Book by Attitudes In Reverse Co-Founder Builds Youths' Mental Health

With an understanding of and firsthand experience with dogs’ natural ability to provide comfort, Tricia Baker, Co-Founder of Attitudes In Reverse® (AIR®), partners with certified therapy dogs in her mission to save lives through mental health education programs. Since 2010, she has taught more than 250,000 students from elementary school through college with programs tailored to the different age groups. Her newest resource is a children’s book she wrote, Miki & Friends Go to School: Exploring Emotions through the Eyes of Dogs, which is now available on Amazon.

“I initially created Miki & Friends as part of my mental health education program for elementary school students. I am glad that it has grown in popularity with teachers over the past few years, and I hope to present it to many more children. However, there is such a tremendous and quickly growing need – a critical need – for mental health education that must begin at early ages. I hope that publishing the book is an effective way to reach all children and teach them about feelings and how to effectively cope with them,” Tricia said.

Tricia was referring to the youth mental health crisis. The number of children between 8 and 12 years of age across the U.S. who died by suicide increased by 8% every year from 2007 to 2022, according to research published in JAMA Network Open (July 30, 2024). This tragic trend has also been evident in even younger children. In July 2021, JAMA Network published a study showing suicide as the eighth leading cause of death among 5- to 11-year-olds.

“Every suicide is tragic beyond words. I still feel the pain of losing my son Kenny every day. What keeps me going is helping prevent such a horrific loss for other families by teaching that no one should be embarrassed by having a brain-based illness,” Tricia said.

“It is essential for everyone to recognize emotions in themselves and others and to know the proactive steps they can take to help prevent sadness or worry from escalating to chronic depression or anxiety,” Tricia stressed. “By giving young children the foundation of mental health awareness and tools for expressing and coping with feelings, and then building on this education as they get older with a focus on symptoms of mental health disorders and suicide prevention, we can save so many lives.”

The Miki & Friends book provides this vital foundation. The star is Tricia’s Pomeranian Miki, who has served as her support dog during Kenny’s battle with severe depression and anxiety and after he took his life in 2009. Miki’s “siblings” in real life – Misha Silver Lining, The Goofy Goober, Henry Pomchester and Albie – are his friends in the book. In response to a variety of child-relatable situations, they express their emotions through facial features, other body language and behaviors, which are explained through the age-appropriate text and portrayed through illustrations by Janice Rosenthal.

Click here to see Miki & Friends Go to School: Exploring Emotions through the Eyes of Dogs and purchase copies on Amazon and here to learn more about AIR’s programs and their life-saving impact.

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Attitudes In Reverse® (AIR®) was established by Tricia, Kurt and Katelyn Baker of Plainsboro, NJ, in 2010, soon after their son/brother Kenny died by suicide following a long battle against severe depression and anxiety. Their mission is to save lives by educating students about mental health, related disorders and suicide prevention. Since January 2011, they have presented to more than 250,000 students in elementary, middle and high schools and colleges in New Jersey, New York, Vermont, Missouri, Texas and Arizona. AIR also offers the AIR Dogs: Paws for Minds® program, bringing dogs into schools to help students de-stress and engage in the conversation about mental health. In addition, AIR trains and certifies Emotional Support Animals and offers a lunch-and-learn program for businesses. For more information about AIR, please visit https://air.ngo or call 609-945-3200.