Hi, I’m Katie — a wife, a mummy, and the heart behind My Backpack Buddy.

Like so many others, my journey with mental health has been a long one. From anxiety and depression in my teenage years, through school and college, to postnatal depression after my daughter was born, I’ve learned how heavy life can feel at times. The world can be loud and demanding — overwhelming yet strangely numbing all at once — and carrying those emotions isn’t always easy.

For a long time, I didn’t feel I had the right tools to help myself. Talking about mental health can be hard, even now. Although conversations are opening up, many of us still keep going quietly, holding everything inside until we feel ready to speak.

That’s why I created My Backpack Buddy.

My Backpack Buddy is a small, comforting companion designed to offer reassurance in everyday moments. It’s an invitation to pause. Write down how you’re feeling, pop the note into the bag, and return to it later. Share those thoughts with someone you trust, or simply take a moment to reflect. Sometimes, recognising how we feel is the first step toward feeling lighter.

I’m so excited to share this journey with you — the highs, the challenges, and everything in between. I truly believe in what I’ve created and the quiet but powerful difference it can make.

Always remember: be kind to yourself. You are one of a kind, and you are needed in this world.