Whilst teaching the Level 4 Child and Adolescent Mental Health Coaching Course a few weekends ago, we found ourselves discussing the concept of losing. Whilst for some adults, there can be a feeling that children need to be protected from losing and the feelings of disappointment, envy or discomfort that come with it, it is […]
Why children need to lose Read More »
Making decisions is something that causes many people anxiety or worry. This can be for many reasons: For younger children Break decision making into 1-2 choices rather than free reign to build confidence, ‘would you like to do X or Y?’ and give time to think it through. When they make a choice, give them
Making decision-making easier Read More »
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
The Value of Promises Read More »
A frequent issue which is presented in my coaching and therapy work surrounds lying. Parents and carers will frequently ask why their child is lying and want to stop it from happening. However, whilst lying is often labelled as a behaviour issue, it most frequently has other causes lying beneath it. So, why do children
Why do children lie? Read More »
Behaviour is, in its simplest form, a set of SYMPTOMS. Behaviours are an indicator that something else is happening inside the child, that we need to identify and help them to work through. Behaviour is a response to feelings. Behaviour is a way of communicating needs Feelings come from an inner need in the child
Why ‘Behaviour’ is a set of clues Read More »
When children become dysregulated, it can frequently be seen that they are referred to as having a ‘tantrum’. On face value, tantrums and meltdowns can often look similar, but their role is different. A tantrum A tantrum is usually associated with wanting something. It will normally come to an end once the child has what
Tantrum or Meltdown? Read More »
An important part of supporting child mental health, is that we recognise areas where we can develop our practice. There is no end point in this, as the world evolves, we can recognise that the mental health needs are ever evolving. Therefore, strategies that we used 10 years ago may no longer work, whilst new
Carrot and Stick – Why punishments rarely work Read More »
A lot of people can be concerned about the word ‘validation’, perceiving that by doing this, we are giving in, or enabling someone. However, validation is a vital part of our connections with children, building trust and supporting mental health. Without it, we are often caught in cycle of resistance, by which the child may
Why threats don’t work and we need validation instead Read More »
Whilst the understanding of the concept of mental health has increased, especially since the lockdowns, there is a gap between awareness and understanding. For some, their awareness is coupled with effective strategies, whilst for others their awareness is yet to be supported with understanding of the ‘how’. We can often, also get lost in looking
7 ways that we can support children in the classroom Read More »
A common issue that so many young people struggle with is that they feel that everyone is watching them. Have you ever noticed that for so many, this struggle paralyses them? Preventing them from stepping forward, doing things that they want to do, and holding them back from thriving and reaching their potential. So, why
Why do other’s people’s opinions impact us? Read More »
