(Scroll down to see links to supporting research, additional reading, videos demonstrating strategy)

We’ve surely had our share of challenges here in Central Texas. As if the blooming covid numbers and restrictions weren’t enough, now we’ve been frozen in by winter storms the likes of which we have never seen. We have lost power, water, and ability to travel for groceries, school, and work.

Many of our students have struggled with motivation, isolation, and virtual school. Some got anxious, some overwhelmed with school work and perfectionism, some can’t resist the temptation to play video games or watch YouTube during instructional times. Others just got down, lost their motivation. These are some of the ways we have struggled in coping with the added stresses.

What is one simple thing we can all do to help ourselves? We can breathe. But wait. That’s not completely it. We can learn to breathe better. We can engage in mindful breathing practices and learn to breathe properly. Find out the Breathe- Simple Trick Helps Focus, Energy, Depression, Anxiety, Sleep Read on, and be ready to be surprised by how a few simple breathing techniques can restore mental and physical health. Isn’t breathing something we do naturally without thinking? Yes, but modern man has lost their way with one of the simplest, most elemental aspects of our living and, well, breathing.

What if I told you that one simple trick, learning to breathe only through your nose, could help with anxiety, depression, insomnia, sleep apnea, crooked teeth and the need for extractions, athletic performance, acid reflux, fatigue, ADHD, dizziness, allergies, asthma, and more? I know, this sounds like a sales pitch for a “miracle cure.”

Except this is not a sales pitch, because I’m not asking for money, not trying to sell you anything except some ideas you and your kids can try for free with no risks or bad side-effects. You don’t have to leave your house, you don’t even have to work hard. Are these ideas supported by any research? You bet, and I will give you some links at the end so you can see for yourself. I also published a more comprehensive sophisticated guide for student loss of motivation and joy for virtual school, and will place a link to that at the end of this article as well. Don’t worry, that’s free too.

My Dad is 84 and is a health and fitness fanatic. He’s not a doctor, but I learned in the community that in the running world, he is known as “Dr. Keith,” for his eagerness to share his breadth and depth of knowledge about the human body, wellness, athletic performance, and links between physical and mental health. He gave me a book called Breath, by James Nestor. Being shut in for a week with spotty internet by a winter storm in a place that seems to have no snow plows, I picked it up and started reading.

Sure I’ve done breath work, mindfulness, meditation for myself and in my counseling practice to aide in calming anxiety and develop a focused, organized state of mind. I see quite a few children, teens, and adults who are bright, gifted, and also have ADHD, autism, and/or anxiety. Some get so wrapped up in their thinking they overwhelm, disorganize, and wear out one of their greatest assets, their smart brains. Then they have difficulty sleeping, socializing, and working. Finally, they begin to doubt themselves, feel defective, get emotionally dysregulated, have anxious/angry outbursts or withdraw, and may even start thinking they don’t want to go on or be here anymore.

These are the people I’m writing this for, and why I’m excited about what I’m learning from this book Breath, and the research it has inspired me to do. I hope you will be inspired and do some research too. What follows is a synopsis of what I have learned so far, and the applications for the population I serve.

It turns out there are explicit descriptions and references to the importance of proper breathing practices, especially to breathe through the nose, across cultures, geography, religions, ethnic groups, and time. I placed links for you below that show the research findings and technique demonstrations in videos to help create a more organized, coherent state of mind, sense of well-being, and respiratory health.

In addition to nose breathing, we can also learn to breathe less. Less is more, so they say. How can this work? It raises the level of carbon dioxide in your body. This helps you absorb more oxygen with less breathing. It also forces the body to engage in aerobic energy conversion, decreasing painful lactic acid buildup, and the fatigue some overbreathers get along with nausea and dizziness from exercise. This has also be used to successfully treat allergies, snoring, apnea, asthma, emphysema, and other respiratory conditions. It also restores proper ph to the bloodstream, so the kidneys don’t compensate by pulling bicarbonate out of the body into the urine. Over time this also leaches minerals like magnesium from the body creating a need for supplements.

So if this learning to breathe in less and exhale more completely and slowly is so great for performance, why don’t Olympic athletes use it? Well, turns out they do, and they have. Emil Zatopek, called the greatest runner of all time by Runners World magazine, claimed 18 world records and four Olympic gold medals. He was laughed at for using this technique. Coach Counsilman for the US Men’s swimming team used this method and his team in the Montreal Olympics took 13 gold medals, 14 silver, and 7 bronze.

Those guys worked hard at it, but you don’t have to in order to restore your respiratory system and get a variety of health benefits, by practicing a few minutes a day on your couch. You don’t even have to get up! 5.5 breaths per minute. That’s 5.5 seconds inhaling, 5.5 seconds exhaling. Exactly what happens when you say the Rosary. Buddhist monks’ most popular mantra, Om, Mani, Padme, Hum takes six seconds to sing, with a pause of six seconds to inhale. Kundalini yoga; sa ta na ma chant, six seconds to chant, six seconds to inhale. Breathe in through the nose. Slow it down. Breathe less. Increase your health, mental well-being, and longevity. Modern westernized versions of this technique can be found by googling “resonant breathing,” or “Coherent Breathing.”

Want to live longer and slow aging? Increase your lung capacity. Independent researchers have conducted longitudinal studies on thousands of people to determine that it is lung capacity, not genetics, or diet, or exercise, that best predicts lifespan.

Here are some simple exercises to increase lung capacity:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Tibetan_Rites

Some just breathe exercises:

https://www.drweil.com/health-wellness/body-mind-spirit/stress-anxiety/breathing-three-exercises/

What to do with your mind while you breathe- six simple meditation techniques to help you learn this “Breathe- Simple Trick Helps Focus, Energy, Depression, Anxiety, Sleep.”

Mouth breathing and ADHD: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4047298/

https://www.kimriouxdds.com/wp-content/uploads/Does-Childhood-Mouthbreathing-Cause-ADHD.pdf

Trouble sitting still? What you can do with your body while you breathe- a simple follow along video if you don’t have a routine? Try a yoga or stretching routine video from YouTube.

Nose breathing vs mouth breathing and allergies, asthma, sleep problems, mental health:

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/319487

https://www.healthline.com/health/mouth-breathing

Some quotes from medical and religious texts- sorry for all those I didn’t find and list below, I know there are so many, and don’t intend to endorse any one in particular!:

https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Breathing

https://www.stitcher.com/show/mark-bunn/episode/yogic-nasal-breathing-the-ayurvedic-way-to-supreme-mind-body-health-6-61390305

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qigong

https://www.banyanbotanicals.com/info/blog-the-banyan-insight/details/science-of-pranayama/

Free divers- this is what they do to go 200 feet underwater on a single breath and can hold it 8-12 minutes.

Try this: pant like a dog, breathing fast and shallow, for one minute. Notice how you feel. Next try breathing all the way in, pause, all the way out, pause again until you feel like you need more air, for one minute. How do you feel now? I watch people breathe in my practice. I notice when they stop breathing, hold their breath. Can you stop breathing without feeling anxious?

There may be many things we can’t do right now, but we can all breathe, and we can learn to do it better. That way we can open up, improve our physical and mental health, our quality of life and personal experience, and be ready to go when things open back up. Plus with covid hanging around, we want our lungs and respiratory issues cleared up, right?

I hope you enjoyed this article, Breathe- Simple Trick Helps Focus, Energy, Depression, Anxiety, Sleep.

Here’s the link to my free Guide for Student Loss of Joy and Motivation for School During Covid Restrictions

I’ve been experimenting with some of these strategies myself, and I notice the difference already. I’m planning to continue and do more research, if you would like a follow up article to find out what I’ve learned, shoot me an email at

bradmasonlpc@aol.com

and I will put you on the list.

Stay safe and warm!

Brad Mason

Book Breath

The post Breathe- Simple Trick Helps Focus, Energy, Depression, Anxiety, Sleep, and More appeared first on Intensive Care for You.

Update: Telemedicine virtual online counseling now available here: https://www.bradmasoncounselor.com/

Coronavirus Kid Care Kit detailing how to reassure kids in crisis by age group, structuring their day, menu of offline at-home activities, and managing technology use. Children with special needs and behavior problems stuck at home without structure can push their parents to the edge. Send them this free resource.

Please note that the underlined blue text in this online IEP goals for anxiety document indicates clickable links to downloadable forms you can use in your counseling sessions.

Coping Skills/ Emotional Regulation/ Self-Regulation

In the classroom environment, ______ will utilize positive self-talk and coping strategies to handle stressful situations or work demands in which he/she manifests anxious or withdrawn behavior (i.e. putting head down, saying he/she can’t do something), demonstrated by engaging in the 30 minute activity or situation in a calm and positive manner with one prompt on 2/3 occasions.

In counseling sessions, _______ will accurately identify feelings and appropriate coping strategies when presented with real or imagined situations with 80% accuracy on 4 out of 5 trials.

When _____ becomes upset, frustrated, or angry, he will use a self-regulation/coping strategy (movement break, deep breathing, quiet space break, deep pressure/heavy work activity, etc.) to avoid engaging in an unexpected behavior, with one reminder, on 4 out of 5 opportunities, as measured by observations and documentation.

__________ will improve his self-regulation skills as demonstrated through utilizing a tool (e.g. inner coach, sensory support, calming break) to aid in regulating to an expected emotional state (e.g. green zone – which is when we feel calm, happy, content, and focused) with one adult reminder on 8 out of 10 instances in a small group setting, as measured over two week period

______ will improve insight on regulation as demonstrated by identifying the instances where he/she could have benefited from utilizing a tool to aid in regulation and determine what tool would have been beneficial for each instance with 80% accuracy.

When presented with a problem (non-preferred task, frustrating situation, criticism/correction), ______ will accurately determine the size of the problem (big problem, little problem) and determine the appropriate emotional response (take a break, talk with teacher, take a deep breath, replace frustration with good thoughts, etc.) and return to task at hand in 4 out of 5 trials as measured by teacher charted data.

When given a frustrating situation (i.e. undesired task, demand, and/or undesired peer behavior), with one prompt ________ will utilize coping strategies (i.e. take a break, deep breaths, etc.) and return to and remain on task with a calm body and mind for a minimum of 10 minutes with an average of 95% over 8 consecutive school weeks, across all classroom environments.

When presented with a situation known by ______ to be anxiety or frustration producing for him (i.e. non-preferred task, unexpected obstacle such as ______, tasks perceived as too difficult, unfamiliar adult, and non-preferred adult), he will independently demonstrate an appropriate emotional response through finding a solution to his problem or using a strategy to regulate back to an expected emotional state (take a break, talk with teacher, etc.) and return to task at hand within 2 minutes, for an average of 80% of instances both throughout all environments and within each environment.

Self-Monitoring

_______ will demonstrate the ability to recognize expected and unexpected behaviors as well as rate his own behavior as part of his self-monitoring system with 80% accuracy as compared to teacher ratings of behavior.

______ will demonstrate the ability to accurately recognize her level of anxiety through the use of a visual self-rating system (e.g. feelings thermometer) with 80% accuracy, as compared to teacher observations and data.

IEP Goals for Anxiety

In counseling sessions, _____ will accurately identify situations that can be anxiety producing and appropriate coping strategies or relaxation techniques when presented with real or imagined situations with 80% accuracy on 4 out of 5 trials.

______ will demonstrate the ability to accurately recognize her level of anxiety through the use of a visual self-rating system (e.g. Stressometer, 1-5 scale) with 80% accuracy, as compared to teacher observations and data.

During counseling sessions, __________ will use menus and highlight their Stress Triggers, personal Stress signs, and Stress Management Strategies that they believe they could utilize successfully.

In counseling sessions for anxiety, __________ will demonstrate understanding of the cognitive-behavioral model by completing and reviewing the Rational vs Irrational Thoughts Practice excercise,  Thinking Errors, Thinking Errors Practice, and Thought Record for specific anxious episodes with 80% accuracy.

________ will transition when prompted by teachers 80% of trials by interacting with their visual Activity Schedules.

________ will practice chosen Meditations, relaxation tips, and Progressive Muscle Relaxation in counseling when asked 80% of trials.

Negative Comments and Gestures

With the use of Cognitive Behavioral Intervention (strategy of learning to regulate thoughts and beliefs in counseling paired with daily reinforcement as tools are utilized), _____ will reduce instances of negative comments and gestures to an average of 1 instance per hour, across all classroom settings, as measured over 6 trial days.

How do you get anxious kids to actually use coping skills?

Want more? Check out my book Counseling Tools for Kids in Schools here.

Also find tons more free resources and mini courses for managing behavior and teaching kids self-control here: https://intensivecareforyou.com/resources-for-free/

Or, book me for a workshop! https://www.bradmasoncounselor.com/workshops/

You can also try my course, Anxiety and Children

Anxiety and Children has 14 lessons with videos detailing techniques for working with children who have trouble with anxiety, and downloadable forms and templates for you to use.

______________________________________________________________________________

Determining and writing effective IEP goals

Classroom goal bank

Writing meaningful and measurable IEP goals

If you have ideas about better ways to write these IEP Goals for Anxiety please comment so I can improve!

The post IEP Goals for Anxiety appeared first on Intensive Care for You.

Help Myself and My Child Build Confidence

Make a list of everything positive you have done in your life.

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Now take a look at what you have done. Does this help you feel more confident? What else would build your confidence? Would you need any special training, skills, or tools?

(Exerpt from My Power Book available for Kindle on Amazon here.)

Paperback on Amazon here.

See my “Resources for Free” page for a pdf copy of this exercise, and much, much more.

Building confidence is not always easy. You are used to being graded on your work, scored in your games, sized up by friends and enemies alike, and counting many likes you get on social media. True confidence does not come from your scores, your pay, your position, or what your friends and enemies say about you.

Confidence, and building confidence, comes from within. Confidence comes from how you treat yourself, the thoughts you make about yourself, how YOU evaluate you, and from your beliefs about what you should be doing in your various roles.

Exercise: Belief Inventory

Think about the roles you play. Are you a woman, a boss, an employee, a spouse, a son, a student, a parent? (See example below)

As a parent, I should

As a student, I should

As a son, I should

As a woman, I should

As the boss of my company, I should

As a sister, I should

As a member of my basketball team, I should

As a friend, I should

Once you list all the things you are expecting of yourself, it will be revealed that your expectations and judgements are ridiculous, and then you no longer have to listen to the voice of confidence robbing punishment in your head.

Where did this voice come from? An echo of memory designed to keep you from being hurt. Except the voice may be a program from the past and it’s message does not have to be accepted as reasonable and applicable to the present and the future.

As a Dad, I should

Keep my children safe

Teach them all the skills and habits they need to be successful and happy

Provide a stable, clean, and comfortable home

Protect them from threats

Make sure they do all their homework, turn in all assignments, and make good grades

Make sure they don’t get into trouble, and if they do, make consequences and rewards so it doesn’t happen again

Facilitate a fulfilling social life

Make and serve healthy food

Make sure they brush their teeth and shower

Make sure they have decent clothes and dress appropriately

Keep them away from bad influences

Don’t let them drink or do drugs

Comfort them when they feel hurt or sick

Stop them from doing things that could result in their being rejected in the world of work, academia, and relationships

Teach them proper manners

Teach them to clean up after themselves

Make them obey

As a business owner I should

Keep all my clients happy with my services

Make enough money

Keep my facility clean and inviting

Fix the problems my clients want fixed

Make sure nobody gets mad and sues me or talks bad about me

Collect all the money owed to me

Do what I do better than all my competitors

Make sure nobody gets hurt using my products or services

As a husband I should

Keep my wife happy

Treat my wife with respect

Make my wife feel valued and loved

Be supportive

Do chores

Make sure my wife is taking good care of herself

Make sure my wife doesn’t work too much

Keep my wife from being mad at me

Make sure my wife is being a good enough parent

Don’t be too critical

Make my wife feel good about her body

Make sure our lovemaking is fulfilling for both of us

Give her presents on special days

Take her on dates

Keep up with the yard

Keep the house maintained and everything running

Provide enough money

Schedule vacations

Listen

How long is your list? Is it reasonable? Do you count what you do right, building confidence, or focus where you fall short, bringing yourself down? And when you are down, do you get more done and perform more effectively? Or do you do better when you feel confident and positively about yourself? The thoughts and beliefs you focus on will determine your feelings, as well as, to some degree, the performance you are concerned about.

Did I help myself and my child build confidence?

Self-talk, Self-Esteem, and Self-Control Video Course

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