MENTAL HEALTH & MEDITATION
TVUSD SEL TEAM NEWSLETTER
MHAM
What is mental health?
Mental health plays a vital role in our overall health and well-being. Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act, and helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Paying attention to our physical and mental health is vital to achieving overall wellness and success.
Mental Health in Children
Meditation
Meditation has been practiced for thousands of years across the globe. There are many documented health benefits associated with the regular practice of meditation. Some of these research based benefits include: reduction of stress, improved memory, increased attention span, development of mental discipline, better sleep, less chronic pain, lower blood pressure, reduction of anxiety and depression, and an increase in positive feelings.
Meditating as a family
Sit down or lie down comfortably and close your eyes. You can use pillows or blankets to make yourself as comfortable as you can be.
Take a few deep, cleansing breaths as you begin to relax.
Bring all of your attention to your right foot, noticing how it feels. Squeeze the right foot, making a fist with your entire right foot and all five toes; tense and squeeze it tightly. Hold this tension for two deep breaths.
Then release all tension in the right foot suddenly. Relax it completely and notice the tension release.
Take a deep breath, and then move on…
Move your attention to your left foot. Same instructions as for the right foot.
Move slowly up and around the body, squeezing one body part at a time to create tension, immediately followed by the contrasting sensation of release and ease. Follow each part with a deep, cleansing breath. Here’s a sample progression you can follow:
Right foot, left foot
Right ankle and calf, left ankle and calf
Right knee, left knee
Right thigh, left thigh
All feet and legs
Hips
Belly
Entire lower body, from tummy down
Chest and heart
Right arm, left arm
Right hand, left hand
Shoulders
Neck
Face
Whole body at once (do this one twice)
In crisis? Find help now
Sometimes help can’t wait
Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org
Care Solace - TVUSD Mental Health Assistance
Simple, fast, and safe way to find mental health providers.