Barbara Braun McDonald Deals With Childhood Traumas in a Picture Book “When the Bough Breaks: A Story For Children Suffering Natural Disasters”

Just like others, Barbara Braun McDonald and her family are one of the many victims who are greatly affected by Hurricane Bob in 1994. Her seven-year-old daughter suffered trauma after that natural disaster and since then, together with her family, they began this story to process the trauma her daughter experienced. Thus, the picture book “When the Bough Breaks: A Story For Children Suffering Natural Disasters” (Outskirts Press; 2015) was published.

So many children suffer from many kinds of natural disasters, and it can be a frightening and traumatic experience for them to lose their family or home. In this fictional story about displaced birds, which represent children, readers get to see the struggles that children usually deal with, such as separation anxiety, sleeplessness, and flashbacks after a natural disaster takes place.

The book shows some adorable illustrations of the bird family that somehow brings a light and comforting feeling for the kids. The story then progresses when the two baby birds were left alone in the nest while their parents look for food. This is the part where the readers can see the hardships of two little baby birds as the wind began to blow harder.

The author skillfully used the metaphorical experience of these accessible animal characters that allow the children to reframe their experience and begin the process of healing their trauma.

Unfortunately, no other book on the market today opens up such healing conversations for kids since most self-help books are made for adults. Good thing Barbara Braun McDonald’s “When the Bough Breaks: A Story For Children Suffering Natural Disasters” offers this type of healing. Get a copy of the book on Amazon.

When the Bough Breaks: A Story For Children Suffering Natural Disasters
Author | Barbara Braun McDonald
Published date | October 31, 2015
Publisher | Outskirts Press
Genre | Children, Bibliotherapy


Author Bio

Barbara Braun-McDonald APRN, LMHC has worked with children and families for over twenty years in clinics, residential programs, and outpatient settings. She has focused on adoption, attachment disorders, post-traumatic stress, and anxiety disorders. Barbara is a clinical nurse specialist in child and adolescent psychiatry, a mental health counselor, a registered attachment and play therapist and a former board member of ATTACh. She has presented internationally on attachment disorders, child psychology, and play therapy. Barbara is a mom, foster mom, and grand mom on Cape Cod where she lives with her husband. Barbara maintains balance with gardening, swimming, and reading.

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