Starting school can be a scary time, not just for children, but also for parents and teachers. After all, as much as we want them to have fun, I meet many parents who are terrified of the thought of their children going off to school, and some teachers who question themselves and the strategies that […]
Preparing Children for School Transitions Read More »
Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA) refers to a child or adolescent who has difficulty attending school. The attendance at school creates uncomfortable emotions such as stress and anxiety and this can cause both physical and emotional symptoms. The difficulty with Emotionally Based School Avoidance is that avoiding school escalates the feelings of anxiety, and this
What is Emotionally Based School Avoidance? Read More »
When it comes to managing our own mental health (see here), I will often speak about the importance of: Routines Exercise Fresh air Good nutrition Having interests and hobbies (non electronic ones) A sense of achievement (internal validation) which all contribute to our mental health and well-being. Putting in place daily practices, which help us
Our brains were made to…… Read More »
From childhood, we are brought up with stories all around us. From picture books to fairytales, to storybooks and poems, to advertising and the newspapers. To the stories we tell children at school through their reports and our messages, to the messages parents feed them at home, in texts or through interactions. We are surrounded
What’s your story? Read More »
Procrastination is described as ‘the action of unnecessarily and voluntarily delaying or postponing something, despite knowing that thee will be negative consequences’. In its simplest form, procrastination is a decision to stay in my current emotions and state, rather than push myself into a more uncomfortable or challenging one, despite knowing it will cause me
4 ways to tackle procrastination Read More »
Whilst we have made huge strides forward in our awareness of mental health and its impact on children and young people, particularly since the lockdowns, therapy still sits on an interesting line. Frequently, I talk to so many young people, parents and professionals who still find that whilst we talk about ‘Mental Health Matters’, it
5 Reasons why we need to see therapy as self-care Read More »
Have you ever noticed, that people talk about confidence as a primary factor? That we believe that we need to acquire it in order to take action? When I am more confident I will…. When I have more confidence I am going to….. If I had more confidence I would….. The interesting thing about confidence
3 ways to promote child confidence Read More »
When we become overwhelmed, our brain can quickly signal to our body that ‘something is wrong’ or that we are ‘not safe’, which quickly triggers: Increased heart rate Increased blood pressure Sweating Trembling Short of breath Hot flashes Catastrophising Repetitive worries Fear of being out of control or unable to cope Sense of danger Sometimes,
5 techniques to help calm down panic or worries Read More »
There are so many things that we need to teach children, from mathematics to reading and writing. However, the last few years have also shown us the importance of helping children to build self-esteem and resilience, to support their mental health and well-being. I work with hundreds of children every year in my therapy work,
3 mindset tools we should teach children Read More »
We often talk about finding creative ways to talk about feelings can open new conversations. Sometimes, just sitting down can feel too confronting for some children, so activities can provide the perfect opportunity to explore what we are feeling and how it affects us. However, we also need to build on our feelings vocabulary as
Children’s Activity: Feelings Wordsearch #2 Read More »
