Helping Children With Anxiety: What to Say to Children When They Are Anxious

Helping Children With Anxiety: What to say to children when they are are anxious.

Anxiety has a way of making everyone feel helpless – the ones in the midst of an anxiety attack as well as the ones beside them who would do anything to make it better. It’s difficult to know exactly what to do when your little person is flooded with anxiety. Different things will work for different people, so don’t be afraid to experiment with what works best.

For children with anxiety, whatever you can do to be a strong, steadying presence will be the right thing to do. Nothing you say or do can make it go away, but if you can walk through it beside them, you’ll make a difference. 

Trust that they can cope, because they can – they’re amazing – and in time, as awful as it feels to go through it, and to watch them go through it, they will also trust their capacity to step bravely through their anxiety and come out the other side. Here are some things that can make a difference, but again, your child is the expert on their anxiety and what works, so be quick to take your cues from them:

When anxiety takes hold:

•  ‘You’re safe. I’m here and I’m not going anywhere.’

You might not be believed straight away, but that’s okay. This isn’t about changing anything. It’s about offering warmth, safety and comfort the best way you can.

•  ‘Whatever you do now will be absolutely fine with me.’

Part of the stress of anxiety can be not knowing what to do, or being worried that whatever they’re doing might not be okay. Validating their response will empower them to move through the feeling in their own way, and at their own pace.

•  ‘Do whatever you need to do. Even if it’s nothing.’

This is permission for them to respond how they want to respond, without feeling silly or as though they need to explain or ‘fight’ their response. The less people feel the need to fight the feeling, the more likely it is that the feeling can come and then go.

•  ‘Let’s go for a walk and see if we can find your strong breaths.’

Physical activity is the natural end to the fight or flight response (which is where the physical feelings of an anxiety attack come from). Walking will help to burn the adrenalin and neurochemicals that have surged the body to prepare it for flight or fight, and which are causing the physical symptoms (racy heart, feeling sick, sweaty, short breaths, dry mouth, trembly or tense in the limbs etc). Try to help them to access their strong breaths while walking, but for children with anxiety, this will be easier if they’ve practiced outside of an anxiety attack.

•  ‘Your brain is thinking that it needs to protect you. Breathe – I’ll do it with you. It will let your brain know that you’ve got this, and that you’re okay. It just needs to know that you’re safe and then it will settle down.

Anxiety is from a fight or flight response, triggered when the amygdala in the brain perceives threat. It doesn’t matter whether the threat is real or not – the brain thinks it is and acts as though its true, fuelling the body to respond. That’s why anxiety feels like it does – every physical response is because the brain is getting the body to fight or flight. (See here for more of an explanation.) Breathing triggers the relaxation response which, like the fight or flight response, is also hardwired into all of us. Breathing can be almost impossible to access in the midst of an anxiety attack, so it’s important for them to practice strong breaths (in for three, hold for one, out for three, hold for one) each day when they’re calm, with the trigger words that work for them, so it’s easier to access when they need it. There are a couple of ways to do this:

>>  Invite them to imagine they have a cup of hot chocolate, and to breathe in the heady chocolatey smell for three, hold it for one, then blow it cool for three.

>>  Trace the infinity sign () with your finger on their back, hand or wherever feels right for them. Take 3 seconds to draw the left circle of the infinity sign and ask them to breathe in while you do this. Then stop for a second, and ask them to hold their breath – but just for a second. Now take three seconds to draw the right circle, and ask them to breathe out while you do it. Try to make it a fluid, relaxing movement – left circle for 3, hold for one, right circle for three.

These are just a couple of ideas to make practicing strong breaths fun, but whatever works for them is perfect.

And when they’re calm …

•  ‘I know how I feel when I feel anxious or worried about things, but I’d really like to understand what your worry feels like for you. Can you teach me?’

Empower them by acknowledging that they the experts of their anxiety – because they are. At the heart of emotional intelligence is being able to accurately identify a feeling when it happens. The more children with anxiety are able to verbalise what their anxiety feels like, the more capacity they will have to identify it, acknowledge it and act more deliberately in response to it. With this level of self-awareness comes an increased ability to manage the feeling when it happens, and less likelihood that the anxiety will hijack their behaviour.

•  ‘You don’t have to do this by yourself. Is there something I can do to help you feel less alone? Is it best if I say something? Nothing? Hold your hand? Touch your back? Give you space?’

There might not be anything that comes to mind for them, and that’s okay. 

•  ‘If you saw someone going through what you go through, what would you say to comfort them?’

This invites a different perspective and can give you some insight into what they need to hear when they are going through it themselves.

•  ‘What if you could do anything in the world when you feel like this to feel better? Anything at all – doesn’t matter how crazy it is. What would it be?’

Give them in fantasy what is difficult for them in reality. This can help to open up the options, so help them to play with the ideas. Often there’s a sense of stuckness that comes from anxiety, which can give anxiety more power than it deserves. Sometimes, the best way to finding something that works is straight through the middle of the crazy, silly things first, (‘What if I could get that worry of yours and feed it a whole truckload of jelly so it was too busy to bother you? Or maybe we could play it some sleepy music? Or maybe some fun ‘dancey’ music to wear it out? What do you think?’)

•  ‘I’m here to listen to you if you like to talk about it? There’s absolutely nothing you can say that would be the wrong thing.’

Give them plenty of space to talk about what’s happening, but don’t try to change it or fix it. The more you can validate what they’re feeling, and give them permission to feel it, the more they can move through it and experiment with ways to deal with it.

•  ‘I love you – all of you, and everything you do.’

Because it feels like magic, and is always a lovely thing to hear.

•  ‘Brains change. They’re pretty amazing like that. You won’t always feel like this. Every time you breathe through your anxious feeling, you’re helping to change and strengthen your brain. You’re doing something pretty amazing and the more you do it, the better you’ll get.’

Brains have an extraordinary capacity to change and the more children can understand and accept this, the more empowered they’ll be to working towards this. Here are some words to help with that, but nobody knows your child better than you, so adapt them to suit …

‘Think of it like this: Imagine that in your brain are two important parts – a ‘feelings’ part that feels everything that happens to you, and a ‘thinking’ part that thinks about everything that happens to you and helps you decide how to behave. They are connected to each other by a pathway that’s made up of billions of brain cells (think of each cell like a brick). The two parts communicate by passing information from one cell to the next, to the next, to the next. Anything that ever happens to you will always go through the feelings part first. That’s the way it is for everyone. Then, the information travels to the thinking part which helps you make good decisions and work out the best way to behave. 

When the connection between the cells is strong, the pathway will be strong, and the thinking part of your brain will be in charge of your behaviour. This is because as soon as the feelings part gets worried or anxious, the thinking part can send a message quickly back saying, ‘You’re okay. You can calm down now because I’ve checked things out and there’s nothing that can actually hurt us, okay? But thanks for watching over us.’ When the pathway isn’t strong, the thinking part can’t get its ‘calm down’ message through, so the feelings part surges your body with chemicals that fuel you up to fight for your life or run for it. The idea is to make you strong, fast and powerful so you can protect yourself from danger. It’s this surge that makes you feel the uncomfortable things you feel when you’re having an anxiety attack. 

What’s important to know is that the pathway between the feelings part and the thinking part can always be strengthened. Here’s how …

Each cell along the pathway is able to grow 15,000 new branches to help it to connect to the cells beside it. The stronger the connection between the cells, the stronger the path. Every time you do something that helps you move through your anxiety, such as breathing or mindfulness, the cells grow new branches that connect them to the cells beside them, and the pathway is strengthened. It’s like weightlifting for your brain! Like any exercising any muscle – the more you do it the stronger you’ll get. Be patient though and whatever you do, don’t give up – it can take a while to get near 15,000 but you’ll get there.’

(See here for the Smiling Minds Mindfulness App, for mindfulness exercises from 7 to adult – it’s brilliant. And it’s free.)

And finally …

When it comes to dealing with difficult emotions – and anxiety is certainly one of those – anything you can say to validate, rather than change what your brave little person is going through will be important. Experiment with different things – kids don’t break when the adults in their lives respond to them in a way that’s empowering, loving and generous.

To strengthen and protect children with anxiety, explore their feelings with them and help them to tap into their own wisdom about what works for them. When they’re given the space, and the encouragement and the freedom to explore and experiment, kids can come up with wonderfully unexpected solutions to the things that are troubling them. They can be pretty amazing like that.


A Book for Kids About Anxiety …

‘Hey Warrior’ is the book I’ve written for children to help them understand anxiety and to find their ‘brave’. It explains why anxiety feels the way it does, and it will teach them how they can ‘be the boss of their brains’ during anxiety, to feel calm. It’s not always enough to tell kids what to do – they need to understand why it works. Hey Warrior does this, giving explanations in a fun, simple, way that helps things make sense in a, ‘Oh so that’s how that works!’ kind of way, alongside gorgeous illustrations. (See here for the trailer.)

 


 

161 Comments

Paulina

Under the current scenario, where we are going through a pandemic it is normal for children to experience anxiety, specifically when it comes to returning back to school for the new year. They might be scared of a possible COVD-19 transmission. Thus, it is recommended to create a positive environment and engage children in open discussion at homes with respect to the upcoming academic year. Provide them the opportunity of voicing their concerns and anxieties. This will surely help them in overcoming their own anxiety-provoking thoughts.

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Ally

Hi,
I have loved your article on what is actually physically happening in your body during a panic attack. I have a 13 year old son who all of a sudden has a panic attack at the school gate and can not get in. We read the arrivals together and he could relate to the physical symptoms, especially confusion. He has missed most of this final term of school and the school are now hounding us over it all which just makes things so much worse for everyone. One difficulty though, is the fact my son just can not voice what option he might like to try to get to school. Bus, drop off, teacher meet him, counsellor meet him, time in the library first etc. he simply says, I don’t know. Poor thing, I think he’s shutting down. What can I do to encourage him to communicate just a little more to help him create a pathway to success for himself. He is happy in every other area of life, however is a naturally a shy boy. He’s very gentle and caring, and it kills me to see that fear in his eyes when sitting in the car outside his school. Almost like a deer in headlights. I remember this feeling from when I had to go through it in my 20s.

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Karen Young

Hi Ally,
Here is an article that might help https://www.heysigmund.com/from-anxiety-and-avoidance-to-brave-behaviour/. It can be hard to think about a plan about a situation that feels overwhelming, so he might need you to take the lead. Decide on a plan and let your gorgeous boy know what the plan is. He might not agree, and that’s okay. If he wants to make adjustments that still keep him loving towards brave behaviour that’s okay, otherwise the plan is as you decide. Speak to him about the plan with loads of love, warmth and strength. Let him know you absolutely believe in his capacity to do this, even if it feels hard. If the plan needs to be adjusted back a little that’s okay, as long as he is moving towards where he wants to be. ?

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JACQUIE ATHERSMITH

Hello, I feel very priveledged to read your articles, which were sent to my by a close adult friend diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome. I think any information that reminds us, when evaluating thoughts or feelings : to get a proper prospective, reminds us of our own inner power, strengthens our resolve, and teaches us to be kind both to ourselves and others, is totally invaluable ! In a world where so much emphasis is based on technology, possessions, property, and personal gain, it is refreshing that we are reminded of what is actually really important. Health and Happiness. Everything else we do and say is a quest for these two simple truths, so why not strive for them first, and the rest will surely follow. Thank you for your insight and the healing love your work sends forth into the Universe. Kind Regards Jacquie Athersmith

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Hollis

Thank you for the great information! Lots of great ideas to share with parents, especially those who have a tendency to feel helpless in the midst of an anxiety attack!

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Sharon

Hi, reading your articles your advice sounds amazing! I am unsure whether my son has anxiety or not though? He is almost 7 years old. If we are not around I am told and people comment on how brave and independent he is but as soon as my husband or I take him on school trips or to birthday parties etc and stay with him he ends up crying and seems to be the only child that does. He is a very determined wee guy but also very sensitive. Today I am 6 months pregnant and pushing my 3 year old in a buggy I went on a school walk with him but decided not to go all the way as it was getting too steep, my very disappointed son started to cry and a teacher tried to pull him off me and this just escalated the situation. I stood my ground with the teacher as my son needs gentleness not force but the whole situation just broke my heart and I don’t know why he cries or how to handle him the best for him?

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Karen - Hey Sigmund

It sounds as though you have a beautifully sensitive little man. This can be such a wonderful strength! The key is to help him manage his anxiety and big feelings, which can certainly be done. You absolutely did the right thing standing your ground with the teacher. The more he feels the push against him, the more likely it is that any anxiety he has will escalate – his brain will work harder to make sure he is ready for any potential ‘threat’. It’s important not to avoid situations that make him anxious (because he will learn that the only way to feel safe is to avoid and hold back) but it’s also important that he isn’t pushed too hard too suddenly. It’s gradual steps, all the while empowering him with the information he needs to understand what’s happening. This article will explain that (in case you haven’t read it yet) https://www.heysigmund.com/anxiety-in-kids/. As well as this, mindfulness is wonderful for anxiety. There is growing research that is showing really clearly that mindfulness can change the structure and function of the brain in ways that are really healing for anxiety. Here is an article about the different ways to practice mindfulness https://www.heysigmund.com/mindfulness-for-children-fun-effective-ways-to-strengthen-mind-body-spirit/. The Smiling Mind app is free and it’s brilliant and it’s a great place to start. I hope this helps. It sounds as though your little man is in very wonderful hands.

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John L

While the article focuses on children, there’s also something to be said for these techniques with growing children. I think one problem that comes about is seeing these issues as “younth problems” instead of realizing the lasting effects through life.

As someone who’s had to deal with various issues of anxiety into adult life, I really have to advocate parents’ being educated on how to transition the relationship and how to balance providing support during anxiety attacks with giving their child an appropriate level of autonomy. I’ve seen a number of young adults basically be mentally strangled by parents who lean very strongly towards intervention – to the point of destroy several of their relationships.

I also really have to advocate parents’ taking an interest in learning how their child’s mind works. It’s really difficult for someone with an anxiety disorder, regardless of age, to address an authority figure who unknowingly is contributing to an episode of anxiety due to not knowing how the child’s mind is processing whatever situation is going on.

But as far as when the parents of someone with issues are of anxiety don’t take such initiative, how can the offspring take steps to have these needs met?

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Suzanne

Hi I have an almost 12 year old daughter. She has suffered with anxiety since she was 6. She did attend regular CBT therapy but that doesn’t seem to be helping now. She was having panic attacks going into school and school weren’t helping so we now home school her. Problem is now the big anxiety (school) has gone it seems to be bad at bedtime. She has a phobia of being sick and always feels ill at bedtime because she’s worried she will be sick. She sleeps in my bed as she was sick in her room a long time ago so makes her panic. She does wake up in night sometime having a panic attack. We also have an older child that works so needs to sleep and can’t if she is in her room crying.
Last night was bad, she looked at the moon and a cloud passed. She was sacred in case it was a witch and the witch would kill her or poison her drink. She was crying etc. problem is the hour before we go to bed is the only time me and her dad get on out own, but we barely get that now as she’s always calling down saying she’s scared and feels ill. Getting desperate now. 🙁

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Karen - Hey Sigmund

Suzanne I abolutely understand how difficult this would be for everyone. At the moment, it sounds as though your daughter is associating bedtime with distress. This is likely to be instant and automatic. If this has been going on for a while, it will take a while to establish a new habit, but absolutely it can be done. Have a look at the stepladder approach on this link https://www.heysigmund.com/phobias-and-fears-in-children/. The important thing is to include your daughter in establishing the steps of the stepladder. Make the steps as slow and as gentle as they need to be. As well as this, an explanation as to why your daughter is feeling the way she does can be really empowering for her. Anxiety feels scary and it can make even the strongest person feel as though there is something to worry about, even if they can see that there isn’t really. That’s what anxiety is for – to warn us of possible danger. The problem is that sometimes it does it too many times without need. This is when anxiety becomes a problem. Understanding why anxiety feels the way it does can be enormously helpful. Here is an article that can help with that https://www.heysigmund.com/anxiety-in-kids/. I hope this helps you to make bedtimes easier for all of you. All the best to you and your daughter.

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make sure shes not watching scary movies when youre not around…..suprising how many kids do over at a ” friends house!”

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Lisa

Hi, My 5 year old daughter is having issues with anxiety in her dance class. She acts out by not following directions, but doesn’t do this in other areas. When asked about it, she stated that she wanted the teacher to pay more attention to her and that she felt like she wasn’t doing a good job. I’ve talked to the teacher about it and this improved to some degree, but now it’s gotten so bad that the teacher has said that if this doesn’t improve she won’t be allowed back in class. She is an excellent dancer and can do all of the moves when she pays attention and tries. I’ve tried giving her rewards and consequences as well as trying to build her self-confidence both in her ability to dance and in other areas by giving her praise and telling her what a good job she is doing. What else can I try? Also, her recital is in a few days and I’m wondering if we should enroll her in another dance class after this or try something different? Thanks so much!

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Hey Sigmund

Lisa just from what you have said in your comment, if your daughter is not like this in any other areas, it sounds as though there is something happening in this class which is unsettling her. The only way to really understand this is to talk to your daughter or to observe the lesson. What does she think the teacher thinks of her? Does she find it hard? Easy? What does she think of the other kids? What happens when she does something well? Does she get noticed or does she only get noticed when she does the wrong thing? Does she feel pressured to do well and could she be self-sabotaging to avoid disappointing you or someone else (‘I can be a good dancer when I want to be, but I don’t want to be – it has nothing to do with my ability.’) Does she want to stay in this class? Does she want to keep dancing or does she want to try something different? If she could change one thing about the class what would it be? If you can chat to her and get some answers to these questions, you might have a clearer idea of what’s happening for her. I don’t believe that any child behaves badly for the sake of behaving badly. It is generally an expression of a need or an attempt to meet the need. The key is to find what it is that she needs from this dance class that she’s not getting.

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Pallavi

Hey hi…just now I subscribed for this website…i m a mother of 7 yrs daughter…she never listen to us easily.Each n every time I scold her or sometime bit her then only she listen us…from her early she is not at all interested in food .Every time I have to force her .Sometime this works sometime not..She afraid of me….I really don’t understand what is the solution for this..Other wise she is very good at school ,study,friends. Hope I will get satisfactory solution here…thank you so much

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Hey Sigmund

Pallavi the problem with scolding your daughter is that it will not teach her why she needs to behave in a different way. Rather, it will teach her to behave in such a way to avoid being punished. This will be fine until you aren’t around. It takes time to build small humans into thriving, healthy big ones – a couple of decades actually, so be patient. Your daughter isn’t doing this to be ‘bad’, but because there is something she needs. It might be a sense of independence, the capacity to make decisions, a sense of empowerment.

What has happened to make her afraid of you? Is it the scolding? If so, it would be best to find something that works better. Rather than scolding her, talk to her about the behaviour that you would like to see different. This doesn’t mean you don’t have boundaries – you absolutely have boundaries – but they are boundaries that make sense and seem like a logical, reasonable thing to do.

To use your food example, reward will likely work better than punishment or scolding. Try offering a treat for if she tries something new. It can take children 7-10 times of trying a new food before it feels okay for them. Let the reward be for trying it, rather than finishing it. This way, you are helping to move towards the food feeling normal, and no big deal, even if it is just a bite at a time. Also, give her some choices – whether this is at meal times, bath times, whether to pick up toys first or do another chore first, or what to war. It sounds as though it is important for your daughter to be able to make some of her own decisions, and that is a really healthy thing to do. The way to do this is to offer a couple of options, and let her choose. (e.g. ‘Tonight would you like to try carrot or corn? You only need to try one bite. You’re big enough to make your own decisions, so you choose which one.’) This can be really empowering and success will be much easier with a bite, rather than a whole meal. Here is an article with alternativse to time out which might help you https://www.heysigmund.com/how-to-avoid-shaming/

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Bob

I’m in a new relationship with my girlfriend and her daughter is having a hard time to accept me and she’s having anxiety attacks almost every time she sees me. She says things like I’m strangling her mom when I’m cuddling her and makes up all kinds of stories to try to make us look bad. She calls us names, and doesn’t listen to what we say.
My girlfriend and I really love each other and we are completely lost and we don’t know what to do. What’s the best way to tackle this kind of anxiety?

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Hey Sigmund

With patience – lots of patience. It’s completely understandable that your girlfriend’s daughter is struggling to accept a new person in her life. Remember, your girlfriend chose you, but your girlfriend’s daughter had no say in you coming into her life at all. That doesn’t mean she won’t be able to accept you and be grateful for you some time in the future, but it will take time, particularly if she is a little anxious. Her response is understandable. It’s not about bad behaviour, but for her, you may seem like an intrusion into her world. Give her time to adjust. She will be so grateful for your patience and tolerance. Whatever you do, don’t be the one to call her on her behaviour. It is vital that any redirection in relation to her behaviour comes from her mother. She has the bond with her mother that she doesn’t yet have with you, and that bond gives her mother the credit to be able to talk to her about difficult things. If the relationship is new, it might be an idea to give it some time before you and your girlfriend show physical affection in front of her daughter. It’s a massive adjustment for her daughter and if it moves to fast, it can feel threatening. She will have so many questions that she will be trying to figure out. Will you come between her mother and her? Will you take her mother away? Will you leave and make her mother sad? Will you leave and make her sad? Will you want to change too many things? Will you want to take control? Will you change too many rules? Will you want to live with them? These are all the sort of questions that will be buzzing around in her mind. Give her time to adjust and take the time to earn her trust. It will be worth it for all of you in the long run.

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Vanessa

This is the most useful and practical article I have read that can be applied for children, and of course adapted for adults too. It made me realise how real the anxiety is for the person in the grip of it, and that just being there is the most pivotal thing. I have recently learnt that 3 friends suffer from anxiety, and am sure my 8 year old does too. Having never done so myself, I want to understand what it is like for them so that I can be of use and comfort to them. Thank you.

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Hey Sigmund

You’re so welcome Vanessa. I think most people would be surprised with how common anxiety is. It’s great that you want to understand what it is like for your friends who are struggling with it. It’s one of the best things you can do for them. Sounds like you’d be pretty wonderful to have on their team. In case you haven’t read them, here are a couple of articles about understanding anxiety in people you care about:

>> When Someone You Love Has Anxiety – https://www.heysigmund.com/when-someone-you-love-has-anxiety/
>> The Things I’ve Learned About Anxiety That Only People With Anxiety Could Teach Me – https://www.heysigmund.com/the-things-ive-learned-about-anxiety-that-only-people-with-anxiety-could-teach-me/

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R McManus

I really like your advice. I have tried some of these before, however during and since 11plus exams (uk), my 10year old daughter has at times shown high levels of anxiety. She started doing little patterns such as looking behind her to check for danger, tapping in patterns, not walking on cracks in pavements, playing with her hands etc. I have reassured her that they will not last and will eventually stop, but they go away for a bit, then return. I don’t know how to help her. Have you any ideas please?

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Hey Sigmund

Your daughter might really benefit from some outside support. A counsellor will be able to help your daughter understand why she feels the need to so the things she’s doing. In the meantime, here are other anxiety articles https://www.heysigmund.com/category/being-human/anxiety/. One of the most valuable things for anxiety is to have it explained. When there is an understanding around what anxiety is, it becomes less scary and easier to manage. Here is some information that will help with thathttps://www.heysigmund.com/anxiety-in-kids/

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The more we treat anxiety as a problem, or as something to be avoided, the more we inadvertently turn them away from the safe, growthful, brave things that drive it. 

On the other hand, when we make space for anxiety, let it in, welcome it, be with it, the more we make way for them to recognise that anxiety isn’t something they need to avoid. They can feel anxious and do brave. 

As long as they are safe, let them know this. Let them see you believing them that this feels big, and believing in them, that they can handle the big. 

‘Yes this feels scary. Of course it does - you’re doing something important/ new/ hard. I know you can do this. How can I help you feel brave?’♥️
I’ve loved working with @sccrcentre over the last 10 years. They do profoundly important work with families - keeping connections, reducing clinflict, building relationships - and they do it so incredibly well. @sccrcentre thank you for everything you do, and for letting me be a part of it. I love what you do and what you stand for. Your work over the last decade has been life-changing for so many. I know the next decade will be even more so.♥️

In their words …
Posted @withregram • @sccrcentre Over the next fortnight, as we prepare to mark our 10th anniversary (28 March), we want to re-share the great partners we’ve worked with over the past decade. We start today with Karen Young of Hey Sigmund.

Back in 2021, when we were still struggling with covid and lockdowns, Karen spoke as part of our online conference on ‘Strengthening the relationship between you & your teen’. It was a great talk and I’m delighted that you can still listen to it via the link in the bio.

Karen also blogged about our work for the Hey Sigmund website in 2018. ‘How to Strengthen Your Relationship With Your Children and Teens by Understanding Their Unique Brain Chemistry (by SCCR)’, which is still available to read - see link in bio.

#conflictresolution #conflict #families #family #mediation #earlyintervention #decade #anniversary #digital #scotland #scottish #cyrenians #psychology #relationships #children #teens #brain #brainchemistry #neuroscience
I often go into schools to talk to kids and teens about anxiety and big feelings. 

I always ask, ‘Who’s tried breathing through big feels and thinks it’s a load of rubbish?’ Most of them put their hand up. I put my hand up too, ‘Me too,’ I tell them, ‘I used to think the same as you. But now I know why it didn’t work, and what I needed to do to give me this powerful tool (and it’s so powerful!) that can calm anxiety, anger - all big feelings.’

The thing is though, all powertools need a little instruction and practice to use them well. Breathing is no different. Even though we’ve been breathing since we were born, we haven’t been strong breathing through big feelings. 

When the ‘feeling brain’ is upset, it drives short shallow breathing. This is instinctive. In the same ways we have to teach our bodies how to walk, ride a bike, talk, we also have to teach our brains how to breathe during big feelings. We do this by practising slow, strong breathing when we’re calm. 

We also have to make the ‘why’ clear. I talk about the ‘why’ for strong breathing in Hey Warrior, Dear You Love From Your Brain, and Ups and Downs. Our kids are hungry for the science, and they deserve the information that will make this all make sense. Breathing is like a lullaby for the amygdala - but only when it’s practised lots during calm.♥️
When it’s time to do brave, we can’t always be beside them, and we don’t need to be. What we can do is see them and help them feel us holding on, even in absence, while we also believe in their brave.♥️
Honestly isn’t this the way it is for all of us though?♥️

#childanxiety #parenting #separationanxiety

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