Harrogate author publishes book to help boost children's mental health

Before the Coronavirus pandemic hit, Indra Singh had been teaching yoga to people with mental health issues and addictions at the Cygnet Hospital in Harrogate.

However following the pandemic, she lost her work but decided to do something valuable with her time by writing ‘My Best Friend’s a Superhero’.

Indra said: “When Covid hit, valuable therapies such as yoga and meditation were axed when needed the most.

“I knew this was a turning point and took the time to write ‘My Best Friend’s a Superhero’, a story and activity book that supports young children finding their superhero within.

“There are creative activities in the book and a valuable meditation that is downloadable from my site.”

The book is aimed at youngsters between the ages of seven to 11.

The mum-of-two said that one in six children aged five to 16 was identified as having a possible mental health problem in July 2020, a huge increase from one in nine in 2017.

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Indra added: “As someone who suffered from a severe eating disorder from the age of 12 -20, I have observed the rise.

"The stresses and strains of peer pressures and social media mean that children forget who they are because they focus on what’s outside of them, not their strengths and extraordinary abilities inside of them."

Indra is on a mission to help implement changes in how children think about themselves both mentally and physically abd as a yoga teacher of 30 years, she has travelled the world extensively, looking for the ideal teacher.

She added: "It wasn’t till I stopped looking that I realised my greatest teacher was me.

“I can honestly say that having the ability to look within saved my life and I have had the most wonderful opportunities to offer specialised work in hospitals such as Cygnet and support people suffering from addictions and mental illness with great success.

"Some people have even gone on to become yoga teachers themselves and I have created a super quirky book that I wish had been given to me when I was a child.

"I incorporate ideas in the book for children to understand the conscious and subconscious mind.

"The book is there not just to read, draw, or write in, but it is also there for children to create discussion and communicate.

“I open them to an understanding of themselves from the inside out and permit them to be who they are without judging themselves, which is highly important.

"I am on a mission to bring self-appreciation and discovery workshops to children and teens in schools, colleges, and the community.

"Often, we forget to play, and although this book has been created with a specific age group in mind, I encourage the adults to challenge themselves to the activities too."

‘My Best Friend’s a Superhero’, published by Oxygen Publishing - is now available from Amazon and at www.indrasingh.comFor more information about book readings and workshops available, visit www.indrasingh.com

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