Articles & Resources
Children’s Activity: Sadness Maps
Sadness Sadness is an overwhelming emotion associated with the sense of loss, affecting us both physically (heavy eye lids, dropped mouth, lethargy) , psychologically (mood, emotions, distraction), physiologically (heart rate, skin temperature)and behaviourally (withdrawal, isolation). It can be triggered by the loss of connections, such as friendships or routines. The loss of loved ones, including
Why we need to stop saying ‘we are all on the spectrum’
I’m sure we have all heard someone make the comment ‘well, we’re all on the spectrum aren’t we?’ in a conversation around neurodivergent traits, but the understanding of what this means can be misleading. Neurodivergence is a non-medical term which acts as an umbrella for a range of different functionalities and conditions. It describes individuals
Children’s Activity: Growing Self-compassion
Self-compassion relates to the action of treating ourselves with warmth, understanding and kindness, especially when we are struggling, fail, feel that we are not good enough or are in emotional or physical discomfort. It is the act of choosing to treat ourselves as though we are our best friend, instead of opting to be unkind,
We get confidence backwards….
Have you ever noticed yourself saying: We so often use the concept of ‘confidence’ as a means to begin taking action, and can so frequently find that months later we are still waiting for it to materialise. So, what is confidence? Confidence is referred to as ‘the feeling or belief that one can have faith
Children’s Activity: Mandala
Download our free therapeutic colouring sheet: Free Activity So, this week, our free activity is a downloadable mandala colouring sheet, so you can unwind together. Why not make it a family affair and all have a go…. Want to learn more? Are you looking for a deeper understanding of child mental health? Our Level 4
The Superpowers of ADHD
Whilst many children become frustrated at their ADHD traits, they also hold many positive qualities and abilities due to their brain’s unique patterns and reactions. Children and adolescents with ADHD have higher levels of energy and awareness than their peers. At the bottom of this, is an aversion to boredom. Simply, when bored their brains
Children’s Activity: Recognising my Value
Self-esteem Self-esteem refers to understanding and recognising our own value, outside of others. When we have high self-esteem it is a protector for mental health, whilst poor self-esteem makes us more vulnerable. Can you recognise your own worth? value? personality traits? skills and talents? Free Download Download here Next steps Download the worksheet here Consider
Do we expect too much logic from children?
When you were younger, did you ever have an adult say to you: ‘Why didn’t you think this through?’ ‘Didn’t you think about that happening?’ ‘Why didn’t you consider the consequences?’ Having worked with children for over 25 years, I frequently reflect back on how much things have changed in our understanding of working with
Children’s Activity: Self-love
Self-love When we take good care of ourselves, it improves our mood, mindset and our connections with friends and family. Taking care of ourselves means that we are talking to ourselves and treating ourselves with love and care. This can include: The way we talk to ourselves The way we treat ourselves (food, drink, sleep,
8 ways to reduce overwhelm at Christmas
Christmas and Fear Whilst Christmas is often a magical and exciting time of year, for many children it can quickly become overwhelming. It’s interesting that not all children perceive the sense of excitement as exciting, and for many children I have worked with over the years, excitement is categorised for them as fear or dread.
Children’s Activity: Gratitude
The Power of Gratitude It has been found that practicing gratitude has a positive impact on our sense of happiness and well-being. When we practice gratitude consistently, and over time, we can train our brain to focus on what is going well, and develop a sense of optimism. It has been found, that gratitude boosts
What is interoception?
Interoception is the ability to identify, understand and respond to the state of the inside of our body. It involves the awareness that we have of our internal bodily signals, and whether we can interpret what these mean. This includes aspects such as hunger, thirst, heart rate, body temperature, breathing rate, emotions and our digestive
Children’s Activity: Mandala
Download here Free Activity So, this week, our free activity is a downloadable mandala colouring sheet, so you can unwind together. Why not make it a family affair and all have a go…. Download it here Print it off Grab some colouring pens or pencils Relax and unwind Want to learn more? Are you looking
Motivation is imaginary……
“When I’m motivated, I will get started” “Once that wave of motivation appears, i’m there” “I just need some motivation, and then I will do it” “I’m just not motivated right now” The infamous motivation…..ever noticed that it’s the most elusive feeling in our repertoire? Motivation is defined as – ‘a reason or reasons for
Children’s Activity: Journal Prompts for Anger
Journal Prompts Journalling can help us to calm our minds by structuring our thoughts. Journal prompts help us to explore different aspects of our lives and develop a deeper understanding of them. By taking time to deeply think about different concepts, we can find peace, solutions or identify areas for support. Journal prompts are questions
The Value of Promises
What is a promise? Promises. When we are little we little, we are repeatedly asked ‘do you promise?’, or told ‘I promise we will….’ or ‘I promise we can…’, but what is a promise? In the dictionary, a promise is defined as: (n) a declaration or assurance that one will do something or that a
Children’s Activity: Journal Prompts for Self-esteem
Journal Prompts Journalling can help us to calm our minds by structuring our thoughts. Journal prompts help us to explore different aspects of our lives and develop a deeper understanding of them. By taking time to deeply think about different concepts, we can find peace, solutions or identify areas for support. Journal prompts are questions
8 ways to support children with ADHD in learning
So often, when talking about children with ADHD we hear words such as ‘daydreamer’, ‘distracted’, ‘absent minded’ and in the worst case scenarios words such as ‘lazy’. However, ADHD is, at its heart, an aversion to boredom. Long periods of sitting, listening, with no action create heightened levels of boredom, and in doing so further
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