Yoga, Mindfulness, Tapping & Positive Psychology
Yoga
Yoga is a form of Mindful Movement which coordinates
breath with movement and results in stress reducing
effects for the body and mind. Countless studies continue
to back up the benefits Yoga has to offer children and youth.
Some of these include:
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increases strength & flexibility
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improves sleep and energy levels
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increases stress resilience
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increases felt sense of connection and belonging
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cultivates compassion for self and others
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improves self-esteem
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increases the will power to do the right thing when it's the harder thing to do
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is an ancient method of training the mind to pay attention to
what is happening in the present moment without judgment,
from what is happening outside of ourselves to what is happening within.
Research on Mindfulness continues to pile evidence on the positive effects
mindfulness practices have on the brain.
Studies have shown that Mindfulness:
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decreases psychological and emotional symptoms
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decreases activity in the Amygdala (stress response)
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increases positive outlook and enthusiasm for life
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decreases pain levels
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increases self-esteem
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increases ability to cope with stressful situations
While Mindfulness research in schools is still in its infant stages,
preliminary studies show that Mindfulness has significant benefits for
children and youth. Mindfulness has been shown to
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increase attention span & ability to focus
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decrease mind wandering during tasks
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increase overall working memory
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improve executive function
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increase care and respect for others
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increased self-control & self-esteem
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increase overall well-being
What is Executive Function?
Executive function is the brain's conductor and refers to the direction of essential cognitive functions within the 'orchestra' of the human brain. Essential cognitive functions include: Focus, Emotion, Action, Effort and Memory.
The Prefrontal Cortex is thought to be key to supporting executive function and Mindfulness practice activates the Prefrontal Cortex. A well functioning Prefrontal Cortex affects 9 Core Aspects of Well-Being. They are:
1. Body Regulation: balance between the accelerator and brake of the nervous system
2. Insight: self knowing awareness
3. Attuned communication with others: gives the other person the feeling of being
felt and understood
4. Empathy: ability to see form another person's stance
5. Emotional balance and regulation
6. Fear modulation: ability to self-soothe and even unlearn our fears
7. Response flexibility: ability to pause before taking action
8. Intuition: access to awareness of the body, particularly organs of the heart and intestines
9. Morality: seeing the bigger picture and doing what's best for the larger group
Mindfulness for Youth
Mindfulness for youth focuses on developing self-awareness, self-esteem, attention span, memory and feelings of well-being. We explore practices such as:
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Mindfulness of Body Sensations and stress-related tensions
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Mindful Listening & Seeing
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Mindfulness of Thought
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Mindfulness of Emotions & Emotional Grit
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Mindful Communication
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Gratitude and the Positivity Muscle
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Compassion for self and others
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Heartfulness
Tapping
Tapping belongs to the field of Energy Psychology and involves the tapping
of various acupressure points on the body using the fingers.
Tapping is used to:
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relieve physical pain
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release self-defeating thoughts
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release stuck emotions
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relieve anxiety
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increase feelings of self-worth and self-esteem and so much more!
It is fast, easy to learn and easy to do. It is accessible to everyone
and has been used in schools with tremendous positive benefits.
Watch the video about tapping for youth:
Positive Psychology
Positive Psychology is a term used to describe a branch of psychology that was born in the 1990's. Up until then, psychology was primarily focused on how to reduce negativity and misery caused by trauma. In other words, it was concerned with how to get a person from negative to zero. Positive Psychology asked the question: is it possible to not only get a person back to zero, but teach a set of tools that would help him or her flourish and rise above zero? It was discovered that the answer is YES. Positive Psychology teaches a variety of skills to help a person thrive & flourish through thought regulation, compassion, exploiting personal strengths and more.
