Dad and Sam are walking her dog Frank in the park after school. She tells Dad about feeling busy and a bit overwhelmed and he explains that she needs to calm her mind down. 

He explains that her brain is a bit like her dog, Frank: excited to explore lots of different things. Sometimes it gets too much, just like it does for Frank. When that happens, they give Frank a gentle tug on his lead to bring him back and calm him down. “That’s exactly what this breathing exercise does,” says Dad, “bring you back to yourself, making you stronger for another day!”

Niall Breslin (Bressie) is a musician and podcaster.. He is currently studying for a PHD in Early Mental Health Interventions for Children at TCD. He is also co-founder of Lust for Life, the mental health charity.

Emma Proctor is a children’s book illustrator from Wiltshire. She graduated in Illustration from Middlesex University.