While we are captivated by the presence of our children, whose arrival brings a fresh and playful energy into our lives, we often face significant challenges, particularly at bedtime.
Frustration, drama, worry, and guilt can become common experiences for parents, especially those with children who struggle with anxiety.
It is during these moments of heightened need that parents often feel most drained.
Despite the desire to provide a nurturing and calming environment, parents find themselves at a loss, looking for solutions to help their children feel secure and relaxed.
My Experience
As a yoga therapist, I have encountered many families seeking a solution to ease their child’s anxiety. I have found it essential to understand that the most effective approach involves active participation from both the child and the parents.
Yoga therapy offers significant benefits to children, providing tools for emotional regulation, creative expression, and overall well-being.
However, the positive impact of these sessions is greatly enhanced when parents actively participate in the process. This collaborative effort not only supports the child but also fosters a harmonious family environment.
Consider the daily demands and obligations that weigh heavily on families. The mental and emotional strain accumulates throughout the day, leaving everyone feeling overwhelmed. Parents play a crucial role in managing this energy within the household, setting the tone for a calmer and more balanced environment.
By engaging in yoga therapy alongside your child, you model the practices and techniques that can help regulate emotions and reduce stress. Your participation reinforces the lessons learned during therapy sessions and demonstrates their value in everyday life. This approach ensures that the therapeutic benefits extend beyond the sessions and become integrated into your daily routine.
It is important to recognize that this involvement is not an additional burden but an investment in your family’s well-being. By embracing these practices, you support your
child's development, enhance your ability to manage stress, and foster a nurturing atmosphere.
In conclusion, while yoga therapy offers valuable tools for children, its effectiveness is amplified through active parental involvement. By participating in the process, parents can help create a supportive environment that promotes emotional well-being and resilience.
Embrace this opportunity to engage with your child in a meaningful way, and together, cultivate a more harmonious and balanced family life.
How can yoga therapy help my family?
Creative expression: many children connect emotions with shapes, colors, and even characters that they see in their books and other media. We can employ each of these elements to help your child express difficult emotion so that they can feel better understood.
Narrative therapy: sometimes it's useful to see into a child's way of thinking by offering a picture of a character and having them narrate what they think is going on.
Storytelling through movement: yoga poses are almost always related to archetypes, animals, and natural energies. Creative expression through storytelling and movement can validate the child's narrative. And it can be a lot of fun!
Polyvagal techniques: you and your child can learn to calm your own nervous systems using some extremely effective and simple techniques. I've included a video with some of them below!
Breathing techniques: it's never too early to learn that your breath = your frame of mind. If a child can understand the wounded animal v/s the well-fed lion breath metaphor they can look forward to a lifetime of empowerment over stressful, challenging times.
Partner yoga: when a parent and child move together and breathe together, their physiologies will level down together using techniques that we will design together around your bedtime routine.
**Please note that rate changes have been made to reflect the nature of individual v/s family v/s college student yoga therapy sessions.
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