Jacqueline Tournier, a systemic family therapist and child psychologist, has released the global English edition of her psychoeducational book YOU and Stress… The Brain Explained, which has already helped over 4,000 families, educators, and therapists in the Netherlands and Belgium. The book, now available worldwide through Amazon and major distributors, aims to make stress literacy accessible to all by using a simple three-animal metaphor: the Owl Brain (thinker), the Dolphin Brain (feeler), and the Crocodile Brain (survival reactor).
This 2025 revised edition is designed for parents, children aged 6 and up, schools, therapists, and healthcare professionals. It includes full-color illustrations, breathing exercises, movement grounding tools, and a free downloadable workbook. The book's approach bridges neuroscience and everyday life, providing a visual language to explain fight, flight, freeze, or fawn responses and how to return to emotional safety.
According to Tournier, the book addresses a critical need: stress among children is at an all-time high, parents are overwhelmed, and teachers lack simple strategies for emotional dysregulation. The book has been endorsed by professionals as an eye-opener and a must-read for families and educators. It is already used in homes, schools, autism coaching, therapy practices, and youth support centers across Europe.
Tournier, who runs the therapeutic practice FlowinGrow and has a daughter with Down syndrome, wrote the original Dutch version in 2019 after witnessing children feeling misunderstood and parents helpless. Her mission, as stated on her website, is to ensure everyone understands their stress and brain behavior. Beyond the book, she offers parent workshops, school programs, therapist training, and coaching to help families and professionals apply the concepts.
The global launch comes as stress levels rise worldwide, and mental health resources become more critical. The book's simple, compassionate approach aims to turn emotional chaos into clarity, giving families a shared language for feelings and helping adults and children understand one another. As Tournier says, 'Stress is not the enemy, disconnection is.' With this tool, she hopes to foster connection and emotional safety on a global scale.
