Notice what you’re feeling in your body when big feelings happen.
Research shows that the Insula is the part of the brain we use for awareness of our own body; it links bodily sensations to emotions.
In Mission:CONTROL! When Joseph is feeling overwhelmed by his battle with The Green Hypnozoids, his dog, Gretchen, reminds him to breathe because Joseph said his head was feeling funny.
Application
Questions that can help your child connect big feelings to bodily sensations:
“What is going on inside you?”
“How are your big feelings feeling?”
“Are you feeling like there is something that is just too much? Where is that feeling in your body?”
Steps to take
A small step to take: Notice the connection between your body signals and emotions.
Advanced step to take: Help your child notice the connection between their body sensations and their big feelings.
Check it out
When kids understand their physiological cues and their bodies’ responses to triggers that result in big feelings, it helps them calm down more quickly and to feel more confident.
Get ready to "BLAST OFF" with Joseph and Gretchen in their exciting big feelings adventure "Mission: CONTROL! A Big Feelings Adventure!" Buy your copy here.