Ollie Coaching is a method devised by Alison Knowles to teach children (and adults!) that they can control how they feel.
The main concept.
Behind this model is the belief that we are all made up of different parts, and we are not only happy, sad, angry, in pain, or anything else you can think of, only a part of us is. We have the capability to grow or shrink these parts to help us feel more happy and less sad, more excited and less frightened or whatever you would like to feel instead. It doesn’t mean those parts are gone, they are always with us – because sometimes it’s appropriate to feel sad, or fearful – but we can be much more in control of these feelings so that they don’t overwhelm us.
The Olie Books for children
In the Ollie and his Superpowers books, Ollie does this by learning that all his emotions are Super Powers and with the help of Mr Wilcox a friend of his mums, he learns that all his memories are stored in a big library in his head and that he can grow his Brave and Happy Super Powers to help him beat the school bullies. From here he learns that he can choose which team of Super Powers he wants to help him through every day – whether it’s scary maths tests or his favourite, football!
Mollie is soon introduced into the books with her own set of Super Powers and a library of memories that looks very different to Ollie’s!
For Foster Children.
Mollie is in Foster Care and has many emotional challenges. She too learns that she can control her emotions, that she is safe and that she is loved.
Children and the adults around them can learn about the concept through one of the various activities run by Ollie Coaches – school assemblies, parents evenings and mentor training, alongside reading the Ollie and his Super Powers books that Alison has written. Ollie Coaches also do one-to-one work, both within schools and privately with individual children and families. For more information on Ollie Coaching in Warwickshire contact: Belinda – Ollie Coach on facebook or website www.olliecoachbelinda.co.uk