Austin Author Draws On Counseling Career To Pen Kids' Books

AUSTIN, TEXAS — When Gabi Garcia worked as a counselor and educator — spending 16 years in the former field and four in the latter — she noticed a lack of books aimed at children that tackled important issues related to their bodies and feelings, particularly in Spanish.

She decided to do something about it. She set out to write her first book after the birth of her daughter, toiling away while composing her tome at night. Once done with the writing, she found an illustrator online. The fruits of her labor came in the form of "Listening to My Body," a guide to helping kids understand the connection between their sensations and feelings.

The book not only proved popular but helped fill a niche with a dearth of such offerings. Having taught predominantly bilingual children when teaching elementary school-aged kids in Houston and counseling young people up to the high school level in Austin, she later translated the book under the title Escuchando a Mi Cuerpo.

Hardly resting on her laurels, Garcia didn't stop there. Since that first book, she's written two more "Listening with My Heart: A story of kindness and self-compassion (also translated into Spanish). Self-compassion is a concept borrowed from Buddhist psychology that entails self-kindness, feelings of inter-connectedness, and mindfulness.

Next came I Can Do Hard Things: Mindful Affirmations for Kids. Her next book is expected to be published by next month if not sooner, she told Patch in a recent telephone interview that took place, by sheer serendipity, the day after International Children's Book Day that was observed on April 2.

Gabi Garcia via Amazon

"I have been really positively surprised," she told Patch of her publishing success. "All the books are guided by the needs within myself and the kids I was working with."

So popular have her books become that she now devotes her full time to writing. But rather than taking the more intimidating route of traditional publishing, Garcia gravitated to self-publishing via Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP). The process has been so seamless, she turned down an offer by a traditional publisher in favor of self-publishing.

She gave Patch a sneak peek at her latest book expected to be released later this month or by May: Mateo Finds His Wow. "It's a story of wonder and gratitude," Garcia said. "It's about a little boy who is very grumpy and cranky on a rainy Saturday morning because he can't find anything to do. It's about what he's able to do when he stops focusing on what he can't do, and focus on what's in front of him. He finds wonder and appreciation."

If Mateo's changed perspective sounds a bit like the inner peace achieved by spiritual and ascetic discipline, you're not too far off the mark. Garcia credits her years of yoga with helping her attain healthy perspective but unlocking the powers of creativity.

"It made me aware that I was spending a lot of time in my head, and not paying attention to the cues my body was giving me," she said.

She also credited the teachings of Kristen Neff, an associate professor in the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin, for having yielded added inspiration. Neff's research interests center on the psychological health benefits of self-compassion, a field in which she's considered a pioneering researcher.

Garcia's upbringing also helps inform her work, she said. In the Latino culture, parents close to the mother country can often be a tad reticent in addressing the sorts of intimate issues addressed in her books. While demurring on specifics related to dynamics while growing up as the daughter of parents born in Chihuahua and Guadalajara, she agreed some issues are avoided in certain households.

"Speaking personally as first-generation, I agree it's not something that is part of the consciousness or day to day," she said. "But for me, it was when I was working in these schools," she said about her main inspiration to write. "It's the reason I created the books after 16 years as a counselor. It also was hard to find resources in Spanish."

Not anymore, thanks to Garcia's journey into writing after a long career as educator. Check out her offerings by clicking here.