Ms. Fardeen Rafique Talks About Her Book “Stories for Resilient Hearts: A Mental Health Story Book For Children”

About the Author:

Ms. Fardeen Rafique is an experienced psychologist with several years of practice, working with adults, children, and families. She utilizes therapeutic modalities such as Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Emotion-focused Therapy, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy to support a diverse range of individuals. Fardeen’s work focuses on fostering resilience, promoting self-esteem, addressing childhood trauma, and improving both children’s and workplace mental health. She also works extensively with parents, understanding that meaningful change often begins at home. Fardeen believes that through guidance, autonomy, and intentional effort, individuals can face life’s challenges. Empowering children and adults to reach their full potential and celebrating their strengths is key to building a strong foundation for lifelong success.

Exclusive interview with the author

Q: What Inspired You To Write This Book?

A: My inspiration came from my professional journey as a psychologist and my work with childhood trauma, emotional development, and resilience. Over the years, I have seen how deeply early experiences shape a child’s emotional world. Alongside my clinical work, I have been strongly drawn to preventive mental health care, both at local and global levels. I also found myself observing children around me, at home, in schools, and in everyday spaces, navigating big emotions and difficult situations in today’s fast-paced world. Many of them needed simple, safe ways to understand and express what they were feeling. This book grew from the desire to offer children gentle support early on, before emotional struggles become overwhelming.

Q: Can You Tell Us About The Book?

A: Stories for Resilient Hearts is a collection of 30 short stories written especially for children aged 4 to 8. The stories are simple, warm, and rooted in everyday situations that children can easily relate to. Each one gently introduces emotions and social skills without feeling heavy or instructional. The idea was to create something that helps children make sense of big feelings such as worry, anger, sadness, or self doubt in a safe and approachable way. At the same time, the book supports parents and educators by offering gentle guidance and conversation starters. It is meant to be read slowly, shared often, and used wherever children need emotional support, at home, in classrooms, or in therapeutic spaces.

Q: What Does The Title Mean?

A: Children have an inherent capacity for resilience. However, they do not always receive the right support or care to develop the skills they need to cope with challenges. The title Stories for Resilient Hearts honours the natural strength that already exists within children. The stories in the book gently support this capacity by helping children understand their emotions, build confidence, and feel safe expressing themselves. The word hearts reflects a child’s emotional world, and there is no better way to reach children and support their growth than through stories they can connect with and enjoy.

Q: What Did You Learn When Writing The Book?

A:When writing, one important thing I learned was that while this book covers several concepts and concerns children may need for their emotional development, it can never truly cover everything. There is always so much more that children go through and need support with. And when they do, they need that support, right? Just like adults have self help books, I thought, why not children have their own self help books for mental health care as well?

Q: Was The Character Inspired By A Real Person?

A: The characters in the book are not inspired by one specific real person. Instead, each story reflects children everywhere who may be going through a difficult time or in need of support. Children may experience these challenges sometimes in a single moment and sometimes over a longer period of time. While the characters themselves are fictional, the challenges they face are very real. The stories are inspired by real problems that children may experience, helping many children see themselves in the characters and feel understood.

Q: How Long Does It Take You To Write A Book?

A: This is my first published book. To be honest, the idea for a book like this started forming the moment I began practising as a psychologist. I had been carrying the idea with me for several years, learning and refining it through my work. When I finally felt ready to write, it took me about ten months to complete the book, ensuring that each story was thoughtful, meaningful, and genuinely helpful for children.