This is just a selection of some of the strategies that form part of our body basics programme.

Lets relax

Cue yourself in

Create an area or an environment that is pleasant to work in

Use colour

Green acts as a balance
Blue is cool and calming
Orange is creative and good for relationships

Use a room spray or diffliser
Lavender and camomile mixed with mandarin provide a stress free day
Roll some aroma on your arm
Massage hands, temples, back of neck

Always Ask
Is it OK?
Can I?
Would you like me to?
Respect
It's OK not to want to participate at every session

Focus on the breathing - breathing in calm and relaxed

Put your hand on your chest/tummy - Calm and relaxed
Breathe and blow - Blow on your hand
Breathe deeply, breathe slowly - Listen - stroke your ears
Breathe deeply, breathe slowly - Sigh - sigh the breath out
Breathe deeply, breathe slowly - Smile

Sit quietly with your eyes closed, cover your eyes with hands or lower your head.

Practice focussing:

Actively manage the mood

Practise Body Wise

Face the person
Make eye contact
Use a calm voice
Stay calm and relaxed

Use a mantra

Build up conditioned responses for anxious moments:

Calm and relaxed - Blow on my hands
Hands on my head help me think
Hands on my chest help me breathe
Hands on my tulrmy help me relax
Hands in my lap - Hands are relaxed
Feet on the floor - Feet are relaxed

I'm okay, I can do this

Hand or muscle Clench - Tight and relax
Stretch and relax

Owling

Deep Pressure works best
Squeeze down your arms
Press your thumb into your palms
Make small circles in the hair or forehead

Happy hands help me think

Clasp your fingers - I'm under control
Hold Thumb - When I'm afraid
Hold Finger - When I'm anxious
Hold Middle Finger - When I'm angry
Jaw relax - Fingers resting on your cheek bone
Chin relax - Fingers above or below the lips

This will decrease the heartbeat and pulse rate

Try laughing Yoga
Clown or Ha Breath - Raise shoulders and shrug as you breathe out

Practice breathing
Circle - Trace the shape with your fingers as you breathe
Staircase
Square

Stream train breathing

Breathe out to make a gentle hissing sound
Close the lips so you breathe out through the throat and nose, so you hear a rasping/shunting sound - Shunt your shoulders as the wheels go round

Birthday cake blowing - Blow on each Finger - Phew
Listen to the sound of your breath - Ha Hiss SHh Ssss
Humming bee breath
Tarzan breath
Lion breath
Yawn and stretch

Move it

Vigorous exercise increases alpha wave patterns associated with relaxation.
Exercise decreases muscle tension whilst increasing heart rate and circulation.

Get body wise by: rubbing, pounding, clapping, stamping, swinging, twisting.

On the spot activity can be as aerobic as gross motor movement

Row the boat
Stir the pudding
Ring the bell
Hold any posture in stillness, take a calming breath,
blow out loudly and then let go.

Create happy books

People who are distressed/depressed aren't getting their 'happy quota' and will need help to think about something else at the time of stress.

Build a portfolio of pleasures to recreate happy memories and also to reinforce the positive aspects of themselves.

This story massage comes from The Association For Massage In Schools programme and is practiced on the back.

Once upon a time there was a big yellow..... that warmed the whole world

But look, clouds appear and cover the sun

Then the wind comes and blows harder... and harder... and harder...

...until the wind turned into a tornado and hurricane and typhoon Then came lightning...

....and thunder

Then came the rain...

And it rained harder and harder

...until the rain turned into .... and more hail

Then it began to snow and everything was white and beautiful

And the only thing to see was the cat that climbed up the roof of the house... and another cat... and another cat

Finally a fog appeared and everything became still

Until the sun came out again and burned the fog away and warmed up the earth once again.