For children, home is not always a secure refuge. And during the pandemic, family stress increased and the potential for threatening behavior did too.
According to the findings of a CDC survey, a parent or other adult at home emotionally harmed 55% of teenagers. At home, 11% of children were physically assaulted by a parent or other adult. And LBGTQ+ youth had notably higher rates of abuse than their peers.
Good mental health is the foundation for teenagers and young children’s well-being and resilience.
Jamie Karia, a Licensed Psychotherapist (LCSW) with a mission to improve the world, produces programs and workbooks to assist children and adults in learning skills to stabilize themselves and stay grounded, improve distress tolerance, and self-awareness all while using their imagination and having fun.
During her career as a psychotherapist, she has assisted many people through their emotional and mental turmoils, finding various ways to equip them with appropriate tools to help manage their situations at an optimal level.
Jamie thinks that children, no matter how young, should have a strong foundation in communication, collaboration, acceptance, mindfulness, and creativity.
She utilizes colorful and vivid drawings and tales in her Bacci Kid book series as a tool to enable people of all ages and academic levels to dig deep within themselves and explore self-awareness, acceptance, mindfulness, and how to become confident in social interactions. The book series helps improve sensory and strengthens a child’s imagination.
Bacci is a Bengal superhero cat, modeled after Jamie's cat Bacci, who will motivate children to improve their mental health and social skills.
“This is inspired by my cat Bacci. He’s no longer with me but he’s very special to my heart and he taught me a lot of life lessons myself being a cat mom. And I want to use him as a vehicle to share with the world,” says Jamie.
The book series can assist teachers and their students, parents and their children, grandparents, and even divorced parents who divide custody of their children.
“Identifying triggers, positive and negative. Exploring safety planning, family safety planning from natural disasters. Like that’s big, especially with what’s happening right now. So we’re talking about complex mental health stuff in a more digestible, maybe lighter fashion,” says Jamie.
She included room in the book for youngsters to write and draw their own stories. This method encourages youngsters to be more imaginative and confident in their choices. Confidence can help children become happier and have stronger mental skills because they feel more at ease in their skin.
“It’s kind of like allowing the child to be engaged in the process. So in the first book, the child is asked to create their space story and illustrate it. And what’s cool is I remember when I was a kid we were told not to write in the books or color in the books or disfigure the books in any way, whereas I am encouraging kids to write in this book, to color, to cut out little stickers. So it’s interactive, it’s personal to them,” Jamie says.
She even included terms that would aid in the manifestation of a child's development.
“They all can have their experience in being their author. And how I created the book, I specifically put in keywords that would help manifest development growth,” Jamie adds.
Jamie has a Bacci Kid YouTube Channel with a free guided meditation. But she plans and hopes that Bacci kid will become a TV series someday. Media and entertainment, she believes, have a significant impact on a child's development.
“We’re conditioned through media, through society, how we were raised by our parents, by our teachers, by our rules and regulations. By our tradition, our culture. But then we condition ourselves through fear through negative self-talk. Through all this stuff so a lot of this book is about empowering. Changing the language. Making it okay to be you whether that’s not the perfect you,” Jamie says.
She uses positive reinforcement and coaching approaches in her treatment to help children and adults achieve their goals and employs several methods while people better understand their ideas and feelings.
Aside from Bacci kid, Jamie has also a website called “Coaching you for life” that has programs to tend to the needs of each individual. In her program, she uses Dialectic Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Positive Psychology, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Object Relations, and Art and Plays therapy techniques.
Creating a global social impact
Jamie hopes to inspire more children and adults through her programs, workbooks, and art. She has accessories, apparel, board games, and a special jewelry line that is connected to the Bacci Kid series, in hopes that people can have a tangible item as a reminder of their positive evolution through time.
She has a fashion social impact enterprise called J'aime. Her "mental health collection" is a highlighted line that focuses on wellness and mindfulness.
Aside from that, she owns a Bacci lifestyle brand as well as Bacci and J'aime's Gems jewelry collections.
“This jewelry comes with a wonderful exercise that encourages self-love, acceptance, and rejuvenation. All things that your sweet soul needs and deserves to balance your body, mind, and spirit and envelop them in the warmth of unconditional love,” she says.
These collections aren't simply objects; they're something that may be useful in helping others cope with life's stresses and problems.
“Despite whether you’ve purchased it for yourself or have received it as a gift, I invite everyone to take this opportunity to hit the “pause” button on life and step away from the stress and judgment that can often become a front-row spectator in our realities,” says Jamie.
About Jamie
Jamie holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and education from Clark University. She has also obtained a Master of Social Work with a clinical degree from the Yeshiva University Wuzweiler School of Social Work.
She has also obtained her LCSW, Reiki Level 2 Certified, and is in the process of becoming a Reiki Master. Jamie also aims to get a Ph.D.
Jamie Karia
Bacci Kid
https://baccikid.com
baccikid@gmail.com
