Please click here to tell us what you think of the Gizmo’s Pawesome Guide to Mental Health and/or the Curriculum. If a photo is included, please fill out this release form and include with photo(s) here.

In honor of mental health awareness month, as a district, each classroom was given a Pawesome Guide to Mental Health. Each student in the district then participated in lessons and activities associated with the book and created their own mental health plan. We just wanted to share and say thank you for such an amazing resource!
Cassandra Murphy, Director of Student Services

I am reading the “Gizmo book” at Beaumont Elementary School with Ichabod.  The two classes had 21 and 22 students. The kids really enjoyed  the book and it opened up a lot of discussions about feelings and how to cope with them. I think what’s so great about the book is it brings awareness and labels what kids are doing when they try to self soothe or comfort themselves.  For those who know how to do it, it gives it a name. For the other kids, it introduces the concept.  This book is really fabulous. – Gayle Ellias LMSW

Gizmo visits school

We love Gizmo at our school! ALL the kids love Gizmo and it sends such a good message. Last year we had Gizmo come visit our 3rd and 4th graders! It was awesome. We plan to do it again this year too. It’s a great program. I tell everyone about it!

Katrina D. Hicks, School Psychologist
Lewin G. Joel Elementary School, Clinton, CT

Thank you for letting us share Gizmo! Tykes & Teen’s – a leading children’s mental health provider on Florida’s Treasure Coast – CEO Eric Garza very much enjoyed leading a read along for K – 5th graders at Martin County’s Blake Library. We purchased books and gave one to all children who attended. We are looking forward to hosting another read along in May 2022 during Mental Health Awareness Month.

Thank you again,
Misty Stoller
Tykes & Teens Communications Manager

My young adult daughter’s Gizmo plushie arrived yesterday, just in time for her to move into her first post-college apartment! She was thrilled, joking that Gizmo is her therapy dog (for now). Gizmo is a perfect reminder for her to focus on her mental wellness, especially newly living on her own. Thank you to Gizmo, for being such a pawesome (and adorable) mascot, and to the creators of Gizmo’s Pawesome Guide, for creating such an approachable, practical, and applicable resource, for kids of all ages.

As a pediatric social worker at Yale-New Haven Hospital, introducing Gizmo to my young patients has been a wonderful psychoeducational tool. When children are screened for depression in our outpatient multispecialty clinic I will often get consulted by the medical team to screen children for safety and mental health concerns. Children have been very receptive to learning about Gizmo and what he teaches about mental health and wellbeing. Gizmo has helped me to introduce the concepts of mindfulness, behavioral activation, and emotion regulation to children in a way that is developmentally appropriate and holds their interest.

Gizmo
Gizmo says, “Did you know there are things you can do to help yourself when you feel sad, mad, or worried? That’s what this book is all about!”
Gizmo and James
Gizmo and Sara Jane with Andrea Duarte, CT Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services and James Wright, Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration, September 2017.
CT 5th Grader Presents to Board of Education Why Gizmo Curriculum Should Be Sustained at His School.


“Gizmo’s a great pup! He taught me about mental health and what to do when I’m sad or stressed.  Everyone’s gonna love this book!“ ~Caleb, 9, Elementary Student

“I love the book! I think it describes and defines mental health in a simple way that young people understand. We used it in a camp setting during the summer of 2018 and kids from age 5 up to age 12 all enjoyed it and related well to it. Kids understand that taking care of their physical health is important- eating right, getting enough sleep, exercising, because we talk about it a lot. Emphasizing the importance of taking care of our brain health (mental health) and that it requires as much effort as taking care of physical health is a great message for young people. The examples of how kids can do that as described in the book are great.” ~Kathy Hanley, Prevention Coordinator for the Housatonic Valley Coalition Against Substance Abuse

“Gizmo provides each of us with a dash of hope on every page of this book. Gizmo shows us the way to  care for ourselves and to find trusted people to support and help us when we’re sad. Sometimes we need  someone to hold our hand and guide us, find that someone and tell them how you are feeling.  There is always hope.” ~ Faith Vos Winkel, MSW, Assistant Child Advocate, CT Office of the Child Advocate

“I wanted to thank you for sending me the three copies of Gizmo4MentalHealth books! I donated them to the Children’s Library of the Flint Public Library in Flint, Michigan! I love this Library, they do so much for the surrounding communities and especially for the children in the area. The Librarians of the Children’s Library we’re thrilled to receive them and they said they will really be helpful and are very well written! Thank you, thank you, thank you! Highly Recommend to all! “~Caryle Collins

“This book is a delightful new resource that can be used by kids to help themselves, and by parents or  providers to help kids. Not only is the portrayal of Gizmo the therapy dog as mental health coach a cute  concept, it sets up potentially productive dialogues. The doggies model practical steps even little people  can use to cope with emotional challenges. Elements of an evidence-based approach to handling distress  with adults have been thoughtfully transferred to this kid-friendly format. I enthusiastically recommend  Gizmo’s Pawesome Guide to Mental Health as it is both engaging and helpful.” ~ DeQuincy A. Lezine, Ph.D, CEO, Prevention Communities; Father of Benji (age 7) and Nina (age 5)

“Gizmo’s Guide to Mental Health is wonderful. What a great way to teach kids about feelings and coping. Got copies for my nieces and nephews.” ~Jules Calabro, Beacon Health Options

“Last year we had the pleasure of GIZMO’s visit with our Suffield Daisy Troop 10988. We reviewed the book, shared some thoughts in our circle and began a journal for the girls to take home and continue to share their thoughts and feelings, even those strong emotions. What a wonderful program, which last two meetings for us, and which included girls, some family members, troop leaders, a local teacher and our local Social Services Director. The girls learned not only strategies, affirmations, short meditations, they had an introduction to “dogs with jobs”, and we learned more about our trusted adult circle and how important it is to know who those people are. Thank you, many times over, for such a wonderful program. The kids still talk about GIZMO a year later and our books are at home for our family’s reference. ~ Jen  Rodriguez

I think this book is precious and so informative! I love the fact that you have included animals for a kids book. I think this is a wonderful book and thank you for getting this book out there to help children as well as adults! Robin Bush