Dr Ffion Jones is an author, educator and mental health advocate. Her most recent release, ‘Whispa and the Waves’, is a powerful and practical children’s picture book. ‘Whispa and the Waves’ was written to showcase the power of mindfulness, helping children (and their parents) understand their emotions and overcome feelings like anxiety. Ffion will publish a second picture book with Tiny Tree in 2025.
As both an author and an educator, working regularly with schools on the topic of mental health, Ffion Jones knows just how impactful stories can be: “We think in stories, remember in stories, and turn our experiences into stories. For children, in particular, stories are a safe space to explore big emotions.”
The promotion of mindfulness, and of children being aware and in control of their emotions, is a huge driver of what Ffion looks to do with her work: “Teaching children in an accessible way to pay attention to their thoughts, feelings and surroundings, which in turn empowers them to manage their reactions.” The author continues: “I practise mindfulness daily. I often practise mindfulness in school sessions and in author talks I always warm up with a mindful activity. When you watch young children play, they are already mindful… Mindfulness helps them to recognise the feelings in their body, and respond to them differently.“
“We think in stories, remember in stories, and turn our experiences into stories. For children, in particular, stories are a safe space to explore big emotions.“
‘Whispa and the Waves’ — Available Now!
‘Whispa and the Waves’ is inspired by Ffion’s daughter and her experiences with anxiety. The author explains: “She was struggling with panic attacks at the time, which felt like a tsunami to her, so I used the concept of waves that build up and ebb away again to help her visualise her anxious feelings. It helped her to know that these feelings would always pass, just like a tidal wave breaks and then subsides.” Ffion acted on what she knew in order to help: “We didn’t receive much professional support due to long NHS mental health waiting lists but, like lots of other families, we couldn’t wait – my daughter was frightened and was asking for help so we needed to find ways to help her ride her waves of anxiety.”
Ffion continues: “It’s really difficult to see your child struggling. I felt heartbroken when my daughter would say “I don’t want to feel like this anymore”. But there are things that we can do to help so that children can learn how to turn down the volume on their anxiety when it gets too loud.”
Alongside her work as an author, Ffion Jones also provides her expertise as a mental health advocate to schools. This has also influenced the creation of her latest picture book: “I often work with children who are struggling with anxiety for a variety of reasons. These children also motivated me to write the book as I wanted them to know that their feelings are normal and that they can develop their own techniques to ride the waves.”
“I wanted them to know that their feelings are normal and that they can develop their own techniques to ride the waves.”
Future Projects
Following the release of ‘Whispa and the Waves’, Ffion Jones has signed a contract for a second picture book to be published by Tiny Tree. Announced in July 2024, this new book is described as a picture book about “finding joy in the little things”. We’ll have more to share about this brilliant new book very soon.
‘Whispa and the Waves’ by Ffion Jones and Elena Mascolo is available now from all good bookshops!
