As a published author, I love to share with others what I have learnt from researching my books. Together with the mentor and mindfulness teacher, Mary Louise Morris, I have been visiting schools and colleges to deliver talks and workshops since 2018. For testimonials for our work, scroll down below.
"Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all". Aristotle.
Heart Works is a new project for schools, which resulted from four years researching the subject of the heart for my latest book. During the research, I learnt that our hearts are closely connected to our mental health and wellbeing. When we are in a state of heart coherence - where our heart rhythms, breathing, brain and nervous system are working together in harmony (like an orchestra playing in sync) - we can think more clearly, make better decisions and perform better. Heart coherence also helps us to regulate our emotions and view life’s challenges from a wider perspective, making us more resilient and giving us a more positive outlook. In this state, we can access greater empathy, creativity and intuition, which can improve our relationships with ourselves and others.
Based on cutting-edge research and interviews with cardiologists, neuroscientists, the HeartMath Institute and mindfulness practitioners, my colleague Mary Louise Morris and I have developed a simple programme to help children and teenagers to increase their heart coherence. We blend our respective skills and experience, using creative writing, story-telling, movement and heart-focused breathing to ensure the sessions are fun, interactive and embodied. Mary Louise also shares her take-away toolkit for self-care and self-compassion in times of stress. Together, we have run creative workshops in schools and colleges since 2018 and more details and testimonials for our work can be seen below.
So far, we have shared the Heart Works practices with GP’s patients from Golborne Surgery, W10, London, artists from Kindred studios, community groups in Kensington and Chelsea and wellness practitioners. Click here for testimonials.
Heart Works aims to help students understand and experience the benefits of heart coherence and self-compassion, enabling them to cope better with life’s challenges by increasing their confidence, kindness and creativity.
Workshops for The Spectacular Vision of Oskar Dunkelblick
The title of this talk/workshop: “When we change the way we see things, the things we see will change” was inspired by the Nobel Prize–winning scientist Max Planck’s quote. It is suitable both for Assembly and/or interactive classroom sessions.
Assembly: Hattie will read two short extracts from her book, which deal with the bullying of teenage Oskar and how his pessimistic worldview has been formed by his childhood experiences. She will then discuss the fact that Oskar, and indeed all of us, see the world according to our beliefs and expectations. To demonstrate this, she shows clips from the neuroscientist David Eagleman’s BBC4 series about the brain and perception, along with optical illusions to prove how we often do not see accurately.
Accompanying Hattie is Mary Louise Morris, an accredited teacher of the Mindfulness in Schools Programme, and former Head of Education for the children’s charity Childnet International. She will lead the 50-minute interactive classroom sessions, where she will expand on Hattie’s talk with exercises to help students become aware of their own often limiting beliefs and judgements about themselves and the world, and how these affect their everyday experience. Using further interactive exercises she will demonstrate how, by questioning our beliefs and expectations, we can change the way we see the world.
Mary Louise has worked in numerous schools including St Paul’s Boys (London), St James for Girls, Kingston Grammar, Lady Eleanor Hollis, Hampton Boys, Finton House Prep school, Heathside in Weybridge, and Westminster UTC. She has also delivered training in schools for teachers and students in Flexible Thinking and Mindfulness-based stress reduction.
Testimonials
King Alfred school, Hampstead:
“The talk was exactly what we always dream our lectures will be. Students loved the mix of reading from Oskar Dunkelblick, videos, discussions and the whole tone of the talk. ”
St Paul’s school, Hammersmith:
“The sessions were highly informative and provocative. As well as emphasising the importance and skill of empathy, they invited the students to consider the nature of their beliefs and how they perceive the world, and they propelled the students towards reconsidering even their most deeply held views; something we should all take time to do!”
Oxfordshire Hospital School, and the John Radcliffe hospital, Oxford.
‘It was such an uplifting day having Hattie visit the Mental Health Inpatient Adolescent Unit. She has such a naturally positive presence and enthusiasm which is infectious. She read from her inspiring book The Spectacular Vision of Oskar Dunkelblick, which thoroughly engaged the students, prompting many questions about self belief and how we see ourselves.. All the students left the sessions with a smile on their faces.
Hattie is exactly the kind of writer to have in a hospital school. Not only is she very sensitive to their difficulties and needs but she is also passionate about making a difference to these young people's lives.
— Kerry Angus, Head of English and Literacy Lead at the Oxfordshire Hospital School, and the John Radcliffe.
St Marylebone school:
“Hattie showed her deep understanding of the range of complex issues so many of our students have to deal with in their daily lives. Her enthusiasm and love of writing was infectious.”
Canterbury College:
“Hattie Edmonds delivered a stimulating and creative workshop at Canterbury College exploring mental health issues and mindfulness strategies. Her wonderful novel, The Spectacular Vision of Oskar Dunkelblick, tackles the subject in a way that makes the complexities of mental health empathetic and accessible especially to young people facing the modern social networking world. My students were encouraged to discuss the book and its themes and participate in creative and effective exercises. Post session they were full of praise for Hattie, her novel and the workshop. I could not recommend this pertinent and timely workshop more”.
— Greg Lawrence. Senior Media Lecturer
About The Author - Hattie Holden Edmonds
After doing a B.A in German at Exeter university and living in Berlin, Hattie returned to London to work for ten years as the UK correspondent to the German teenage magazine Bravo. Here she interviewed musicians, film and pop stars, as well as editing the environmental pages. Next she became the in-house writer at Comic Relief, working on comedy projects with amongst others, Richard Curtis, Dawn French, Steve Coogan and Sacha Baron Cohen. She also covered more serious issues, including child carers, Rwandan widows and Sierra Leonean child soldiers. Now she writes full time while taking part in Social Prescribing projects. She is also the founder and manager of the House of Talents, a community of artists, writers, performers, confidence coaches and mindfulness teachers. Over the years she has taught relaxation practices and creative writing at the environmental and educational charity Global Generation, the homeless project Refettorio Felix and patients at the Pembridge Palliative care unit.