From Victoria Rushmere
Why is Children’s Mental Health a current issue?
Stress and anxiety in children and teenagers have been on the rise for some time. The pressures of school, increasing numbers of extracurricular activities and social media have all contributed to this. Throw a 2-year pandemic into the pot with the uncertainties and fear it brought, along with masks, disrupted schooling and the long lockdowns we all endured, has only added to these pressures and many parents are noticing the toll it has taken in their households.
Older children and teenagers may express feeling worried and stressed but anxiety can show itself in different ways. You may notice that they become agitated or angry more easily, have difficulty getting to sleep, are reluctant to go to school or find they are complaining of headaches or stomach-aches. Here at Oak Park Clinic in Surrey, we can help support you and your children’s well-being.
How can we help?
We can help our children by helping they get enough sleep, eat well, and partake in regular exercise; these elements are vital for both physical and mental health. Try to encourage conversations at home about emotions and any worries they’re experiencing and ensure some time is spent outdoors each day for some fresh air and a dose of vitamin D when the sun comes out. Think about what fills your child’s heart with joy, what activities do they love doing, what makes them laugh? Then try to incorporate some of these into each day. Encourage older children and teens to write a list of all the things they enjoy and that make them smile then see how many they can include in their week
Another positive step you can take is by incorporating practising mindfulness and gratitude into your families daily routines. A great starting point is to sit down together and take 5 slow breaths, noticing where you can feel the inbreath and the outbreaths. Discuss what you noticed and how you felt afterwards.
Another favourite in our household is gratitude journaling. Grab a pen and paper or a notebook and write a list of 3 things that you are grateful for or that made you smile that day and get your chid to do the same. It’s lovely to do this over dinner together or use it as a nice way to end the day before bed.
Today I’m grateful for the snowdrops and crocuses appearing my garden, my woolly hat that kept me warm on the school run and the beautiful blue sky and sunshine that’s made an appearance today. What are your 3 things?
About Victoria….
Victoria Rushmere, BSc (hons), GSR, ICHT, is a Graduate Sport Rehabilitator, Holistic Therapist and Mindfulness Coach and Teacher. She is a Member of The British Association of Sport Rehabilitators and Trainers (BASRaT) and The Federation of Holistic Therapists (FHT), holding a Diploma in Holistic Therapies 1999 Newcastle College, Aromatherapy, Reflexology and Massage alongside a1st Class BSc Honours Degree in Sport Rehabilitation from St Mary’s University (2005).
I’ve worked over the years in both private clinics and for the NHS and also spent many years working for a national league hockey team. In all settings over recent years (even before covid), I have been seeing more and more people with reoccurring niggles, pain or injuries which coincide with stressful life events. Others attend clinic seeking relaxation and a brief moment of rest from their hectic lives with many reporting feelings of anxiety, heightened stress, and depression. Sadly I believe the numbers suffering from these conditions has only gone up since the pandemic. I was able to treat their physical symptoms but often not the underlying cause – stress. It was to help these patients regain a sense of calm and to help them reduce the negative effects that stress was having on their bodies that I began my journey to teach mindfulness. She completed training with Mindfulness UK and is now a passionate Mindfulness teacher. We are delighted to welcome Victoria to Oak Park Clinic. For more information, or to book your place on one of Victoria’s popular courses, please contact Reception on 01252 850 800.