Whimsy’s Heavy Things by Julie Kraulis is a charming children’s picture book that tells the story of Whimsy, a young girl grappling with metaphorical “heavy things” in her life. These burdens, depicted as stones, follow her everywhere. Whimsy tries various creative but ineffective ways to get rid of them. She buries them in the garden, launches them into the sea, and even tries to literally sweep them under the rug. However, each attempt at avoidance only makes the burdens feel heavier. Eventually, she discovers that by breaking her “heavy things” into smaller, more manageable parts, they become easier to carry. In the end, Whimsy learns that sometimes heavy things really are just light things in disguise.

 

This simple yet profound story offers a rich metaphor for counselors working with children, especially in addressing emotional overwhelm, avoidance, and resilience. The concept of “heavy things” provides a powerful, developmentally appropriate way to help children identify and express internal emotional struggles, including anxiety, grief, fear, or confusion. Since the story never explicitly defines what Whimsy’s burdens are, counselors can flexibly adapt the metaphor to each child’s experience, promoting personalized emotional exploration.

In practice, counselors can use this story as the basis for a hands-on activity to help children externalize and reframe their stressors. Counselors invite children to write or draw different concerns, fears, or emotional weights on individual pieces of construction paper roughly shaped to resemble stones mirroring the imagery of the book. These papers can then be attached to string or yarn and worn like a sash across a child’s shoulders, offering a tangible way to “feel” the toll their stressors can take. This exaggerated visual cue makes the weight of these burdens more concrete and discussable. As part of the activity, the counselor guides the child to physically experience the weight of their “heavy things” by encouraging them to exaggerate the sensation of carrying the sash informed by Gestalt and somatic principles. The child is invited to perform simple daily tasks, such as walking, while wearing their symbolic struggles. This helps illustrate how emotional challenges can affect daily functioning and opens a space for reflection and discussion. Counselors can then guide children in gradually “lightening” the load—either by tearing each paper into smaller, more manageable parts using a solution-focused approach, or by brainstorming one small thing they can do for each stressor to make it feel less overwhelming as seen in dialectical behavior therapy. The activity can end with children removing the pieces altogether, reinforcing a sense of empowerment, emotional processing, and relief.

 

This intervention is highly adaptable across individual, group, or family counseling sessions. In group settings, children can share their “heavy things” with peers, fostering empathy and a sense of shared experience. In family counseling, caregivers and children can complete the activity together, sparking important conversations about how emotions are handled at home. The book also lends itself well to therapeutic art, journaling, role-play, and bibliotherapy.

 

This story helps children recognize that hard things are a natural part of the human experience. Through Whimsy’s journey, kids learn that we all face difficulties in life, and with time, support, and imagination, even the heaviest feelings can begin to feel lighter. Ultimately, this story offers an engaging and empowering way to help children understand, express, and cope with emotional challenges, making it an invaluable resource for counselors seeking a developmentally sensitive and metaphor-rich tool for therapeutic growth.