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Book Details
Abstract
Develop children's brains and bonds with this collection of no-tech, physical games, strategies and activities. Ideal for children who have experienced neglect, abuse and trauma, these "real-world" experiences draw on therapeutic, trauma-focused-care play principles and promote positive attachment between child and caregivers.
Explanations for how and why specific play themes and caregiver attitudes can help children's brain development enhance the text. The book also shows how children learn to problem-solve real life situations by playing them out, finding workable solutions to their own problems, and increasing their resiliency. Further benefits include better cause-effect thinking, impulse control, and increased cognitive and emotional functioning by practicing physical movements that exercise specific areas of the brain.
The book shows how particular activities contribute to healing the neurological and psychological damage that trauma has created. It also advises on helping children to problem-solve by acting out situations in real life. The questions at the end of each chapter are valuable for reflecting on what has been learnt and how to apply that; the personal experiences help reassurance and credibility, showing the impact of the activities in the real world. A useful book for teachers, therapists and parents which takes a refreshing new approach that can be utilised in many areas of childhood.
Parents in Touch
Parents in Touch
What I find most interesting about Beth Powell's work is the connections she makes between the physical, the neurological, and the emotional. She reminds us that physical play and creative play are vital for healthy human growth and must retain significance in this world of electronic and passive stimulants.
Dr. Brandy Harvey, Dean of Instruction, Lone Star College, Montgomery
This is a fresh approach and much-needed resource for today's parents. An essential book for those who wish to instill "non-tech" problem-solving skills for real world problems that children face in the 21st century. Powell's personal stories and powerful insight combine to make this an easy read. The book is filled with helpful strategies and the questions at the end of each chapter are a great learning tool and resource. Truly, this is a book that is ideal for those working with children suffering from trauma.
Dr. John DeGarmo, leading expert in foster care and parenting, founder of The Foster Care Institute
Fun Games and Physical Activities to Help Heal Children Who Hurt is unlike anything I've yet to read! Ms. Powell breaks the typical activity book barrier with a masterpiece much more personal. This book is what this generation needs: let's replace the tech and retrain the brain. A great read for parents, teachers, and people seeking out tools to reach the neglected and traumatized.
Troy Skeen, Former Director and Founder of a Nationally Recognized Treatment Facility for Traumatized Children
Beth Powell, LCSW is owner of Beth Powell's In-Family Services, an outpatient psychotherapy private practice specializing in trauma-informed care, in Conroe, Texas.
This book gives fun ways to engage children in physical as well as mental activities during difficult times of pain or hurt. The physical activities especially strengthen muscle memory, providing a vast opportunity for children who will benefit from this well-written and timely book!
Dawn D'Amico LCSW, PhD, author of 101 Mindful Arts-Based Activities to Get Children and Adolescents Talking
Table of Contents
| Section Title | Page | Action | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fun Games and Physical Activities to Help Heal Children Who hurt: Get On Your Feet! by Beth Powell, LCSW | 1 | ||
| Acknowledgments | 11 | ||
| Introduction | 13 | ||
| Chapter 1. How Traumatic Stress Creates Maladaptive but Self-Protective Brain States: Or When Bad Things Happen to Small People | 16 | ||
| Fight–flight–freeze: When the brain registers “threat” | 16 | ||
| Human and animal stress response systems | 18 | ||
| Understanding three major divisions of the brain | 19 | ||
| When the smart part (thinking part) of the brain does override the fight–flight–freeze stress response (survival) part of the brain | 20 | ||
| When the smart part (thinking part) of the brain doesn’t override the fight–flight–freeze stress response system as well as it should: The “fight” continuum | 23 | ||
| When the smart part (thinking part) of the brain doesn’t override the fight–flight–freeze stress response system as well as it should: The “flight” continuum | 27 | ||
| When the fight–flight arousal continuums fail: The “freeze” continuum | 30 | ||
| Chapter 2. How Movement, “Real-World” Play, and Non-Virtual Relationships Can Build Brains, Better Minds, and Bolster Bonds: Or What I Learned from Playing Sodom and Gomorrah with Barbie Dolls | 33 | ||
| When Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed | 33 | ||
| What is played or witnessed repetitively is training for the brain | 36 | ||
| Constructive, creative, pretend play helps the smart (highest) part of the brain become a better boss | 37 | ||
| The non-smart, lower part of the brain must be exercised and/or habilitated so the smart part of the brain can do its job better | 37 | ||
| When is it a “can’t” and when is it a “won’t”? | 38 | ||
| What could be the real sources of the “can’ts” and “won’ts” that we see? | 39 | ||
| The brain works in an interdependent manner: Systems and functions build, one upon the other | 45 | ||
| Interpreting the sources of the symptoms: What the diagnostic labels may really mean | 47 | ||
| Neuro-behavioral play strengthens the neurosensory systems that support the smart part of the brain | 48 | ||
| Pretend play themes which help the mind practice courage, resiliency, and the Fruit of the Spirit (as well as some sense of control in a goofy, old world) | 51 | ||
| Neuro-behavioral play which helps make courage, resiliency, and the Fruit of the Spirit easier to maintain | 53 | ||
| Chapter 3. Creating the Structure of the Relationship to Help Hurting Children Heal | 59 | ||
| Nurturing and nourishing the Fruit of the Spirit while courage and resiliency grow | 59 | ||
| Caregiving relationships and helping a child’s character grow | 60 | ||
| Building the hurting child’s character while helping heal the hurt | 62 | ||
| More on building children’s character while helping them resolve past trauma | 70 | ||
| Chapter 4. Build the Foundation for Mature Character through Safety–Security–Protection–Trust Actvities and Experiences | 76 | ||
| Caregiver–child rocking chair time to help calm brain and body | 78 | ||
| Caregiver-initiated knee-bouncing games to help install rhythmic synchronicity and nurture trust in children | 79 | ||
| Caregiver “large and in charge” attitude in psycho-dramatic play to help children feel safe during sleep time | 80 | ||
| A caregiver “large and in charge” attitude during crisis or emergency situations | 81 | ||
| Caregivers helping children structure play with miniature figures to practice the concept of safety and protection by others | 83 | ||
| Caregivers remaining large and benevolently in charge in spite of children who seemingly fight them for dominance | 84 | ||
| Chapter 5. Build Awareness of Self and Others through Proprioception Activities and Rhythmic Interactions | 87 | ||
| Practice makes perfect | 87 | ||
| The long hard road to self-awareness for a traumatized child | 89 | ||
| Sleep time difficulties: Proprioception problems | 91 | ||
| Ideas for helping children with proprioceptive deficits sleep better | 92 | ||
| Ideas for non-sleep time proprioception-enhancing rhythmic play and activities | 96 | ||
| Chapter 6. Build Emotional Regulation and Self-Control so that the Power of the Will Can Strengthen | 105 | ||
| Teaching the smart part of the brain to regulate or override fear | 105 | ||
| How better control of the emotions leads to better self-control and better self-control leads to better self-discipline: And all that leads us back to the Fruit of the Spirit… | 107 | ||
| When emotional regulation, self-control, and strength of will aren’t strong enough: The woeful tale of David and the family pickup truck | 108 | ||
| Dos and don’ts for caregivers: Thou shalt not make a bad situation worse for those who have emotional regulation problems | 110 | ||
| Building the braking system of the brain and slowing down the reaction | 111 | ||
| Rhythm may help refine the brain’s braking system | 112 | ||
| Games and activities to help build better braking, better differentiated, more rhythmic brains | 113 | ||
| Chapter 7. Build Courage, Compassion, and Higher-Level Thinking through Problem-Solving Activities and Acts of Bravery | 131 | ||
| Courage, common sense, and altruism | 131 | ||
| Building courageous altruism and common sense thinking through live observance of heroism | 133 | ||
| Overcoming fear to build courageous altruism and common sense thinking through creative play | 134 | ||
| Abuse survival as boot camp training for higher-level thinking | 140 | ||
| Is overreliance on technology hampering higher-level thinking skills, courage, and altruism? | 142 | ||
| Real-world play, games, and activities to better sharpen the smart part of the brain | 143 | ||
| Parlor games and activities…or fun ways children can entertain themselves and be entertained when they can’t go outside | 144 | ||
| Escape from danger or keep-from-getting-caught games | 151 | ||
| Music training and physical activities | 154 | ||
| Chapter 8. Where Do We Go from Here? | 163 | ||
| Where we are | 163 | ||
| Where we can be | 167 | ||
| References | 168 | ||
| About the Author | 169 | ||
| Index | 170 | ||
| Blank Page |