I recently read this great article in from the NCH one of my governing bodies highlighting the growing numbers of children struggling to get into school during the COVID lockdown.
This is something that I have experienced as a parent. The current “lockdown” has increased my daughter’s anxieties to a point where she has been unable to attend school! She had a 2 year period of on:off schooling due to CFS/ME so you could argue that her current anxiety is entirely justified.
“Why can’t I fix it, I hear you ask?”
I can answer with confidence that we can but it takes a little time to support the shift as is explained in this article.
I can only help those who want to be helped, including my own daughter, ( who asked this afternoon for my help
). So I have confidence that she will be back in next week.
). So I have confidence that she will be back in next week.It’s important to recognise our children’s anxieties and to look at ways to support their change without constantly pushing them towards the “thing” that they fear. Our brains respond to our “problems” (fears) in a fairly typical way; dictating flight ( anxiety), fight (anger) & freeze ( low mood) . So finding ways to turn away from their problems to reduce the brain’s survival instinct in the first instance is key. Then, and only then, can we ask them to engage their intellect to find a way to overcome the problem.
This is an area that I have successfully helped many to children overcome. Together, with parents too, we understand the brain and work with it to allow the changes to be made.
If you’re interested to know more the. Please go get in touch. 07909951338 holly@hollystonehypnotherapy.co.uk
Update: F was able to return to school and has commuted a whole week back. I do believe that the indirect approach is far more successful.
