Djennicia A Francis is a "mental health fairy". It's how she sees her work helping children to cope, feel better, and do better in a world that can be cold and unfriendly at times.
"As a society, we must strive to teach children to master their minds so they can master their realities. What we speak today offers a sneak peek in our tomorrow," said the multi-talented 30-year-old from Chaguanas.
"Sometimes, we only see healthy in terms of the physical aspects of things. When people have healthy minds, they are overall healthier as they will make better decisions."
Francis is an educator, a life coach, a beauty queen, a singer, a mentor, and an author.
[caption id="attachment_910030" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Djennicia Francis found her calling to work with children after overcoming shyness when she was younger. - Photo by Marvin Hamilton[/caption]
"In this society, many adults are walking around with low self-esteem. Some do not have enough courage to go for their dreams or do the things they want to do," she said. "If we give children the correct tools necessary to take care of their mental health when they become adults, they will be more sensitive, more confident, and more emotionally intelligent. That would produce a generally more productive society."
Francis teaches at Apex International Academy, a private school in Chaguanas. She is on a quest to make society a more beautiful place for today's and future generations. As an educator and ambitious young woman, she is doing her part.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the College of Science, Technology and Applied Arts of Trinidad and Tobago (TT). Francis also has several life coach certificates from Transformation Academy, a US-based online education company. These include courses in cognitive behaviour, a master mindset, confidence, emotional intelligence, and rational emotive behaviour therapy mindset.
"My desire is for mental health topics to be a part of the everyday curriculum just as any other subjects like mathematics or physical education," she said. "It is super important for people to have happy childhood experiences. Unfortunately, in the world we are living in, not all children get to have such experiences."
Francis said children tend to be drawn to her and her to them.
"My personality attracts them. I am somewhat still childish, even at my age."
[caption id="attachment_910029" align="alignnone" width="683"] Djennicia Francis, author of the children's book In the Mirror. - Photo by Marvin Hamilton[/caption]
In January 2020, Francis wrote her first book — In The Mirror: Positive Affirmations For Children (The Speak Peek Series Book 1) — published in November of the same year. It is the first in a series geared at teaching children positive mental health practices. The 33-page book tells a story about Isabella Ink, an intelligent girl who believes in the power of positive affirmations.
"I would love for my books to be in school libraries across the country and used in actual class settings and the like,"
