Press Releases

Activity Book Helps Children Gain Emotional Intelligence

Therapy-based creative activity book lassos the talent of award-winning illustrators and therapists to benefit high-risk children.

SEATTLE —Two Seattle-based nonprofits, Art with Heart and Committee for Children, have joined together to collaborate on the re-launch of an activity book based in art therapy that helps elementary-aged children who are dealing with the emotional challenges of family situations such as divorce, foster care, death, and more.

The book, titled Magnificent Marvelous Me! was originally developed for siblings of seriously ill children and was inspired by an Issaquah, WA family whose eldest daughter, Hallie battled neuroblastoma, a rare childhood cancer, for almost ten years. Her younger sister, Katie, grew up in the shadow of Hallie’s illness. As Katie began to be aware of all the presents and attention that Hallie received, she told her mom, “I want cancer too!”

To support the expansion of the audience, Art with Heart turned to Committee for Children, who lent their expertise in emotion management and other important social-emotional skills. Both organizations are happy with the result, as Joan Cole Duffell, Committee for Children’s executive director, attests: “Art with Heart has done it again! Their latest edition of Magnificent Marvelous Me will help kids develop the self-understanding and emotional awareness they need to get through challenging times and come out of them more resilient and in possession of valuable coping skills for future challenges. And all the fun illustrations and engaging activities are just plain cool!”

The book’s engaging, age-appropriate, expressive activities can help children recognize and work through the intense emotions that emerge during challenging times and provides a positive and engaging outlet for them to express their feelings. National studies show that the toll on children, without intervention, can result in behavioral and emotionally-rooted problems that can extend into adulthood, affecting their relationships and mental health.

About Art With Heart

Art with Heart’s therapeutic books and programs, based on proven mental health therapies, help improve emotional wellness by encouraging creative expression as a path to healthy communication. http://artwithheart.org.

About Committee for Children

Committee for Children is the world’s leading provider of research-based educational programs that teach skills to for social-emotional health and academic success. www.cfchildren.org

 

Elizabeth Foley, Director of Communications, Committee for Children, 206-438-6621 (o), 425-949-6300 (c), efoley@cfchildren.org