Simone Phillips holds a copy of a new storybook she recently wrote to help children who are struggling with various forms of anxiety.
Reminder Publishing photo by Mike Lydick
AGAWAM — There are many books written about how to help kids deal with anxiety, but one of the newest takes a different approach than most.
Just published in early September, it’s based on the real-life work that psychologist Simone Phillips has done with children. In a children’s storybook format, she weaves in some of her most effective strategies to help kids. Philips wrote “Stacy Phipps Faces Her Fears the H-E-R-O Way” for children ages 7 to 12 to help them understand and manage anxiety — especially the fear of making new friends.
“The book provides relatable scenarios through the character of Stacy, a young girl who experiences anxiety and shows how she learns to face her fears within,” said Phillips, a practicing psychologist in East Longmeadow who is also the school psychologist for Agawam schools.
Phillips describes Stacy as a “loving and curious girl” who sometimes feels “really nervous and scared.” Making new friends and trying new things can be tough for her. But with the help of her therapist, Dr. Simon, Stacy goes on a “heartwarming adventure” to learn how to manage her worries.
Stacy soon discovers she has the power to face her fears and the courage to try new things. Along the way, she learns to think in new ways, handle her emotions, and make new friends.
The Springfield resident began writing the 112-page paperback storybook in March 2024. In her practice, Phillips provides mental health services to children who struggle with various forms of anxiety, including social anxiety, general anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder and others. The idea for the book came directly from her work with children in these areas.
Phillips said there has been a significant increase nationwide in the number of children who struggle with anxiety on a daily basis. She has seen it in children in Agawam as well as in her own practice.
“It’s interfering with their ability to function — especially in the classroom,” Phillips said. “The book’s storyline is aimed at children, but it also can be used by both teachers and clinicians as well as parents.
“I felt that a ‘friendly’ and ‘relatable’ storybook would be best for engaging children and applying strategies during sessions,” added Phillips, who has worked in Agawam for 17 years and has had her private practice for 10 years. “What I enjoyed most about writing my storybook was knowing, in the back of my mind, that it would help many children in an engaging and fun way.”
Phillips said the book is designed to be both educational and interactive, with activities that encourage self-expression, problem-solving, mindfulness and confidence-building, making it a valuable resource for children, parents, educators and other therapists. She is also in the process of completing a comprehensive workbook that can accompany the storybook.
The book has several goals according to Phillips:
Normalize feelings of anxiety by presenting a character who struggles with similar fears that other children may experience.
Teach coping strategies for managing anxiety and other emotions through engaging activities.
Empower children to face challenges with bravery by providing practical tools and exercises.
Promote emotional literacy by helping children recognize, understand and express their emotions in healthy ways.
She said her biggest challenges in writing the book included finding the time to write and finding an editor and illustrator. Editing and illustrations were completed by individuals she hired from Fiverr, an online platform where freelancers offer their services for various projects.
This is Phillips’ second book. Her first, “Metamorphosis: Reflections of a First-Year Teacher Working in an Inner-City School,” was published in 2003 by iUniverse. Her second book is independently published under her practice name, Educating Youth Services.
In addition to being available on Amazon.com, Phillips plans to have the book at Barnes & Noble as well as local bookstores in New England.
