Article archive / July 1, 2015
Originally published: . Volume 6, No. 7. Source pages: 13.
Colorful Emotions: A Workbook to Help Children Express Their Feelings
Michelle B. Moore, PsyD
Dr. Michelle Moore, using her strong background in psychotherapeutic and educational techniques, has created and produced a delightful book that can be used to help youngsters express and label their emotions.
Colorful Emotions: A Workbook to Help Children Express Their Feelings is an all-in-one activity book that can help parents, teachers, and professionals in their interactions with children of any age.
Dr. Moore, a licensed clinical psychologist with a certificate in Infant Mental Health Specialist Certification, is also Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, at LSU Health Sciences Center, Department of Psychiatry, Section of Psychology, in New Orleans. At the Center she is also Associate Director of Pre-Doctoral Training.
The workbook includes beautiful cover art that is immediately pleasing, and two-page sections with a line drawing of a youngster and large type labels such as “Happy,” “Sad,” “Lonely,” and “Helpful.” Adjacent to the artwork is a description to read to the child, or allow them to read for themselves.
For example, “Worried,” is described. “When I feel worried, my mind starts to race with thoughts, sometimes it is hard to breathe and my heart beats really fast. I also tell others that I am nervous or anxious about something.” And then, “What do you think happened that has made him feel so worried?” And, “When is a time when you have felt worried?”
Loved: “When I feel loved, my heart fills with happiness, and I feel protected by someone special. I am ready to take on any challenge that comes my way.” Then, “Who do you think makes him feel loved?’ And “Who makes you feel loved?”
Moore covers an array of emotions including being shy, embarrassed, relaxed, or angry, and many others.
The parent, teacher, or therapist can engage the youngster to “develop a language to express their emotions with others,” writes Moore in the introduction. “Sometimes children have a hard time using their words to express how they feel which is how this coloring book can come in handy.”
Moore also relates how one child, who was having difficulties, “… began to color the picture, while he talked about a time when he was sad.” In this manner, the book may serve as a useful therapeutic or play therapy method.
“I work primarily with children and adolescents,” Dr. Moore said to the Times. “I often find that children aren't taught to use feeling words in their everyday language and they get confused about what different emotions actually are,” she said.
“I was looking for a simple and effective means to convey information about feelings to children while providing a multi-sensory experience for them,” Moore said. “Rather than just reading a book they can color the pages while they talk to get a better understanding of what each feeling means. Ideally, parents will read this book with their children and parents will also become more informed about how to use emotion words and why it is important to do so.”
Moore has extensive background in instruction and teaching and the text draws on her experience with youngsters and parents. Dr. Moore has worked in the Louisiana Rural Trauma Services Center research project funded by Mental and Behavioral Health Capacity Project- Louisiana. She provided mental health screenings and psychological interventions to children and adults who have been affected by a natural or man-made disaster.
She has also developed a series of workshops for parents of elementary school age children. Topics have included: Positive discipline strategies; Being a single parent; How to help your child succeed in school; “How to talk so kids will listen and listen so kids will talk”; and Success in the summertime: How to maintain a peaceful household and happy child all summer long.
She has also created, organized and led quarterly consultation groups for elementary school counselors to discuss how to handle challenging cases and collaborate with other professionals to best serve population.
And Dr. Moore has also organized, created and led resiliency and social-emotional skills building workshops for children in St. Bernard Parish. Topics included: Managing difficult emotions, Bullying, Increasing positive change in communities and Hurricane preparedness.
Moore also teaches psychology interns, developing course materials, and she has also created a series of workshops for children to address social-emotional difficulties, build resilience and encourage community engagement.
Dr. Moore’s background is strong in the arts, having completed a major in theatre, along with her studies in psychology. Colorful Emotions clearly shows her talents and enjoyment of the arts. The work is delightfully creative and children will be comfortable with the presentation.
Dr. Moore wanted to keep publishing control and so she has crafted the drawings and the language for the workbook herself.
“I decided to publish on an independent platform,” she explained, “for my first book publication after consulting with several colleagues about their experiences. It was convenient and cost-effective. From what I learned, independent publishing would give me the most control over the final product and produce the highest amount of royalties,” she said. “I also wanted to start on a smaller scale to see how the book would be received before submitting a work to an actual publishing company.”
“The project began in 2009 and slowly evolved over time,” she said. “I already have an idea for a second edition which would address relationships and common problems that may arise, such as dealing with bullies, feeling shy, being assertive, being thankful and appreciative, being respectful with others, etc.”
Colorful Emotions: A Workbook to Help Children Express Their Feelings is available from Amazon. Get several copies for kids and grandkids, and while you at it, get one for yourself. You won’t be sorry.
This article is part of a historical newspaper archive. Read the original issue for its original layout, photographs and graphics.