Justine Williams is the founder of the much loved and award winning company, The Feel Good Studio, and author of the newly launched Hip Little Fairy Tales, an inspiring collection of audiobooks that help parents and children navigate the emotional rollercoasters of modern day live.
Justine is recognised in her clinic for her ability to see right into a person and pull out their long forgotten qualities from underneath all the layers of stress and anxiety, polish them up and hand them straight back in full working order.
She is also very creative, and from an early age has been a story teller creating fantastical worlds brimming with relatable yet unique characters, all who have a story they wish to share with you.
Now she has created the amazing Hy Little Fairy Tales. These are not just any stories, but ones that teach you to look at life through a different sense, so you can experience magic, possibility and your inner potential.
After many years of assisting adults through their various personal challenges, she was often asked to help children as well, and it was her assisting with family issues that she found even more purpose for her work and healing.
She realised this was an area that could use all her natural skill sand those hard-fought for life skills and extensive clinical experience.
The major obstacle for Justine in her practice was that she could only help one child or family at a time, yet she could see that there was a growing need to assist a lot of families at a deeper level.
“That’s when Hyp Little Fairy Tales was born! It sprang into my imagination like the countless stories I had written before bringing characters to life, but this time it was a little different”, says Justine. “My characters bring very special messages of empowerment to all those who listen. Not just children, but also the inner child of parents, creating a truly holistic healing experience that is accessible to everyone”, she says, beaning with a twinkle in her eye.
As an author she has managed to breathe life into escapism and feeling good, and with each audiobook, you transcend reality, and become fully immersed into a vibrant world alive with extraordinary trials and tribulations. You befriend and cherish each of her adorable and sometimes mischievous characters who seem to talk directly to you.
The richly worn music and real life sound effects provide an ambient background and the gentle hypnotic suggestions plant the positive seeds of inspiration, hope and solutions to be called upon in times of need. These tasty mid feats and nurturing soul balms are here for you always, and leave lasting feelings of positivity.
We took the opportunity to ask Justine a bit more about her life and work.
Justine, what drew you to this work?
I was a stressed and exhausted Mum working in corporate. My son was suffering anxiety due to being bullied at school, and with a diagnosis of Inattentive ADD, I was at a loss. We Tried many ways to support him, but it wasn’t until we discovered Clinical Hypnotherapy, that we began to see real and significant benefits. His self-esteem and self-belief blossomed as did his ability to remain calm in stressful situations. He grew from strength to strength. And with that, I felt a new purpose, a calling beginning to unfold. I had always been interested in helping others and as a lifelong mediator, I understood the power of the mind, but therapeutic hypnosis was different. I realise that it was gentle yet powerful and provided rapid results. It was here that I could focus on supporting women and children in a nurturing, uplifting and holistic way.
So, after a 22 year career working in advertising, I left to study a Government accredited Diploma of Clinical Hypnotherapy and a Diploma of Neuroscience Linguistic Programming in order to help and support others who were stuck in the endless cycle of anxiety, and what I call the trifecta of low self-wroth, low self-confidence and low self-esteem.
What drew you to create Hyp Little Fairy Tales?
Over the years, countless Mums who have come to my clinic have asked if I can see their young children as well. But younger children, in my view, need something other than, or in addition to, sitting in a therapy chair. For a child aged 4 – 11 years old this can be boring/scary/challenging. There is absolutely a place for this, but I decided to do something different as a support in a way that children can understand. In a way that captivates them. And young children, like all of us, love and respond to stories. Storytelling ignited the imagination, creates empathy between child and the characters and challenges they face, whilst providing solutions for the child at a safe distance. With this in mind, I created Hyp Little Fairy Tales: Audiobooks voiced by actors, with real soundscapes and threaded with conversational hypnosis to support for those who may need help with confidence, developing friendships, courage and self-belief. For children who may be bullied, have anxiety or suffer with fear, lack of confidence and shyness, these beautiful audiobooks will not only create stories and solutions but they come with a complimentary toolkit and resources to support them.
How do you envision these audiobooks helping children?
I see it as a twofold: Firstly, providing parents with helpful and practical tools to support their children with the use of a complimentary Toolkit that guides parents in what to do when their children exhibit low self-belief. We’ve all said it ourselves: “I can’t do it” or “I’m scared”. The toolkits teach parents how to guide their children away from a fixed mindset to a more positive one. To do this long term in my clinic for young children would be very expensive. With this in mind, I wanted to make this truly accessible to everyone, so I produced Hyp Little Fairy Tales and am retailing them for only $49.95. However, as a thank you to all the wonderful Mums who not only have supported my business over the years, but have supported one another within this extraordinary group, for a limited time I am please to offer a significant discount on my audiobook: A Horse Called Thunder. This includes the complimentary Toolkit, which contains something special just for parents to bookend your day, so you too feel nurtured, soothed and deeply calm.
Secondly, by weaving conversational hypnosis into the characters’ language, we are planting the seeds within the listener’s mind for self-belief, confidence and higher levels of self-worth and self-esteem. Uniquely, The Hyp Little Fairy Tales audiobooks contact characters’ voices, real life sound effects and uplifting music. They are like a movie for the mind. Each story has a different theme. A horse Called Thunder, aims to help children develop courage and self-belief. Whereas, Fairies Fae and The Stolen Tooth is designed to help children with developing friendships, learning right from wrong, standing up for oneself and overcoming anxiety.
Within our test audience, we have seen phenomenal results. Lisa, Mum of 3 from Forestville says: “These books are more than just a beautiful story, a positive and powerful message lies within. My kids love listening to Thunder’s story and they have now made it part of their bedtime routine. I was astounded at the power behind words when my twin girls did the ‘magic spell’ from the toolkit. Following an incident at the beach, my girls have been afraid to let go of their teacher in swimming classes. After doing the ‘magical affirmation spell’ they began their lesson says ‘Be like Thunder’ and to my amazement both swam confidently to their teacher despite their fear.”
Why hypnotherapy?
Hypnotherapy is used to treat a variety of disorders such as anxiety, depression and PTSD. You may experience feelings of being deeply relaxed, whilst at the same time, find you are in a heightened state of focus, where you can then receive positive suggestions. You cannot accept any suggestions that are not aligned to your values. It is very safe and the results can be felt quickly.
There are several more explanations on my page: https://thefeelgoodstudio.com.au/1-on-1-therapy/
And you also run retreats as well?
Yes, I run the much loved monthly ‘2 Hour Express Retreat,’ on the Northern Beaches. I am proud to say, this October we celebrated our 5 year anniversary. It is so joyful to nurture all the incredible Mums and Dads who join us. I still pinch myself when I think that we have run more than 70 retreats, workshop sand talks, including the Palm Beach Day Retreat, Meditate With Clay Workshop, free HypMeditation relaxation sessions hosted through Covid, and meditation classes.
I am often asked to create experiential workshops and have done so for Dell Technologies (twice), Lifeline Northern Beaches, and Zone, which included frontline workers from Northern Beaches Police, North Shore Police, Catholic Care, local women’s shelters and many more.
Giving back and inclusivity, tell us more?
As C.S. Lewis said: “Since it is likely that children will meet cruel enemies, let them at least have heard of brave knights and heroic courage.”
With that in mind, and the fact that life can be hard for both children and adults, sprinkling kindness and authentic generosity where we can, by accepting others and learning about one another, it is my hope that future generations won’t experience the extreme levels of bullying and anxiety that we do today.
During COVID, I also create a very special inclusion version of Fairies Far and The Stolen Tooth. I had heard how difficult it was for actors with special needs to get paid work and experience, so within this alternative version, you’ll meet two extraordinary actors. Audrey, one actress who plays the part of Jessica, has Down Syndrome, and Desmond, who plays the character of Little Owl has other challenges. 30% of the profits from the Inclusive Version will be donated to the Sydney Children’s Hospital.
So, how can we live a fairytale life?
Ask yourself, ‘If I could wave a magic wand and give my child anything, what would it be?’ Then aim to give that to yourself too.
Underneath all the layers of life, stress, conditioning and anxiety, there is a magic that exists deeply within you, and if we learn to recognise it, allow it to grow and protect it from the inevitable bumps and bruises of life, we can tap into those confident parts of ourselves, and discover a happier way of being, feeling and living. And that is where we can find the self-belief to create our very on fairytale.
How and where do I find the audiobooks and toolkits?
Audiobooks: To purchase the audiobooks and to download the complimentary Toolkits, head to https://thefeelgoodstudio.com.au/fairy-tales/
Website: https://thefeelgoodstudio.com.au
Facebook: The Feel Good Studio
Instagram: hyplittlefairytales
Join Justine for an Online Express Retreat on Wednesday 9th of November, where you will discover how you can create inner calm, confidence, and self-belief for your children before you will delve into a calm mind, relax your body, and soothe your soul.