SMART Young Minds – Resilience, Mindfulness & Well-being Coaching

Introductions Agreements/ ground rules for feeling safe in the sessions Introduction to the brain: explain functions of the amygdala, hippocampus and pre-frontal cortex. Describe how stress hormones prohibit communication with the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus affecting our thinking learning and memory. Introduce the core breathing practice. Introduce journal keeping/reflective diary for the course

The Happiness Effect

Explore how we feel in our body when we feel stressed or worried and when we feel happy Guided visualisation: happiness/calm/motivation switch Explore what makes us happy. Review core breathing practice and introduction to mindfulness: awareness without judgement.

Educating Pupils Inner Calm

Discuss and explore the benefits of being calm in life – review of how stress affects our thinking. Progressive Relaxation exercise to focus on key areas where stress can build up in the body Identify core values for self and consider how being calm and mindful will help to achieve them Identify ways in life to elicit calm using all the senses such as music, colour and texture. Explore a vision for a peaceful world- what would it look like? How would it feel?

It’s Okay to be Different (Glows and Grows)

Body scan to explore acceptance. Discussion how does acceptance help us in life? Identify what makes us unique and what we feel we’re good at (glows) Inquiry into qualities we would like to develop (grows) Guided visualisation sowing seeds of kindness/ weeding out unkindness Develop positive self-affirming statements Use reflective diary to record Guided visualisation Safe space, inner garden

Let’s get Physical

Mindful movement activity/yoga class Discussion: explore benefits of physical exercise mindful movement Tree posture: Improving physical strength and balance can transfer to a more confident and balanced mind. Explain neuroplasticity: creating and deepening neural pathways – if we want new skills/qualities, we just need to practice them. Identify personal physical goals we would like to achieve

Mindful Munching

Mindful eating activity with chocolate using all our senses, followed by discussion: does eating mindfully make it taste better? Where does our food come from? Who grows it? Explore the difference between mindful and mindless eating. Activity: design and create a healthy buffet Explore other objects and activities to develop a beginner’s mind. Guided visualisation: beginners mind versus automatic pilot

Riding With Resilience

Discussion and activity to explain resilience and its benefits Explain the CBT model: how our thoughts, feelings and actions impact each other. We can’t help how we feel but we can use our thinking to change the way we feel and behave. Explore scenarios to problem solve and use the ‘STOP’ method. Stop Take a Breath, Observe your thoughts, and Plan your action Identify personal challenges and how we can change our usual response to them, using patience and tolerance

An Attitude of Gratitude

Consider what we mean by gratitude and look at why it makes us feel good – what happens in the brain. Identify ways of showing appreciation and being kind Identify ways of improving wellbeing using the Mental Health Foundation’s ‘5 ways to Wellbeing’ Reflect on how and why we can take kindness out into the world Meditation: Life is sweet

Refund Policy:

Training course registrations will not be confirmed until registration is complete and billing information is received in full. In order to cancel or reschedule a confirmed training please submit an email request info@smartfouondations.co.uk.
Please submit all cancellation requests within 60 calendar days of registration and no later than 30 days prior to the scheduled course date in order to receive a full refund of paid registration fees.
People who do not turn up and cancellations not made within the specified cancellation period will incur the full cost of registration.