“I was so excited to receive My Life Playbook in the mail! As soon as I opened it, my daughter grabbed it and has been working on it diligently since! She worked on it for a couple of hours the first day, and she has been mesmerized in it daily since then. She sometimes struggles with some negative feelings (as we all do) and we use the playbook as a tool to get grounded and fuel positivity. As well, she just loves the gorgeous drawings done by Katherine and she feels inspired to colour the shapes knowing that they are created by an artist. She aspires to do something in a creative field someday and this book ignites this creativity daily. So fun! Your product is so needed and relevant.” Nicole de Larzac - Mom and Business Coach
“This book was such a great resource to help us talk to our kids about the importance of self reflection, building their self esteem and confidence, and the power in knowing themselves. The book was well laid out with a variety of activities that engaged our kids with both writing and colouring. Our kids really enjoyed going through the exercises, but as adults the questions also engaged us to explore themes of self love, self confidence and purpose as well, making it an excellent family activity. In today's world where issues such as bullying, low self esteem and poor mental health are affecting kids much more intensely, this book helps families tackle these issues together in a fun and engaging way." Paulina and Carlos Anthony
“Love it! Looked through it and think it’s just so beautifully done and incredibly prevalent for young people in these times. I would have loved to have one when growing up! It’s like you just made what all us artists wanted!” Shayna Tate
"As an educator and child and youth programmer for the past 20 years, I can't stress enough the importance of a resource like My Life Playbook! It's been proven* that integrating activities that frame and promote the value of self-reflection and build emotional intelligence are beneficial to a positive self-image, increased confidence and build skills in communication and self-expression. The activities and learning found in this valuable book are also proven to aid in socialization, peer relationship building and increased empathy. My Life Playbook ensures that kids don't just learn the information to pass standardized tests, but also the skills that will benefit them in building healthy relationships with others as well as themselves. Use it to enhance existing lessons, spark new inspiration or for daily journaling and routine reflection. My Life Playbook should be a staple in every parent's learning toolkit." *As outlined in the evaluation study of similar community arts programming tools by Ryerson University's psychology department over a 3 year period by Dr Kelly McShane and Dr. Sofía Puente-Durán. - Kim Dayman
“ As a Junior/Intermediate teacher, I highly recommend implementing this resource into any teacher’s art program. I feel it allows students to shift their focus to the positive. Setting intentions and writing the things children are grateful for can help them focus and remain positive in their daily routine at school. Reflecting on positive memories and objects that bring comfort and joy allows students to feel safe. I would also implement this resource with the healthy eating unit for my Health lessons to educate students on how the food we eat impacts our mental and physical wellbeing. The “ Power Poses” would be a great tool to implement in students’ daily physical activities. Overall, “ My Life Playbook” is a powerful resource for children of all ages. It allows students to get out of their comfort zone and reduce stress in their daily life roles." - Vicky Talwar,BFA, B.Ed.
As a school board, ER and private practice social worker working exclusively with kids and their families, I find this book to be a light hearted engagement tool. The book offers the opportunity for clients who are artistically inclined to engage in self-work, but also is not too threatening to draw in those that are curious about the intersection point between art and self. The flow and scope of the activities appeals to practitioners as it can be easily followed in its entirety throughout the therapeutic process, but also can be utilized intermittently as needed. This flexibility is essential for clinical work and the book assists in the adaptability needed when working with children. My favourite section is the “I am Powerful” part- specifically the quiz- as it is fun and offers the invitation to explore the self as an animal. Further, I also like the coiled binding, similar to a sketch book. -Shannon Burton- Registered Pediatric Social Worker
