Meet Daniele Clarke

 

We were lucky to catch up with Daniele Clarke recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Daniele, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?

I see purpose in a different way than most people. I believe purpose isn’t about choosing a single, unchanging path but cultivating a meaningful yet adaptable aim that evolves with my growth and life stages.

My purpose has never been a monumental achievement like inventing breakthrough technologies or curing diseases—although those are admirable goals. My purpose encompasses personal ambitions, such as being a good parent, supporting a cause close to my heart or contributing to my community.

My purpose comes from believing that my life has meaning and that I can make a difference in the world in my unique ways. That is why I wrote Unleash – Free Your Mind, Live Fully & Achieve Your Dreams. Helping children struggling with anxiety was my way of contributing to the world.

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Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I’m a registered psychologist, the founder of Superpower Kids, and the author of Unleash – Free Your Mind, Live Fully & Achieve Your Dreams. From the beginning of my career, I’ve been passionate about equipping parents, educators, and mental health workers with the tools necessary to support children’s emotional development and guide them towards a brighter future.

My professional journey began in private practice in Brazil, where I focused on family dynamics and children’s mental health. However, a significant move to Australia in 2005 marked a turning point in my career. Working with families in need, I broadened my impact and deepened my understanding of the diverse emotional challenges children face across different cultures.

Witnessing the emotional challenges children face in diverse cultures ignited a passion within me to create an accessible growth mindset program. Superpower Kids, a platform that delivers social-emotional learning resources to thousands of children in Australia and globally, is the tangible result of this passion. It is the foundation of my commitment to enhancing children’s lives through practical, engaging educational materials, instilling hope and inspiration in every child I reach.

As part of my commitment to the global community and my family, I wrote my most recent award-winning book, Unleash. Unleash is a practical journal designed to help kids overcome anxiety and achieve their dreams.

The inspiration for this journal was deeply personal. It was a heartbreaking experience to see my daughter struggle with anxiety, her vibrant potential limited by overwhelming emotions. This journey compelled me to combine my professional knowledge and personal experience, creating a resource that could make a difference. Unleash is more than just a book; it’s a labour of love, a testament to empathy and connection, empowering children to manage their emotions effectively and fulfil their true potential.

Today, I continue to share my knowledge and experiences through writing and speaking. As a regular online and print media contributor, I want to raise awareness about children’s emotional well-being. I live in Brisbane, Australia, with my husband and two children. My work, whether through Unleash or Superpower Kids, is dedicated to transforming anxiety and other emotional challenges from barriers to hurdles children can overcome.

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If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Writing Unleash was a remarkable journey with many challenges. First, English is not my first language. Most of my psychology qualification was achieved in my native language, Portuguese. So, I had to re-learn some technical terms to be able to express myself cohesively. Second, I’ve never thought of myself as a writer. I’ve always thought I could only have something worth sharing in a book once I achieve the highest qualification possible in my field. While cognitively, I know that was not an accurate representation of a writer, my core belief was that I was not good enough to be a writer. I knew my passion, and I wanted to contribute, but my self-belief stopped me from writing my book’s first paragraph.

I knew I had to overcome that barrier, and to do that, I had to live what I preached. I had to accept my emotions, challenge my thoughts, and take the necessary actions, which leads me to believe that these three skills were the most important in my journey.

The first is Self-Awareness. We can only change our beliefs if we first accept and acknowledge our feelings of inadequacy or self-doubt. By doing so, we can start questioning how valid they are and how well they serve you.

The second is Self-Compassion. Being kind to yourself is critical to achieving anything in life, especially novel endeavors. We all make mistakes, and that is OK. Being critical of yourself is only going to derail your journey. Self-compassion makes developing a growth mindset easier, which leads me to the third and last skill.

Growth Mindset. A growth mindset sees failures as opportunities for growth. A mistake is seen as a lack of knowledge or ability, not a character trait. We can develop our knowledge and abilities through hard work and perseverance. Another important thing to note is that we don’t have to figure everything out by ourselves; it is OK to ask for help.

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Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?

My life has been blessed with many amazing people. Each one of them had played an important role in my development. In my childhood, my father’s creative spirit was a strong influence. While his presence in my life was short, as he passed away when I was only twelve, he left an incredible mark. It was his artistic character that inspired me to express myself through writing. After my father passed, my mother proved to be a powerhouse. She tirelessly worked to provide me with the best education and model strong values; her resilience remains an incredible source of motivation to me today.

Later in life, I was fortunate to meet husband, who has supported my professional pursuits and encouraged my passions. In moments of self-doubt, his belief in the value of my message helps me keep going.

Of course, there are my children. They keep me grounded and help me see a lighter side of life full of hope and wonder.

Each individual has made an immense difference, and I appreciate their love and support.

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