School Psychologist Alexandra Plourd on Mindfulness

School psychologist Alexandra Plourd shares her expertise with the Our Happy Place community when it comes to building mindfulness skills:

Mindfulness and deep breathing are proven strategies to decrease feelings of anxiety. Both are simple and effective tools that are available to anyone, at any time. Mindfulness is simple: It means paying attention to what is happening in the present moment. For example, while on a walk you pay attention to the warmth of the sun on your face or the sound of the wind rustling the leaves. Deep breathing involves taking a longer than usual inhale and exhale to help your body and nervous system relax. By teaching children breathing and mindfulness strategies, you are giving them tools for their toolbox. In addition to being helpful in decreasing anxiety, they can also help a child relax before bedtime, reset when they have high energy, and improve attention. Both can become part of a family’s daily routine. Children learn by watching, so model these strategies often! To increase your child’s comfortability with these tools, practice when your child is calm. By practicing when your child feels calm, they will feel more prepared and confident to use them in times of need.