New Children’s Book “It’s Okay” by Maya Johnson Helps Parents and Children Talk About Mental Health

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn., Oct. 23, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — How do parents help their children understand and improve upon their mental health when they don’t have the language to tell them what’s wrong? In Maya Johnson’s debut children’s book, It’s Okay [November 23, 2020], the main character, Ivy, learns to express how depression affects her with the help of her parents who teach her a simple phrase: “It’s okay.” It’s Okay is a story of learning to communicate with ourselves as well as with others. Ivy’s story is perfect for young children, whether they struggle with their mental health or not, as well as parents who may be uncertain about how to talk to their children about feelings of depression.

Everyone can relate to Ivy’s story, and through It’s Okay children and parents alike are reminded that every emotion they experience is valid and worth paying attention to. Johnson shares a heartwarming narrative about the acceptance and safety family can provide through difficult and confusing times. Through conversations about expression and family history, Ivy’s parents help her understand what she’s feeling and accept that it is okay to not be okay.

Teaching children and their parents how to decipher early feelings of depression and start an open family dialogue about articulating emotions is Johnson’s chief goal in sharing Ivy’s story. As a long-time child caretaker and a mother of three, promoting the mental wellbeing of all children through the powerful illustrations and storytelling in It’s Okay is something Johnson has been striving towards for years.

Engaging and positive, It’s Okay is an educational journey about learning to communicate and process difficult feelings. Johnson is available for interviews, Q&A’s and articles around the launch of It’s Okay to discuss/write on topics including but not limited to:

• How to talk to your children about mental health
• Sharing your own experiences with mental health issues with your children
• Maintaining a healthy and communicative family environment

MAYA JOHNSON is a young, married, stay-at-home mom of three young children. She grew up in the city of Memphis, TN where she attended Cordova High School. Throughout her years in high school, Maya ran track and field and cross country. After graduating high school, she moved to Knoxville, TN where she obtained an Associate’s Degree in Chemistry from Pellissippi State Community College and a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.

Maya has enjoyed working with children, including working in daycares, being a camp counselor, and being a nanny. One of her passions is drawing. She has been drawing for years and has always dreamed of writing and illustrating her first children’s book.

For more information, please visit www.mayanjohnson.com. Or follow Johnson on Facebook – www.Facebook.com/themayanjohnson and Instagram: www.Instagram.com/themayanjohnson.

It’s Okay will be released nationwide November 23, 2020 and can be ordered through Amazon, Apple Books, and Barnes & Noble. The ebook is now available for presale at Amazon.com. The hardcover edition is also available for preorder on Amazon.com.

SOURCE Maya Johnson