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From the Counsellor

Friday Lunch Mindfulness Sessions

We have explored Body Mapping which involves drawing our body sensations and feelings onto a body outline. We are so used to paying attention to the outside world that it can take significant practice to turn our focus inwards.

First, we relax as much as we can and take some deep breaths. Then we can begin to scan the inside of our bodies for various sensations. Starting with actual sensations such as cold/hot, tight/relaxed can be useful for children as they get used to this new skill. We can then also look for angry, sad, scared, happy feelings and draw them.

Identifying body sensations is the first step to being aware of our feelings. It is linking our body with the emotional part of our brain with the thinking part of our brain.

When we are aware of our feelings, we have greater capacity to make choices about what to do with our feelings.

This takes time………brains are not fully developed until the early to mid 20’s!!

From Kid’s Helpline Helping kids identify and express feelings | Kids Helpline

Here are some of the ways you can help your child learn about and express their feelings:

Tune into cues - Sometimes feelings can be hard to identify. Tune into your child’s feelings by looking at their body language, listening to what they’re saying and observing their behaviour. Figuring out what they feel and why means you can help them identify, express and manage those feelings better.
Behind every behaviour is a feeling - Try to understand the meaning and feeling behind your child’s behaviour. You can help your child find other ways to express that feeling once you know what is driving the behaviour.

Name the feeling - Help your child name their feelings by giving them a label. Naming feelings is the first step in helping kids learn to identify them. It allows your child to develop an emotional vocabulary so they can talk about their feelings.
Identify feelings in others – Provide lots of opportunities to identify feelings in others. You might ask your child to reflect on what someone else may be feeling. Cartoons or picture books are a great way discuss feelings and helps kids learn how to recognise other people’s feelings through facial expressions.
Be a role model - Kids learn about feelings and how to express them appropriately by watching others. Show your child how you’re feeling about different situations and how you deal with those feelings.
Encourage with praise - Praise your child when they talk about their feelings or express them in an appropriate way. Not only does it show that feelings are normal and it’s ok to talk about them, it reinforces the behaviour so they are likely to repeat it.
Listen to your child’s feelings - Stay present and resist the urge to make your child’s bad feelings go away. Support your child to identify and express their feelings so they are heard. When feelings are minimised or dismissed, they will often be expressed in unhealthy ways.