Welcome to a space created to nurture children’s mental and emotional wellbeing through meaningful stories, practical resources, and compassionate support.
At the heart of this website is my children’s book There’s a Monster on My Shoulder and its companion educational resource. Together, they gently explore emotions, anxiety, self-awareness, and resilience, helping children make sense of their feelings and feel less alone in their experiences.
Beyond these core resources, you’ll discover a range of materials designed to support learning, emotional growth, and wellbeing across early childhood settings, schools, therapy environments, and homes.
While the site is organised for educators, families, and wellbeing professionals, you are warmly encouraged to explore all areas. Many resources can be adapted across settings, supporting children wherever they learn and grow.
My hope is that this space empowers the adults in children’s lives to guide them with confidence, compassion, and understanding — helping every child to know who they are, and feel seen, supported, and strong.
Anxiety can be a Monster…
but guess what? YOU are stronger than that Monster!
Want to learn how to make Monsters disappear?
I chose a Monster to personify anxiety because, in my experience, living with anxiety can feel like having a Monster following you everywhere you go. A Monster that knows everything about you — what scares you, what worries you, what makes you feel unsure — and then uses those things against you, whispering anxious thoughts into your ear.
Over time, those whispers can grow louder, until they begin to drown out everything else.
I wanted to personify anxiety because anxiety is not who you are. It is not a part of your identity. Anxiety is something separate — something that can be understood, managed, and quietened with the right tools and support.
You are you.
You are not anxiety.
You are the one who notices your thoughts. You are the awareness behind them. And when that awareness begins to grow, anxiety begins to lose its power.
My hope is that this book helps children recognise who they truly are at their core — strong, capable, and separate from their worries. Because once that understanding emerges, the Monster no longer has control.
Hi, I’m Erin Joy Bernardi – author and illustrator of the children’s book There’s a Monster on My Shoulder. I’m a qualified teacher with extensive experience in both primary and early childhood education, and I’m also a mum. My experiences in these roles inspired me to take action on an issue I see growing every day: anxiety in children and adults alike.
Anxiety can affect everyone to some degree, but it’s particularly challenging to talk about with young children. Explaining it in a way that helps them understand and cope can feel overwhelming. This inspired me to write my first children’s book – a gentle, accessible way to start conversations about anxiety. My hope is that this book not only equips children with practical tools to manage anxious thoughts but also helps them discover a deeper understanding of themselves. I want them to know that the thoughts circling in their minds are not who they are – they are the ones noticing those thoughts, and they can choose how to respond.
I am deeply passionate about helping children and adults alike recognise their innate value and the uniqueness that makes them who they are. There’s a Monster on My Shoulder, along with my other resources, are designed to support this journey. Every person deserves to know, love and embrace who they are – and that journey begins here.
Get in touch
