Improving physical health (e.g., reducing pain, lowering blood pressure, improving symptoms of conditions like psoriasis and fibromyalgia).

Consider using the following to manage unhelpful or negative thoughts and emotions and foster a greater perception of control: If you want to help your child build their self-compassion, this script is a great place to start. It is a version of the popular “ loving-kindness” variety of meditation that is particularly focused on cultivating compassion for the self. Lately that includes teaching my kids - and myself - a variety of mindfulness techniques and exercises.The only instructions are to read the actions and decide which are mindful and which are not. The actions include: We often find it challenging to uncover the relationships between our thoughts and feelings. This activity is used to identify past situations and uncover emotions that are associated with them. Guiding the client through this script can help them handle their anxiety and self-judgment more compassionately, seeing negative emotions as less impactful and more manageable.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy exercises are intended to help clients deal with intense negative emotions and experiences.There is a free version of the app as well as a premium version with several options. You can learn about these options or sign up for the free version here.

Jones, P., Blunda, M., Biegel, G., Carlson, L. E., Biel, M., & Wiener, L. (2013). Can mindfulness-based interventions help adolescents with cancer? Psycho-Oncology, 22(9), 2148–2151. When we feel present and strongly linked to this moment, we are more aware of how we feel and what is happening around us. It means we are less likely to be tempted by unhelpful or unhealthy actions or thoughts. The penny game can be played with other objects too; the important part is that the children playing are able to focus in on something and pay attention to detail. 4. Balancing Relay Most often, what comes to mind first when we think about mindfulness practice is formal meditation. We envision someone seated quietly (in either silence or while listening to a guided meditation), refraining from engagement with the world around them. While this is indeed one picture of mindfulness practice, it is not complete. There are many ways to practice mindfulness beyond what we might first consider.

Mindfulness is a powerful tool for treating clients with anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues in therapy. “It refers to the ability to focus one’s awareness on the present moment without judging the sensations, thoughts, feelings, or other characteristics of the experience” (Baker et al., 2019, p. 2). Many of the benefits of mindfulness for children are the same as the benefits for adults, including: Semple, R. J., Lee, J., Rosa, D., & Miller, L. F. (2009). A randomized trial of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for children: Promoting mindful attention to enhance social-emotional resiliency in children. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 19, 218-229. Find a way to get along through practicing gratitude, empathy for others, and kindness towards themselves.