Lição 1
Breathe
This lesson introduces the concept of emotion regulation and includes a practice for deepening and slowing the breath to settle nervous system activation.
In our parenting, we can both ride the wave of love, empathy, and connection and crash against the shore of overwhelm and shutdown. This is because opening ourselves up the that type of unconditional love creates a vulnerability that can trigger self-defensiveness. We want to be attuned and connected to our children yet at times feel those strong emotions that threaten shutdown and disconnection. Learning to regulate emotion helps us navigate that wave, and come back to attuned connection with our children.
Lição 2
Feel
Lesson 2 builds on the topic of emotion regulation and focuses on the felt sense of emotion.
Emotion is not purely a psychological experience - emotions manifest in our bodies. This lesson will assist you in connecting with your body, developing awareness of the ever-shifting sensations that accompany emotion, which will aid you in developing a habit of pendulating back into calm when you notice activation present. It includes a formula to help you notice the earliest sign of activation, so you can more effectively intervene to prevent further overwhelm.
Lição 3
Release
This lesson introduces a mindfulness approach for untangling ourselves from old narratives and upsetting stories we tell ourselves. What we believe about ourselves and our life has a sneaking habit of becoming the lens through which we look. Mindful awareness can help us in creating wonderful new ways to see ourselves. When we can be mindfully present, noticing and releasing thoughts – not getting tangled up or carried away by them- we become more grounded, and less reactive and judgmental – which is crucial in de-escalating emotion in ourselves. That can be transformative in how we show up as parents! In this lesson, you will learn a mindfulness practice for shifting out of the upset caused by negative internal dialogue, self-critical thoughts, or old narratives that no longer fit your present-day life.
Lição 4
Affirm
This lesson focuses on anchoring out of perfectionist thoughts and self-criticism and planting affirming thoughts as an emotion regulation technique. We all have a constant inner dialogue, and the tone of that dialogue influences all aspects of our lives - it can rob us of energy or energize us. When we lean more heavily into harsh inner narratives and perfectionism, we are more easily emotionally destabilized. Listen to this lesson to deepen awareness of when the story you are telling yourself is causing more harm than benefit, and relax into a guided practice to reset with self-compassion. The guided practice is positioned at the end of the lesson - so feel free to fall asleep to this one!
Lição 5
Befriend
This lesson focuses on the art of balancing care for self with care for others. It’s an invitation to you to befriend self. Just as you pour love into your children's lives, nurturing your well-being with compassion and tenderness is equally vital. In the beautiful chaos of parenting, when we feel overwhelmed with the demands of life or distracted by the busyness of the day, the care we give ourselves is usually the first to go. But interestingly, the actions you take when being a friend to self ripple outward and positively impact those around you - so in that way, befriending self is not a luxury but a necessity.
This lesson includes a guided practice with a technique to lessen the grip of self-downing thoughts and plant the seeds of self-compassion in your heart.
Lição 6
Relax
This lesson focuses on quieting thoughts so you can connect with a deeper night of rest. The lesson includes three sleep-care strategies, and it does not include a guided practice. Instead, the guided practice is set up as a stand-alone lesson (Lesson 8, Sleep 2). I’ve separated them so that you can use the guided practice to help you fall asleep as needed, without needing to hear the lesson all over again each time. My hope is that this lesson assists you in calming a racing mind at bedtime and the next lesson helps you drift off peacefully into slumber.
Lição 7
Sleep
Please relax and unwind for sleep with this final audio in the course: a guided relaxation to help you drift off to sleep.
It has been my pleasure to work with you through these lessons, and I hope something stood out for you that has helped deepen your ability to regulate emotion and to connect mindfully with yourself and with your loved ones. Go fearlessly in this parenting-hood - and when that feels impossible, please remember that you aren’t alone in it, that you are strong enough to handle it, and that you do have enough courage, strength, and love to positively impact every single day - no matter how small that impact may feel. After all, every step in the right direction is still a step in the right direction. You’ve got this.
