A 6-year-old Great Bend boy wasn’t in control of his emotions and struggled with bursts of anger.
After working with Teresa Faber, children’s case manager at The Center for Counseling & Consultation, the youngster has demonstrated dramatic improvement, she said.
Much of this success is attributed to Mindfulness Yoga, a relatively new service for children and teens at The Center, 5815 Broadway.
“When this child met with me one recent morning, he immediately asked: ‘should we start or end with mindfulness today?’” Faber recalled. “This was coming from a kiddo that had been exhibiting angry outbursts for some time.
“Since we have been consistently using Mindfulness Yoga, he has made drastic mood improvements with just a fraction of the struggles at home. Mindfulness works and our young clients are the proof.”
Shanna Long, Community Based Services clinical coordinator for children, and Chris Gahagan, master’s level psychologist, are certified Mindfulness Yoga coaches at The Center. Both were trained by Little Flower Yoga, which is based in New York.
“Mindfulness means paying attention to your life in the here and now,” Long explained. “We use yoga techniques to explore what a child is feeling and noticing.
“While connecting with yourself, you also connect with your environment and other people,” she continued. “Regulating your breathing can be calming or energizing, while physical movements help with relaxation and focus.”
Long and Gahagan trained Faber and others at The Center; training is ongoing.
“We didn’t really know what to expect,” commented Long, who also is a licensed social worker. “There was some skepticism at first but the results have been pretty phenomenal. The children’s Case Management staff have been trained and are enjoying it. It is having a big impact.
“The staff enjoyed learning as a group by actually performing the yoga practices,” she added. “They noticed, in the moment, how it impacted them and want to share this with their young clients.”
Mindfulness Yoga, which entails physical and psychological exercises, is based on scientific evidence and research; it is not a religious practice in any way, Long and Gahagan emphasized.
Gahagan sees about 30 young clients weekly, with a current case load of approximately 60.
“Many times, I introduce Mindfulness Yoga using play techniques,” Gahagan said. “Games can help children with breathing and focus. Bubbles and balloons can be used to increase breath control and relaxation skills. And glitter and sensory jars help youngsters focus on activities and develop their attention spans.”
Some parents attend sessions with their children, while others choose not to. Either way, Gahagan is available to work with parents on exercises they can do at home.
“This helps us build on what we work on during sessions,” Gahagan said. “When parents are interested in learning Mindfulness Yoga techniques, I offer sessions with parents and child together. When needed, I give parents scripts they can follow at home.”
Children are referred by schools and primary-care providers. The Center’s intake clinicians refer to appropriate services based on particular circumstances.
There are 21 case managers in The Center’s Community Based Services Department, serving ages 3-21. The support staff and aides also have become involved in Mindfulness Yoga.
The Center for Counseling & Consultation is a Community Mental Health Center serving Barton, Pawnee, Rice and Stafford counties. Professionally trained personnel offer: individual and group therapy; marriage and family counseling; community-support services; community-based services; psychosocial rehabilitation; peer support; and medication management. The confidential 24/7 crisis hotline number is 800-875-2544.
