Try one of the Relaxation Techniques below or follow along with the video to practice.
To effectively support your child with anxiety, it's crucial to help them calm down physiologically. When they're in a heightened state, they may struggle to listen or respond. We need to identify techniques that help them relax in the moment.
There are many relaxation techniques that can help us to reduce the impact of anxiety. Some include:
Box breathing technique
Shhh breath
Mindfulness exercises
Guided visualisations
Find a technique that resonates with you and practice it regularly. It's easier to use it in a moment of anxiety if you've practiced it before. If your child is too small or unable to do the technique with you, practicing it yourself can help you to relax and model for them how to.
Try out the "Shhh Breath" tutorial now.
And if you or your child need support to practice a relaxation technique, you can call our 24/7 free 0800 ANXIETY Helpline and we can walk you through one.
You can download the free "Child Anxiety" guide below. We also highly recommend checking out the course "Untangling Anxiety", presented by Parenting Place. It is an engaging, self-paced course with bite-sized modules designed for busy parents.
Parenting Place is New Zealand's family charity; creating and delivering resources for parents at every age and stage.
By using the link below and entering the discount code ANXIETY10 at checkout, you will get 10% off your enrolment. Anxiety NZ will also receive a small payment, every contribution enables us to keep sharing these resources and supporting children, caregivers and families.
Don't forget to put in the discount code ANXIETY10 at checkout.
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