3 Ways to Help Children With Overwhelming Feelings – Child Counseling Wooster, OH
Angela Earley November 17, 2021
Couples Therapy Wooster, OH
1) Validate Feelings and Create Emotional Awareness
Take the constructive approach of validating your child's feelings by encouraging them to experience whatever feelings they're having. Acknowledge their feelings with statements like, "I can see you're tense and unhappy." These moments will teach them to be aware of and label emotions on their own. See the Anger Iceberg below with feelings that lead to the emotion "anger".
2) Engage in Play
Play is the natural way children process their surroundings, act out, and communicate feelings. Scheduling regular playtime is fundamental to their overall cognitive growth and social development.
3) Practice Mindfulness
Placing your focus on the present moment creates a neutral place from which you can observe thoughts and feelings. One technique for entering the present moment is to be aware of your breathing, in and out. This practice can help the whole family be skilled at experiencing feelings and may help relieve stress and anxiety.
If your child is having trouble with overwhelming feelings, I can help.
Learn more strategies for helping children with overwhelming feelings.
Citation
Lauren, Stockly. “6 Ways to Help Children Accept Difficult Emotions” gottman.com, Sept. 28, 2021, https://www.gottman.com/blog/6-ways-to-help-children-accept-difficult-emotions/
Since 2012, Angela has been assessing clients and successfully guiding trauma treatment in her private practice using the NeuroSequential Model of Therapeutics (NMT) developed by Dr. Bruce Perry of the Child Trauma Academy. In addition, Angela has been invited to consult on multiple regional cases involving highly challenging special needs children.
