Sushi helps children struggling with grief

AN Ivybridge counsellor has made her dog the star of a new series of books dealing with mental health and they will be appearing together at a book signing today.

Mari Lopes has a self-help guide for children struggling to come to terms with grief, which is called Sushi is Sad.

Mari said it is the first in a series of books which will deal with the topic of mental health, which she said has become far more prevalent since the Covid pandemic.

Her dog Sushi, a cross between a Cavapoo and a Shih Tzu, is the main character, as she has become a source of therapy for so many of Mari's clients.

Mari said: "Because I work with a lot of children, a lot of them face-to-face, Sushi has become a sort of therapy dog, and adapts very well to each individual.