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Mindfulness: What is it and how can it help?

In today’s world, everything is moving at an incredibly fast pace. Parents have to work, grandparents want to visit, children have school and countless practices. How do you find a minute to breathe with all of that going on! This is where practicing mindfulness can be helpful. But what is it and how can it help you and your kids?


What is Mindfulness:

The psychological definition of mindfulness is a mental state achieved by focusing your awareness on the present moment, while acknowledging and accepting your thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations. In other words, being mindful or practicing mindfulness means that you are being fully present without judging yourself or others.


Roots of Mindfulness:

The practice of mindfulness is rooted in ancient traditions around the world. Often, Hinduism and Buddhism are cited as the original source for mindfulness practices. Throughout time many people have engaged in mindfulness practices in various forms. If you are interested in exploring the roots of mindfulness further, I encourage you to research the various origins and traditions of mindfulness. You will find an article linked below that further discusses the specific roots of mindfulness.


Types of Mindfulness Practices:

There are many different ways to practice and engage with mindfulness. Below I will list a few mindfulness techniques so that you are able to familiarize yourself with them before learning about the potential benefits and drawbacks to using these yourself or with children. Keep in mind that these are only a few techniques and that there are so many more to choose from!


  • Breathing Exercises: There are many different breathing exercises that can help individuals anchor themselves and focus on the present moment. For example, “box breathing” is a technique that involves a person intentionally breathing in for 4 seconds, holding for 4 seconds, breathing out for four seconds, and holding for four seconds.

  • Body Scans: These involve individuals mentally scanning their body to notice where they are holding tension and then intentionally relaxing that part of the body. Body scans are often used in yoga practices or guided meditations.

  • Progressive Muscle Relaxation: This involves systematically tensing and then relaxing different muscle groups in your body. This brings awareness to certain parts of the body, noticing any tension, and intentionally releasing any tightness.


Benefits of Mindfulness for Parents and Children:

Research has shown that mindfulness can be effective in reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression in both adults and children. Continually practicing mindfulness can help individuals manage their anxious thoughts and improve emotion regulation. Research also suggests that mindfulness can help to enhance a person’s focus and concentration, which may help individuals at work or school. Finally, mindfulness can promote awareness that leads to thoughtful engagement with thoughts and feelings. This can help both parents and children to navigate challenges more easily.


Potential Difficulties for Children:

Mindfulness, especially with children, can come with different challenges. Especially when first introduced to mindfulness, children may think that it is silly and have a difficult time engaging with the task. Children may often fidget, have a hard time staying still, or have difficulties following directions. However, there are ways to mitigate these challenges and encourage children to participate fully in different mindful techniques.


Ways Adults and Children can Practice Mindfulness:

When emotions are running high, kids are running to practice, or parents have a busy work schedule, mindfulness can be integrated into the day. Here are a few suggestions to make mindfulness practices quick, easy, and accessible.


  • Quick Body Scans: Children and adults can take a few seconds out of their day to ask themselves “how am I feeling right now?”. This time can also be used to assess for different bodily sensations, thoughts, and emotions.

  • Guided Meditations: There are numerous apps and youtube videos that offer guided meditations of varying lengths. If you have 5 minutes or an hour, guided meditations offer an easy to follow practice.

  • Yoga: Engaging with yoga, or even just stretching, can promote calmness and present moment awareness.

  • Games: Incorporating games can be fun and engaging for both children and adults. Children can practice mindful movement or even play “Simon Says” as a form of mindfulness!


How Can Parents Help?

Young children may have a difficult time understanding mindfulness or using mindful techniques. Parents can help them to be mindful by demonstrating different techniques in their daily life. For example, frequent emotion check-ins can be helpful for children to learn how to pay attention to their feelings. Parents can also help to guide children through different practices such as “box breathing” as mentioned previously. Mindfulness can be used during times of distress or when your child is already regulated. Developing a regular mindfulness practice that is a shared experience can help children to regulate their emotions while also strengthening the bond between parent and child. Remember to embrace the process of mindfulness and watch how it can help to soothe yourself and your family members.

 

Look into it further!


 


At Cutting Edge Counseling of the North Shore, we're proud to offer our services to clients in Northbrook and the surrounding communities, including Glenview, Deerfield, Highland Park, Wheeling, Northfield, Glencoe, Winnetka, Buffalo Grove, Riverwoods, Lincolnshire, Prospect Heights, Vernon Hills, Mount Prospect, Arlington Heights, and Des Plaines. Our commitment is to provide personalized and effective therapy to help you achieve your goals.



Written By,


Jordan Adamson, LPC


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