Kimochis Feeling Pillows Guide:
Activities for Mental Health Professionals to Help Children Process and Regulate Big Feelings
AUTHORS
Jill Kristal, Ph.D.
Licensed Clinical Psychologist & Kimochis® Certified Trainer
For nearly 30 years, Jill Kristal’s work with children and adults has been guided by goal-directed play and conversation and creativity and fun with purpose. Using a combination of psychotherapy, counseling, coaching, and education, she works to assist people in moving forward with their lives.
Jill lived for 12 years in London, England, where she served as Clinical Director of the American Counseling Center, an initiative of the U.S. Embassy. With two colleagues, she created Transitional Learning Curves and developed six interactive workbooks and games to guide relocating families through the process of transition that accompanies moving. Upon her return to the United States, Jill served as Special Education Coordinator at School Choice International. She currently has a private practice for children and adults in Westchester County, New York.
With a specialty in working with trauma and certification as an EMDR clinician, Jill is a founding member of a county-wide organization that provides free EMDR treatment for people involved in natural and manmade disasters. She has also created a guide for providing treatment. Her humor and personal vignettes make her a sought-after speaker and writer on life transitions, parenting, and other mental health topics.
Upon being introduced to Kimochis® by a family she was working with, Jill instantly recognized the Kimochis® feelings pillows to be a concrete, hands-on, non-threatening tool for helping children and adults improve their ability to experience and express their feelings.
As a total Kimochis® enthusiast, Jill has introduced the Kimochis® characters and pillows to colleagues and has attended two professional conferences with Bug and Hero in tow.
Jill is presently working with Ellen on materials to expand the applications of the Kimochis® product line in therapy.
Ellen Pritchard Dodge, M.Ed., CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist & Kimochis® Educational Director
Ellen is an internationally recognized leader in program development and training in the areas of speech-language pathology, character education, and parent education. She has published numerous books and articles about the importance of teaching social-emotional learning to children.
Ellen believes the key to happiness, wellness, and life success lies in one’s ability to effectively and kindly communicate ideas and feelings. Ellen was awarded a National Charter Education award for her 35 year contribution to communication curriculum and extensive work in public schools throughout the country. Ellen presents globally on communication skills/development and infuses her public speaking appearances with her passion for raising children’s social and emotional intelligence. She applies her interactive workshop style, personal and professional experience and effective communication strategies to educate children and adults alike. People leave her presentations knowing that you can have fun with and manage feelings, even the hard ones. Her mantra is ‘Everyone makes mistakes with communication so you can use your brave and take a re-do.’
Ellen has been the Educational Director, head of curriculum development and lead trainer for Kimochis ® since 2008. Ellen is also the lead trainer on a 5 year Kimochis contract for the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) awarded in 2014. The program provides training and support materials to Domestic Dependent Elementary and Secondary Schools (DDESS). In 2018, the California Speech-Language-Hearing Association bestowed its highest honor on Ellen, the Honors of the Association, for her significant contribution to the field of speech and language pathology and to the CSHA itself. In 2013, Ellen served on Parenting magazine’s Editorial Advisory Board. Ellen has also created academically and socially engaging classrooms for boys through the Supporting Our Sons organization. This work was done in collaboration with Dr. William Pollack, author of Real Boys.
Ellen is the mother of three daughters and lives in Northern California, but she treasures her Midwestern roots and her large extended family in Chicago. She identifies most with Kimochis Huggtopus with her exuberant love for people that sometimes needs to be regulated as her hug can be too snug!