I Am Always Enough - by Mary Beth Leisen & Bruna Rezende (Paperback)

About the Book

Psychologist & adoptee Mary Beth Leisen, PhD, shares a fun SEL story about Big Feelings and building resilience, self-efficacy, and unconditional worth. Includes a discussion guide for adults. Ideal for adoptive and foster families.

Book Synopsis

Do you ever have Really Big Feelings?

Meet Little Bear. He has a big heart, but some days are just plain rough. When he messes up or feels very out of sorts, he starts to wonder: Does that mean I'm bad?

Follow Little Bear as he discovers playful "ways to make things okay"-from taking deep breaths and hopping in puddles to snuggling with a loved one. These simple, soothing coping skills build the "I can do this!" confidence needed to handle life's tough stuff.

Written by psychologist and adoptee Mary Beth Leisen, PhD, I Am Always Enough is a heartwarming social-emotional learning (SEL) book that helps children dismantle the pain of "not enough" and replace it with unconditional self-worth. Through gentle rhymes and relatable moments, children learn to cultivate a growth mindset and manage difficult emotions.

A Vital Resource for Families, Educators, and Clinicians

This therapeutic story is a powerful tool for all children who struggle with worthiness and big feelings, but it is especially relevant for the adoption and foster care community, offering a trauma-informed bridge for healing and connection. It celebrates gentle parenting, attachment, and mindfulness for kids while providing a practical framework for building emotional resilience.

The book includes a simple guide for parents, teachers, and therapists to explore core themes, including:

• Unconditional Worth: Reassuring children they are loved for who they are, not how they behave-a critical reminder for children struggling with anxiety, anger or feelings of inadequacy.
• Normalizing Emotions: Helping children understand that "Big Feelings" like anger, sadness, and frustration are a normal part of the human experience. It's not the emotion that matters, but how we navigate it through emotional regulation.
• Building Resilience: Identifying and practicing "ways to make things okay" to foster lifelong inner strength, self-care, and self-compassion.

It's time to say goodbye to the weight of "not good enough." Join Little Bear to discover that no matter the mistake or the feeling, you are safe, accepted, and always enough-just as you are.