Mindfulness May
- Kaylee Krietz
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
My Why?
Years ago, while working in a different setting with our owner, Dante, he shared meaningful material that was fundamental for my clinical work with young children. The idea is simple… control the breathing, and regulation will follow. That is the ONLY way to gain control of the nervous system, slow the heart rate down. Now this simplistic idea must be easy to implement, right? Try telling that to a dysregulated child. Co-regulation is key for supporting anyone who is struggling to access the strategies independently. Gentle modeling and practicing what these skills look like, helps children and others to feel safe.
The Science
The idea stems from brain science, the fight-flight-freeze response in our nervous systems
activates in times of stress, making the easiest tasks, the most difficult. The amygdala is our
emotionally reactive part of the brain that can quickly shift into a crisis-like state.
The key to successful implementation is practicing strategies in regulated, calm moments before moving to practicing in times of crisis. Just like any routine, start off with small goals such as I will practice mindfulness once a week, then once a day and slowly these exercises will become a part of your everyday routines, as the brain is trained and knows how to access these resources.
Resources, Skills/Strategies
The 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Exercise
54321 is a grounding exercise that uses our senses as a way to connect to the present moment, here and now, to calm and refocus the brain. I love to do this as an opening/closing exercise for sessions. On beautiful days, I take clients outside and we practice this strategy in nature.
Box Breathing
Box breathing involves breathing in and for counts of four. You begin this exercise by breathing out slowly through your mouth and counting to four. From there, you will breathe in through your nose for the count of four, trying to make sure your breath is coming from your stomach, and not up high in your chest
Mindful Walking
Mindful walking has the benefits of both exercising and incorporating mindfulness, which
can in turn promote both your mental and physical well-being. Rather than trying to hurry to get from one location to another, a mindful walk allows you to pay attention to the sensations of your body and use these sensations to note and appreciate your surroundings.