Support Groups For Children - 3 Reasons For Incorporating Guided Imagery
Support groups for children are designed in order to offer children a safe space to express themselves, understand fears and anxieties as well as learn to cope with a crisis, trauma, or a condition.
Attendance and curriculum are two of the most difficult challenges for facilitators in maintaining an environment that promotes both fun and learning.
For some children support groups are often overwhelming for children and bring on a certain amount of stress and pressure for the kids that are involved.
However, by starting each group session with a simple guided imagery technique can encourage children to relax and focus leading to more open discussion of feelings, participate more freely in activities, and connect the children in the group, leading to a more supportive environment amongst the participants.
Teach Breathing Techniques Start each group with a breathing exercise.
This can be as simple as asking children to focus on their breath as they slowly breathe in counting 1..
2..
3..
followed by breathing out to the count of five 1..
2..
3..
4..
5..
The extra counts on the out breath help children to release the tension they are holding.
Ask children to focus on their breathing and if they notice any changes in their body.
Do they feel calmer? Did things move slower? Encourage children to quiet all other thoughts in their mind, this will take time and practice.
Doing even just a few minutes of deep breathing at the beginning of each group can help children focus their attention on the group and be present to their feelings and emotions as well as those of the others in the support groups for children.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) is a tool to help children to relax by telling each part of the body one part at a time to feel calm and relaxed.
For younger children a simple game that encourages children to stand tall like a pencil (bodies tense) then flop like a wet noodle (release the muscles) is a fun and energized activity that helps children to distinguish between being tense and relaxed.
By starting off the group with an activity that allows children the opportunity to shake off the day's or week's stress will provide an atmosphere for the children's support group that is open to learning new ways to cope with their own stress.
Color as a calming energy Color is an easily accessible way for children to identify their feelings and emotions.
It is also a tool for calming one's mind and is easily combined with deep breathing and PMR.
Upon chidren's arrival to the group the facilitator can ask children to describe their feelings by using a color.
Color can also be incorporated into a guided meditation by asking children to imagine a soothing color either radiating from them or using the image of a star or rainbow dripping the calming color into them starting at their head and working its way slowly through their body.
Having children participate in this activity is another technique that allows children the opportunity to focus on the emotions they may be holding in their body.
By releasing them makes it possible to discuss and share in the children's support group.
Support groups for children are often a balancing act, finding the right mix of therapeutic and fun in order to keep children engaged and coming back.
By offering guided imagery activities as part of each group children are asked to participate in an interactive and fun way while also learning strategies for coping and increasing the success of the children's support group.
Attendance and curriculum are two of the most difficult challenges for facilitators in maintaining an environment that promotes both fun and learning.
For some children support groups are often overwhelming for children and bring on a certain amount of stress and pressure for the kids that are involved.
However, by starting each group session with a simple guided imagery technique can encourage children to relax and focus leading to more open discussion of feelings, participate more freely in activities, and connect the children in the group, leading to a more supportive environment amongst the participants.
Teach Breathing Techniques Start each group with a breathing exercise.
This can be as simple as asking children to focus on their breath as they slowly breathe in counting 1..
2..
3..
followed by breathing out to the count of five 1..
2..
3..
4..
5..
The extra counts on the out breath help children to release the tension they are holding.
Ask children to focus on their breathing and if they notice any changes in their body.
Do they feel calmer? Did things move slower? Encourage children to quiet all other thoughts in their mind, this will take time and practice.
Doing even just a few minutes of deep breathing at the beginning of each group can help children focus their attention on the group and be present to their feelings and emotions as well as those of the others in the support groups for children.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) is a tool to help children to relax by telling each part of the body one part at a time to feel calm and relaxed.
For younger children a simple game that encourages children to stand tall like a pencil (bodies tense) then flop like a wet noodle (release the muscles) is a fun and energized activity that helps children to distinguish between being tense and relaxed.
By starting off the group with an activity that allows children the opportunity to shake off the day's or week's stress will provide an atmosphere for the children's support group that is open to learning new ways to cope with their own stress.
Color as a calming energy Color is an easily accessible way for children to identify their feelings and emotions.
It is also a tool for calming one's mind and is easily combined with deep breathing and PMR.
Upon chidren's arrival to the group the facilitator can ask children to describe their feelings by using a color.
Color can also be incorporated into a guided meditation by asking children to imagine a soothing color either radiating from them or using the image of a star or rainbow dripping the calming color into them starting at their head and working its way slowly through their body.
Having children participate in this activity is another technique that allows children the opportunity to focus on the emotions they may be holding in their body.
By releasing them makes it possible to discuss and share in the children's support group.
Support groups for children are often a balancing act, finding the right mix of therapeutic and fun in order to keep children engaged and coming back.
By offering guided imagery activities as part of each group children are asked to participate in an interactive and fun way while also learning strategies for coping and increasing the success of the children's support group.