Growing up in an academic family in South Africa left holes in Kim Normand Dobrin’s impressionable early years. The adults in her life had no idea what to do with her nor their own lives, she noted.
Dobrin took what she learned at home and related the lessons to the outside world.
“I realized that academia is obviously needed and valuable,” she said. “However, it does not teach you how to live life.
“ ... you need certain skills and tools because there is one thing that is guaranteed – we all as humans experience our own challenges. No one goes through life scot-free; it doesn’t matter who you are.”
Dobrin moved to Atlanta six years ago, bringing with her decades of focusing on human rights and education. Her last main milestone before moving was founding the Tomorrow Trust based on an “integrated holistic model” with academics and self mastery, she stated.
Dobrin believes that personal control begins with understanding emotions and what they are.
“Actually emotions are the greatest barometer that we’ve got as to where we are at that very moment in our lives,” said the educator. “And then it is important to use the skills and tools as to what to do with them.”
Dobrin’s son and business partner, Brent Henry Feinberg, discovered a common denominator among everyone during his teacher training – fear and anxiety.
He saw no movement on what he viewed as an important issue and wrote the book Freeing Freddie the Dream Weaver; relatable to both children and adults as Freddie is “all of us.”
Credit: contributed
Credit: contributed
“Freddie lives in the magical rain forest and goes through experiences with his wise animal friends … a magical journey of how life is,” Dobrin said.
“For instance, there is one part of it, a story within a story, about the lotus flower and how it is stuck under the mud and the water, and it’s got to push and push to blossom and show the world how beautiful it is. That’s the metaphor for life. We have to push and push in order to blossom. It doesn’t just happen.”
Taking stories that Feinberg wrote, the mother-son team, founded Free the Mind Co before COVID hit. They began with teacher trainings.
“We believe you can’t teach what you haven’t experienced, otherwise it is just academic. So what we did with the teachers is give them the time to actually discover themselves,” she stated.
The pandemic threw everyone a curve ball and calls came in asking for help.
An eight-month international collaboration among teachers, psychologists, school counselors, parents and kids produced an online social emotional well-being program for kids (home use) or teachers in a classroom (hybrid).
The program is currently for K through 5 with plans to extend to eighth grade. The inclusive program includes speakers to aid those who might not be able to read or have a sight problem. Dobrin adds that the book is “incredible” for kids on the spectrum.
Dobrin and Feinberg see social emotional learning as one dimensional and well-being as holistic - one’s whole self.
“We had never considered online before because we wanted to take the kids offline,” Dobrin said.
Credit: AARON GRANT
Credit: AARON GRANT
The program comes from a marriage of Dobrin’s and Feinberg’s life experiences.
“It really is about learning about your emotions all based with these incredible characters with games, with fun,” Dobrin said.
“Anxiety since the pandemic has gone up four times. This is solid help with real skills and tools,” the co-founder said. “It is real stuff that they will take with them for the rest of their lives.”
For more information, visit https://freethemindco.com
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