Tell us more about Nellie in Knots!
This is the story of Nellie, her talking bird Larry, and her journey to navigate one of today's most common childhood challenges: Anxiety. It's a humorous, first-person narrative filled with funny doodles and illustrations. The book is both earnest and humorous—a perfect balance to help anxious kids find validation and guidance through their own nervous struggles. And, from my experiences as a psychologist, I weave in practical tips and practices to help kids take control of worry thoughts of their own.
Tell us about Dr. Neederburger, the psychologist in the story. How did you approach creating him, and what are you hoping he will offer young readers?
I wanted to make Dr. Neederburger fun and relatable. (All my characters have fun names: there is also a Ms. Rubinflaker and a Ms. Peppenfeffer -- I'm a kid at heart!) Dr. Neederburger is a CBT-based psychologist -- a cognitive behavioral therapist -- so he offers kids and parents some empirically based tools to help kids struggling with any type of anxiety.
As of now, Nellie Paparelli (the ten-year-old main character) has social anxiety disorder as well as generalized anxiety disorder, with emerging OCD. During the second book in the series (the Dog Olympics), Nellie develops a dog phobia (which is very common in kids), and Dr. Neederburger develops a behavior plan to hep Nellie face her fears. All of these behavioral techniques are woven in a fun way, organically, so it does not feel didactic at all.
What are the main issues you see in your young patients today? What changes have you seen lately, and what should parents/teachers know?
I have pivoted from treating patients, after 15 years of private and group practice. Now, I am in the industry space assisting with clinical trials, and I really enjoy it.
No doubt, the pressure of social media has exacerbated anxiety and depression, more so in teens. My advice is, if your mental health is suffering, stay off social media -- and you will see it improve.
For parents and teachers, many kids/tweens might have a hard time expressing their anxious thoughts. OCD can be particularly hard to detect. Research indicates that it can take up to 15 years to get this proper diagnosis. Make sure if your child has any type of anxiety, that they are evaluated by a professional who specializes in anxiety specifically in children.
Further, since kids might not always be able to express their worries, look out for somatic symptoms, such as headaches, stomachaches, dizziness, or heart palpitations. Other behaviors would be any type of insomnia, changes in appetite, social isolation as well as school refusal.
3. How do you choose the plots of your stories? Is it more whimsical, or do you have a plan of ideas/situations you intend to cover?
Nellie in Knots was such a passion project. I was such an anxious child. I would have horrible episodes of insomnia, migraines, stomachaches, you name it. I was born anxious -- it is in my cells! Back when I was a kid, we didn’t have specialized treatments like we do today.
After enough of my patients told me how they feel so alone, etc., I knew I wanted to write this series. Kids tell me that it helps them a ton.
A new series I am working on features a bold 11 year old who refuses to take no for an answer and never gives up. She has a heart of gold and is on a mission to help her elderly neighbors.
3. What are your hopes for the future, as a psychologist, a writer, and a parent?
My hope as to all of the above is to de-stigmatize mental health issues. We are all unique, and we are all human, after all. We are not robots! Each of our brains are wired differently, and we all have different temperaments.
My goal is to help spread the message that you can have a diagnosis (or several) -- and have a beautiful life. They are not mutually exclusive! Each of us has such capacity for creativity and kindness, and I want to spread this as much as possible. Also, I want all kids, and all humans, truly to NOT feel alone in any struggle. Everyone struggles. Help is available! Please don’t ever be afraid to ask for it.
Dr. Amy Neeren is a clinical psychologist and researcher who lives outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with her husband and two daughters. Nellie in Knots is her first chapter book series (there are two books in the series so far). Dr. Neeren has published several papers and short stories in literary magazines. When she is not actively researching for new children’s book ideas, Dr. Neeren can be found doing anything and everything with her husband and two girls. You can reach her with any questions at: amyneerenphd@gmail.com
Comments