psychologists) to help your child feel better.
In my experience, the best approach is to tier the support you get so that your child is covered from all angles:
It may be that you start with someone in the (4) group and it is these people who advise you who to ask for a referral to (2) from your doctor (1). The group in number 4 often have a lot of practical experience assisting a wide variety of children with special needs and emotional problems. They will know of good practitioners in your area and may be able to advise you on the best course of action for your particular situation.
If your child is exhibiting behaviour that is unlike those of his or her peers, and you are concerned about their overwhelming sadness, please seek help as early as possible. For other emotions, like anger, the situation may be similar (please see the Anger Volcano page).
You care for a child who is overwhelmed by emotions. You are doing the right thing seeking help.
Author's BlogAmanda Greenslade discusses her latest works and anything else of interest. This includes children, children's books, ebooks, writing, editing and publishing, fantasy, science fiction, creativity, graphic design, website design, technology, the Internet, animals, science and more!
