Therapeutic Stuffed Animal
A kit for coping with emotional stress is disclosed. The kit includes a stuffed animal having an interior pouch that may be opened or closed. One example of a stuffed animal is a stuffed bear with a pouch accessible from the back. A message pad having individual blank messages for expressions by a person affected by emotional stress is included. Each message may have a shape such as a heart and be used for coping with separation or loss. A therapeutic booklet is provided having instructions for writing messages and inserting the messages in the interior pouch.
The present application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/360,280 filed on Jun. 30, 2010 and incorporates the contents of that application in its entirety by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELDThe present disclosure relates generally to therapeutic devices and more specifically to a stuffed animal that includes a pouch for messages to assist in coping with separation or loss.
BACKGROUNDThere has been a need to help children and families cope with grief and separation from a loved one. In particular, therapeutic tools are in demand that may be used to help people cope with death and separation (e.g. military leave, divorce, business travel, relatives living far away) or any other life-changing occurrence that may cause a person to grieve. Currently there is not a stuffed animal style therapeutic tool or memory-making keepsake on the market designed specifically to help children and adults cope with separation or loss.
There is therefore a need for a therapeutic tool that allows children and adults deal with separation or loss. There is a further need for a therapeutic tool that allows children in particular to provide a connection to cope with separation or loss.
BRIEF SUMMARYAspects of the present disclosure include a kit for coping with emotional stress including a stuffed animal having an interior pouch that may be opened or closed. A message pad has individual messages for expressions by a person affected by emotional stress. A therapeutic booklet has instructions for writing messages and inserting the messages in the interior pouch.
Another aspect of the present disclosure is a therapeutic tool for coping with emotional stress. The therapeutic tool includes a head having two eyes and a nose. A torso has a front end and an opposite back end. The tool includes a pair of arms and a pair of legs. A pouch in the torso has a slit allowing insertion of items of emotional significance.
The foregoing and additional aspects and implementations of the present disclosure will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in view of the detailed description of various embodiments and/or aspects, which is made with reference to the drawings, a brief description of which is provided next.
The foregoing and other advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings.
While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail herein. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
DETAILED DESCRIPTIONAn example therapeutic tool may be seen with reference to
In this example, the stuffed animal 100 is approximately 9 inches in height. The interior of the ears 110 are preferably a lighter shade of fabric than the rest of the stuffed animal 100 with smaller hearts. The stuffed animal 100 preferably includes the eyes 114 that are sewn on the head 108. The sewn eyes 114 are preferably round in shape and preferably dark brown with a black center. The nose 112 of the stuffed animal 100 is heart shaped in this example and is preferably made of fabric that may be a different fabric and a different color than the rest of the stuffed animal 100. The nose 112 is preferably slightly raised and sewn onto the head 108 of the stuffed animal 100. The eyes 114 are preferably sewn and the nose 112 is made from fabric or thread and sewn onto the stuffed animal 100 to decrease chances of choking hazards. The stuffed animal 100 is preferably soft to the touch and easy to squeeze when hugged. The outer material is simulated fur in this example and the fabric of the stuffed animal 100 encloses stuffing that fills out the body of the stuffed animal 100. A front stomach area 116 of the stuffed animal 100 is preferably slightly raised or formed in a potbelly shape.
Of course other dimensions may be used for the height and other features of the stuffed animal 100. For example, the stuffed animal 100 may have a height between 10 and 14 inches such as 12 inches. The eyes 114 may be different colors such as black. Also, oversized heart shaped ears between 2 and 4 inches and more preferably 3 to 3½ inches in length instead of the rounded ears 110 may be used.
As shown in
The message pad 142 in
As explained above, the Velcro sealing surface 128 and cloth lining of the pouch 130 in conjunction with the flaps 124 and 126 are necessary to keep the heart shaped messages and other items such as drawings and/or keepsakes such as the keepsake 144 in
Once the stuffed animal 100 is stuffed with items of emotional significance such as the heart shaped messages and/or other keepsakes, the stuffed animal 100 serves as a therapeutic tool for a person who has experienced separation or loss. The stuffed animal 100 could possibly come in different shapes, colors and sizes. The heart shaped paper could come in different shapes, sizes and colors. The stuffed animal 100 could alternatively have a different seal for the opening in the back could possibly be sealed with another element than Velcro.
The stuffed animal 100 decreases the negative impact that separation and loss can have on a child or an adult. The use of the stuffed animal 100 in conjunction with items of emotional significance such as a message or drawing written on the blank message 140 increases positive coping through expression of thoughts and emotions by a person affected by separation or loss. Writing memories on messages such as the paper or foam heart message 140 and placing them inside the stuffed animal 100 helps provide closure and comfort when dealing with the loss or separation of a loved one. The stuffed animal 100 increases positive coping by allowing children and adults to express their feelings. The stuffed animal 100 also is a memory keepsake and serves as a therapeutic tool intended to address grief. The therapeutic booklet 150 explains how to use the stuffed animal 100 so the stuffed animal 100 can positively impact a person dealing with grief stemming from separation or loss.
One example of a therapeutic booklet 150 may include illustrations and text on the use of the stuffed animal 100. An example first page may include an illustration introducing the stuffed animal 100 as a “special buddy to keep you and your loved one close and connected” or similar introductory text. An example second page may include a description of the loss or separation of a loved one and text that indicates that the stuffed animal 100 will help the person to remember that they are not alone. An example third page may include instructions and illustrations to use the blank messages from the message pad such as the blank message 140 for writing notes or drawing pictures to help remember the loved one. An example fourth page may include examples for the notes or drawings such as sharing memories. An example fifth page may include instructions and illustrations to put items of emotional significance such as messages or other mementos from the loved one in the pouch 130 of the stuffed animal 100. An example sixth page may include instructions and illustrations to place items of emotional significance such as the messages in the pouch 130 of the stuffed animal 100 for safekeeping. An example seventh page may include instructions and illustrations that the stuffed animal 100 keeps the person and the loved one connected. An example eighth page may include instructions and illustrations that when the person misses the loved one, the stuffed animal 100 may be a mechanism for coping. An example ninth page may include instructions and illustrations that the stuffed animal 100 should be kept close to remember the connection to the loved one. Of course other pages may be added or the above described pages may be put in any order or certain pages may be excluded. The instructions and illustrations may be tailored for specific emotional conditions such as separation or loss of a loved one.
In this example, a therapeutic kit such as that in
While particular implementations and applications of the present disclosure have been illustrated and described, it is to be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the precise construction and compositions disclosed herein and that various modifications, changes, and variations can be apparent from the foregoing descriptions without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.
Claims
1. A kit for coping with emotional stress, comprising:
- a stuffed animal having an interior pouch that may be opened or closed;
- a message pad having individual messages for expressions by a person affected by emotional stress;
- a therapeutic booklet having instructions for writing messages and inserting the messages in the interior pouch.
2. The kit of claim 1, wherein the emotional stress is one of coping with the loss or separation of a loved one.
3. The kit of claim 1, wherein the stuffed animal is a bear having a head, two arms and two legs.
4. The kit of claim 1, wherein the pouch is accessible via the back of the stuffed animal, the pouch being sealable with two flaps joined by a connecting mechanism.
5. The kit of claim 4, wherein the connecting mechanism is Velcro.
6. The kit of claim 1, wherein the therapeutic booklet includes instructions to insert other items of emotional significance in the pouch.
7. A therapeutic tool for coping with emotional stress, the therapeutic tool comprising:
- a head having two eyes and a nose;
- a torso having a front end and an opposite back end;
- a pair of arms;
- a pair of legs;
- a pouch in the torso having a slit allowing insertion of items of emotional significance into the pouch.
8. The therapeutic tool of claim 7, wherein the head, torso, arms and legs are formed from fabric enclosing stuffing.
9. The therapeutic tool of claim 7, wherein the head, torso, arms and legs form a bear.
10. The therapeutic tool of claim 7, wherein the pouch is accessible from the back of the torso and is sealed by a pair of flaps.
11. The therapeutic tool of claim 7, further comprising a message pad having blank messages for writing messages for insertion in the pouch.
12. The therapeutic tool of claim 7, wherein the emotional stress is coping with the separation or loss of a loved one.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 30, 2011
Publication Date: Jan 5, 2012
Inventor: Molly Eiche (Louisville, KY)
Application Number: 13/174,191
International Classification: A63H 3/02 (20060101);