Today’s kids are dealing with more stress than ever before.
So what does that mean and how can we help them?
Let’s start with a little history! Thousands of years ago when humans lived on the land and had to face real danger such an attacking tiger or dangerous weather we had to know how to survive!
When we were faced with life-threathening situations the part of our brain called the amygdala would switch on the flight or fight response, allowing us to react and ultimately survive.
Fast forward to now, unfortunately for humans alive today, the brain cannot tell the difference between a real life threat such as facing an angry tiger, and a ‘perceived’ threat such as a school homework deadline, or meeting new people. The Amygdala still kicks into gear, activating the body’s fight or flight response and your body reacts as though your life is in real danger in the same way it has done for thousands of years.
Your child’s brain and body responds to the pressures of getting to school on time, playground drama, homework stress and even video games in the same way it would have thousands of years ago when facing up against real threats such as a tiger.
Their body also produces extra cortisol a.k.a. stress when watching something scary on tv or overhearing the news. Their amygdala can’t tell the difference between hearing about things happening elsewhere, or made up in movies and actual danger. The body responds as though it’s happening to them.
These ‘modern threats’ lodge in your child’s system, causing blocks in their energy that, if left unhealed, can pop up again and again, throughout their life creating the patterns and behaviours that they live by.
For example, getting in trouble as a kid for not handing in homework may cause anxiety when you aim for a deadline as an adult.
Thankfully Tapping is an effective technique for releasing the root cause of stresses and is especially effective on our neurodiverse kids who respond so well to energetic techniques.
Tapping means gently tapping on certain points on your face or body that access the part of your brain responsible for fight, flight or freeze reponses. This part of your brain, called the Amygdala, is responsible for our survival.
Then by focussing on your stress you gently expose the Amydala to the stress (modern threat) and it begins to switch off the fight or flight reponse as it realises there is no actual life danger.
Tapping studies show it lowers cortisol levels by up to 40%, which reduces your visible stress and anxiety by calming your nervous system and brain, and also has the added benefit of boosting positive antigens and antibodies that improve the overall well-being of your body.
I find that many kids get sleepy after tapping or choose to lie down and tap as their body visibly sighs with relief.
Interested in tapping for your child?
Reach out to me at nova@novarose.co and let’s chat about the best way to support your child.