This interview with Tina Koopersmith has certainly given us a better understanding of the inspiration behind her work and its importance in today’s society. Her message of self-acceptance, inner peace, and togetherness resonates deeply, and helps remind us how connected we are as humans regardless of our differences or background. By teaching these values to young readers, Koopersmith is encouraging them to take better care of themselves, and to be kinder and more accepting of one another.
We can all take something away from Koopersmith’s words; that we should strive to treat ourselves and our world with the same kindness, respect, and acceptance that we give to those around us. This message is powerful, inspiring, and much needed in today’s society. Let us all learn from her story and work towards a better future for everyone.
This article was written as part of an interview series with Tina Koopersmith. For more information or to read about her other works, please visit www.tinakoopersmith.com. Thank you for reading!
What is the PRIMARY benefit, above all others, that your potential reader will gain from reading this book?
This is a children’s book but its message is aimed at both the child AND the adult reading the book.
I hope to help young children and their parents, grandparents and teachers notice that we as humans are so very much the same as all the objects, animate and inanimate in our world. And, IN fact, we may treat our cars, boats, houses, and pets better than we do our own physical bodies. The deep messages are several:
1) we are made of the same building blocks as everything else in our environment
2) although we are “the same/or similar” to everything, we are also so totally unique–the only us we can ever be
3) we are not just a body– And our mind and the body can not really be separated-they are intricately connected and they coexist with the heart and our energetic connections with our environment inner and outer–
4)I hope to start a new understanding that we are 4 bodies in one physical manifestation–mind, body, heart/emotion, and energy/connections– and each body affects the other–”WE” are most well when we can live from above and notice all 4 bodies and see their integration
If you had to compare this book to any other book out there, which book would it be?
I know these other 2 books are amazing but I think of this book a bit like “ Are you my mother” by PD Eastman and “The very hungry caterpillar” by Eric Carle— both are fun picture books. Both of these books help children see themselves –young and small and with a need to fit in. In my book as well, children can see themselves as similar to so much and yet accept themselves as they are–unique to the world.
Hundreds of thousands of books come out every year. Why should someone buy THIS book?
This book is simple and yet very deep. It is fun and light and an easy read but with a message that all children are special and unique in their own way. Also it reminds children and adults, of our similarities. This then means that it is critical to our wellness–individually, societally and planetary– to take care of our bodies– and how we treat each other and the planet.
Who is your target audience?
I believe this book is best for young children age 4-8 AND the adults in their lives.
Did your environment or upbringing play a major role in your writing and did you use it to your advantage?
A child of a surgeon, and a physician myself, I believe understanding the best way to optimize health and wellness has always been important for me. My father’s work ethic and the belief that hard work & achievement was critical to a successful life was drilled into me. On the other hand, I lost my mother to cancer when I was in my 20s ( she was only 59)and this has deeply affected my life–reminding me always that tomorrow is never guaranteed and we must enjoy life and the journey and not spend life always working.
I have been on a life journey trying to figure out how to balance work and play, patients and family–doing for others and taking care of myself? – At one point in my life–I was so overwhelmed and busy with work and family that I was so drained and so disconnected with my true self. I was dying on the inside.
And so I went on a life quest to heal myself.
I am constantly studying and learning more and more about wellness and healing ( and even sex and pleasure) ––through this journey I have reimagined our human body as so much more than a physical body & now
I am my mother’s daughter, ( she was a teacher) and believe we need to teach WELLNESS ( and start at young ages) and in a much grander sense ––wellness is so much more than the absence of disease. Wellness comes when we let go of always working and trying to succeed–Play and pleasure is critical to health.
How would you describe your writing style?
I’m not sure I have a writing “style”
I just see life now through the lens of oneness and dualities AND I see life and humans now through the lens of our 4 bodies.
Are your characters pure fiction, or did you draw from people you know?
This question doesn’t really apply.
Are you more of a character artist or a plot-driven writer?
Again, this doesn’t really apply.
What do you hope to accomplish with your book other than selling it?
I have this book ( the first in a series, the next is What am I and then How am I.)
I hope to teach that
We need a new system that
- Understands we are all the same( oneness) and different/unique simultaneously. I am you, and you are me– this leads to tolerance and justice.
We are 4 bodies NOT 1 and that all 4 bodies interrelate—and all 4 bodies need to be healthy and well— - We need to teach how to be well—how to be balanced in all things—how to live w attention and from above all 4 bodies, integrating the interrelationships of all 4 bodies and ensuring balance between rest/movement for each of these 4 bodies
- c) we need a system that understands illness in a different way
illness can start in any one of the 4 bodies– illness in one body affects any of the other bodies & treatment in one body can adversely affect another body
we need to combine multiple modalities to ensure we heal all 4 bodies when someone gets sick
we need to go beyond the physical diagnosis—and understand the deeper etiology of disease ( functional med) and psychology and more— AND then of course the only way forward is to use INTEGRATIVE medicine, and a combo of healing techniques to ensure wholeness…
How can our readers get in touch with you?
Tinakoopersmith.com
Womensreproduction.com
Facebook: tinakoopersmith
Instagram; drtinacoaches
Where can our readers purchase your book?
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
