Breath and Meditation Techniques for Teens and Adolescents | Orange County
“Smile, breathe, and go slowly.”
— Thich Nhat Hanh
Meditation Helps
Breath and mindfulness practices have been beneficial for humans for thousands of years. But how do we tap into those benefits — and how can we help our kids learn some of these coping mechanisms that can help them achieve their goals?
Luckily, OC Psychology Center helps teens and adolescents in the Irvine and Huntington Beach deal with depression and anxiety. We’ll break down a few helpful approaches to get through the trickier times.
First off. Having anxiety is natural. All of us get anxiety sometimes, and that’s nothing to be ashamed of.
That said, anxiety can sometimes lead us to react in ways that don’t necessarily benefit us. We might shout at a loved one, say something we regret, or even find ourselves totally out of control. In those situations, it’s important to manage our anxiety as best as possible — in real time. It is possible to feel anxious and still make choices we’re proud of. All it takes is the right techniques. A great place to start is a breathing exercise that calms you down fast.
Managing Anxiety in Orange County
Helping teens and adolescents manage their anxiety is important for their long term growth.
Breathing Exercises to Manage Anger and Anxiety | Teens
Box Breathing as Anxiety Treatment in Teens
Most likely, someone has encouraged you to “take a deep breath” when you’re feeling anxious or angry. They’re on the right track, but a single breath doesn’t do very much.
Instead, you need to use a strategy called “box breathing.” Box breathing activates your body’s parasympathetic nervous system, which is the system that’s responsible for helping you rest and relax. That’s a fancy way of saying it hits your body’s “chill out” button.
So how does it work? Well, you need to split your breathing into four different parts (the four sides of the “box.”) There’s the inhale, a pause while you hold your breath, the exhale, and then a pause before you inhale again.
Each time you travel around the box, slow down just a little. In other words, make every inhale a little deeper, hold your breath a little longer, etc. Go at the pace you’re comfortable with – there’s no need to rush.
As you keep making trips around the box, your breathing will eventually slow all the way down. You’ll start to take long, slow breaths, kind of like you do when you’re sleeping. This will send a powerful signal to your body that it’s time to relax, and you’ll notice your muscles start to loosen and the anxiety start to release its grip on you. You might still feel anxious, but it won’t be so powerful, and you’ll have more room to make good choices. This pause is often a big deterrent to having regret — as it’s less likely one would lash out and say something from an emotional space.
Using breath to combat anxiety can involve intentional breath works as a treatment method for teens and adults.
Treating anxiety using breath can simply be going outdoors and focusing on your inhale and exhale.
Mindful Breathing For Teens with Anxiety - Orange County
Mindful breathing involves focusing on the sensations of breathing to anchor into the present moment. Teens can practice mindful breathing by simply paying attention to the sensations of their breath as it enters and leaves their body. Once there is a genuine focus, they can notice the rise and fall of their chest and the sensation of air passing through their nostrils. Whenever their mind wanders, they can gently bring their attention back to their breath. Simply focus on the inhales and the exhales. This mindfulness practice can help teens stay grounded and reduce the impact of stressors in real time.
Approaches to Managing Teen Anxiety | Irvine, Huntington Beach
Loving-Kindness Meditation to Assist with Adolescent Anxiety
Loving-kindness meditation involves cultivating feelings of compassion and goodwill toward oneself and others. Teens are forming identities and are constantly questioning whether their love is unconditional. One way they can instill that in their own minds and treat their anxiety is to practice a loving-kindness meditation by silently repeating phrases such as "May I be happy, may I be healthy, may I be safe, may I be at ease," while visualizing themselves or someone they care about. This practice can help teens develop empathy, self-compassion, and resilience in the face of challenges.
Body Scan Meditation To Identify Sources of Anxiety in Teens
Body scan meditation involves systematically directing attention to different parts of the body, noticing any sensations without judgment. Teenage anxiety therapy can teach individuals to practice body scan meditation by starting at their feet and slowly moving their attention upward, bringing awareness to each part of their body. This practice can help teens develop a greater awareness of their physical sensations and reduce tension held in the body, helping them take better control of their anxiety and emotions.
Mindful Walking as a Healthy Habit for Teens with Anxiety
Mindful walking is a practice that involves bringing awareness to the sensations of walking, such as the feeling of the ground beneath their feet or the movement of their legs. Teens can practice mindful walking by taking slow, deliberate steps and focusing on each aspect of the walking process. This moving meditation can help teens cultivate mindfulness in everyday activities and reduce stress by grounding themselves in the present moment. Focusing on the steps and breath can drastically reduce stress in real-time and is a positive habit to build long-term.
Treating anxiety in teens and adults in Orange County can look like this — but there are many other ways to meditation can look and ways to practice mindfulness.
Get expert anxiety Therapy in Orange County
Of course, if you struggle with anxiety, you would benefit from the chance to work with a well-qualified expert who can help you cultivate personalized strategies for managing your anxiety.
That’s where we come in. At the OC Psychology Center, we specialize in helping clients overcome their problems with anxiety for good.
The OC Psychology Center is Newport Beach’s, Huntington Beach and Irvine’s premier provider of counseling and testing services for youth and young adults.
We’re ready to work with you – take the first step and reach out today!
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