A Teacher Who Sees the Whole Child | Orlanda Bettison

For more than ten years, Orlanda Bettison stood at a school photocopier printing off resources for parents, because the book that would teach a child about their own mind was not on any shelf. Then came her own postnatal mental health chapter, and one thought she has never forgotten:"I wish I knew this earlier." A teacher with a psychology degree, she had spent her working life around children’s feelings, and nobody had ever taught her how her own mind worked. In July 2024, she launched a Kickstarter campaign. Eighty-nine strangers backed her past her target in forty days. The My Brain Books series now runs to five titles, has sold hundreds of thousands of copies in seven countries, and is used by psychologists, occupational therapists, teachers and parents everywhere, In this hour, Duncan asks about the house she grew up in and what was allowed to be felt out loud there, the postnatal chapter in her own words, the Friday afternoons at the photocopier, the night she pressed the Kickstarter button, and the seeds she hopes the books plant. beerwithDuncan doesn't just tell other people's stories. It changes the way you see your own. Listen from 08/08/2026 at rnb.org.au If this episode raises anything for you: PANDA (Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Australia) 1300 726 306. Lifeline 13 11 14. Check out the My Brain Book series here: Orlanda’s Songs: Feel it Still - Portugal. The Man Valerie- Amy Winehouse Electric Feel- MGMT Too Sweet- The Macaroons Project Ok Love you Bye- Olivia Dean To hear the songs, tune into the radio broadcast at rnb.org.au