From the HeArt Youth Mentoring and Art Therapy

09/08/2024

Tools to take forward in life. Opening up to curiosity....

01/08/2024

When the brain has experienced significant adversity, it becomes fundamentally reorganized. Children may come to school and into our lives without healthy attachments. They can also come with a deep mistrust of adults. These are such difficult states to both bear witness to, and ‘live in’ for those working through .

Because past experiences can live on in the body, learning and focus are sometimes difficult both within the walls of the classroom and beyond. It is also difficult to know what sort of activity, visual aide, or situation to avoid that might a past memory or experience for children.

The neurobiological changes caused by negative experiences trigger a fear response in the brain. Chronic activation of the fear response can damage parts of the brain responsible for cognition and learning. Which means focus goes out the window when biologically, there are things perceived as a bigger threat.

We know as parents and educators we REALLY wish there was more we could do and more support for these trauma-filled children in our lives. While there is no ‘quick fix,’ there are techniques to help buffer the effects of trauma both within in the context of learning and navigating .

❤️‍🩹 Movement
Movement can be very helpful and calming. It both activates multiple parts of the brain at once as well as has a calming effect on the body. Any age can benefit from incorporating movement, especially if it is cross-lateral movements that can activate both sides of the brain. Think of rhythmic movements that involve crossing the mid-line (think middle) of the body.

❤️‍🩹 Breathing
Deep breathing brings oxygenated glucose blood flow to our frontal lobes. Slow deep breaths can be such a simple and yet profound technique to use. There are many different variations to try such as belly breathing, box breathing, and alternate nostril breathing. All of which can help calm the mind when feeling stressed or anxious.

❤️‍🩹 Mindfulness
Bringing an of our body in terms of sensations can bring a sense of calm. This might be using a five senses technique to name five things you see, four things you hear, three things you can touch, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste (or would like to if it is not available). Being distracted and immersed in a experience can help move the focus from the part of the brain that is flaring and elevate the parts that can bring your brain back ‘on-line’ for learning and engagement.

❤️‍🩹 Grounding
Feeling connected or tethering your feet to can provide the body and the brain a sense of calm. Grounding techniques bring the brain back to the present, which can help when ‘racing’ thoughts begin to occur. They can serve as a lifeline to prevent a feeling of ‘lost in space.’

❤️‍🩹 Chanting
Repetition of all sorts is well received by the brain. Repetition has a pattern—something we can predict and count on. This predictability when there might not be much of otherwise can be very beneficial for a young brain coping through trauma.

❤️‍🩹 Body Scan
Connecting back to oneself and becoming aware of one’s body can be grown with practice. This might look like starting with the head and focusing attention to how your head feels and then like a paintbrush, move downward through the body ‘coating’ it with attention and awareness as you go.

❤️‍🩹 Music
The rhythm and beats in music can have quite the effect on learning and mood for people. It can help set the tone for quite a lot. Music should be especially chosen for its desired effects.

❤️‍🩹 Routine
The sense of control that can be found from knowing a set routine and schedule is calming for all children. Children like to be able to know what is happening, especially if it is something happening to them. Posted schedules of the day’s activities can provide more comfort that you might know. It helps lessen the unknown; It calms the chaos that might be swirling in one’s mind.

“Childhood trauma can lead to an adulthood spent in survival mode, afraid to plant roots, to plan for the future, to trust, and to let joy in. It’s a blessing to shift from surviving to thriving. It’s not simple, but there is more than survival.” – Author Unknown

References:
https://www.edutopia.org/article/7-ways-calm-young-brain-trauma-lori-desautels/

01/08/2024

Oh my word yes! How do you think I got all the art supplies I can offer to my clients! 😂🫡

17/07/2024

19/05/2024

Membership renewed!

18/05/2024

I just wanted to share this booklet with you all. My son who lives in NZ recently joined Island of Misfits which is a neurodivergent support group for teens and adults in his community. You'll find one of his poems in here by Jasper of the River. You'll find so much more in here too.
Myself, I found myself resonating so much with others stories! So much so that I found my heart aching.
I was thinking I'd really love to start my own group here in Beenleigh. Maybe, if you are reading this post, you'd like to do something with me too?
I often have these fantastical ideas but then struggle to get them off the ground (task paralysis is REAL I tell ya!) I need others to keep me on track and soooo need the support.
Please have a read and then if you're interested, drop me a DM and we can speak about how we too can do something similar with our own local community

15/05/2024

“Today in one of our classes I introduced the children to two apples (the children didn't know this, but before the class I had repeatedly dropped one of the apples on the floor, you couldn't tell, both apples looked perfect). We talked about the apples and the children described how both apples looked the same; both were red, were of similar size and looked juicy enough to eat.

I picked up the apple I'd dropped on the floor and started to tell the children how I disliked this apple, that I thought it was disgusting, it was a horrible colour and the stem was just too short. I told them that because I didn't like it, I didn't want them to like it either, so they should call it names too.

Some children looked at me like I was insane, but we passed the apple around the circle calling it names, 'you're a smelly apple', 'I don't even know why you exist', 'you've probably got worms inside you' etc.

We really pulled this poor apple apart. I actually started to feel sorry for the little guy.

We then passed another apple around and started to say kind words to it, 'You're a lovely apple', 'Your skin is beautiful', 'What a beautiful colour you are' etc.

I then held up both apples, and again, we talked about the similarities and differences, there was no change, both apples still looked the same.

I then cut the apples open. The apple we'd been kind to was clear, fresh and juicy inside.

The apple we'd said unkind words to was bruised and all mushy inside.

I think there was a lightbulb moment for the children immediately. They really got it, what we saw inside that apple, the bruises, the mush and the broken bits is what is happening inside every one of us when someone mistreats us with their words or actions.

When people are bullied, especially children, they feel horrible inside and sometimes don't show or tell others how they are feeling. If we hadn't have cut that apple open, we would never have known how much pain we had caused it.

I shared my own experience of suffering someone's unkind words last week. On the outside I looked OK, I was still smiling. But, on the inside someone had caused me a lot of pain with their words and I was hurting.

Unlike an apple, we have the ability to stop this from happening. We can teach children that it's not ok to say unkind things to each other and discuss how it makes others feel. We can teach our children to stand up for each other and to stop any form of bullying, just as one little girl did today when she refused to say unkind words to the apple.

More and more hurt and damage happens inside if nobody does anything to stop the bullying. Let's create a generation of kind, caring children.

The tongue has no bones, but is strong enough to break a heart. So be careful with your words.”

Words by: Mum in the Moment

09/05/2024

Just watched this 4 Corners episode. It goes to show that there is a long way to go before the Australian Education Department make the changes necessary for our children's mental health accomodations.
It also breaks my heart to know that I was a parent who buckled under the pressure and had my own children suffer the overwhelming pain of being pushed to attend schools which were not equipped for their needs. If I could go back in time....😭

Four Corners is the home of Australian investigative journalism.

09/05/2024

THE CLIMB

They say that when you’re broken
This is how the light gets in
But what if all the cracks
Are letting out the light within?

They say it makes you stronger
But at first it makes you weak
The way you face the mountain base
Before you reach the peak

They say to break is brave
And yet your mind is full of dread
You’re not overwhelmed by courage
But by helplessness instead

But admitting you are breaking
Is far braver than you know
And remember, from the bottom
There is just one way to go

See, I think they mean it isn’t just
That breaking makes you strong
But the way you use the embers
Of your will to carry on

It’s triumph over trauma
And it’s healing after hurt
It’s rising from the ashes
With a new-found sense of worth

So find yourself a candle
And allow its tiny spark
To ignite you back to life
And put the fire back in your heart

And grant yourself compassion
For the times that you feel weak
Just rest until you’re strong enough
To get back on your feet

Yes, I know that when you’re broken
You have only threads of hope
But tie them to the mountain
Like your personal safety rope

Then gather at the bottom
With the summit high above
Then take a breath and take a step
The only way is up

~ Becky Hemsley Poetry

16/04/2024

A huge shout out to the Homeschool/Unschooling community here in Australia who fought and won against the government trying to make all our young ones to have followed the school curriculum based on their age level. If that worked for them in the first place, families wouldn't necessarily find the need to educate their children at their own pace and in their own style! Good on you for standing your ground! 👏

14/04/2024

Proudly completed this course today! Although it was a lot of what I already know and practice, I learnt some new things and it's also never a bad thing to review what you know.

11/04/2024

I'm so proud of myself! The last time I sat at a pottery wheel was at the age of 6 in my great aunt's pottery studio. Ive always wanted to give it another go and last night I was able to fulfil that dream at the Logan Artist Association.
A little hard to master with my nails being long, but I add-libbed with some tools and wallah! (chopping my nails tomorrow!).

Observations/metaphors made:

I found pottery in this form, a representation of life...
The wheel itself: the world spinning fast or slow

The clay: myself

The clay needing to be first prepared: formative life

The centering process of starting the bowl: growth and pressure, growth and pressure until finding my centre and equilibrium in my life

Starting to form the bowl: maintaining my centre whilst becoming the person I want to be.

Hollowing out and forming walls: life's experiences where I learn my limits and boundaries. How much pressure I can endure and how it stretches me and how easily I can wobble off my axis sometimes.

The water: the need for sustenance...but too much and I won't be able to maintain who I am to become. The fine balance between too much and too little in my life.

Over all I found the experience very cathartic. I can't wait to learn more next week!

20/02/2024

My first time on a podcast with the marvellous children's Author, Michelle Worthington. I could have talked on and on as I missed so much of what I'd intended to talk about but there's going to be another podcast where we will speak on Neurodivergence.https://m.youtube.com/watch?si=dl76ey979-WhFgNR&fbclid=IwAR1zudSPVi1W4HnF6R7_I7YyNFymnmb3nHzEIk3c1c08D2CnWM_rNmRPR34&v=I6SneTwZHrw&feature=youtu.behttps://m.youtube.com/watch?si=dl76ey979-WhFgNR&fbclid=IwAR1zudSPVi1W4HnF6R7_I7YyNFymnmb3nHzEIk3c1c08D2CnWM_rNmRPR34&v=I6SneTwZHrw&feature=youtu.be

Teresa Myers has a diploma from Health and Harmony College and is offering her amazing Art Therapy & Youth Mentoring at Life Essense Beenleigh or in your own...

19/02/2024

Hey I got all three in my job as an Art therapist/youth mentor/kids yoga coach. How good is that?!