Dealing with strong emotions like anger, hurt and anxiety can be hard when you’re a kid, but a new program based at the University of Wollongong aims to ease the pressure.
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The ACTive Kids program, designed by psychologists from Northfields Clinic, teaches primary-school children to use mindfulness to manage their emotions rather than lashing out at friends or family.
It will go hand-in-hand with the clinic’s successful parenting program Confident Carers Co-operative Kids (CCCK) which has been running for eight years.
‘‘The CCCK program is a nine-week program that introduces parents to a whole range of strategies to help them change their child’s challenging behaviours,’’ supervising clinical psychologist Mark Donovan said.
‘‘This new program will give the child the opportunity to be part of the process, and will run for six weeks in conjunction with the parenting program.
‘‘While the parents are taking part in the group sessions, our therapists will work one-on-one with the children using child-centred activities, role-plays, games, mindfulness and drawing.’’
Mr Donovan said there was good evidence that the acceptance and commitment therapy utilised in the program was an effective way of teaching kids to deal with emotions.
‘‘The acceptance part involves getting kids to accept that as humans we have a range of thoughts, feelings and sensations that can be difficult at times,’’ he said.
‘‘We want to help kids find a way of sitting with those thoughts, feelings and sensations rather than reacting in unhelpful ways like hitting, shouting or throwing.
‘‘So we get kids to talk about what’s in their heart, what sort of young person they want to be, and we help them to make a commitment and give them strategies to move in that direction.’’
Parents need to attend the CCCK program during the second school term this year for their primary-school-aged child to be eligible for ACTive Kids.
If it proves successful, the pioneering kids program will continue to run as part of CCCK to help kids and parents deal with their feelings and strengthen their relationships.
‘‘If children can engage with the program, if it leads to better outcomes for both children and parents, then the pilot will be extended,’’ Mr Donovan said.
Interested families should contact Northfields Clinic on 42213747.
