1st Edition

The Red String: Exploring the Energy of Anger and Other Strong Emotions

By Anita Kate Garai Copyright 2022
    34 Pages 25 Color Illustrations
    by Speechmark

    To get the full Being With Our Feelings experience, this book can be purchased alongside the guidebook. All books can be purchased together as a set, Being With Our Feelings: Guidebook and Four Storybooks Set, 978-0-367-77231-4.

    Using a red string as a metaphor for the energy of strong feelings, this beautifully written storybook is a journey of the physical sensations of anger as it runs through the character’s body - making them want to punch as it gets into their arms, kick and stomp as it travels down their legs and scream out hateful things as it wraps itself around their heart.

    Full of relatable and easy to understand scenarios, The Red String:

    • has a gender neutral central character
    • helps children to identify powerful feelings like anger and recognise their possible effects
    • introduces the strategy of allowing the energy of strong feelings to ‘dance’ in our body, instead of letting them control our thoughts and behaviour
    • enables children to begin to accept strong feelings such as anger, without shame or judgment
    • ends with a mindful reflection, to help children explore and be with their feelings.

    Strong feelings can be overwhelming and consuming. This book is essential reading for teachers, parents, or anyone working with young people who wishes to help children understand, embrace and cope with powerful feelings such as anger, in a healthy way.

    The Red String: Exploring the Energy of Anger and Other Strong Emotions

    Biography

    Anita Kate Garai is a teacher, poet and mindfulness wellbeing consultant and facilitator, with a BEd Hons from Cambridge University and an Advanced Diploma in the Therapeutic and Educational Application of the Arts. She has been a primary school classroom teacher for over 25 years, leading on personal, social and emotional development, and has worked with local authorities as a specialist in behaviour, emotional wellbeing and creativity, developing programmes for pupils and delivering training to school communities. Anita can be found on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook at @AnitaKateG.

    ‘Immensely appealing…’
    Adrian Bethune, Author of Wellbeing In The Primary Classroom, Education Policy Co-Lead at The Mindfulness Initiative, Teacher and founder of Teachappy.


    ‘Vivid illustrations and wonderful poetry’
    Adrian Bethune, Author of Wellbeing In The Primary Classroom, Education Policy Co-Lead at The Mindfulness Initiative, Teacher and founder of Teachappy.


    ‘I love these books! The stories and illustrations are just beautiful.’
    Penny Whelan, SENCO, Luton.


    ‘Beautifully illustrated.’
    Andrew Cowley, Wellbeing Speaker and Writer, author of ‘The Wellbeing Toolkit’ and ‘The Wellbeing Curriculum’.


    ‘The Red String…will resonate with any young person who has felt a build up of emotion.’
    Andrew Cowley, Wellbeing Speaker and Writer, author of ‘The Wellbeing Toolkit’ and ‘The Wellbeing Curriculum’.

    ‘Written with a strong youth voice element running through.’
    Sharon Mee, Creativity and Wellbeing in Education Developer, CEO and Founder of Artpod and Melting Pot - Arts and Wellbeing in Education, Sussex and South East.

    ‘Unique and very honest.’
    Sharon Mee, Creativity and Wellbeing in Education Developer, CEO and Founder of Artpod and Melting Pot - Arts and Wellbeing in Education, Sussex and South East.


    ‘Love the gender neutral characters…Fabulous!’
    Gaynor Price, SEMH Advisory Teacher, City of Birmingham School.