The Playground is Like a Jungle

The Big Hug books grew out of letters sent to children and their families after their psychology sessions. Each book has its origins in a real need for a real child with a real problem and offers real strategies from a real psychologist. The heart-felt illustrations and simple words aim to simplify tricky situations and soothe strong emotions. The books aim to give children, and the people who care for them, a way to talk about problems.

The Playground is like the Jungle was written with a view to opening young minds to the rich variety of human personalities that exist in their world. Readers are encouraged to take time to observe the behaviours and moods of others and to make wise and safer choices about play mates.

About the Author

Shona Innes is a Clinical and Forensic psychologist who has worked for over 25 years helping children, teens and grownups (young and old). Shona has accumulated significant knowledge, experience and skill for interacting with some of the trickiest individuals in some of the most trying of circumstances as well as for assisting with life’s day to day hassles. Other psychologists seek out time with Shona to assist them with tricky cases and to take care of themselves in the process of helping others.

Starting out as a toilet training assistant in a special school prior to finishing her postgraduate studies, Shona has worked in the fields of Disability, Psychiatry and Youth Justice. In addition to seeing individuals and groups for treatment for wide ranging concerns, she now consults to mental health professionals working in child and adolescent psychiatry; the justice system; disability, welfare and child protection systems; and schools.

Shona has a degree in Applied Science majoring in Applied Psychology. She has a Graduate Diploma of Applied Science in Child Psychology and a Masters of Clinical Psychology. She is a registered psychologist with endorsements in clinical and forensic psychology as well as being a member of the Australian Psychological Society (APS), the APS College of Clinical psychologists and the APS College of Forensic psychologists.

Importantly, Shona is a mother, wife, daughter, sister, aunt, cousin, niece, fitness trainee, chook-owner and friend.