“Feelings” – an illustrated story about mental health

“Bella and her mum live on separate planets. Sometimes they get along well, helping each other travel through space. Other times, they’re far apart, floating in distant part of the galaxy. Sometimes Bella and her mum find it hard to communicate, especially when they’re being invaded by Feelings.”

“Feelings” is a story written by Claire Capel-Stanley, a graduate of Satellite’s Young Leaders program in 2019. Claire is also an author and she wrote the book as a resource for young people and their families as a way of helping children understand what it’s like to face mental health challenges. She also wrote it as a way of connecting to her own story. The book was illustrated by another graduate of the Young Leaders program, Denna Healey together with her mum, Nicole.

Download “Feelings”  here!

This story is one possible metaphor to describe what it’s like to face mental health challenges. It’s often helpful to remember that feelings themselves are not bad, wrong or evil. They are so important in our lives. When we name our feelings and use them to connect with others we become stronger and more able to bounce back.

It’s our hope that this story might help to start a conversation between loved ones. This conversation might be about the feelings we find challenging, how we can connect with each other in the face of challenging feelings and/or what support we need during challenging times.

If you need extra support to have these conversations don’t hesitate to contact us at Satellite or your supporting clinician.