Children and emotional release

Questioner · 11-15-2004, 03:05 PM

I have a three year old daughter who is very stoic and very verbal. When she gets hurt she holds in the tears. She burnt her finger the other day and I didnt know about it until much later when she asked for a band aid, when I questioned her as to what happened she broke down crying as she told me what happened. She broke both of her arms this summer, and I am concerned that the way she holds in her physical trauma will manifest sooner or later in illness of body or mind, especially after a trauma like that (she fell off a swing). I hold her and encourage her to cry and let it out when she gets hurt but it is very difficult for her. I wonder if you had any ideas of how I could work to hold the space for her to emote, or work with her physically to allow her to release. I massaged her as an infant and thought I should maybe start that again- would gentle caressing m assage work on a child that young to enable emotional releases? An educational professional/massage therapist has started to work with my 5 year old son doing deep pressure point work and joint compression/expansion to help aleviate his anxiety at school, but I wonder if that would be too bold for my daughter. I know you said not to try to heal your family, but I am thinking that since I am still wiping their tushes, this is my role to play in their lives for now.

Mukunda · 11-15-2004, 03:06 PM

2 - i think true bodywork is too much fo r3 year old. instead i would encourage doing energy work on her, sending positive energy of prana, having her sit in your lap with you meditate, pray, or read spiritual books to her. when you are emotional have her present to experience how you are. she needs a role model of how to be and plenty of encouragement of her emotionality. i have little experience with this young age so that is about all i can say. namaste

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11-15-2004, 03:05 PM	#1
Questioner Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 479	I have a three year old daughter who is very stoic and very verbal. When she gets hurt she holds in the tears. She burnt her finger the other day and I didnt know about it until much later when she asked for a band aid, when I questioned her as to what happened she broke down crying as she told me what happened. She broke both of her arms this summer, and I am concerned that the way she holds in her physical trauma will manifest sooner or later in illness of body or mind, especially after a trauma like that (she fell off a swing). I hold her and encourage her to cry and let it out when she gets hurt but it is very difficult for her. I wonder if you had any ideas of how I could work to hold the space for her to emote, or work with her physically to allow her to release. I massaged her as an infant and thought I should maybe start that again- would gentle caressing m assage work on a child that young to enable emotional releases? An educational professional/massage therapist has started to work with my 5 year old son doing deep pressure point work and joint compression/expansion to help aleviate his anxiety at school, but I wonder if that would be too bold for my daughter. I know you said not to try to heal your family, but I am thinking that since I am still wiping their tushes, this is my role to play in their lives for now.

11-15-2004, 03:06 PM	#2
Mukunda SYTherapy Creator Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Yoga Therapist and trainer Posts: 1,068	2 - i think true bodywork is too much fo r3 year old. instead i would encourage doing energy work on her, sending positive energy of prana, having her sit in your lap with you meditate, pray, or read spiritual books to her. when you are emotional have her present to experience how you are. she needs a role model of how to be and plenty of encouragement of her emotionality. i have little experience with this young age so that is about all i can say. namaste