Dr. Erin Yosai, LP, NCSP

07/13/2026

🚨🚨PUB ALERT!
Our collaborative graduate and undergraduate research team did amazing work working on this sharing this important conversation with to the public! Link below! ⬇️

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1815521/full

06/09/2026

🚨pub alert!
So proud of this graduate and undergraduate collaborative research team for getting this piece put together and out to the public! Link in bio!

05/14/2026

Olive likes rules.

Rules make things feel safe, predictable, and fair.

But when playtime doesn’t go exactly according to plan, Olive’s “black and white thinking” can leave her feeling frustrated, lonely, and stuck. With the gentle guidance of Mr. Long, Olive begins learning that flexibility, collaboration, and different perspectives do not erase her values — they help her connect with others in new ways.

This story explores:

✨ Cognitive flexibility

✨ Emotional regulation

✨ Friendship and collaboration

✨ Black-and-white thinking traps/ Nuance/ Shades of Grey

✨ Growth through perspective-taking

Olive’s journey is a gentle reminder that we can hold onto our boundaries and values while still making room for curiosity, creativity, and connection.

💚 Perfect for:

• Parents and families

• Classrooms and social-emotional learning

• Therapists and counselors

• Neurodiversity-affirming conversations

• Kids learning about friendship, flexibility, and feelings

https://youtu.be/Z5QUKX3hEf8

Olive likes rules.Rules make things feel safe, predictable, and fair.But when playtime doesn’t go exactly according to plan, Olive’s “black and white thinkin...

04/26/2026

Meet Robbie the Rabbit!

In this story, Robbie enters a new school feeling unsure, guarded, and a little disconnected. But through small moments of kindness from classmates like Mei and Ida, he begins to open up, take risks, and discover that connection is possible—even when change feels overwhelming.

Robbie’s experience reflects some student's very real experience.

This story is meant to illustrate what the scientific research shows: frequent relocation—whether due to military moves, foster care placement changes, housing instability, or family transitions—can have an impact on students. Students lack power or any input and/or control of how often parents or caregivers move, when they're deployed, or social factors that impact housing insecurity. This powerlessness can lean to some increased risk, school-and-mental-health-wise.

* Academic Disruption

Students who move frequently often experience gaps in instruction, delays in need academic or social intervention services, and inconsistent academic progress.

* Social & Relationship Challenges

Repeatedly leaving peers and teachers can disrupt the development of trust, belonging, and social confidence. Extended disruption shows increased levels of isolation, withdrawal, and depression due to lack of sustainable peer and trusted adult relationships.

* Mental Health Impacts

Mobility is considered an Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) in some research contexts and is associated with increased rates of anxiety, depression, and behavioral concerns.

* Cumulative Effects Over Time

The more frequently a child relocates, the greater the potential impact on long-term academic and emotional outcomes.

How do we empathize with and protect children who may experience frequent relocation? Robbie's story highlights a simple but powerful truth:

👉 Small acts of kindness can create meaningful change.

When peers are welcoming, patient, and inclusive, they can help transform uncertainty into connection—and help students like Robbie feel seen, valued, and safe, even in new or unpredictable life situations.

This story can be used as a conversation starter to discuss:

* welcoming new students

* building inclusive classroom communities

* understanding how life experiences impact behavior

* fostering empathy and peer support

If you enjoyed this story, please liking, subscribing, and sharing my new YouTube channel with someone who believes in the power of storytelling, kindness, and connection.

Robbie the Rabbit (Robbie's Version)

04/16/2026

Mei Mei has come out to play play! 💜

Meet Mei—a sensitive, kind-hearted Monkey whose mind can get overwhelmed by worries, self-doubt, and big feelings. When these feelings start to take over her day and cause her to withdrawal, Mei's support network teams up to help Mei in finding her way back to connection, confidence, and joy.

Mei Mei the Monkey (Mei's version)

04/13/2026

This past week, we met Ida the Tiger, a character who feels and expresses things in a big way. This version of her story is designed to be watched alongside a caring adult, with built-in opportunities to pause, reflect, and connect.

Throughout the story, you’ll see prompts that invite conversation. These moments are a chance to slow down and help children think about what they’re noticing, feeling, and experiencing.

As you watch together, you can support your child by:
•Asking open-ended questions (instead of yes/no questions)
•Noticing and naming what you see (“I see Ida’s shoulders slumping…”)
•Reflecting your child’s ideas back to them (“It sounds like you think she’s feeling frustrated”)
•Offering encouragement and validation (“That makes sense” or “I’ve felt that way too”)
•Letting your child lead the conversation and take their time to figure out harder words ot concepts.

The goal isn’t to get to “right” answer—it’s to create a space where your child feels heard, understood, and supported! -Dr. Yo

Mr. Long is the classroom school teacher in the Thought Zoo Series. In this Thought Zoo story, we meet Ida the Tiger, a character who feels and expresses thi...

04/08/2026

04/08/2026

Here's my new YouTube channel!

Welcome to a space where stories help kids make sense of big feelings and busy thoughts—and remind them they’re not alone. Dr. Yo's channel features engaging stories designed to support emotional growth, confidence, and connection. Created by a licensed child psychologist and school psychologist...

04/08/2026

Ida has officially been released into the wild!

My ultimate goal is to generate enough interest in my Thought Zoo stories to launch a Kickstarter campaign and have beautifully illustrated children’s books created. For now, I’ll be releasing dual versions of the story throughout the week: Ida’s Version, the straightforward read-through, and Mr. Long’s Version, which includes prompts and reflection questions for caring adults.

Following my creative passion has been incredibly enjoyable and personally fulfilling. If even one other person finds joy or benefit in the Thought Zoo stories, Ida has fulfilled her purpose. Stay tuned—Ida has 11 other classmates who will also be introducing themselves over the next few months. The most generous way you can help me build this world is to like, share, and follow the Thought Zoo YouTube Channel with those you believe may connect with their stories.

Ida is not a quiet kind of tiger.She feels things big.She thinks things big.And sometimes… she reacts big, too.Ida has a fire inside her—a bright, powerful e...