Emotional First Aid Kit: 45 cards for self-care

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An Emotional Emergency Kit is a set of emotional wellness tools and can include some of the following activities that you can share with your family or class to build emotional resilience and connection. Inspirational reading – many people find comfort in reading positive memes, inspirational stories, poems or prayers, what are your favourite ones? Have faith in yourself. The truth is that you can handle more than you might believe at this particular moment. You can use prayer or meditation for added support and to access your belief in a greater power. Grounding technique -When starting to feel anxious, stop and look around you, make a list (speak it out loud if alone, if in company make list in your mind) list 5 things you can see, 4 things you can hear, 3 things you can touch, 2 things you can smell and 1 thing you can taste (think lemons) Emotional Food/Water : Daily nurturance includes doing at least one activity each day that promotes self-care like wearing comfy clothes, taking a bubble bath, eating your favorite food for a meal, or having a cup of a warm beverage like tea.

When you find you have strayed from your center, allow the imbalance. Just notice what is going on emotionally, physically, and mentally. What are you telling yourself about this experience? Are you ready to regroup, or do you need a bit more time to explore what is happening? Sometimes, the hardest thing is allowing yourself to totter emotionally, to grieve or feel angry, overwhelmed, or exhausted. Whatever is happening, it won’t last. Ten Tips For Emergency Emotional First Aid Emotional Batteries: Sleep hygiene is important for overall well-being. Try adding an extra 30 minutes to sleep time and include a soothing activity before bed, such as listening to relaxing music, writing a gratitude list, or reading an inspirational book. This training will ensure those who work with children and young people – including parents and caregivers – can support their wellbeing by identifying signs of distress and helping them access the support they need. PFA is a globally recognised training programme designed to support people during or in the aftermath of a serious event. PHE has adapted this training for those supporting children and young people with advice from a range of experts, including NHS England, the Department for Education and the British Red Cross and is being made available online by social learning platform, Future Learn. Collect together items that are meaningful, or those you know will be helpful. If you cannot put the item in the bag or box, then perhaps use a reminder of the item, for example, a picture of an iPod, mp3 player, computer or games machine. Include items that will help soothe all your senses:And I don’t know about you, but sometimes when I’m really having a tough time, 20 minutes of meditation just isn’t really an option for me. Emotional Charger: Taking a 10-15 minute break when feeling overwhelmed can reduce feelings of being overwhelmed. A time-out can include taking a walk or run, having a laugh, praying, or singing. An Emotional Emergency Kit is a set of emotional wellness tools and can include some of the following activities that you can share with your family or class to build emotional resilience and connection:

It’s a set of practices, behaviors, and creative interventions I’ve cultivated over the years that helps me support my body, mind, heart, and soul when times are particularly tough and I need to ramp up my self-care big time.

An emotional first aid kit is an ongoing practice of self-awareness and self-care, supporting you in recognizing what you need, and getting curious and creative about how you can meet your needs through life’s many ups and downs. This box may not contain band aids or antiseptic wipes but it is ready to deliver some urgent care to your brain.*

Science shows that doing these things will not only make you appear more confident and happy; it actually makes you feel more confident and happy. Participants in one study showed significant decreases in both anxiety and depression levels after one month of adding singing to their routine. Can you combine a few activities into one to engage several senses of your body at once? (Eg: Music and movement?)

Look around you and notice what you see (colours, shapes, light or shadow, movement), what you hear (nature sounds, sounds in the room, near and far), what you smell or taste (including from the environment around you), and what you can touch, right now, wherever you are as well as items from your emergency bag/box. Spending time outdoors can be a great way to boost your mood, especially if you use mindful walkingtechniques. It's like learning how to meditate, but with a focus on the present moment while you're walking around rather than sitting still. It has been a tough year, but the NHS is here for children’s mental health, so anyone who is struggling should come forward for the help they need. Hearing: soothing or inspiring music on CD or mp3 player, recordings of a friends voice, reminder of phone numbers to ring, a talking book, self help or calming mp3.