Q: Emotions are huge in school, and as the grades get higher, so do the stakes for many kids. How do you regulate emotions in a healthy manner?
A: Emotions help us to survive and to relate with others. They guide us towards positive experiences and keep us safe from danger. According to experts, some stress can be helpful because it can help us meet daily challenges and motivates us to reach our goals. Stress can help to accomplish tasks more efficiently. It can even boost memory. But too much stress can be detrimental. Emotional stress that stays around for weeks or months can weaken the immune system and cause health problems. I strongly recommend our Talk2Alex® app that is a portable stress management tool that teaches youth self-calming strategies such as diaphragmatic breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, visualization, grounding techniques, meditation and more. The app consists of engaging games, activity suggestions, inspirational prompts and stories to train users’ brain as if it were a muscle, to overcome negative thoughts and decrease the body’s ‘fight-or-flight’ stress response.
