Flowers vs. Weeds : Cultivating a Positive Inner Voice

In honor of the Superbloom happening in California this Spring I was inspired to create this Flowers vs. Weeds worksheet to help students/children understand helpful vs. unhelpful thoughts. I liked the analogy of a gardener coming in a needing to weed the garden in order to help the flowers grow. In a similar way our

Self-Compassion Holds

Sometimes it’s just hard to “think ourselves through something” and we may not be in the right mindset for it yet. My students have been loving these self-compassion holds. It gives them the space to pause and soothe themselves for as long as they need. I really like this technique because it just requires yourself

Physiological Soothing for Anxiety

In my therapy practice I really go for strategies that are tangible and concrete for my students. I have recently compiled a list of my go-to physiological soothing strategies for anxiety and emotion regulation for my students. Cold Water, Ice Cubes, Cold Compresses: When we get anxious, our body temperature can rise as our heart

5 Ways to Help Anxiety | For Kids & Teens

Do you feel stuck helping your child manage their worry or nervousness? Or maybe you have just heard the old adage of “just breathe.” Although deep breathing has many benefits and is effective in reducing anxiety, sometimes we just have to change things up a bit. I have come up with a list of my

My Top De-Stressing Activities for Kids

Do you know the feeling when you have been staring a project for too long and all the words stop making sense and you don’t know how you got there? Then you might get up, make yourself a cup of tea or watch your favorite show for 20 minutes. Just like adults need brain breaks,

“My Happy Place” Art Activity

Visualizing your happy place is a powerful tool for students and youth. When we are stuck in an uncomfortable situation or longing for class to end, this visualization helps to bring in positive feelings. This is an activity I have recently modified to incorporate mindfulness and our five senses and my students have been enjoying

Mindful Coloring for Teens

Some teens have told me they really struggle with mindfulness, sitting still and trying to “turn my mind off.” I have found activity-based mindfulness to be more helpful for my teens and mindful coloring is one of them! Developmental age: 11+ Goals/Objectives: Reduce anxiety, Stop negative thinking, Build coping strategies & mindfulness Materials: Adult Coloring

Mindfulness Art Exercise for Teens

If your adolescent has grown out of the Mindfulness Scavenger Hunt and is not interested in taking the Mindful Walk, I have discovered this great art activity of pattern doodling that does not require a high level of art skill to create. Developmental Age: 10+ Materials: Paper, pen, pencil, coloring supplies if wanted, pattern starter

Stuffed Animal Breathing

Breathe in, Breathe out. It’s amazing how one deep breath can already help our little ones feel that much more calm. Read on to learn a fun way to teach your young one to calmly breathe! Literacy Level: 3+ Goal/Objectives: Learn relaxation/coping skills, help return to baseline functioning, reduce symptomatology Materials Needed: Stuffed animal or

Yoga

I truly believe movement-based tools are essential to incorporate into children’s routines. Yoga has so many benefits such as increasing body awareness, mindfulness along with enhancing children’s attention and memory! Developmental Age: 4+ Goals/Objectives: incorporate mindfulness, reduce symptomatology, build coping skills The following are helpful resources I use with children: Bee Still: Book teaching simple