Hi, I am Clare, and I am a wellbeing practitioner specialising in relaxation techniques and cognitive hypnotherapy to calm the mind, reframe your mindset and give people a ‘toolkit’ to facilitate change. I also have 20 years of experience working with children and adults in social care and believe in inclusivity and equality. Many of the clients I have worked with have experienced discrimination or have been bullied in their past and this impacts a person’s self-esteem, mental and physical health and can leave people feeling disempowered.
Bullying is an emotive subject and if anyone has experienced bullying of any kind, be that from peers, teachers, friends, relationships, or in the workplace, you will know that this can be disabling and detrimental to a person’s wellbeing. Bullying can come in many forms, such as name-calling, harassment, domestic abuse, discrimination and cyberbullying and no form of bullying should be tolerated.
There are many reasons people feel they can’t speak out; some of these being lack of self-esteem, confidence, feeling anxious/stressed.
So, what can we do? If we, as a society and community can encourage more open conversations and help people to find their voice, we can be part of that change.
We all have a responsibility to look out for the signs; as friends, siblings, partners, parents and professionals as we can all make a difference. If people can speak about their experiences and tell someone what is going on, this can be life-changing. I know this can be easier said than done, as people may be worried about the repercussions, but if we can build up a person’s confidence and help them feel less isolated, this could improve things for them.
There are also organisations out there to support people that have a wealth of resources and advice. There are people turn to and if we can gently encourage people to speak and signpost them, they can access the support they require. All schools and workplaces should have an anti-bullying policy, but if people still feel unsupported; there are organisations such as: Bullying UK for children that have resources and information on ‘how to spot the signs’, and a helpline with a range of resources to support you. There is also the National Bullying helpline for adults that has information and support.
In the recent news, I have been overwhelmed by the bravery and recent charity walk by ‘3 dads walking’ who are raising money and awareness for the charity PAPYRUS and their helpline who support families of young people who have taken their lives. Although this is the extreme impact of bullying, and this may not have been the experience of their daughters; bullying is sadly a common reason people may contemplate suicide. ‘3 dads walking’ aims to raise awareness of the positive impact of being able to say how you feel, and the helpline offers ways to check in with young people and prevent suicide.
The impact of bullying can be debilitating and there are many complexities surrounding this, however, being able to reduce stress and have a clear and calm mindset can also help someone to take a moment out and hopefully gain a better perspective. Stress itself can have a huge impact on our ability to think straight and see things in a different light and finding ways to reduce this is vital. When stressed, we release the chemicals cortisol and adrenaline, and if released on a long-term basis, they can affect our cognitive functioning, mood, sleep and emotional health. By being able to take a step back, calm the mind and gain a different perspective can help people feel stronger and more empowered.
There are different ways to calm the mind and body such as going into nature, exercise, relaxation techniques and music. I would like to share some simple mindfulness and relaxation/visualisation tools to help calm the mind and body for adults and children to get into a calmer state and have a clearer mindset.
This is a simple exercise I love that is often taught to young people to be able to stay in the present moment and to help calm overwhelm and stress/anxiety.
Grounding exercise
Have a look around you and notice:
- 5 things you can see - notice their shape, colour and detail
- 4 things you can touch - feel things around you noticing their texture
- 3 things you can hear - listen to the sounds around you near and far
- 2 things you can smell - breathe in and notice any smells and sensations
- 1 thing you can taste - notice the texture, taste and sensation
Relaxation/visualisation for a calm ‘state’
I love this exercise to get into a calm ‘state’ and I often go back to a time I visited Studland Bay in Dorset, as I love this place.
Remember the brain doesn’t know the difference between an imagined or real event/place; so, remembering or imagining we are somewhere relaxing can create the same feeling and chemical response, as though we were there.
- Take a deep breath in through your nose and out through your mouth,
- Slow the breathing down, focussing on the breath going in and out
- Breathe in a colour that is relaxing to you and let that flow through your body, calming you
- Imagine or remember being in a place that is relaxing to you, notice the colours, the smells, the sounds and the feeling
- Breathe in that feeling now and imagine being there where you feel relaxed and calm
- As you reach that state of relaxation remember you can come back to this place wherever you want by taking a deep breath and picturing that calm place
I hope you enjoy doing these simple techniques for yourself and others to reach a calmer state and perspective. Learning these simple relaxation techniques can help people take a moment out, to clear the mind and reset.
I recommend https://positivepsychology.com/mindfulness-exercises-techniques-activities/ for a range of mindfulness exercises for adults
There is also a lovely downloadable mindfulness pdf file for children by Sarah Conway at:
https://www.mindfullittleminds.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/my-mindfulness-workbook-1.pdf.
If you are interested in finding out more about the relaxation techniques I use with clients, please go to my website where I explain more about what I offer. I am also happy to do bespoke virtual workshops at your workplace or school to help others to gain a calmer state and clearer perspective and enable people to feel more confident in themselves and my details are below,
Well, wishes,
Clare
Limeflower Wellbeing
E mail: clare@limeflower-wellbeing.co.uk
Website: www.limeflower-wellbeing.co.uk
