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My Mindfulness Colouring In booklet from LLP

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My Mindfulness Colouring In booklet from LLP

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Mindful colouring can provide a much-needed break and the chance to relax and refocus. It can help lift your mood, decrease anxiety and stress.

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The Book of Hopes edited by Katherine Rundell 

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The Book of Hopes edited by Katherine Rundell 

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According to a 2009 study at the University of Sussex, reading for as little as 6 minutes can reduce stress by 68%.  This is a free collection of stories and poems that can be read online and shared with children.

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Edited by Katherine Rundell, with contributions from more than 100 children's writers and illustrators

This extraordinary collection of short stories, poems, essays and pictures has contributions from more than 110 children's writers and illustrators, including Lauren Child, Anthony Horowitz, Greg James and Chris Smith, Michael Morpurgo, Liz Pichon, Axel Scheffler, Francesca Simon and Jacqueline Wilson.

The collection, published by Bloomsbury, is dedicated to the doctors, nurses, carers, porters, cleaners and everyone working in hospitals.

Read the book

When schools were closed during the COVID-19 pandemic in both 2020 and 2021 Bloomsbury generously permitted us to share The Book of Hopes as an ebook freely accessible to schools and families.

As part of our Education Recovery support for schools and children we worked with partners to develop a range of supporting resources, that you can find linked below.

The Book of Hopes is now available as a beautiful hardback gift edition, with 23 never-seen-before stories, poems and illustrations, providing an ongoing wealth of discovery, comfort and inspiration for children.

The Book of Hopes is available to buy from all good book retailers. A donation from the sale of each book will go to NHS Charities Together, in gratitude for the incredible efforts of all those who worked in hospitals over the quarantine period. Learn more and purchase your own copy.

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The Book of Hopes | National Literacy Trust

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Read The Book of Hopes: Words and Pictures to Comfort, Inspire and Entertain Children

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Doing simple exercises can help us feel less worried and stressed.

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Simple breathing exercise

Sitting comfortably, breathe gently, slowly and evenly.

Notice the stretching sensation as you breathe in. As you breathe out notice the relaxation that follows.

Count in your mind, letting each count last about a second.

1. Rest your hand on your belly button. Take a normal breath and hold it as you count to 5.

2. Breathe out slowly, relaxing your shoulders, face and body, as you count to 4.

3. Breathe in slowly, letting your hand move outwards with your stomach, as you count to 4.

4. Breathe out slowly and let your hand and stomach move inwards, as you count to 4.

5. Breathe like this for 5 more breaths, focusing on your hand and stomach as they rise and fall, relaxing more with each breath.

6. Hold your breath like you did at the beginning and repeat the whole exercise again.

What's this good for?

Helping panic attacks

Boosting concentration

Preparing for difficult tasks

Relaxing

Sleeping better

Muscle relaxation exercise

Sit or lie down and make yourself comfortable.

As you do this exercise use the comfortable stomach breathing from above.

1. Breathe in, clench your right hand, notice the tension in your hand and arm. Breathe out, relax, notice the difference.

2. Breathe in, clench your left hand, notice the tension. Breathe out, relax, notice the difference. Notice how comfortably heavy your hands and arms feel when you let them relax.

3. Breathe in, clench your thighs and buttocks, notice the tension. Breathe out, relax, notice the difference.

4. Breathe in, bend your feet up, notice the tension in your legs and feet. Breathe out, relax, notice the difference.

5. Breathe in and point your toes, notice the tension in your legs and feet. Breathe out, relax, notice the difference.

What's this good for?

Soothing aches and pains

Letting go of tension

Find out more about how stress affects you and living with anxiety.

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Sitting comfortably, breathe gently, slowly and evenly. Notice the stretching sensation as you breathe in. As you breathe out notice the relaxation that follows. Count in your mind, letting each count last about a second. Rest your hand on your belly button. Take a normal breath and hold it as you count to 5.

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Self Soothing Strategies for Children and Adults from Creative Education

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Self Soothing Strategies for Children and Adults from Creative Education

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Self soothe skills for adults and children - box breathing

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The goal with this exercise is to use the five senses to focus on the moment and avoid multiple anxious thoughts that can get in the way of your progress.

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Stress and anxiety are often the biggest obstacles when it comes to important moments in our lives. While situations such as receiving a promotion at work, taking final exams, going on a flight, and performing in a sports competition can be exciting and positive experiences, without proper stress management, the fear of failure and need for success can have a negative impact on not only the results, but our long-term health.

That's where the 5-4-3-2-1 Coping Technique comes in, as it is designed to ease your state of mind so that you can get through stressful moments. The goal with this exercise is to use the five senses to focus on the moment and avoid multiple anxious thoughts that can get in the way of your progress.

Deep, slow, and long breaths are your first priority for achieving a calm state before proceeding to the following steps:

SEE: Acknowledge five things that you can see around you. Options can range from a pen or stapler at your office to a bird or tree while you're out at the local park. If you're at home, you can look at a family photo on the wall or a glass of water on the kitchen counter. You can pick between big and small items to keep your options open.

TOUCH: Acknowledge four things that you can touch around you. You can start with your hair, hands, elbows, and other parts of your body if you're short on time. The ground beneath your feet, whether it's the floor of your bedroom or the office at work, also helps. Pillows, desks, phones, and keyboards can fit this step.

HEAR: Acknowledge three things you can hear around you. Instead of listening to your own thoughts or sounds from your body like your stomach growling, focus on external noises. Examples include someone driving a car nearby, a clock ticking, or a dog barking. If you're at work, you can listen to typing and the steps of people walking by your desk.

SMELL: Acknowledge two things around you that you can smell. This step may be a challenge compared to the others, so it's best to go to a place with more sources of scent if you don't smell anything wherever you are at the moment. The outdoors has plenty of options for smells, and the soap in bathrooms also helps. Your furniture can provide pleasant smells for this step when you're home.

TASTE: Acknowledge one thing around you that you can taste. It doesn't necessarily have to be food, as toothpaste and minty floss you use in the morning or at night are easy sources. You can also go with the cinnamon-raisin oatmeal you have for breakfast, the sandwich and chips you have for lunch, or the pasta primavera you have for dinner. Coffee, tea, and other drinks you have to get through the day also work.

End this exercise with a long, deep breath.

With these steps, you will be able to get the most out of the moment. Focusing on your senses will help you be more mindful, which will then help you accomplish your tasks and experience success. As a result, you can defeat your anxiety and feel in control of your life. Put this technique into practice to so that you can improve your health and make those big days fun!

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Unwind This Monday With The 5-4-3-2-1 Coping Technique

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Stress and anxiety are often the biggest obstacles when it comes to important moments in our lives. While situations such as receiving a promotion at work, taking final exams, going on a flight, and performing in a sports competition can be exciting and positive

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Relaxation Exercises from Save The Children

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Relaxation Exercises from Save The Children

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Try the Lazy Cat, the Turtle, the Lemon or all of these relaxation activities!

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Relaxation exercises to do at home with your kids | Save the Children UK

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The Coronavirus pandemic can cause anxiety and stress for children. We're sharing easy, at home exercises to help ease that stress.

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Peace Out Relaxation from Cosmic Kids Yoga

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Peace Out Relaxation from Cosmic Kids Yoga

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A set of guided relaxations/visualisations for children

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Welcome to Peace Out (Guided Relaxation for Kids) | Cosmic Kids

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Mindfulness techniques for children

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Cosmic Kids Zen Den - our mindfulness for kids series

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A fun series about mindfulness for kids aged 5+. Jaime makes mindfulness relevant for kids, helping them develop awareness of their emotions and sharing tech...

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A lesson plan from 'Calmer Classrooms' teaching mindfulness strategies based on the Pixar film 'Inside Out'.
https://www.calmerclassrooms.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Inside-Out-update.pdf

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10 Step Guide to Mindful Listening from MindSpace (meditationinschools.org)

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10 Step Guide to Mindful Listening from MindSpace (meditationinschools.org)

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A resource to introduce 5-9 year olds to mindfulness practice

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A free pack (must sign up for free account) featuring affirmations, exercises and other printable resources

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7 Techniques for Helping to Keep Young Children Calm from CBeebies

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7 Techniques for Helping to Keep Young Children Calm from CBeebies

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Ideas and techniques to keep young children calm

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Relax and listen to the calming sounds from CBeebies Radio.
How it works
Listening to relaxing music can help children stop and reset. CBeebies Radio have eight calming sounds to choose from which allows you to experiment and find which one works best:
Waves, birdsong, rain, car journey, spaceship, white noise, pink noise and brown noise.
Claire Benton, Head of Audiology, Nottingham, says:

"Many children find these sounds relaxing and listening to them can help a child feel calm enough to fall asleep".

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Pablo - Seven techniques for helping kids keep calm

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Try these simple relaxation and mindfulness activities together and help your child learn to calm down when they feel stressed or anxious.

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Calm Down Brain Break Breathing Exercises

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Calm Down Brain Break Breathing Exercises

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Some resources to support children and adults around anxiety, worry, stress, and fears; including those related to the pandemic/Covid-19 (this page will be updated on a very regular basis so please keep checking it for new entries. This is not an exhaustive or prescriptive list).

Free videos by Dr Karen Treisman to support relaxation and emotional regulation (please feel free to send in requests as I am happy to create more if possible)

Things to be mindful of:
Firstly, please hold in mind, there is no right or wrong. We are all different and going through changes, reflections, and discoveries a lot of the time. We all have different sensory profiles, needs, preferences, pasts and so forth- so, take your time to choose what will be most helpful to you at this time, or none of them at all, if you just need some space or to do something different- there is no one size fits all. There is a menu of options to give some ideas, but there are many more which you might like to try. Be gentle with yourself and others.

People may be experiencing an array of different feelings, and these might be changing and flowing at different times; as well as soaking in other people's feelings and sensations. For more grounding, soothing, and coping tools please see my "Presley the Pug" or "Binnie the baboon" workbooks, my therapeutic treasure box book, or my therapeutic treasure deck of grounding, soothing, regulating, and coping cards.

Please also see my online module on Presley the Pug for a 9.5 hours of videos and resources around emotional regulation and expressing feelings.

1. Hand or star breathing-A video by Dr Karen Treisman introducing a brief breathing exercise called "hand breathing". It can be used for children and for adults. https://youtu.be/NAldSdx-jps

2. Sensory, grounding, soothing, and regulating box- A video by Dr Karen Treisman discussing how to make and create a sensory, soothing, and grounding box which supports all of one's senses to regulate. Suitable and adaptable for children and adults. https://youtu.be/9XyxqWiqLk0

3. Muscle tensing and releasing tool-A video by Dr Karen Treisman introducing a brief tension releasing exercise of tensing and relaxing one's muscles. Suitable and adaptable for children and adults. https://youtu.be/FbhUxg9eHDE

4. Left and right body breathing- A video by Dr Karen Treisman introducing a breathing exercise which supports left and right breathing. Suitable for older children, teenagers, and adults. https://youtu.be/MHwiqovPrXY

5. Rhythm and butterfly breathing-A video by Dr Karen Treisman introducing how rhythm can be used to help to change one's regulation and arousal. Also, this introduces the butterfly hug move which activates both the left and right side of one's brain. Suitable and adaptable for children and adults. https://youtu.be/e6z6TJ1wQDM

6. Externalising worry through worry dolls, worry plaques etc- https://youtu.be/5Q-EoWSJQJg

7. Soaking in a positive moment- A video by Dr Karen Treisman introducing how we can find a happy, feel good, and positive memory and travel back to it, anchor on to it, and soak it in- including using all of our senses. Suitable and adaptable for children and adults. https://youtu.be/RRiQixmqcXI

8. Every interaction is an intervention- video of Dr Karen Treisman explaining her quote "Every interaction is an intervention"- https://youtu.be/8pBkXbCP3Q4

There are many many more worksheets, tips, tools, and resources in my books and cards (available from amazon and a range of other retailers):

1. Binnie the Baboon- a workbook for anxiety, stress, worries, and fears- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWEGxbnNe4E

2. Presley the Pug- a workbook for relaxation, calm and emotional regulation- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhjZHu1MjeY

3. Therapeutic Treasure Deck of grounding, regulating, soothing, and coping cards- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mfw_bGIcMcM

4. Neon the ninja focusing on nightmares, sleep difficulties, and night terrors- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2mnU3TXW8c

These are also available as ebooks and pdfs here- https://www.ebooks.com/en-gb/searchapp/searchresults.net?term=karen+treisman

Please also see my online module on Presley the Pug for a 9.5 hours of videos and resources around emotional regulation and expressing feelings. See the online training tab on this website for more information.

Podcasts and videos from Dr Karen Treisman and a range of other people which might be useful at this time: (for general podcasts about trauma please see recommendations under my links, worksheets, and podcast page).

Karen Treisman discussing how the current situation might evoke and re-trigger past traumas- A video by Dr Karen Treisman discussing how the experiences being felt during the pandemic can be retriggering and resurfacing past traumas and feelings and sending people down a time hole. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msNO7ZmLXns&feature=youtu.be

Karen Treisman discussion some common survival, protective, and coping tools, skills, and resources-A video discussing some of the survival, protective, and coping responses and skills which we as individuals can use and rely on when in a place of threat, stress, trauma, and fear. Discusses fight, flight, freeze, and many more responses- https://youtu.be/tVw6naHFLKc and an accompanying worksheet (please ensure this is fully cited and referenced if shared or used) around survival skills and patterns- http://www.safehandsthinkingminds.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/feeling-safe-putting-up-defenses.pdf

Karen Treisman discussing some of the survival, protective, and coping responses and skills which organisations, systems, and teams can use and rely on when in a place of threat, stress, trauma, and fear. Discusses fight, flight, freeze, and many more responses. https://youtu.be/PaRwY7qzEyw and a worksheet on this http://www.safehandsthinkingminds.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/organisational-defences-final-bled.pd f (please ensure this is fully cited and referenced if shared or used)

Karen Treisman discussing the importance of how organisations make people feel during this time; and how the values of trauma-informed practice need to be embedded and modelled; and our staff wellbeing needs to be at the forefront- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9J7ayCkw4eg

Karen Treisman- reading a poem written by Karen for Drop for Disorder about trauma, adversity, and culturally informed, infused, and responsive systems and organisational change- "trauma reducing not trauma inducing"- the topic of Karen's forthcoming book on trauma-informed organizations- https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=LRJ9w3jIv0w&feature=emb_logo

Karen Treisman discussing some of the reasons why people might be either/or struggling to fall asleep, having disturbed or change sleep, and/or feeling exhausted and tired more than usual in the context of the pandemic- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClztIRbjeiI

Karen Treisman discussing some of the different layers of loss, grief, and mourning both at an individual and collective level which people may experiencing, feeling, and seeing. loss amidst the coronavirus- https://youtu.be/n9a79NeUARo

Grief, death, bereavement, and loss online module (7.5 hours and a resource pack)- supporting children and adolescents by Dr Karen Treisman (paid)- creative and expressive resources- safehandsthinkingminds.thinkific.com

Karen Treisman and Lisa Cherry in conversation about trauma, adversity, and culturally informed, infused, and responsive organisations in the context of the pandemic- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rqbKq9UBHU&feature=emb_logo

Dr Karen Treisman and Kathryn Angelini from Hillingdon virtual school- talking about school, covid, emotional regulation, supervision and much more- https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-irpx9-e02bcf?utm_campaign=u_share_ep&utm_medium=dlink&utm_source=u_share

Dr Karen Treisman and Hannah Albery and Kate Margarson on mind matters- talking about schools, trauma-informed practice, relationships, creativity and much more- http://youtu.be/MCDkkB_Ht5I

Bruce Perry (there is a whole series by Bruce around the pandemic)- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orwIn02h6V4&feature=youtu.be and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcDTXJpCMiY&feature=youtu.be&app=desktop

Guy Mcpherson and Bruce Perry- https://www.thetraumatherapistproject.com/podcast/bruce-perry-md-phd-staying-emotionally-close-in-the-time-of-covid-19/

Bruce Perry on decision fatigue in the context of the pandemic- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yc-Nv8eqfgM&feature=share&app=desktop

Racial injustice and covid- http://‪ https://jri.org/podcasts/covid-19-response-and-racial-injustices

Coronavirus and poverty- https://soundcloud.com/user-72463423/episode-2-coronavirus-and-poverty

The Social Matters Podcast- The impact of Covid-19 on Black and minority Ethnic people podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-social-matters-podcast/id1436421996

Nadine Harris Burke on the Black Community and Covid- https://sdvoice.info/the-black-community-covid-19-trauma/

James Docherty and Lisa Cherry on maintaining recovery from addition during covid- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7D5973k_VEw

Neglect in the context of Covid- https://www.childprotectionprofessionals.org.uk/Blog/child-neglect-lockdown-and-the-new-normal

Podcasts around covid from ITTIC- http://socialwork.buffalo.edu/social-research/institutes-centers/institute-on-trauma-and-trauma-informed-care/trauma-talks/trauma-talks-covid19.html

Guy Mcpherson and Peter Levine- https://www.thetraumatherapistproject.com/podcast/peter-levine-phd-managing-in-the-midst-of-covid-19/

Gabor Mate and Russell Brand- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-mJnYmdVmQ and Gabor Mate and Thomas Hubl- https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FhlVIhjZj4k

Dan Hughes- talking about Covid and children who have experienced trauma- https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=2nLF0wdoSJ0&app=desktop

Madeleine Black about Covid- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WR0uv2gXtHY&feature=youtu.be&app=desktop

Managing stress in the workplace-Jerry Colonna and Camille Preston - https://hbr.org/podcast/2020/03/managing-the-stress-and-uncertainty-of-coronavirus

Stephen Porges and the polyvagal theory and covid- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FGTHm6R4pc&app=desktop

Autism and covid- https://www.acamh.org/podcasts/cornavirus-autism-a-parents-guide/?utm_source=Subscriber&utm_campaign=0401ae5288-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_12_02_03_10_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_f59ca1eb20-0401ae5288-119372361 and supporting neuro diverse children during isolation- https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=dXPtqmHKNoE&app=desktop

Janina Fisher on covid- https://www.thetraumatherapistproject.com/podcast/janina-fisher-phd-managing-in-the-midst-of-covid-19/

The future of children's service in the context of covid- Jenny Cole- https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/wwcsc-talks/id1511700345

Podcast on delivering children's services during covid- https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/news/2020/june/podcast-impact-on-delivering-childrens-services-during-lockdown

Lockdown and stories from adopters - http://www.alcoates.co.uk/p/the-adoption-fostering-podcast.html

A song from beacon house- take what you need- https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=tDCTKz66vYg

Bessel Van der Kolk podcast about covid- https://www.besselvanderkolk.com/blog/caring-for-yourself and Bessel on helplessness amidst covid- https://www.nicabm.com/when-covid19-leaves-clients-feeling-helpless/

Jennifer King webinar on the impact of trauma on our brains- https://medium.com/@jak292/covid-19-our-brains-our-bodies-our-trauma-8ece7779cc9b

Fran Waters interviewed by Guy McPherson- https://www.thetraumatherapistproject.com/podcast/fran-s-waters-lmft-managing-in-the-midst-of-covid-19/

Juli Alvaredo- home but not alone- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Evv0vgqiAY&feature=share&app=desktop

Paul Gilbert on compassionate mind during covid and beyond- https://www.compassionatewellbeing.com/compassion-safe-relating-and-world-change.html

Sue Badaeu on grief and loss during covid- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qON_Vcz6U8&app=desktop

The coronavirus can teach us to connect- Ted talk- https://thewisdomcollector.blogspot.com/2020/04/the-coronavirus-crisis-can-teach-us.html?m=1

One small thing has a regular podcast about prison and the justice system- they have been doing a series about covid within this- here is one example- https://play.acast.com/s/justice/2dcd77d4-8fd3-49a3-ab3a-74a41e338d76

Hannah Albery and Lisa Cherry- talking about being a headteacher during covid- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8_7cK2BhQ0

Stuart guest- advice for schools post lockdown- https://pookyh.buzzsprout.com/1183931/4458053-stuart-guest-how-can-schools-take-a-trauma-informed-approach-post-pandemic

Interview on grief and loss from University of Buffalo- http://socialwork.buffalo.edu/social-research/institutes-centers/institute-on-trauma-and-trauma-informed-care/trauma-talks/trauma-talks-grief-loss.html

Short clip by Patricia Berendsen- why am I so tired when working online therapeutically- https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=DRRjetJSzhs&app=desktop

Impact of social work of covid podcast- https://podcasts.apple.com/za/podcast/episode-15-s2-impact-of-covid-19-on-social-work/id1436421996?i=1000471949788

Trauma informed communication- why it is important- https://traumainformedoregon.org/understanding-why-trauma-informed-communication-is-important/

How lockdown can impacts sports and play- https://www.anncrafttrust.org/return-to-play-how-lockdown-affects-sport-and-activity-safeguarding-matters/

Useful links for adults and children (by no means exhaustive or prescriptive, and not in a particular list):

Child and adolescent resources:

Downloadable child friendly explanation about coronavirus- http://www.millfields.hackney.sch.uk/uploads/2019/Corona%20Virus%20Info%20for%20Young%20Children.pdf.pdf and

Some lovely illustrated stories from the Australian Childhood Foundation about corona and hugs- https://www.childhood.org.au/app/uploads/2020/03/Talking-to-Children-COVID-19-Social-Story.pdf and https://www.childhood.org.au/app/uploads/2020/04/hug_HR.pdf

Talking to kids about coronavirus- 2 useful blogs- http://www.jkp.com/jkpblog/2020/03/i-have-a-question-about-coronavirus/ And http://www.jkp.com/jkpblog/2020/03/talking-to-children-about-the-coronavirus/

A book for children about coronavirus- https://nursedottybooks.com/dave-the-dog-is-worried-about-coronavirus-2/?fbclid=IwAR2xzx5IPUaVRZ506wnQKyq-e1vdJ8KZtEpLeXF2AVoROsNfmNJIGbnOGus

Some worksheets for kids whilst they are home, share by Jessica Kingsley Publishers- https://emails.jkp.com/t/t-E7198D9CA58B42F52540EF23F30FEDED

A book illustrated about covid by Axel Scheffler- https://nosycrow.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Coronavirus-A-Book-for-Children.pdf

Stay at home superheroes book- https://issuu.com/sophie_marsh/docs/stay_home_superheroes

Everybody worries. A picture book about coronavirus- https://en.calameo.com/read/000777721945cfe5bb9cc?authid=Xu9pcOzU3TQx

A story for children called "how not to go to school" about lockdown- https://parsleymimblewood.wordpress.com/

A book for children called "stuck inside"- https://www.stuckinsidebook.com/

Story book about coronavirus by UNHCR- https://www.unhcr.org/news/press/2020/4/5e8ecdba4/childrens-storybook-released-help-children-young-people-cope-covid-19.html

While we can't hug story and video for children- https://youtu.be/2PnnFrPaRgY

Time to come in bear animation- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DA_SsZFYw0w&feature=youtu.be

Some info about coronavirus and anxiety for young people- https://young.scot/campaigns/national/coronavirus

I have a question resource for children- https://www.ihaveaquestionbook.com/

Covid related grief and bereavement resources- http://www.childhoodbereavementnetwork.org.uk/covid-19.aspx and https://www.winstonswish.org/coronavirus/

Some worksheets for children during this time (need to be adapted accordingly)- https://documentcloud.adobe.com/link/track?uri=urn%3Aaaid%3Ascds%3AUS%3A18b7fa14-bbb1-4067-9b8a-757d2defb735&fbclid=IwAR2Q24JQp2tx-QFfdP7ZQtwiZaQK5GASgVnpDXZz5dg0e8ahfFx1RoQfLMc

Some videos and activities for adults and children- https://www.childcomwales.org.uk/coronavirus/

A story about covid (American-focused)- https://alliedhealth.lsuhsc.edu/clinics/docs/CarolineConquersherCoronoaFears31820.pdf

Child's guide to staying safe online- https://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/cco-childrens-digital-safety-wellbeing-kit.pdf

Adult resources predominantly around trauma: (of course there are overlaps)

Trauma-informed values and principles applied to the current covid situation written by Dr Karen Treisman- trauma informed values in covid

Thinking of those infographic with rainbows poster- thinking of all of those who...

Resources from beacon house about covid, developmental trauma, attachment and much more- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJHupiDtJKA&feature=youtu.be and on survival mode- https://beaconhouse.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/What-Survival-Looks-Like-At-Home.pdf

Trauma-informed Oregon-Trauma-informed response to Covid- https://traumainformedoregon.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Considerations-for-COVID-19-Trauma-Informed-Response.pdf and https://traumainformedoregon.org/tic-wellness-and-routines-rituals/ and https://traumainformedoregon.org/workforce-wellness-strategies-during-covid-19/

Trauma-informed script from trauma-informed Oregon- https://traumainformedoregon.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/The-Anatomy-of-a-Trauma-Informed-Script-TIP-Sheet.pdf

Trauma informed communication- why it is important- https://traumainformedoregon.org/understanding-why-trauma-informed-communication-is-important/

Resources from Bruce Perry and the Neurosequential model- https://www.neurosequential.com/covid-19-resources

Covid response from mad in the UK- non pathologising responses- https://www.madintheuk.com/2020/03/covid-19-resources-were-all-in-this-together/

Covid and pandemic from a social justice and equity lens- https://www.racialequitytools.org/fundamentals/resource-lists/resources-addressing-covid-19-with-racial-equity-lens

Covid and poverty- https://www.jrf.org.uk/report/uk-poverty-2020-21

Pandemic pressures for low income families report- https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/app/uploads/2021/01/Pandemic-pressures.pdf

Social justice resources from the pandemic from irresistible- https://irresistible.org/covid

The Social Matters Podcast- The impact of Covid-19 on Black and minority Ethnic people podcast- https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-social-matters-podcast/id1436421996

Impact of covid on BAME communities from Royal College of Psychiatrists- https://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/docs/default-source/about-us/covid-19/impact-of-covid19-on-bame-staff-in-mental-healthcare-settings_assessment-and-management-of-risk_13052020v2.pdf?sfvrsn=1068965_2

BAME and covid- http://www.bmevoices.co.uk/introducing-you-to-bamestream/

Anti-racist resources- please see the trauma-informed organisation tab for anti-racist resource recommendations.

Coronavirus and the impact on children from the Roma community- http://clok.uclan.ac.uk/33616/1/4%20Roma%20Children%27s%20Participation%20-%20Covid-19%20and%20the%20EU.pdf

Resources for managing stress in a pandemic- https://www.acesconnection.com/g/practicing-resilience/blog/managing-post-traumatic-stress-in-a-pandemic-practices-and-resources-updated-regularly

SAMSHA- Lots of resources and downloads- https://www.samhsa.gov/coronavirus

Living in uncertain times- https://drjenfrahm.com/leading-uncertain-times/

Looking after yourself and your family during coronavirus- https://www.yarboroughacademy.co.uk/for-parents-and-carers/looking-after-you-and-your-family-during-coronavirus/

Some self-care resources from Buffalo Social Work- http://socialwork.buffalo.edu/resources/self-care-starter-kit.html and from the Anna Freud Centre- https://www.annafreud.org/selfcare/

A blog by Dr Liz Gregory- https://weneedtotalkaboutchildrensmentalhealth.wordpress.com/2020/03/27/tips-to-share-with-children-to-help-them-cope-with-the-new-normal/amp/?__twitter_impression=true and one based on teenagers during lockdown- https://weneedtotalkaboutchildrensmentalhealth.wordpress.com/2020/03/29/2and-getting-through-lockdown-together-with-teenagers/

Some resources around disaster responses- https://www.samhsa.gov/dtac/recovering-disasters/phases-disaster

Some resources about panic and worry from Narrative Therapy- https://dulwichcentre.com.au/lived-wisdom-on-panic-worry-and-isolation/

Some resources about Narrative Therapy in a pandemic- https://dulwichcentre.com.au/narrative-responses-to-covid-19/

Useful article in the guardian normalising people's responses- https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/25/why-its-healthy-to-be-afraid-in-a-crisis

Covid resources which are about non-pathologising responses- https://www.madintheuk.com/2020/03/covid-19-resources-were-all-in-this-together/

We are in this together- Lucy Johnstone- Mad in the UK- https://www.madintheuk.com/2020/04/we-are-all-in-this-together/

Media struggle to define what is normal- Mad in America- https://www.madinamerica.com/2020/04/pandemic-media-define-whats-normal/

Understanding our feelings during covid- Mad in the UK- https://www.madintheuk.com/2020/05/understanding-feelings-time-of-covid/

The impact of covid on early years- https://www.suttontrust.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Getting-the-Balance-Right.pdf

EMDR in the context of Covid- https://mcusercontent.com/952e63a91783a30a4877e5acc/files/424023bb-a404-4dc9-80ae-75f7f8c3052f/EMDR_Resources_in_the_Era_of_COVID_19.pdf

Some resources from the BPS- https://www.bps.org.uk/news-and-policy/advice-talking-children-about-illness

Trauma-informed response for covid- http://chicagotorturejustice.org/wellness-during-the-coronavirus/#trauma

Covid related grief and bereavement resources- http://www.childhoodbereavementnetwork.org.uk/covid-19.aspx and https://www.winstonswish.org/coronavirus/ and https://www.phoenixgrouphq.com/bereavement

Grief and loss online module by Dr Karen Treisman (paid)- creative and expressive resources- safehandsthinkingminds.thinkific.com

Covid trauma working group- https://www.traumagroup.org/

Responding to stress experienced by hospital staff resources- https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/audio-video/stress-hospital-staff-covid-19

Health journal about covid- https://www.magonlinelibrary.com/coronavirus

Digital poverty blog- https://www.thirdsector.co.uk/zoe-amar-covid-19-%E2%80%93-charities-action-digital-divide/digital/article/1683991

Remote working book- https://seasaltlearning.com/finding-your-campfire-a-remote-working-survival-guide/

Some tips by Dr Karen Treisman around attending virtual events- Some top tips and ideas for attending a virtual event

A report about young people using online therapy in the charity world- https://www.thinknpc.org/resource-hub/charities-young-people-and-digital-mental-health-services/

Community response to covid- a range of resources- https://ccr.publichealth.gwu.edu/covid-19

Community resources from Kenya including posters in a variety of languages- https://sites.google.com/green-string.org/covid-19-kenya/home

Some theraplay resources which can be done virtually- https://theraplay.org/product/theraplay-activities-for-telehealth/

Some guided mediation- https://corona.pocketproject.org/practice-tools/

Some sensorimotor tools and ideas during the pandemic- https://sensorimotor.pages.ontraport.net/online-therapy-resources

Some EMDR resources during the pandemic- https://mcusercontent.com/952e63a91783a30a4877e5acc/files/424023bb-a404-4dc9-80ae-75f7f8c3052f/EMDR_Resources_in_the_Era_of_COVID_19.pdf

Some videos and activities for adults and children- https://www.childcomwales.org.uk/coronavirus/

Colour in poster- this won't be forever- by Emma Paxton- http://imagistic.co.uk/free-covid-19-printables/

Safeguarding, covid, and education- https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-safeguarding-in-schools-colleges-and-other-providers/coronavirus-covid-19-safeguarding-in-schools-colleges-and-other-providers

Going back to school over covid blog by Mary Meredith- https://marymered.wordpress.com/2020/04/14/five-ways-to-help-children-heal-when-schools-reopen/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

Reopening education after covid- https://case.edu/socialwork/traumacenter/sites/case.edu.traumacenter/files/2020-06/COVID-19%20and%20Opening%20of%20Educational%20Institutions.pdf

Schools supporting children around bereavement in the context of covid- https://www.winstonswish.org/coronavirus-schools-support-children-young-people/

Pupils views about change to education around covid- https://edpsy.org.uk/features/2020/pupil-views-around-the-covid-19-pandemic-an-opportunity-for-change-in-education/

Help with remove education (England)- https://get-help-with-remote-education.education.gov.uk/

Babies born during lockdown report- https://babiesinlockdown.files.wordpress.com/2020/08/babies-in-lockdown-main-report-final-version.pdf

Covid and impact on babies report- https://parentinfantfoundation.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/210115-F1001D-Working-for-Babies-Report-FINAL-v1.0-compressed.pdf

Mandalas to colour in- covid related- https://www.dropbox.com/s/rsxquk12joqe9vo/Healing-from-the-Inside-Out-Affirmations-and-coloring-pages-for-covid19%20(2).pdf?dl=0

NHS and anxiety- https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/anxiety/?WT.tsrc=Search&WT.mc_id=Anxiety&gclid=CjwKCAjwsMzzBRACEiwAx4lLG5nZ-vEMTwxo3vaH0eBTh3sJLVydiJkxwHJS7114R37GGwIXXRzJ9BoC_0YQAvD_BwE

For those interested in CBT resources- https://www.psychologytools.com/

Some info for adults about coronavirus and anxiety- https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/looking-after-your-mental-health-during-coronavirus-outbreak/while-working

Doing what matters in times of stress- A guide written by WHO- https://www.who.int/publications-detail/9789240003927

Coronavirus and prisons- https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-8892/

On-The-Line. A film made in lockdown by 42 young refugees. https://youtu.be/PSeBhWTvTxQ‬
Some social work, child protection, and care specific resources:
Some guidelines for social workers during this time- https://www.basw.co.uk/professional-practice-guidance-home-visits-during-covid-19-pandemic

Social work amidst the pandemic- https://www.researchinpractice.org.uk/children/news-views/2020/april/social-work-with-children-and-families-in-the-pandemic/

A spotlight about remote working in the courts by a judge- http://www.transparencyproject.org.uk/remote-justice-a-judges-perspective/

Virtual family group conferences- https://www.communitycare.co.uk/2021/01/14/virtual-family-group-conferences-fared-covid-19/

Journal on social work during covid- https://sw2020covid19.group.shef.ac.uk/

Journal on social work during covid- next edition- http://sw2020covid19.group.shef.ac.uk

Journal on social work during covid- edition 5- https://sw2020covid19.group.shef.ac.uk/

Resources to support social workers during covid- https://www.communitycare.co.uk/2020/05/26/social-work-podcasts-support-covid-19/

Safeguarding in covid for community and voluntary groups- https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/news/2020/may/safeguarding-during-coronavirus-voluntary-and-community-groups

The impact of covid on care leavers report by staf- https://www.staf.scot/news/staf-report-covid-19

David Grimm writes an article of some of the experiences of lockdown from a care experienced perspective- https://www.nationalconfidentialforum.org.uk/news-events/2020/05/national-confidential-forum-participant-david-grimm-issues-advice-to-care-experienced-people-during-lockdown/

A collaborative poem about care experienced young people during lockdown- https://imohub.org.uk/definecare-collaborative-poem-by-care-leavers/

Covid and increased cyber and online abuse report- https://t.co/5k0x0fpZjr?amp=1

Virtual children's hearings report- https://www.celcis.org/files/6815/9646/6463/Virtual_Childrens_Hearings_Report_3rd_August_2020.pdf

Coronavirus and safeguarding/child protection- https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/safeguarding-child-protection/coronavirus

Podcast on social work leadership amidst covid- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qON_Vcz6U8&app=desktop

Podcast on delivering children's services during covid- https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/news/2020/june/podcast-impact-on-delivering-childrens-services-during-lockdown

Covid guidance and foster care/residential- https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/publications/covid-19-guidance-foster-care-and-supported-lodgings-settings and https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-isolation-for-residential-educational-settings/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-isolation-for-residential-educational-settings

Introduction of placements and adoption transitions from corambaaf- https://corambaaf.org.uk/sites/default/files/uploads/Managing%20Introductions%20of%20children%20with%20their%20prospective%20adopters%20270320.pdf

Report looking at kinship carers during the pandemic. Kinship carers are hugely important & often a neglected & poorly represented group of people- https://www.frg.org.uk/images/Cross_party_PT_on_KC/Kinship_carers_experiences_report.pdf

Impact of lockdown and school closures on care experienced young people- https://www.adoptionuk.org/Handlers/Download.ashx?IDMF=b3326f3b-4cdf-46fe-94e1-8724bbb75475

Home visits and child protection- the challenges of physically distancing- https://www.researchinpractice.org.uk/children/news-views/2020/july/child-protection-and-risks-from-covid-19-home-visits-and-the-challenges-of-social-distancing/

Young carers and the impact of covid- https://www.anncrafttrust.org/young-carers-and-covid-19/

Young carers and covid- a report by UEA- https://www.caringtogether.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/UEA-young-carer-CRCF-COVID-19-final-findings-v1.0.pdf

Young people's experience of the justice system during covid- https://www.cycj.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/COVID-19-and-justice-report-final.pdf

Family and drugs courts briefing during covid- https://justiceinnovation.org/sites/default/files/media/documents/2020-05/fdac_briefing_final.pdf

The impact of covid on children living in poverty- https://view.publitas.com/the-childhood-trust/children-in-lockdown-the-childhood-trust-report-june-2020/page/1

Social work guidance around covid- https://markallenassets.blob.core.windows.net/communitycare/2020/04/PSW-Coronavirus-Ethical-Response-and-Best-Practice-Guide.pdf

Children with disabilities during covid- https://contact.org.uk/news-and-blogs/dcp-left-in-lockdown/

Impact of social work of covid podcast- https://podcasts.apple.com/za/podcast/episode-15-s2-impact-of-covid-19-on-social-work/id1436421996?i=1000471949788

Virtual contact between children and birth parents blog written by Research in Practice- https://www.researchinpractice.org.uk/children/news-views/2020/april/virtual-contact-between-children-and-their-birth-families-during-lockdown-unexpected-opportunities/

Lockdown and stories from adopters- http://www.alcoates.co.uk/p/the-adoption-fostering-podcast.html

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Covid, Anxiety, Stress- Resources & Links

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Some resources to support children and adults around anxiety, worry, stress, and fears; including those related to the pandemic/Covid-19 (this page will be updated on a very regular basis so please...

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We have had amazingly positive feedback for our free resources to support the Story Massage Programme at home and at work during lockdown. Here are three opportunities to share the fun, connection and relaxation of massage stories – all for free.

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We have had amazingly positive feedback for our free resources to support the Story Massage Programme at home and at work during lockdown. Here are three opportunities to share the fun, connection and relaxation of massage stories - all for free.

Free Resources - Facebook and Instagram Live Sessions

Mary and her trusty teddy, Emmanuel, are giving live 'follow-along' sessions:

Instagram - every Tuesday and Thursday at 10.30am

Facebook - every Tuesday and Thursday at 2pm.

Each day there is one short nursery rhyme and one longer massage story making it suitable for all ages and abilities. And we love giving 'shout-outs' to schools, groups, children and adults.

"We love the Story Massage Programme! We follow along every Tuesday and Thursday. All the children were listening to the massage story when we heard a shout out for Wise Owls Nursery! At the end they all wanted to do it all over again." Wise Owls Nursery and Out of School Club

Free Resources - Video Recordings on Vimeo

There is a whole selection of different massage stories, including bedtime stories, on video for you to follow along at home, or share within your groups or school websites. Some school and college staff are choosing videos to send to individual children or classes as they know they will be enjoyed at home. You can take a look at all the videos here: Story Massage Programme Vimeo Channel

"My daughter, Maisy, has PMLD and absolutely loves the Story Massage Programme. The facebook live sessions have given us another way to give and enjoy the precious effects of the massage programme. And now we have the Vimeo channel too which is wonderful. Yesterday morning, Maisy's breathing was really rapid. I played several videos from the channel. I did the strokes while she listened to Mary's voice and it really calmed her." Sophie Kidd-Munnery

Free Resources - Booklet of New Massage Stories

If you are currently sharing the Story Massage Programme at home or work then you will enjoy this free PDF booklet of 36 new stories. Email mary@storymassage.co.uk and say how you are using the programme. (NB This offer has been going for a few weeks, so do check that you haven't already made the most of it.)

"Thank you so much for sharing the booklet with us. We are encouraging families to do a massage story at home every week and the booklet offers a whole variety of new stories to match all ages and abilities. We've had some lovely positive responses about how they are all enjoying doing something together. Families are so pleased to have something to focus on." Julia Barnes, Sensory Manager, Ravenscliffe High School

Online Training Option

This is not free, but a wonderful way of gaining CPD and learning a new skill during lockdown. Our online training option can be started at any time and takes around 12-18 hours to complete. It costs £134 (with the book and stickers) or £115 (without the book and stickers) and we can invoice your school or organisation. Once trained, you have free access to our Facebook Community Page which is a fantastic resource for new massage stories and inspiration from others. You can find all the details here: Story Massage Online Training

"Online training meant that I could complete it at a time that suited me and my family and a bonus that I have time off during lockdown to complete it so quickly. Thank you so much for designing an easily accessible option for your training and for making it so clear and encouraging. I am really enjoying creating new massage stories." Sarah Combe, Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator and Independent Relax Kids Coach

Story Massage Book

Also not free, but highly popular especially at the moment. The book Once Upon A Touch.... includes an explanation of the strokes and over 25 different stories. It is an ideal introduction to the programme, and great fun to explore at home with your own children. You can order our book (£15.50 inc p&p) here: Story Massage Book

"We have been working our way through the book and taking videos for Instagram. Myla is really enjoying videoing these and watching herself back. We always laugh together when telling our stories and they've been really lovely for me to look back on during our more challenging days. She has also been massaging her dolls and bunny while talking and saying certain words from the stories. So lovely to see her language skills developing every day." Leigh Williams, Baby Massage and Story Massage Instructor at The Little Wellness Company

More about the Story Massage Programme

The programme combines the benefits of positive touch with the fun and creativity of story, song and rhyme. This short video gives an introduction and a demonstration to give you more information.

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FREE Resources for Story Massage during Lockdown - Story Massage

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We have had amazingly positive feedback for our free resources to support the Story Massage Programme at home and at work during lockdown. Here are three opportunities to share the fun, connection and relaxation of massage stories - all for free.

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An introduction to a sensory, soothing, regulating, calming, grounding box by Dr Karen Treisman

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An introduction to a sensory, soothing, regulating, calming, grounding box by Dr Karen Treisman

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An introduction to a sensory, soothing, regulating, calming, grounding box by Dr Karen Treisman

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Calming Anxiety- Coping Skills for Children

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Calming Anxiety- Coping Skills for Children

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Kid tested strategies used by child therapists for calming anxiety, including ideas to calm down, books to read and videos that can help

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This page contains affiliate links, read the disclosure statement Inside: Kid tested strategies used by child therapists for calming anxiety, including ideas to calm down, books to read and videos that can help
It's happening again. Your daughter is frustrated and stomping away down to her room, slamming the door and in general "has her cranky pants on". You say calm down, but she yells back "I don't know how to do that!!!"

We tend to tell our kids to "calm down" without ever giving them explicit directions on how to deal with stress and anxiety. Here's a collection of the best tools and tips I've found to teach children how to calm down and relax.

Sometimes you'll need a quick way to help your child calm down and you don't have much with you. Maybe it's when you're out at Target or stuck in traffic. These tips will come in handy at those times:

Imagine your favorite place - it's like taking a mini vacation wherever you are

Think of your favorite things

Name animals alphabetically (alligator, bear, cow, dog, etc...)

Squeeze Something (play dough, clay, silly putty, your fists, a stress ball)

Get a Cold Drink of Water

54321 Grounding - go through each of your 5 senses

1. Put your arms straight out in front of you, palms facing out.

2. Put one hand over the other at the wrists and interlace your fingers.

3. Swoop your hands and arms toward your body and then place your interlaced hands on your chest.

4. Cross your feet at the ankles and put your tongue on the roof of your mouth.

5. Stay still for one minute.

It's great to have a big list of coping skills to try when your child needs to calm down. Here are two more short lists of ideas for calming down at home or at school.

From Imperfect Families - Strategies to use at home

From Encourage Play - 10 Strategies to Help Kids Calm Down at school or home

People usually roll their eyes initially when they hear "breathing is important". But I will continue to say it and explain why. It's so simple, yet has such a big impact on your body's physiology.

When you and calm and relaxed, your body is in "rest and digest" mode. You breathe normally, your heart rate is lower and your muscles are relaxed. However, when stress or anxiety or anger occurs, your body automatically switches into "flight, fight or freeze" mode. Your muscles tense up, your heart rate increases and your breathing becomes more shallow.

Taking deep breaths, instead of shallow breaths, is one way to tell your body to get back to resting and digesting. That's why deep breathing is important!

Luckily, there are some fun ways to teach kids deep breathing techniques

Things to use

Things to say

Breathe in like you are smelling a flower, breathe out like you are blowing out birthday candles

Arms up and breathe in, arms down and breathe out

Pretend your belly is a balloon. Breathe in and make the balloon bigger, then breathe out and make the balloon shrink.

Videos to watch
4 - 7 - 8 Breathing by GoZen
Breathing at Sea Otter Cove from Stress Free Kids

A Coping Skills Toolbox is a kit that you create to help your child calm down when they are upset, anxious or worried. In order to get the most benefit from this, you should create this kit before an issue occurs. When your child experiences anxiety, then they can pick out an item from their Coping Skills Toolbox. This is one of my favorite ways to help kids learn to calm their anxiety.

Here are some other fantastic ideas for what to put in a coping skills toolbox/calm down kit from And Next Comes L

You can create a place specially designed to allow to calm down in a few steps

Find a spot and make it cozy (ask your child for help with that - maybe they can place a favorite blanket or stuffed animal inside)

Add calming tools

Explain how to use it and practice before

When they are starting to escalate, catch it early and give them a calm reminder about their calm down spot

Use the following phrases as a way to support your child, let them know that you're going to support them and help them in any way that you can.

"I'm here for you"

"Talk to me and tell me what's going on"

"How can I help?"

"Together, we can work on this. We're a great team"

"I love you"

"Do you want a hug?"

Here are some more ideas of what to say to calm an anxious child.

From Go Zen - 49 Phrases to Calm an Anxious Child

From Lemon Lime Adventures - What to Say to Calm an Anxious Child

Did you know there are podcasts with stories for children? Usually the hosts have a soothing voice and the stories tend to be pretty short. Your child can listen to these podcasts as a way to have some down time.

There are scripts you can read to your child to help them relax and calm down. Slowly and carefully read the words as your child listens and follows the instructions. Check out Inner Health Studios list of scripts you can use with your child. If you prefer not to read a script, there are ones that are pre-recorded.

There are also scripts to practice mindfulness with children. Eline Snel has written a great book on Mindfulness with Kids, Sitting Still Like a Frog. Here are the several scripts that can be used from that book!

Annaka Harris also has several pre-recorded scripts to help kids practice mindfulness

Confused about how to introduce mindfulness to kids? Check out these resources:
Simple Ways to Introduce Mindfulness and Meditation to Children 11 Simple But Effective Ways to Teach Mindfulness to Kids
What you need:

I've used empty soda bottles, empty water bottles, glass jars and plastic containers. Use whatever makes sense for you and your family. For instance, for the calming jars the kids have in their room, I used a heavy duty plastic bottle. I didn't want them to accidentally knock over a glass jar in the dark - that would be a huge mess!

I've had the best results when I've used warm water - it makes it easier for the water and paint to combine.
Glitter Paint
I prefer using glitter paint (or glitter glue) instead of glitter because then I'm not cleaning up glitter for weeks at my house after we make them :-)

To make your jar, add glitter paint to the bottom of the jar until it just covers the bottom of it. Add warm water. Put the cover on and shake to help the ingredients combine. Once you are satisfied with the look of your jar, then you can super glue the lid shut so it doesn't spill. In a pinch, I've also used duct tape to secure the lid.
Watch Make a Simple Calming Jar from Coping Skills for Kids on YouTube Wet Ingredients
Sometimes you want the glitter/other items to stay afloat longer or for a shorter amount of time. Here are some different ingredients you can use as the wet ingredients.
Dry Ingredients
To see several other ways to make calming jars, take a look at what Preschool Inspirations did.

One of the first things I always like to do with kids if they are struggling is to start using visuals. When you're stressed and anxious, it's harder to read and take in information. Visuals are easier.

I like to keep calming cue cards in my children's coping skills toolboxes so that they can make a decision about what coping skill they can use. Sometimes pulling out a list is too much in the moment. You can make your own cue cards.

1. Take several index cards or small pieces of cardstock

2. On each one, write or draw one coping skill

3. Hole punch the cards and place them on a keyring (to make them extra sturdy, you can laminate them)

4. Put them into the coping skills toolbox for easy access

Using visuals is a powerful way to help kids. When kids are overwhelmed, sometimes it's hard for them to figure out what to do. By having cue cards, your child can have a visual reminder of what calms and relaxes them.

To make things a little easier, I've created ready to use coping skills cue cardsfor you. There are four different sets: Calming, Physical, Distracting, and Processing. If you'd like all 4, I created a set where you can download them all together.

If your child is anxious, they may also be having a difficult time getting settled for bedtime. Here are some ideas to help your child get settled at bedtime.

PINPOINT WHAT THE FEAR IS

One of the most important things to do is to figure out exactly what is causing the anxiety. Is it fear of the dark? Is it a worry about something in the closet? Is it monsters? Is it spiders? Figuring out the cause of the fear will help you come up with ways you can help your child combat it.

REARRANGE THE ROOM

Are there particular spots of the room that seem to be darker or cause more fear at night than others? Go into the bedroom during the day with your child and talk about the spots that make your child nervous. Try moving night lights and furniture around for a more calming room arrangement.

TRANSITIONAL OBJECTS

If your child has a hard time separating from you, try a transitional object. This is a special item that helps your child feel comforted. It helps them feel like part of you is still present even when you're not there. It could be something like a stuffed animal or a special stone or necklace, or a sweatshirt of yours. The object isn't what matters, it's what the object represents. They can keep it and hold it all night long to help them relax and go to sleep.

Find more strategies here: 12 Kid Friendly Strategies to Calm Anxiety at Night

Looking for some calming guided meditation to help get to sleep at night? Try one of these: Best Guided Meditations for Sleep.

Whenever I sit down and talk with someone about their coping skills, one of the first
things I ask is if they have tried writing about it. Why do I always start with journaling as
a way of processing through difficult feelings?

It's easier to write about than talk about hard things

Journaling helps you process what's happening.

It's convenient.

It's not graded

It can help you solve a problem

It can help you re-frame your thinking

Looking for a journal for a child or teen? Check out Big Life Journals!

General Anxiety

The Coping Skills for Kids Workbook by Janine Halloran. This book has over 75 strategies for kids to try to help them manage their stress and worry. This book also includes colorful worksheets to help kids learn more about their anxiety and what they can do to manage their stress.

Wilma Jean the Worry Machine by Julia Cook I love that when Wilma Jean's physical reactions are described, they're also illustrated. When is says she has knots in her stomach and her knees lock, her stomach really looks like it's tied in a knot and there's a real lock around her knees. I love the activity she does with her teacher, going over worries she can control and worries she can't, it's a great way to help kids manage their anxiety.

David and the Worry Beast by Anne Marie Guanci David's anxiety is a beast, and the more anxious he gets, the bigger it grows. David learns to control his thoughts, and his beast shrinks. There's also a couple of pages for parents and kids in the back.

When My Worries Get Too Big by Kari Dunn Buron This book is wonderful! There are several pages where kids can add in their own thoughts, worries and what helps them relax. This book also uses the 5 point scale to talk about stress and different ways to manage it.

What To Do When You Worry Too Much by Dawn Huebner, PhD This book goes through several ways that can help kids manage anxiety, including setting a time for worries, thinking about things that make you happy and resetting your body with activity or relaxation. There are some interactive places in this book, where a child can write down their worries, draw some images of things that might help, etc.

What To Do When You're Scared and Worried by James J. Crist This is one of my favorite books for kids to help them deal with anxiety. Near the beginning of the book is a checklist that helps kids narrow down what they are anxious about. The beginning of the book covers the basics of what anxiety is and how to help manage with coping skills. The next section of the book goes into detail about different types of anxiety kids might experience, including Separation Anxiety, Phobias and Panic Attacks.

Separation Anxiety

The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn Classic about managing separation anxiety when kids start school. My daughter's kindergarten teacher read this on our visit to school the first day.

When I miss you by Cornelia Maude Spelman This is perfect for little ones who have a hard time dealing with the fact that they are away from their parents during the day. It suggests a couple of things they can do to help and reassurance that parents will come back at the end of the day.

Wemberley Worried by Kevin Henkes Poor Wemberley worries about everything, and then she gets really worried when she is about to start school.

This E-Course offers you instant support from a Child Therapist.
You will get:
12 Videos that are quick and bite size

14 Exercises that will expand on the skills taught

6 Cheat Sheets that will serve as a reference
Along with the course you get:
Access to the instructor for ongoing support

Downloadable PDF versions of all lessons

Lifetime access to the course

More from Coping Skills for Kids about Anxiety in Children...

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Calming Anxiety - Coping Skills for Kids

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Inside: Kid tested strategies used by child therapists for calming anxiety, including ideas to calm down, books to read and videos that can help

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A relaxation exercise To calm those worries 

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A relaxation exercise To calm those worries 

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During today's Facebook Live video I promised to share the breathing technique we practiced called the four-part breath or square breathing. Below is a handout I created for one of my Mindfulness At Work Programs.
4-Part Breathing Technique
Box breathing (also called square, tactical or four-part breathing) is a simple and highly effective technique that you can practice for a few minutes anytime you need to boost your creativity or concentration, break free from scattered thinking, or interrupt an intense "fight or flight" response and return to a state of healing and peace. It is also an effective breath to use at the beginning of your mindfulness practice.

This centuries old breathing technique for meditation has re-surfaced in the past few years and is being used by athletes, performers, doctors, and even navy seals, as their most effective strategy for quickly entering a calm, centered state of mind and body; especially when they are in an intense situation where they need to be fully present and directly connected to their best self/highest self. Many people report that when breathing is used as part of their meditation it has a dramatic, positive impact on their inner and outer wellbeing.
Square Breathing in 4 Steps

Breathe in through your nose for four counts.

Pause/hold your breath for four counts.

Exhale through your mouth for four counts.

Pause/hold your breath for four counts.

For a slightly more advanced variation: during step four notice your body sensations with gentle curiosity. Don't try to change anything, just allow your attention to rest with the sensations in your body for these four counts. On step one return your full attention to breathing in through your nose.

For a simpler alternative: focus only on slowly counting to four as you breathe and pause and let go of breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth.

Four part breathing is a proven method for recalibrating your nervous systems. Resarch show that it is especially useful for rapidly descreasing stress, anxiety, heart rate or blood. It is a useful tool during times of stress and overwhelm or when you are looking to more fully activate your creativity or ability to concentrate fully on the task at hand.

Where to Practice:

While the environment can help to add to your relaxed state, it is not imperative. If there are other people around and you cannot find a private, quiet place, this exercise can be performed quietly with your eyes open.

Be Gentle With Yourself:

If you practice this breath technique for a few minutes and it doesn't feel good, let it go and return to your natural, calm breath. If you choose to play with it at a later time, you can also begin by using a count of two and working up to a count of four.

How Brene Brown inspired me to practice four-part breathing when "shit was going down." Last year I heard Brene Brown speak on her Rising Strong book tour. Brene is a research professor and social worker who has spent the past thirteen years studying vulnerability, courage, worthiness, and shame. As she used her supreme Texas storytelling skills she had us all laughing about how much she hates to sit still, especially when she's stressed out. She especially hates it when "shit is going down" and her husband tells her to just relax and take a deep breath. But then she talked about what she uncovered in her research as a key, common quality shared by resilient people who are living wholehearted lives.

They all had one big thing in common: they regularly practiced mindfulness and deep breathing!

Brene also shared that many first responders, people who often support traumatic situations, reported over and over that the one tool that helps them to integrate strong emotions and to access their best self in intense situations is the four-part breath.

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How To Do The 4-Part Breath/Square Breathing

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During today's Facebook Live video I promised to share the breathing technique we practiced called the four-part breath or square breathing.

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Ultimate List of Free Meditation Printables 

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Ultimate List of Free Meditation Printables 

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A list from Bits of Positivity

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Meditation seems to become more and more important each year for both kids and adults. The negative effects of the Internet might be hurting everyone's sense of peace, but at least the good parts of the Internet are helping. They're making lots of wonderful ideas and materials available to help both kids and adults find meditations that can improve life in many ways.

I've already published many mindfulness posts with free resources for kids and adults. Today, I want to share lots of free meditation printables for kids. I'm including sections on free printable breathing meditations, free printable finger labyrinths, free guided meditation scripts to use with kids, and (for families who want specifically Christian meditations) free printable scripture cards for kids' Christian meditations.

Even though yoga poses and guided meditation or breathing exercises are often done together, this post won't have yoga poses. (They'll be in a later post).
Disclosure: This post contains some affiliate links (at no cost to you).
I'll be adding to this list as I find new free meditation printables online. If you have a free meditation printable that I missed, please leave a comment so I can add it to the list!

Free Printable Breathing Exercises for Kids

8 Fun Breathing Exercises for Kids from Childhood 101

Bees Breath by Shannyn Fagerstrom at Teachers Pay Teachers

Calming Deep Breath Chart by Counselor's Corner at Teachers Pay Teachers

Breathe Like a Flying Fish from Plant Love Grow

Deep Breathing Exercises for Kids by Jaime Rosenthal at Teachers Pay Teachers

Breathing Choice Board by Allie Szczecinski with Miss Behavior at Teachers Pay Teachers

Mindfulness Breathing Exercises for Elementary School by How I Decide at Teachers Pay Teachers

Mindfulness Breathing Exercises for Middle and High School by How I Decide at Teachers Pay Teachers

Stop, Breathe & Think: Mindfulness Activities for the Classroom by Tools for Peace at Teachers Pay Teachers

Free Printable Labyrinths for Kids

Labyrinth Resources, including Many Printable Finger Labyrinths from Relax4Life

Printable Labyrinths from The Labyrinth Society

Free Guided Meditation Scripts to Use with Kids

I've shared many guided meditations for kids that are in the form of YouTube videos (which don't need to be watched ... just listened to.) You'll find those in my posts with free guided meditations for kids, free guided meditations for deep sleep for kids, free guided Christian meditations for kids, and free guided gratitude meditations for kids.

Here are some free guided meditation scripts that you can use with kids if you'd prefer to read the guided meditation instead of listening to it.

Over 20 printable PDFs of Guided Relaxation Scripts from Green Child

Guided Meditation 'Under my Blanket' by Nurture in Mind at Teachers Pay Teachers

The Hungry Caterpillar - a Kids Yoga Lesson Plan (includes yoga poses but has a guided relaxation and meditation at the end) by Cosmic Kids Yoga at Teachers Pay Teachers

Guided Meditation for Primary Students and Seeding the Heart from BuddhaNet

The following isn't about scripts (it's better)! If you're a classroom teacher, check out the Calm Schools Initiative:
"Under this initiative, any teacher with a K-12 classroom, anywhere in the world, can get free access to Calm's paid subscription service (available on Android, iOS and the web). Teachers will have unlimited access to our growing library of guided meditations and mindfulness exercises, including Calm Kids, our programs tailored for age groups from pre-K through high school. Over the coming year, we will be steadily adding to our Calm Kids library, equipping teachers with an ever-expanding supply of content crafted for the unique needs of their students."
More Meditation Printables for Kids

Meditation Printables from Teachers Pay Teachers (long list)

Free Growth Mindset Printables for Kids Every Friday (subscription freebies) from Big Life Journal (I get these every Friday, and they're great! These are typically growth mindset printables rather than meditation printables, although occasionally there are meditation printables. Whether you're interested in growth mindset, mindfulness, or both, they're awesome!)

The latest subscriber freebie included ideas that could make great meditations for both kids and adults. The blog post was "3 Effective Ways to Raise a Grateful Child" and the printables had both a gratitude tree activity and a poster that included one of the effective ways with these suggestions:

Notice and Savor the Small Stuff.
"We can help our children become noticers of the good by...

pausing to notice and "take in" the beauty of a sunset

appreciating a stranger holding the door open for you and your child

stopping to admire a vibrant tree in the park

listening to birds sing early in the morning"

Pausing to notice and "take in" the beauty of a sunset, etc., can be a meditation in itself!

Free Printable Scripture Cards for Kids' Christian Meditations

If you're a Christian family who prefers to meditate only on Bible verses, you'll find a variety of free scripture cards here:

Scripture Cards from I Can Teach My Child

ABC Bible Verses for Children (you can print out multiple cards on a page) from Wildflower Ramblings

Bible Verses from 1 to 10 (you can print out multiple cards on a page) from Wildflower Ramblings
ABC Bible Verse Printables (subscriber freebie) from Homeschool Creations
Bible Verse Printables from Homeschool Creations

Scripture Cards (subscriber freebie) from My Joy-filled Life

Free Scripture Cards (long list) at Teachers Pay Teachers

More Mindfulness/Peace Resources

I'm including mindfulness activities together with peace activities because feeling peace within is a great step toward expressing peace toward others.

If you have a free meditation printable for kids that I'm not aware of, please let me know in the comments below!

Wondering where it's best to follow me?

If you're interested in kid-related content, sign up for the Living Montessori Now newsletter. I share my Bits of Positivity parenting and character-education posts in the weekly Living Montessori Now newsletter along with lots of great kids' activities and Montessori ideas from my Living Montessori Now blog. You'll get a monthly freebie (and previous monthly freebies) with link and password if you subscribe to the Living Montessori Now weekly newsletter!

If you're interested in inspiration and motivation, the best place for you will probably be the Bits of Positivity Facebook page. You'll find lots of inspiration there from the Bits of Positivity blog and from around the Internet. For word art inspiration, be sure to follow me at the Bits of Positivity Facebook page and on Pinterest! And for all my posts in a reader, check out Bloglovin '! Thanks so much!

Learn more about my eBook Montessori at Home or School: How to. Teach Grace and Courtesy! I'm also one of the coauthors of the book Learn with Play - 150+ Activities for Year-round Fun & Learning!

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The Ultimate List of Free Meditation Printables for Kids {Mindfulness Resources}

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Meditation seems to become more and more important each year for both kids and adults. The negative effects of the Internet might be hurting everyone's sense of peace, but at least the good parts of the Internet are helping.

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According to the American Massage Therapy Association, approximately 19-28% of adults in the United States had at least one massage between July 2015 and July 2016.[1]

While taking time out of your busy schedule to book a massage with a massage therapist may be nice, sometimes it just doesn't fit in with the busyness of life (or wallet!). Rather than suffering in pain, you can try using self massage techniques to give yourself an effective massage from the comfort of your home or office.

What are Self Massage Techniques?

Self massage techniques are techniques that you can do yourself to get rid of muscle tightness and trigger points throughout your body.

Many self massage techniques can be performed with your fingers, hands, and elbows, while others require simple items such as tennis balls, foam rollers, or trigger point tools such as the Theracane.

Why Self Massage?

Many people want a self-care option for the relief of pain that is caused by stress, pain and muscle tension.

Especially, if you are someone who is suffering from myofascial pain dysfunction syndrome (MPDS), which is caused by the presence of chronic trigger points - You may need to self massage regularly. Trigger points are tight knots in the muscle tissues that can cause pain, as well as, refer pain to other areas in the body.

According to a 2015 study published in the Journal of Physical Therapy Science, patients suffering with myofascial pain dysfunction syndrome (MPDS) that received self-massage treatment, combined with home exercise, had reduced their pain intensity MORE during their daily activities when compared to individuals that only received six sessions of traditional physical therapy modalities (heat and transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation TENS). [4]
Self Massage Benefits Include:
Benefits of Self Massage over a Massage Therapist

There are numerous benefits of learning self massage techniques, instead of seeking out professional care, including:

It's less expensive than paying a professional.

It's less time consuming than booking an appointment with a professional.

You can focus on areas that are really bothering you and apply increased pressure when you find especially tender areas.

Results are typically rapid when you focus on your problem areas.

You can do self massage techniques pretty much anywhere including your home, office, or even your car.

There's no need to feel self conscious about being touched by someone you don't know or going into an unfamiliar place, such as a spa or clinic.

6 Things to keep in mind when using self-massage techniques:
1. You only need to massage for a few moments for mild cases; or a minute or two for more severe cases.
2. Massage the area at least twice per day.
3. Explore the muscles in the area where you feel pain until you find the specific spot that is especially painful.
4. Apply pressure that is strong, but tolerable (tip: start with light pressure and work your way up).
5. If you experience pain afterwards ease up the next time you apply self treatment.
6. Gently stretch out the area after self massage treatment.

9 Best Self Massage Techniques (For Diff Parts of Body)

1. For Head Self Massage
Nothing can ruin a perfect day like a throbbing headache. Try this simple self massage technique to relieve your head pan.

What you'll need - Your Hands

Place your thumbs high on your cheekbones, by your ears.

Gently apply pressure in a circular motion with your fingertips to your temples.

Continue making circles as your move along your hairline, until your fingertips meet in the middle of your forehead.

Place two or three fingertips on the back of your neck where your neck meets your shoulders.

Apply firm pressure and hold the area.

Release when the muscle feels more relaxed.

Roll your shoulders forwards and back slowly.

Repeat three times.

position the fingers of your right hand over your right shoulder (your upper trapezius will be underneath your palm).

squeeze your upper trapezius three times and then roll your fingers over the muscle starting from the outside and moving towards the base of your neck.

repeat on your left side.

Recommended Program:
The Complete Posture Fix (With Dr. Oliver) - Fix your fwd head and rounded shoulders posture, ergonomics, get out of pain and increase your mobility.

Position a massage ball/tennis ball between your lower back and a wall.

Move your body up and down, or side to side to find areas of tension.

Apply a stronger pressure in the tender spots to help release the tension.

grab the hook of the Theracane and position the knob in the grove just below your collarbone.

apply downward pressure on hook to help release the trigger point.

move the hook to apply the pressure at different angles to work the whole muscle.

perform on both sides.

begin by lying on your side with a foam roller positioned under your hip.

use your hands to brace yourself as you slowly roll down from your hip to your knee while rotating your body towards the ground as you move down.

slowly roll back to the starting position.

perform on both sides.

sit in a comfortable chair with your feet bare or with a sock on.

position the tennis ball under your foot.

roll back and forth from heel to toe using firm pressure.

if you come across a painful or tender area, work the knot out by rolling in small circles.

do this exercise on both of your feet.

to add more pressure, try performing this technique while standing.

begin in a seated position on the ground with your knees bent.

position a tennis ball under your right buttock and rest your hands on the ground behind your back.

lift your right leg off the ground and roll in small circles on the ball, placing more attention on areas that are tender.

perform this exercise on the left.

begin by placing your fingers over your wrist, as if you're taking your pulse, and apply a side to side pressure across your wrist.

move to the heel of your palms and start applying pressure in a small circular motion, working your way from the pinky finger side and moving towards your thumb side.

next, grasp the web of tissue that connects your thumb to the rest of your fingers and gently move it up and down.

then apply pressure by using a small circular motion to the muscles at the base of your fingers.

next move up each finger using small circular strokes.

once you reach your finger tip, gently pull the finger to stretch the joint.

perform on both sides.

In conclusion, muscle tension and trigger points can cause a lot of pain and discomfort and making time to see a massage therapist might not be possible. There's no need to worry if you can't make time to see a professional, or if you're uncomfortable in a spa setting because you don't like the idea of someone you don't know touching you, learning the simple self massage techniques above will help to ease your pain and get you back to doing your normal activities soon.

Related:
What are trigger points
How Poor posture causes back pain
Best Herniated Disc Stretches
Cat and Cow Stretch for low back pain relief
Forward head posture exercises
Back pain between shoulder blades
Back Intelligence Homepage
Rounded shoulders exercises

Sources:

[1] American Massage Therapy Association. Massage Therapy Industry Fact Sheet. Published 2018. Accessed November 14, 2019.

[2] Mense S. Differences between myofascial trigger points and tender points. Schmerz. 2011 Feb;25(1):93-103. doi:10.1007/s00482-010-0965-4

[3] Borg-Stein J, Stein J. Trigger points and tender points: one and the same? Does injection treatment help? Rheum Dis Clin North Am. 1996 May;22(2):305-22. doi:10.1016/s0889-857x(05)70274-x.

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Self Massage Techniques For 9 Body Parts - How To Massage Yourself

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According to the American Massage Therapy Association, approximately 19-28% of adults in the United States had at least one massage between July 2015 and July 2016.[1] While taking time out of your busy schedule to book a massage with a massage therapist may be nice, sometimes it just doesn't fit in with the busyness of life (or wallet!).

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This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a small percentage of any purchases.

I first heard of self-soothing as it relates to small children but a few years ago as I started practicing DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) I also learned that it's a skill we need to cultivate as an adult. Making ourselves feel better is a pretty underrated talent.

DBT focuses on four main things, mindfulness, interpersonal effectiveness, emotion regulation, and distress tolerance. Distress tolerance is how we learn to bring ourselves down from super strong emotions. I used to have such strong spikes of emotion. My moods would go from 0 to 100 almost instantly. Anger, sadness, depression, overwhelm - one minute I'm fine and then something (usually) little happens and suddenly I'm feeling all of the feels. Distress tolerance is about bringing those feelings back down to a manageable level so that you're able to deal with them without being destructive or lashing out.

It's essential to know how to self-soothe.

Even if you don't have trouble regulating your emotions, it's still important to learn how to self-soothe. When you are having moments of stress, anxiety, or crankiness, you want to be able to love yourself out of it or love yourself through those feelings. You'd be surprised at how many people just don't know how to do this in a constructive way. They get overwhelmed with negative emotions and they turn to destructive ways to cope, like lashing out, unhealthy coping tools, or complete avoidance.

Self-soothing is such a wonderful act of self-care. It's a soft and gentle way of letting yourself know that you'll be okay. That you are taken care of and worthy. It's so important to learn how to treat yourself with kindness and compassion especially in those moments when you feel like crap.

Also, if you're an HSP (Highly Sensitive Person) it's even more important to find ways to love on yourself because you're so often affected by the moods and feelings of other people as well as your own. Self-soothing helps you tolerate feeling uncomfortable emotions, especially if it's something that you deal with on a daily basis. It helps you regulate your own emotions and that is essential for people who are in a caregiver role.

When to self-soothe:

When you're having a stressful day
Dealing with big life changes like grief or heartache
When you're experiencing emotional exhaustion or feeling burned out
Feeling overwhelmed by your emotions
Feeling like you want to be self-destructive
Sensitivity to feelings and emotions

The easiest way to find what works for you is to go through the five senses and then go with the one that has the biggest calming effect on you.

Touch

Touch is a great way to immediately ground yourself and bring you back into the present, into the moment. What works best for me is lovingly touching my cheek, ya know, caressing... it sounds like such a weird way to comfort yourself but it works every time to settle me down. So does soothingly running my fingers through my hair. Don't be afraid to be weird about it. Weird is good. We like weird here.

Surround yourself with soft things like blankets, pajamas, or pillows (I love microfiber plush)

Cuddle up with your favorite furball and feel their soft warmth against you

Put a blanket in the dryer for a few minutes and then wrap it around you, so warm and toasty

Take a hot bath or a cold shower

Use a heated blanket or a weighted blanket

Silly putty, slime, or anything you can squeeze

Stuffed animals or body pillows to cuddle up with

Ice packs or heating pads can help regulate your emotions and bring you out of intense ones
Give yourself a massage
Smell

I'm a huge fan of aromatherapy, so if you have any interest in that kind of thing you should start experimenting with lavender and chamomile, two of my favorite calming scents. Put them in a diffuser, in a lotion, or you can spray them around your room or on your pillow.

Run a bubble bath with yummy smelly bath stuffs

Go outside and enjoy the many earthy scents of nature

Light your favorite candle

Bake something sweet that makes you think of your childhood

Buy yourself flowers or plant your favorite ones in your yard so you can sit outside and drink in the smell

Find a scent for your home that makes you fall completely in love

Create a ritual of lighting your favorite incense

If the weather is nice, open all of your windows and let in the fresh air

Pay attention to how you smell, use deodorant, perfumes, or body sprays that you associate with comfort (I have been known to stick my head into my shirt just to smell myself)

Sight

The easiest way to self-soothe with sight is to make sure that your surroundings are nice to look at. Analyze the atmosphere of your home and see if your walls are covered in colors, art, or wall hangings that you like. My living room is full of color and houseplants and comfortable niches and the minute I walk inside and see everything I get an overwhelming feeling of home, comfort, and happiness.

Watch an ASMR video (they're so soothing!)

Surround yourself with soothing colors like blues, greens, and purples, or any other colors that give you that peaceful vibe

Dim the lights or light a few candles.

Pull the curtains back and enjoy natural sunlight

Go on a nature walk

Use a sleeping mask to have a reprieve and relax

Get an adult coloring book and use colors that represent your mood

Read or watch a movie

Make a photo collage or a Pinterest Board of pleasing images (rainbows, unicorns, and mermaids please)

Taste

The taste of things can trigger powerful memories and it's the perfect time to take a trip down memory lane. Sleepytime tea instantly transports me back to a time when I was little and at my grandma's watching the Last Unicorn in an oversized t-shirt. Instant comfort, warmth, and happiness. What flavor or food takes you back to that magical time?

Eat something good or good for you

Eat slowly and savor every moment, make it an experience instead of eating your feelings

Drink something special, hot cocoa, tea, sparkling cider, anything that's a little out of the everyday but makes you happy

Keep a box of your favorite candies

Something minty like gum or something sour can be a tiny jolt to your system to bring you back to yourself

Sound

This is currently my favorite way to self-soothe. Usually when I get super anxious one of the first signs is sensory overload. I become really sensitive to sound and noise and if there's too much of it I get agitated. That's why focusing on sound is usually my go-to.

Listen to music, preferably the calming soothing kind instead of the angry rage-y kind

Nature sounds are also a great addition when you need to calm down, especially if you can't make your way to a beach or a rainforest or a rainy day

Silence can also be a great soother
Noise canceling headphones
ASMR videos have so many great and soothing sounds

Binaural beats are specific sound frequencies that can help you relax

Get the Insight Timer app and experiment with guided meditation

Make different music playlists for specific moods

In what ways do you self-soothe? What is your absolute favorite?

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Distress Tolerance: Self-Soothing - Blessing Manifesting

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This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a small percentage of any purchases. I first heard of self-soothing as it relates to small children but a few years ago as I started practicing DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) I also learned that it's a skill we need to cultivate as an adult.

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Stress busting breaths, quiet time & relaxing visualisations for children 

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Stress busting breaths, quiet time & relaxing visualisations for children 

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Yoga Flow, A Calming Warm up to start your day 

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Yoga Flow, A Calming Warm up to start your day 

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The goal with this exercise is to use the five senses to focus on the moment and avoid multiple anxious thoughts that can get in the way of your progress.

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Stress and anxiety are often the biggest obstacles when it comes to important moments in our lives. While situations such as receiving a promotion at work, taking final exams, going on a flight, and performing in a sports competition can be exciting and positive experiences, without proper stress management, the fear of failure and need for success can have a negative impact on not only the results, but our long-term health.

That's where the 5-4-3-2-1 Coping Technique comes in, as it is designed to ease your state of mind so that you can get through stressful moments. The goal with this exercise is to use the five senses to focus on the moment and avoid multiple anxious thoughts that can get in the way of your progress.

Deep, slow, and long breaths are your first priority for achieving a calm state before proceeding to the following steps:

SEE: Acknowledge five things that you can see around you. Options can range from a pen or stapler at your office to a bird or tree while you're out at the local park. If you're at home, you can look at a family photo on the wall or a glass of water on the kitchen counter. You can pick between big and small items to keep your options open.

TOUCH: Acknowledge four things that you can touch around you. You can start with your hair, hands, elbows, and other parts of your body if you're short on time. The ground beneath your feet, whether it's the floor of your bedroom or the office at work, also helps. Pillows, desks, phones, and keyboards can fit this step.

HEAR: Acknowledge three things you can hear around you. Instead of listening to your own thoughts or sounds from your body like your stomach growling, focus on external noises. Examples include someone driving a car nearby, a clock ticking, or a dog barking. If you're at work, you can listen to typing and the steps of people walking by your desk.

SMELL: Acknowledge two things around you that you can smell. This step may be a challenge compared to the others, so it's best to go to a place with more sources of scent if you don't smell anything wherever you are at the moment. The outdoors has plenty of options for smells, and the soap in bathrooms also helps. Your furniture can provide pleasant smells for this step when you're home.

TASTE: Acknowledge one thing around you that you can taste. It doesn't necessarily have to be food, as toothpaste and minty floss you use in the morning or at night are easy sources. You can also go with the cinnamon-raisin oatmeal you have for breakfast, the sandwich and chips you have for lunch, or the pasta primavera you have for dinner. Coffee, tea, and other drinks you have to get through the day also work.

End this exercise with a long, deep breath.

With these steps, you will be able to get the most out of the moment. Focusing on your senses will help you be more mindful, which will then help you accomplish your tasks and experience success. As a result, you can defeat your anxiety and feel in control of your life. Put this technique into practice to so that you can improve your health and make those big days fun!

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Unwind This Monday With The 5-4-3-2-1 Coping Technique

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Stress and anxiety are often the biggest obstacles when it comes to important moments in our lives. While situations such as receiving a promotion at work, taking final exams, going on a flight, and performing in a sports competition can be exciting and positive