Bzzz... Do you hear something?

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Bzzz... Do you hear something? 〰️

Colorful book cover titled 'Gus and the Thirteen' by Dr. Adam Schilling, featuring a cartoon character of Gus with a small insect on his head, surrounded by green bushes and clouds.

“What’s That Voice in My Head?”

Help your child understand their thoughts and build confidence with the Chatterbug story.

A child with short hair sitting under a tree, looking at a flying butterfly in a grassy outdoor setting with a blue sky and a pink flower.

Interact with the chatterbug

That quiet (or loud!) inner voice that says “What if I mess up?” or “I’m not good enough,”… that’s the Chatterbug.


In the book Gus and the Chatterbug, children learn to notice this voice and interact with it with kindness and courage. It is a sense that is here to guide and help.

Click the link to follow along as Dr. Adam reads the book aloud.

Read aloud

Use these age-specific, simple prompts to start a meaningful conversation about self-talk, emotions, and confidence.

  • Ages 3-5

    What to listen for

    Tips for drawing or naming the Chatterbug

    Go

  • Ages 6-8

    How to explore emotions and patterns

    Questions to gently challenge the Chatterbug

    GO

  • Ages 9-12

    Building awareness and confidence

    Encouraging self-reflection

    GO

  • Ages 13+

    Talking about pressure, self-doubt, and mental habits

    Journaling and self-talk techniques

    GO
A colorful children's book cover titled "Grow Up Smiling" by Gus. The cover features a smiling stick figure child with arms raised, outdoors in a grassy area with trees, bushes, flowers, and a smiling sun.

check out Gus’s Book of poems!

As Gus was learning to understand his Chatterbug, he started writing poems to help make sense of his thoughts and feelings. Now, he’s sharing those poems with you. This free downloadable collection is full of simple, heartfelt verses about self-esteem, courage, and choosing kinder thoughts. Whether read aloud together or explored quietly, these poems are little reminders that every kid has the power to think in ways that lift them up.

Download the pdf
Line drawing of a smiling child with short hair, waving one hand, on a textured light blue background.

HEY, KIDS!!

This is from me, Gus!

I’D LIKE TO share WITH YOU A FEW FACTS that i’ve learned!

1. You’re totally great just as you are.
I learned that there’s nothing wrong with me, and there’s nothing wrong with you either. We’re okay just the way we are.

2. There’s something good inside you.
I found out there’s a good, kind feeling living inside me. When I feel happy or proud or loving, that’s my goodness shining through.

3. Hard feelings don’t mean bad things.
Sometimes I feel worried, mad, or sad. That doesn’t mean I’m doing something wrong. It just means I care, and my feelings are trying to help me understand something.

4. Feelings can help us choose.
I learned that all my feelings, easy ones and hard ones, are there to help guide me. When I slow down and make kind choices, they do their job better.

5. I can choose my thoughts.
My thoughts change when I decide what to focus on. I get to choose what kind of story I tell myself about my life.

6. I’m more than names or mistakes.
If someone calls me something or if I mess up, that’s not who I am. I’m bigger than any label or moment.

7. Growing is what we’re supposed to do.
I’m still learning, and that’s okay. When I think hopeful thoughts, it feels good, like the good inside me is saying, Keep going. Keep growing!

Children's drawing of a boy sitting on a tree branch and a flying insect with wings and a happy face, with the words "TA DA!" in orange.
Two hand-drawn cartoon characters sitting at desks, one girl with a beanie and book, one boy with a thoughtful expression and hand on chin.

click the link to check out some of the behind the scenes moments that brought the story to life!

Behind the Scenes
An illustrated page featuring a boy named Gus exploring outdoors, with a large green tree and colorful houses in the background. Gus is drawn with a cheerful expression, standing with hands on hips.
A cartoon illustration of a snowman with three circles, stick arms, and a smiling face, standing in a snowy landscape with green bushes and a cloudy sky, holding a sign that reads "Gus and the Chocolate" in playful orange lettering.
A book titled "Be Your Advocate" with a subtitle about acceptance of addiction and discovering potential, authored by Dr. Adam Schilling, featuring a simple stick figure illustration of a person raising an arm towards a yellow sun on a gradient background.
Text that says "BE YOUR ADVOCATE" in white letters on a black background.

Dr. Schilling’s work extends beyond Gus. Be Your Advocate is not only about learning to understand how addiction can be seen as a gateway to profound transformation. The book is also a bold and heartfelt guide for parents who want to quiet their inner critic, reclaim self-trust, and model emotional resilience for their children. If you're teaching your child about their Chatterbug, that tricky inner voice (which grows up in Be Your Advocate to be the GNAT), this book will help you meet your own with compassion and strength. Because when you lead yourself with clarity, courage, and care, your child learns to do the same.

Get Book
Follow Be Your Advocate on Instagram

  • Dr. Adam's book has been crucial to uncovering the real me, and helping to reach new potentials.

  • This book offers practical tools and insights to navigate the journey of self-discovery with grace and courage.

  • If you are feeling worthless then you should check this book out. It has helped me in finding my self worth.

  • This book is more than a read, it's a helping hand on the road to a brighter, better life.

Cover of the book or presentation titled 'The Gnat' with a bright yellow background, featuring an illustrated character sitting cross-legged on a pile of books with a laptop, surrounded by cactus plants, an illuminated lightbulb, a bee icon, and the subtitle 'Grand Narrator Around Thought'.
A cartoon kite in the shape of a bee with a white body, black stripes, and wings, flying in the sky with dotted lines indicating its flight path, and a bird flying nearby.
A teal-colored rectangular banner with blank space.

I'm OFFERING YOU A FREE COPY OF The GNAT

In Be Your Advocate, Dr. Schilling teaches about the adult version of the Chatterbug, known as the GNAT.

Your life has a story, and that story has a narrator. The voices in your head comprise this inner Grand Narrator Around Thought (GNAT). The voices are not who you are. They are parts of your current thinking habits.

With specific strategies from this e-book, you will begin to learn how to use the GNAT to your advantage. Enter your email and first name below to get a copy sent to your inbox.

holds a doctoral degree in higher education and social change, a master’s degree in marital and family therapy, and a bachelor’s degree in psychology, as well as multiple other certification programs, namely positive psychology.

Dr. Schilling is in private practice as a clinical coach in positive psychology, relationships, and addiction treatment.

DR. ADAM SCHILLING

A smiling man with a beard and short hair, wearing a black sweater over a green shirt, standing against a plain white wall with his hands together in a prayer-like gesture.
More at adamschilling.org