Lancaster author shares her experience with OCD and new children’s picture books that address complex emotions

• Aniya Faulcon
  BioRecent Stories

  

  Aniya Faulcon is The Spark Host/Producer for WITF. She has a passion for shining a light on unique people, experiences, and perspectives within the community.
  
  Previously she worked as the People and Social Trends Reporter/Video Anchor for LancasterOnline | LNPNews. During her time there, she created video packages, provided Facebook Live coverage at community events, and wrote data-driven stories with census data and feature stories on local leaders, non-profit organizations, events, and people with unique talents and experiences within Lancaster County.
  
  Aniya also worked at WMAR ABC 2 News as a Sales Assistant and at the AFRO American Newspapers as an Executive Assistant and Media correspondent. Aniya interned at WEAA Gospel Grace 88.9 and worked at her alma mater’s radio station, WWPJ at Point Park University, where she gained skills and a passion for radio.
  
  Aniya grew up in Baltimore, Maryland and attended the Baltimore School for the arts for high school with a concentration in acting. She continued to hone her skills and passion for storytelling and later graduated from Point Park University in 2018 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting and Broadcast Reporting. Aniya is eager to continue her journey with storytelling in her role with WITF, as she aims to shed a light on real people and real stories within Pennsylvania in a variety of mediums.

 Nick Gould

Airdate: January 31, 2023

Two new children’s picture books will soon be released that tackle concepts like gratitude and celebrating the experience of people who look at the world differently and live with disorders.

Jessica Whipple, Lancaster poet and author of Enough Is and I Think I Think a Lot joined us on The Spark Tuesday to discuss her books, poetry, and connection to her work.

Enough Is follows a child as she learns the difference between wanting and needing and, in the end, finds contentment by being satisfied with what she has.

I Think I Think a Lot, inspired by Whipple’s experience with Obsessive-Compulsive disorder,  is about a neurodivergent child (a person with differences in their mental functions) who notices and celebrates her way of looking at and experiencing the world. The book is meant to be relatable for children with anxiety, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity disorder, autism, giftedness and perfectionism tendencies.

Whipple said, she thinks picture books are one tool that can be used to start conversations with kids about their inner lives and bond with a child in an intimate way.

“I know there’s not that many books about OCD for kids that aren’t distributed in a therapist’s office,” Whipple said. So my hope is that I Think I Think a Lot can be a book that’s as easily accessible as any book from the library where kids can see themselves and think, ‘Oh, you know, there might actually be something good that can come from this worry that I’m having or this feeling that I’m having’.”

To learn more about Whipple’s books and work visit authorjessicawhipple.com.