Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made Simple · Gene Beresin, MD, MA and Khadijah Booth Watkins, MD, MPH

Stories for Children's Mental Health

·35 min·2 clips

Joelle says anxiety was chosen to normalize mental-health conversations in Black and immigrant communities.

The conversation begins with Gene Boreson and Felicia Booth-Watkins recalling a storytelling panel at Barefoot Books in Concord. They frame stories as more than social-emotional learning material. Stories are treated as part of child mental health work. Lisa Rosinski and Joel Retner join to talk about books that make hard feelings easier to name. A pride story becomes the entry point. The book keeps the child's identity present, but the central tension is the fear the character feels and the wish to support a beloved grandparent at the event. That choice matters because the child is affirmed without reducing the story to identity alone. Joel explains that the emotional problem had to stay internal. He also says the book was meant to normalize anxiety and mental health talk in his communities. His own history with anxiety shaped that decision. Lisa responds by describing how the title fit Barefoot Books' broader mission. She points to other books that address anxiety directly. 'Whatever Comes Tomorrow' comes up as a favorite. The book is described as a lyrical poem about strength and resilience. Its text stays abstract while the illustrations show children facing specific worries, from welcoming a new sibling to feeling nervous before a swim meet or choosing a gender-affirming haircut. Lisa contrasts that approach with the pride story, which works through a particular child and family relationship. Both approaches are presented as useful, just for different reasons. The discussion stays focused on how books can make children feel seen while also giving adults language for difficult topics. The guests return repeatedly to affirmation, love, and the practical value of stories in daily life. The episode ends by inviting listeners to share their favorite children's books and promising a media list of the panel's picks.

As heard by us

A measured case for stories as a way to help children name fear, resilience, and belonging.

The conversation moves from a storytelling program at Barefoot Books in Concord, Massachusetts, into a child mental health discussion shaped by the power of stories.

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Why you'd press play

You want a gentle way into how storytelling can support child mental health.

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