Burlington author debuts best selling children's book on coping with anxiety

Educating young readers on how to overcome anxiety through breathing techniques, “Dancing with Butterflies” encourages readers to be more intentional about their mental wellness practices. Barr’s work is also geared toward minority readers with the goal “to encourage people of color to take care of their mental wellbeing just as they would take care of their everyday lives.”

“I want people to release themselves from any shame of seeking help and being intentional about creating a routine they can adhere to. I also want to encourage people to cherish those around to rebuild the sense of community lost over time,” Barr said in a press release.

In this meditation for beginners book, Leah -- the main character of the book -- learns that deep breathing exercises are not only relaxing but are the perfect way to calm her tummy, according to the release. This illustrated mommy and me book encourages readers to manage anxiety with an easy-to-read story.

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In addition to the Amazon recognitions. “Dancing with Butterflies” and Barr have been featured on the Women in the Arena Podcast, based in Arizona, as well as the Williams-Bey Radio Show, based in Virginia. Macy's in Richmond, also hand-selected this book to kickstart their Bedtime Story Series.

Barr also plans to write more books, opening Ellena N. Gean Books to publish her future works. 

To learn more about the book and its author, the Times-News sat down with Barr for a Q&A.

When did you start writing and why?

Barr started sharing her writing while a student at Walter M. Williams High School working on the school newspaper. In college, she was a communications major during which time she did even more writing. As a human resources professional, Barr said that continuous writing has carried over to her current career.

"It's always been something that I've done," she said.

What inspired you to write “Dancing with Butterflies”?

Barr's book came out of a writing challenge she entered with two friends from her college days who noticed they had all drifted away from their love of writing.

"We noticed that with adulting and getting more into the professional sector and taking care of our households, we stopped writing for ourselves as much," Barr said. 

The storyline was inspired by Barr's daughter's experiences getting nervous before competitive cheerleading competitions, Barr's use of breathing techniques for her own anxieties and the process of teaching them to her daughter.

"I remembered her first competition ... and her just seeing all those people and being incredibly nervous. I was telling her 'Just breathe. You know the routine, you've done the work and you've done the practice and even if you mess up it's going to be okay. Just breathe and just focus,'" Barr recalled. "I also wanted to share what worked for me and breathing and grounding in that way and how important it is to build that confidence in yourself."

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What made you want to focus on a young audience?

"I wanted to gear that conversation towards children because that was some advice that I was I had when I was younger," Barr said. "I kind of had to figure it out during adulthood, so I wanted to get that message out to children so they would have that tool to use as they grow through life."

How do you think a book like this about managing anxiety can help people, especially during these uncertain times?

"I believe that it will at least start the conversation," Barr said. "With anxiety, the numbers are gargantuan worldwide, especially with COVID. It's difficult to tell somebody to disregard their fears, but it's easier to say 'I know that you're afraid, it's going to be okay. Just take those deep breaths to recalibrate.'"

Barr said she hopes "Dancing with Butterflies" starts the conversation about mental wellbeing particularly in communities of color where she believes diagnosis, treatment and conversation about mental health issues are less common.

How does it feel seeing all the success of your book thus far?

"It took me a while to digest," Barr said of the positive response to her work. "Sometimes it's still incredibly unbelievable."

"To see how accepting of it, how people are talking about it and how interested people are is just — I'm incredibly honored and grateful," she added.

Barr has also launched a merchandise line in coordination with "Dancing with Butterflies" that includes T-shirts, pillows, mugs and more in sizes ranging from infant to adult. There is also an activity book full of coloring pages, words of affirmation and discussion questions that pairs well with the story. These items are available through Barr's website.

What do you plan to write next?

After the success of her first book, Barr launched Ellena N. Gean Books to publish her future works. Right now, she is working on two stories that celebrate male role models in children's lives as well as the journey to becoming an older sibling from a child's perspective.

"COVID has been a blessing for me because it forced me to slow life down significantly," Barr explained. "To be able to slow down and actually give myself the mental energy and space to just write has (made me) able to produce more stories."

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To learn more about Barr, her work or to keep up with her latest releases, check out her website or follow her on Facebook and Instagram. Barr encourages readers struggling with their mental wellbeing to reach out to local or regional organizations for support. 

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Elizabeth Pattman is the trending topics reporter for the Times-News in Burlington, covering business, COVID-19 and all things trending. Contact Elizabeth (she/her) at epattman@gannett.com. I'm also available on social media @EPattmanTN on Twitter or @burlingtontimesnews on Instagram.

This article originally appeared on Times-News: Burlington author debuts best selling children's book on coping with anxiety