- Try nurturing touch activities with your child if they are willing. The Massage in Schools Association has ideas for this simple, clothed massage, such as ‘The Weather Massage.’ Examples of The Weather Massage can be found on YouTube. Nurturing touch has been shown to produce the anti-stress hormone oxytocin in the body, both for the person giving the massage and for the person receiving it. The giving and receiving is a ‘win-win’ exchange, promoting feelings of well-being as well as reinforcing parent-child bonds (NB always with permission).
- EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) is a great tool to help reduce anxiety, for adults and children alike. It involves tapping or pressing on acupuncture meridian end-points on the body. Studies show that this calms the amygdala, which is the part of the brain which controls our fight/flight/freeze response. It may seem an unusual approach, but it has been found to be highly effective for many people.
- Yoga and mindfulness activities are becoming ever more popular ways of promoting calm and relaxation, and have been found to be beneficial for mind, body and emotions. There are lots of examples of these available for children and young people online.
Andy Simpson Advisory Teacher for Social Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) team (with additional info from Jeff Cornish Family Worker SEMH team).