Fostered youth wellness through engaging and fun creative expression

The cover of You Got This Thing, a creative self-care journal for young people dealing with the challenges of having to take care of a chronic illness.

PROJECT DETAILS

FOR: The Place of Wonder, a children’s book publishing company

PROJECT OVERVIEW: To develop a dynamic creative journal that inspires young people to take proactive control of their well-being, blending wellness guidance with creative expression in an engaging and fun manner.

DISCOVER THE BOOK:

You Got This Thing

YOU GOT THIS THING is a creative self-care journal to inspire young people living with any "Thing" (any ailment, disability, disease, disorder, illness, injury or syndrome) to dream big and follow their bliss.

Written from a non-medical perspective, this journal helps young people understand the many non-medical challenges they might encounter after diagnosis. The journal is full of positive thoughts, coping methods, creative visualizations, coloring pages, lovable "Things" who give comforting advice and a fun art project that aims to bring HOPE, LOVE and JOY to those who need it the most.

Tools used: Adobe Creative Cloud, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, Microsoft 365, Ingram Lightning Source

An arts project and creative learning experience was created for You Got This Thing, a self-care journal to inspire young people living with any "Thing" (any ailment, disability, disease, disorder, illness, injury or syndrome) to dream big and follow their bliss. Children created their own artwork to express what their “thing” looks like. "Things" were created that have Lyme Disease, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, POTS, SVT, Syncope, Dysautonomia, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Glaucoma, Celiac Disease, Fibromyalgia, Allergies, Cervical Facet Syndrome, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, Migraine, Pigment Dispersion Syndrome, Heart Disease, Meniere's Disease, ADHD, depression, and more!

A CREATIVE EXPERIENCE

Awards and Accomplishments

  • TEDx Middlebury talk: "The Place of Wonder: A Gigantic Pod of Potential"

  • WeMedia Finalist, Community Choice Game Changers Award

  • Recipient of a Saratoga Program for Arts Funding Project Grant, part of the Regrant Program of the New York State Council of the Arts (NYSCA)

  • "I received your marvelous book—Thank you! It is a stroke of pure genius!"

    Reader, in her 60s

  • "While this appears to be marketed for youth, I personally think it's great for adults as well (I'm 32). The whole concept of the workbook is rather playful & imaginative; however, it also provides a safe space for processing & expressing difficult emotions, thoughts, & experiences related to life with chronic illness. It offers many different avenues for coping with a life-altering illness and learning to befriend the 'Thing' we often perceive as our archenemy. Some of my favorite practices in the workbook include a gratitude bank, negative thought twists (basically an intro to CBT), a goal list, a dream list, visualization exercises, and a page that allows you to design a graphic image of what you think your 'invisible cosmic zebra' might look like. It's a very therapeutic & encouraging workbook. Note: As far as I understand, each workbook has the same template, no matter the illness on the front (i.e. MCAS, Crohn's, CFS, etc)."

    Patient

  • "I have a chronic illness myself but also am a child life e-volunteer. Your book is truly going to make a difference in the years to come. I wish I had such a book when I was in my pediatric years."

    Child Life Specialist

  • "I'm a huge believer in making time for journaling, reading and creating. This book allowed me to discover and organize so much about myself, my condition, my doctors, my support community and additional techniques that I was not aware of. If you know someone with a chronic condition, share this to help!"

    Patient

  • “Jossea is a talented publisher. Her writing skills are impeccable and creative and she has an eye for what will work for a particular market. Her knowledge of several aspects of the industry is instrumental for any project that she chooses to work on. I highly recommend Jossea for any literary endeavor!“

    Editor

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