I had it on my heart to share a story with you today.
Bradley, a 7-year-old boy, sat down for a right brain lesson. After Alpha Relaxation, we started to play a Wink Eye Exercise game. As his eyes ran across the eye exercise card, he began to grow angry. "I don't like this!" he cried.
"That's okay, Bradley." I said as I gently removed the card from his hands. "What do you want to play instead?"
"I want to play with these..." he murmured as he reached toward the policemen figurines. They were colored in blue, red and yellow for Observation Training play. But before we could get to the game, he began to fight with them—pretending that they were at war. He voiced anger from one man to another. I let him play it out for a little bit, and then I picked up one of the figurines.
"Hello, Bradley," the small policeman bellowed as he looked lifesize Bradley squarely in the eyes. "Tell me, why are you so sad?"
Bradley's eyes began to water as he told the policeman about a schoolyard bully who called him a girl at recess. The other children followed his lead, laughing and teasing him.
The little policeman patiently listened while Bradley's mother, who sat behind him, covered her mouth in a gasp.
Bradley continued to explain about how he felt when he was humiliated. Slowly, slowly, the anger began to subside.
"Bradley," the policeman finally spoke up. "I'd like to shake your hand." Bradley reached for his teeny-tiny hand and shook it.
"You were very brave," explained the policeman.
"Okay," sniffled Bradley.
"And I think that your mom wants to give you a hug," he continued.
Bradley turned to face his mother and they shared a tearful hug. The rest of the lesson was dedicated to their embrace because as soon as he was inside her arms, he just completely let go and cried.
The next lesson, Bradley was back to his cheerful self. The school yard issue had worked itself out and he was happy once again.
The right brain is all about memory and emotion. Everyday negative experiences greatly impact learning.
Love is so key.
So, what happens when a child, or a parent, has experienced trauma?
The right brain shuts down.
The limbic system—our natural defense system valiantly guarding our most vulnerable self—quickly limits access to our creative intuitive mind until things are safe and/or loving once again.
One very effective way to treat the little hurts that come our way is through talking each day. But another way is to release negative memories through a form of acupressure called EFT, or Emotional Freedom Technique. It is quick, easy to learn and easy to use in any situation—large or small.
As EFT founder, Gary Craig, shared in a recent article:
"The basic idea is simple. Every night, while children are being tucked into bed, parents should ask...
"Can you tell me about your good and bad thoughts as well as the good and bad things that happened to you today?"
Then, as the events are being told (both good and bad), the parents should lightly and lovingly either tap or gently rub the EFT points.
(You can read more of his article, entitled A "must" EFT procedure for children here.)
To download a free manual to learn EFT for yourself, your family or classroom, please go to: www.emofree.com/.)
Please Note: Right Brain Kids does not have an affiliate relationship with this site, or profit from referrals in any way. We just really, really, love this technique. We want to see all obstacles to right brain development cleared so that you and your child's potential can fully blossom and shine!
