Fear is Where Brave Begins…
I am sitting in my son’s kindergarten classroom during “show and tell”. He is waiting his turn, eyes down, twisting his sweater. I can feel the heaviness from across the room.
The flutter.
That moment when I just want to walk over, pick him up, and take him home. Protect. Step in and make the discomfort go away.
We’ve all been there. We know how fear shows up and how often children are expected to move through it without understanding what is really happening inside their bodies.
When children don’t understand the sensations of fear, they often assume something is wrong with them. That belief can follow them into adulthood.
Research shows that when fear sensations are misunderstood or dismissed, children are more likely to internalize distress as personal failure.
Over time, this affects confidence, self worth, and self esteem, influencing how freely people take risks, pursue opportunities, and experience happiness in their lives.
In my Psychotherapy practice, I see how much adult anxiety is rooted in fear that was never understood in childhood. Teaching children early to recognize fear, name what their bodies are doing, and understand that fear often appears right before confidence grows changes that trajectory.
This is where Hello Flutters! begins.
Hello Flutters! is a children’s book series that helps children understand fear through what they feel in their bodies.The story follows Tala, a flying squirrel who notices the flutter and learns how to respond with care and courage.
For parents, educators, and caregivers, Hello Flutters! offers a clear, supportive way to understand what children are experiencing and how to respond with presence during moments of change, uncertainty, and first experiences.
Families return to these stories because they honor how children experience fear and grow into confidence.
Fear shows up right before confidence grows.
Hello Flutters! helps children understand that moment.
What it provides
Gives children language for fear through body awareness
Teaches that fear is information, not a problem
Supports confidence by helping children trust what they feel
Why it matters
Children interpret bodily sensations before they have words
When fear is misunderstood, it can become self doubt and anxiety
Early emotional understanding supports lifelong confidence and wellbeing
Who it supports
Children navigating first experiences and transitions
Parents and caregivers learning how to respond with calm and connection
Educators creating emotionally supportive environments
The result
Children feel understood instead of rushed
Adults respond with presence instead of fixing
Confidence grows from understanding, not pressure
Dr. Maria Grace is also the creator of the G.R.A.C.E. Matrix®, a science-backed framework that transforms emotional stress into resilience. Her work extends from private therapy sessions to national stages, helping leaders, educators, and parents move through the moments that once felt paralyzing. By teaching people how to meet fear with presence, she empowers them to lead and parent with authentic confidence.
About the Author
Dr. Maria Grace Wolk believes that how we meet our fear determines who we become. As a licensed psychotherapist, TEDx speaker, and mother of two, she has spent her career applying clinical science to the everyday reality of raising resilient children.
Her work focuses on breaking the cycles of anxiety to make room for healing. After years of witnessing how early fear takes root and how a caregiver's response shapes a child’s confidence, she created the Hello Flutters! series. These books provide children with a language for their inner world and offer adults the tools to respond with a presence that heals.
The story behind the pages. In this interview, I share what inspired Hello Flutters! and why this book means so much to me—and to every little heart learning how to feel.
Book Launch Live Interview [Catch the Replay]
Thank you for your interest in Hello Flutters!
For inquiries related to book events, school and library visits, educator resources, media features, or professional collaborations, please reach out using the information below. Email:
hello@mariagracewolk.com or fill out the form below
I look forward to connecting.
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