It’s been a hard day on Sesame Street and Big Bird is feeling sad and angry. His friend Alan tells him it’s okay to have “big feelings” when something bad has happened, and he encourages him to calm down by imagining a safe place that he can go to. Soon, Big Bird is feeling better in his dreamlike cozy nest, feeling the warm sun on his feathers and smelling birdseed cookies baking in Granny Bird’s oven.

The video is one of a series being released Friday by the creators of Sesame Street to teach children strategies to cope with traumatic experiences, whether they are unexpected, like a hurricane or a flood, or ongoing.

Sesame Street’s free online resources include videos, storybooks, games, and activities in English and Spanish aim to help children process difficult feelings and give them tools to feel more safe and relaxed when their adrenaline is racing and their emotions flare.

“Nearly every family in America has a relationship with the characters on Sesame Street, and they are marked by trust and positive feeling and connection. When you have a foundation like that to work from, you can talk about anything,” she said.

Read the full article by Michael Alison Chandler on Washington Post