The story behind the Hand To Heart Project
I envisage that the Hand to Heart Project will contribute to more insightful and positive parenting practices, that ensure our children are raised to feel safe, connected, loved and worthwhile.
I am fortunate to have trained, and worked, during one of the most exciting eras of psychological research, since psychology was established as a science in the 1800’s.
In the years I have been practising, scientific evidence has led to profound changes to the way we understand children’s growth and development. We now know so much more about the experiences, and influences, that shape the growing brain, and its capacity for healthy relationships.
At the same time, it is clear that we now live in a world where we are oversaturated with information, and for parents, this can be daunting, and at times, confusing. I strongly believe that, as parents, we need to be guided by the latest neuroscience to support our children’s development, at any age; and most importantly, our relationships with them.
I hope that the Hand to Heart Project will provide a deeper understanding of the scientific underpinnings of a child’s physical, psychological and emotional development, through the medium of visual story telling.
Who am I?
I am Megan Fowler, a registered Clinical Psychologist and Paediatric Neuropsychologist.
I am married, and the mother of two adult sons. Becoming a parent was the most challenging experience, and greatest joy, of my life. I believe that being a mother has been the greatest influence on my role as a child psychologist, and ignited my passion to understand the multitude of influences, on children’s neurodevelopment, and wellbeing.
Equally, my experience of being raised as one of six children has left me fascinated with families and how, despite sharing parents and a genetic inheritance, our own individual personalities, temperaments, choices and experiences can lead us down many different life paths.
I am a proud Kiwi, who in my spare time, enjoys hiking in different parts of New Zealand, which provides me with wonderful opportunities to pursue my other passion; photography.
When I am not taking photos or writing stories, I see children, adolescents, parents and young adults, at my private practice in Auckland, New Zealand.
“Why can’t parents see their children’s pain? I’ve had to ask myself the same thing. It’s because we haven’t seen our own.”
- Gabor Mate