Deep Controlled Breathing
What affect does deep controlled breathing have on a kid's body or brain?
Deep controlled breathing helps a kid control their level of tension or distress and communicates "safety" to the brain.
What affect does progressive muscle relaxation have on a kid's body or brain?
When people's muscles are not relaxed, we may feel tense, sore, or nervous. By relaxing them, we feel calmer and more in control.
What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness is about paying attention to feelings, thoughts, and what your body senses around you right now. This includes what your body is seeing, touching, hearing, smelling, and tasting right now.
What are some things a kid can do to support their physical self-care?
Have a good diet/nutrition, get enough sleep, exercise regularly, get up and move, personal hygiene, stretch, drink some water, go for a walk, dance, or swim.
Does listening to music, reading books, or watching television count as relaxation or a positive coping skill?
Yes, any positive activity that helps kids stop, relax, and quiet their mind can be helpful relaxation and coping skill activities as long as used in moderation.
What is the proper body positioning for deep controlled breathing?
Whatever is most comfortable and appropriate for where you are! At school a kid should be sitting comfortably in a chair with feet on the floor and arms at their sides. At home a kid should be sitting or lying down anywhere that is appropriate.
What is the proper body positioning for progressive muscle relaxation?
Whatever is most comfortable and appropriate for where you are! At school a kid should be sitting comfortably in a chair. At home a kid should be sitting or lying down anywhere that is appropriate. Some kids do progressive muscle relaxation while standing up.
How does mindfulness work?
Mindfulness works by helping kids focus their attention on the present moment and world around them. This gives kids a chance to observe and think about things.
What are some things a kid can do to support their emotional self-care?
Do a positive coping skill, find a fun hobby, laugh, play with a pet, watch or read something that makes you laugh, do something kind for someone else, or repeat positive affirmations.
Should I only use positive coping skills and relaxation skills in an emergency?
No, a kid should spend at least a few minutes utilizing positive coping skills and relaxation skills as part of their normal routine everyday so that in an emergency a kid will know what to do and the strategies will be more effective and easier to use.
What is the proper technique for deep controlled breathing?
Breath in slowly through your nose for at least three seconds, hold your breath for at least three seconds, and then exhale through your mouth for at least three seconds. Your chest should be mostly still, and your belly (diaphragm) should be moving.
What is the proper technique for progressive muscle relaxation?
For younger kids while taking deep breaths squeeze your full body for 5 seconds and then relax your whole body for 15 seconds and then repeat.
For older kids while taking deep breaths repeatedly squeeze a specific muscle group for 5 seconds and then relax the muscle group for 15 seconds.
How do you do a 5-4-3-2-1 Scavenger Hunt?
Find five things you see, four things you can touch, three things you hear, two things you smell, and one thing you taste right now around you.
What are some things a kid can do to support their mental self-care?
Learn a new skill, try a new activity, master a skill, be creative, take a brain break, problem solve, read or write a story you enjoy, draw, research topics that interest you.
What do I do if I need to use a relaxation strategy but can't remember any?
- Look up guided relaxation strategies on YouTube
When should a kid use deep controlled breathing?
Deep controlled breathing is best used as a daily practice, like exercise, or as a way to get through a tough situation without leaving the situation or making things worse. For best results, practice deep controlled breathing twice a day for a few minutes when you wake up and before you go to sleep.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation: Take Home Points
Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) is a set of exercises aimed at helping us reduce anxiety and tension in the body. Through the practice of tensing and relaxing groups of muscles, we learn to feel the difference between tension and relaxation and release muscle tension when we feel it. It works best if practiced regularly. As with any skill, relaxation takes time and practice to master.
What are some mindfulness activities that a kid can do?
- Controlled Deep Breathing
- Progressive Muscle Relaxation
- 5-4-3-2-1 Scavenger Hunt
- Walk in nature
- Play with playdoh or other sensory toys
- Do a favorite yoga pose
- Look at clouds
- YouTube meditations (and other apps)
What are some things a kid can do to support their social self-care?
Spend time with friends, spend time with family, show people you care about love and empathy, ask for help when you need it, volunteer, eat dinner with your family or friends, do an activity with a friend, join a new club or sport team, do something that makes you a good friend.
Why do we talk and learn about relaxation strategies in counseling?
We talk and learn about relaxation strategies in counseling so that kids have strategies to use when they have to cope with trauma-related stress, anxiety, and tension.
A kid can choose a word to say silently while exhaling such as "Calm" or "Relax" A kid can try to think only about breathing and their chosen word which will help to push unhelpful or anxious thoughts out of a kid's head.
What are the different muscle groups in progressive muscle relaxation?
The different muscle groups in progressive muscle relaxation can include the feet, legs, chest, back, hands, arms, shoulders, and face.
How can mindfulness strategies be helpful for kids?
Mindfulness and meditation help kids regulate their emotions and calm their minds. When kids focus on themselves and the world around them in the moment it helps kids create space between their strong emotions and their actions. This gives kids the chance to deal with positive and negative experiences more calmly and make better decisions.
What are some small positive habits or things a kid can do to support their self-care at school and home?
Contribute to your home/family/school, clean or organize your room, backpack, or other space, help cook, clean up after yourself, learn how to save money and plan what you want to save for, follow a morning, after school, and bedtime routine.
What is an example of a situation when a kid might have trauma symptoms and use relaxation skills to reduce stress?
Examples:
waking up from a nightmare in a panic, not having patience with family when you used to, having a panic attack after a hearing a door slam, not being able to pay attention in class, freezing up when the teacher asks a question even though you know the answer, yelling at a friend over a small problem, breathing quickly after experiencing a flashback, feeling isolated from others and not wanting to play on a sports team that you used to enjoy.