Jacqueline Tournier's groundbreaking psychoeducational book, "YOU and Stress… The Brain Explained," has officially launched into the global English-speaking market, after transforming the emotional lives of more than 4,000 families, educators, therapists, and children across the Netherlands and Belgium. The newly released 4th, revised 2025 edition, originally written in Dutch, brings Tournier's simple, science-based, and compassion-centered approach to a worldwide audience.
Designed for parents and children (ages 6+), schools, therapists, daycare centers, and any adult or child who has ever felt overwhelmed by emotions they couldn't understand, the book aims to make stress understanding simple, visual, and accessible to everyone. Tournier, a systemic family therapist, child psychologist, and mother of three, including a daughter with Down syndrome, has spent over 15 years at her therapeutic practice FlowinGrow, dedicated to helping children and families understand trauma, attachment, fear, anger, stress, and emotional overload.
Central to the book is a three-animal metaphor featuring "The Owl Brain" (cortex — the thinker), "The Dolphin Brain" (limbic system — the feeler), and "The Crocodile Brain" (brainstem — the survival reactor). This metaphor, now central to Tournier's international workshops and trainings, gives children and adults a simple visual language to explain why we fight, flee, freeze, or fawn, and how to return to emotional safety. The book includes a calming breathing exercise, movement and grounding tools, step-by-step stress-relief strategies, a free downloadable workbook, and visuals that help children "see" what's happening inside their brain.
Across Belgium and the Netherlands, the book has already been used in homes, schools, autism coaching sessions, therapy practices, parenting programs, and youth support centers. Professional endorsements describe it as "a must-read… an eye-opener for parents and children" from Centrum Onderwijs Mediation (2025), and "so simple it seems too good to be true — but it works!" from Groeidynamiek (2022). Ellen, an Autism Coach (2025), says it "gives children words and images for their behavior… and helps parents react with calmness."
The book's release comes at a time when stress among children is higher than ever, parents are overwhelmed, and teachers need simple strategies to manage emotional dysregulation in classrooms. The book bridges the gap between science and everyday life, giving families a shared language for feelings, turning emotional chaos into clarity, and helping adults and children understand one another. Tournier's message is clear: "stress is not the enemy, disconnection is."
Beyond the book, Tournier also provides parent workshops, school programs, therapist training sessions, one-on-one coaching, and professional development for educators, all centered on helping the Owl, Dolphin, and Crocodile "speak the same language." The book is available now worldwide through Amazon and all major international book distributors.
