NOW AVAILABLE
☆
NOW AVAILABLE ☆
The Dot Method
an interactive workbook to teach kids about cancer
PURCHASE HERE
☆
PURCHASE HERE ☆
Common questions about The Dot Method:
Who has cancer in the workbook?
What is so unique about The Dot Method is that it is intended for children impacted by any cancer relationship.
The artist of the book is the child who uses it. On page 3 the child writes the name of the person who has or had cancer and uses the body outline to create that person. The child could be creating the workbook about themself, a sibling, a parent, or another relative or friend.
Additionally, the workbook allows for different types of cancers, treatments, and outcomes to be expressed. It’s truly an ‘everybody’ book.
What age is The Dot Method for?
The Dot Method is most appropriate for children age 4-12 years however it can be completed with younger and older children. On page x, there is a guide for how to use and modify the workbook with different ages including 0-4, 5-6, 7-10, and 11 and above.
For younger children, the dots can be described as healthy and sick or broken cells. Over time, a family may revisit the workbook and explain more as a child ages and develops.
Should you complete the workbook in one session?
This depends on the child. Some children may complete the workbook from cover to cover and others may complete it over time with a parent, caregiver, or clinician. It’s also common to re-visit the workbook as cancer evolves.
Pages 1-12 are focused on learning about cancer cells and treatment. Pages 13-19 are focused on feelings and coping with cancer. This is a natural way to break up the content if needed.
Should The Dot Method be completed with an adult?
The Dot Method is written so that an older child could complete it independently, however it is intended to prompt meaningful discussions between kids and adults.
If the workbook is being purchased or provided to a parent, it is advised that the parent preview the workbook in its entirety first including the guide and glossary at the front. It is written so that someone with little experience talking to children about cancer could feel comfortable using it together with a child.
The Dot Method is also a great resource for clinicians to use with their patients in the hospital or clinic.
Should each child in the family have their own workbook?
Ideally each child in the family has their own copy because there is something empowering about having a tangible workbook that is their own. Almost every page has an interactive component where the child is writing or drawing in the physical workbook.
However, there are extra body outlines on page 22 specifically for the cell and treatment education. Additionally, if all of the children in the family have the same relationship to the person with cancer, it may be possible to complete the workbook as a family.
Can you use The Dot Method without saying the word cancer?
The Dot Method uses the word cancer, but like any resource - it is a guide. Parents and caregivers should feel comfortable throughout the workbook exchanging the word cancer for sick, bad, or broken cells if desired. The purpose of The Dot Method is to teach kids that cancer is a problem with the cells and how treatment works. When discussing cancer using The Dot Method, it can actually make the word ‘cancer’ less scary and helps adults feel more comfortable talking about cancer in an age-appropriate but honest way.
Praise for The Dot Method
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"When a patient receives a cancer diagnosis, they are thrown into having to learn so many things with almost no aid outside a short office visit. This tool takes the unmet need of how to talk about cancer with your children off the list."
Dr. Sanjay Juneja, MD
@theoncdoc -
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"Dealing with cancer is hard enough, talking about it with your kids shouldn't be. That's why every parent NEEDS the Dot Method."
Em Jamieson, RN, BSN, CHPN, OCN
@thatspitfirenurseem -
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"As a Mom with Incurable Cancer, The Dot Method will help guide conversations with my children to provide them a visual of the effects of my daily treatment."
Michelle Hughes
Incurable Cancer Thriver
@myjourneytojustlive -
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"Kelsey Mora has done something that has been missing in the medical field for a long, long time-- creating a comprehensive guidebook to navigating cancer. The Dot Method is easy to understand, but thorough in how it teaches kids and teens about what to expect when it comes to cancer. I recommend this to every medical, education, and community setting."
Gina Moffa, LCSW
@ginamoffalcsw
Grief Therapist and Author of
Moving On Doesn’t Mean Letting Go -
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"The idea of using this creative method, straight forward tool and queries to envision what is unimaginable or unexplainable crafts clarity, understanding and plain language that is so needed when cancer enters the conversation and a life. This method is an every-body gift."
Barri Leiner Grant
@thememorycircle
The Memory Circle
Chief Grief Officer ®
Certified Grief Coach & Educator -
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"This approach helped me explain treatment to my toddler who did not know what cancer was. Kelsey's method helped her see things in an age-appropriate way, and made an impossible time a little more digestible for her."
Danielle Moss
Mom and Childhood Cancer Advocate
@daniellemoss_
About the author
Kelsey Mora
Kelsey Mora is a dual certified child life specialist and licensed clinical professional counselor practicing in the Chicagoland area and available nationwide for consultation.
Ms. Mora is specifically trained not only to support children and adolescents individually, but also to guide caregivers on how to deliver difficult news to their children.
Ms. Mora has developed various methods for delivering specific types of difficult information to children. The first of these methods is The Dot Method, which is an intervention designed to educate children about cancer using honest, age-appropriate language and a play-based approach. This book is intended to be used by children and a trusted adult together. The tool can be used in various settings, from healthcare environments to therapy to home. Ms. Mora is available for consultations and presentations on illness, grief, and other life stressors. She can be reached at kelsey@childlifetherapist.com.
Interested in sharing your child’s work and seeing how others cope and learn using the Dot Method? Take a photo of your child’s drawing, upload it to social media, and tag it with @childlifetherapist and #thedotmethod.