Your kids may be having a serious case of the feels these days—from sadness and anxiety to feeling disconnected, lonely, and bored. And no wonder! While most of us are not certified art therapists, we can still incorporate a few art therapy activities to help them identify and manage their emotions.
What exactly is mental health? According to the website called mentalhealth.com, “Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood. Over the course of your life, if you experience mental health problems, your thinking, mood, and behavior could be affected. “
Have you ever wondered how an artist like Salvador Dali came up with the paintings that he did? Have you ever stared at an MC Escher painting and wondered what the heck is going on in that guy’s head that he was able to not only think of the works that he created but actually make them? How are their creative minds different from your mind?
When you read the phrase “Peace of Mind” what do you think about? Going home to double check that you did in fact close the garage door when you left for work? That’s peace of mind. Your child is coughing and has a fever? You take a COVID test and it’s negative. That’s peace of mind.
Anyone who can breathe can do breathing exercises, therefore anyone with anxiety can do breathing exercises for anxiety. It’s just that simple. Breathing is one of the few things our autonomic nervous system controls. It basically means this happens even when we don’t tell it to. That and blinking. I know there are more but I can’t remember them at this time. Lol
Summer days are over and we are back in the swing of things across the country. Schools have reopened, lunches are being prepared, homework is getting done (or not) and stress levels have gone up. I want to get into back to school stress management challenges and opportunities with you, in the hopes I can help!