Safe Inside my Bubble:
Building emotional intelligence to support regulation
The creation of Safe inside my bubble was inspired by the window of tolerance theory © Dan Siegal and the many wonderful children I have worked with over the years.
During the Coronavirus pandemic we saw a rise in mental health issues for everyone including children and adolescents. This gave weight to the need for care givers and society to be able respond effectively and empathetically when faced with such circumstances. It’s now more important than ever that parents and professionals are able to support children to explore their emotions and express them in a way that is safe.
The purpose of writing this book was to create something colourful and imaginative that would support children in building their emotional intelligence and cope with difficult feelings and moods. Regardless of socio-economic status, cultural background or genetic makeup every child will experience strong emotions, and this is a normal part of neurodevelopment as they attempt to grow, learn and navigate the world. From early childhood to adolescence externalising and internalising is common thus it is important that strong emotions and feelings are expressed and managed to ensure the child feels safe, contained and supported.
The bubble is an imaginative representation of a place where the child feels completely free of any emotional distress. We know that our children can function at their best when there are no psychological or environmental triggers present and the child is more likely to feel calm, safe and in control. The exploration of somatic symptoms that often come with distress is designed to help normalise and create relativeness for children so that they know they are not alone and that others experience similar physical sensations and cognitions when experiencing strong emotions.
Practical suggestions are provided to the child/parent/care giver/professional in efforts to build the child’s emotional intelligence and help them tune into the bodies, thoughts and emotions. By utilising mindfulness techniques and sensory modalities the purpose is to ground the child in the present to support in calming their amygdala if they are in a state of fight or flight.
With trying the coping strategies offered it hopes that the child will be helped overcoming their distress and returning to optimal functioning.
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