Sometimes When I’m Sad
Dr. Deborah Serani Psy.D.
A sensitive and supportive story to help young children recognize and cope with sadness.
"Now when I get sad, I still cry sometimes. I still hide sometimes. But only for a little while. Because now I know ways to feel better." Sadness can be an overwhelming emotion, especially for young children. But it's important to know when sadness can be overcome, and when it’s indicative of a greater problem.
Sometimes When I'm Sad is an invaluable self-help resource that helps children identify sadness or depression and offers helpful ways to manage it, such as:
- Talk about it with a parent or a trusted adult or counselor
- Draw the sadness with crayons
- Release tension by squishing clay
- Run and jump around outside
- Observe nature
The word depression is never used in the gentle, child-focused text, but this simple story offers an entrance point for both adults and children to identify and address childhood depression symptoms early.
This timely resource is a wonderfully gentle way to take steps toward banishing the stigma around mental illness. A special section at the back of the book provides support for adults, from an explanation of the difference between sadness and depression to helpful tools to manage the illness. Especially useful for counselors, social workers, teachers, parents, and any other adults caring for children who struggle with dark feelings.
"This unique children's book is one of the first I have seen to provide an accurate and understandable description of how clinical-level sadness might be experienced by a young child. It also describes useful age-appropriate emotion management strategies that can be implemented at home. The book will be a valuable resource for parents and children as they seek to better understand how to help children experience and manage intense sadness." (Joan Luby, M.D., professor of psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis).
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About The Author
Dr. Deborah Serani is a psychologist, professor and an award-winning author. A go-to media expert on psychological issues, her interviews can be found at ABC News, The Associated Press, The Chicago Tribune, CNN, The Daily Beast, Newsday, The New York Times, USA Today - and radio station programs like CBS and NPR, just to name a few.
Dr. Serani is a TEDx speaker, writes for Psychology Today and has worked as a technical advisor for the NBC television show Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. A recurring character was named after her - Judge D. Serani - as a nod to her technical work.
A licensed psychologist in practice over 30 years in New York, Dr. Serani specializes in anxiety, depression, trauma and postpartum disorders. She works with children, teens and adults. Dr. Serani is also a senior professor at Adelphi University, and a community supervisor in the Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program at Long Island University.
