Things weren’t always easy

In her bio, you can read all about how successful and motivated Dr. G is. Guess what? She spent a whole lot of time—years and years, all the way into adulthood—feeling bad about herself. Early in her childhood, Dr. G started to feel like she was falling short of other people’s expectations. She was too different, not quite as good or smart or likable as she was supposed to be. On the outside, things seemed fine—she got good grades and had friends and worked hard. But on the inside, she was anxious and worried and sad. These feelings lasted even through medical school and into her first few years of practice! Imagine being a doctor, someone society says is automatically super smart and successful, and still feeling like you’re not quite good enough.

Something funny began to happen, though. Dr. G started to see all kinds of young patients, kids in elementary school, who felt the same way. She spent a lot of time encouraging these kids to realize that there was a lot to like about themselves. Finally, she realized that what she was telling her patients was good advice! She went to counseling because she knew that there was a lot to like about herself and she needed help to see it. That’s where the idea for I Am Cool came from. All kids should know that they are worth being loved just as they are.

Dr. G has a passion for helping kids who struggle the same way she struggled. I Am Cool is just the first step in her plans to get the message out about building a positive self-image. For kids, the book shows how looking different or having different abilities can make you cool. For adults, it is a good starting place to have a conversation about how kids can feel good about themselves even when they think they don’t quite fit in.