Glimmers are tiny, fleeting moments of joy and calm that happen within our days. When we experience a glimmer, we are experiencing a tiny micro-moment of happiness. A glimmer activates our parasympathetic nervous system, the part of our nervous system responsible for calmness and safety. Our brains are always trying to keep us safe, so […]
Children’s Activity: Searching for Glimmers Read More »
The silent treatment is a punishment that many have experienced in their lifetimes, but it has only been in recent years that we have begun to understand the impact of it on children’s brain development (and latter adult’s emotional experiences). The silent treatment refers to the refusal to speak to someone which moves from a
The Damage of the Silent Treatment Read More »
Teaching children breathing activities has multiple benefits: Teaching children how to slowly engage breathing techniques and practice them regularly supports them to relax and respond more constructively when they are feeling overwhelmed. Starfish Breathing Download here Next Steps Want to learn more? Would you like to deliver emotional literacy interventions in your work? Our Level 3
Children’s Activity: Starfish Breathing Read More »
Upregulation is a term used to describe when a child uses behaviours to bring parents or carers closer to them (also called proximity seeking or attachment seeking behaviours). They aim to raise an alert to parents that the child needs help, is feeling uncertain or stressed. Proximity seeking behaviours begin in infancy, when babies will
Why do children upregulate? Read More »
This week, I have lost count of the number of conversations I have had about feelings, and the importance of feeling them and experiencing them. Your feelings are a communication system, telling you that you have needs that require some attention. If you are stressed you are overloaded, taking on too much, or trying to
Why we need to feel our feelings Read More »
Avoidant Attachment Styles An avoidant attachments style, refers to a child who has learnt that they are not supported emotionally and therefore has developed hyper-independence as a safety response. They do not lean on, or trust others to help them as they have learnt that people cannot be relied upon. Therefore, they learn to down-regulate
5 ways to support children with avoidant attachments Read More »
Anxious Attachment Styles An anxious attachment style refers to a child who has developed a belief that they cannot trust themselves, and are reliant on key people in their lives to help them. The child (or later adult) has a strong belief that they will be rejected or abandoned, and has a high level of
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Having spent over ten years working one to one with clients, with my teen clients we often explore the concept of perspectives. Whether it is the declaration that a teacher hates them, a friend has been mean, or a sibling that is loved more than they are, we all see that our brains have one
Perspectives and Stories Read More »
Managing our energy is an important skill, as it allows us to still be able to move forward and feel good about ourselves. Learning to be able to regulate our feelings, and increase our energy means that we can feel more in control, confident and able to tackle the tasks at hand. When we think
Children’s Activity: Energy Accounting Read More »
Winter Solstice is coming! So, what better time to blow the cobwebs away and get out for a wintery walk and see how many of our wintery ‘I Spy’ items you can find from the checklist! Download here How to use it Want to learn more? Would you like to deliver emotional literacy interventions in
