Bullying! Anxiety! Low Self-Esteem! Drugs! Suicide! Common headline words that sadly reflect the state of a large proportion of our youngsters.
As I have become more immersed in my Equine Assisted Psychotherapy work I have become aware of how the busyness of our lives is removing us from a way of being that used to be second nature. Our time out of doors is getting limited and restricted as work, health and safety force us indoors. Technological advances have created a society that often struggles with face to face contact. Each generation is getting further away from our family unit, social structure, and the way of being that nature intended.
Many of my adult clients are unaware of simple coping skills, let alone their children and their children's children. Learning how to self regulate in times of crisis, being truly aware of everything around and within is no longer natural to people. Understanding how and what feelings represent, how to express them respectfully is becoming a thing of the past. Mental health issues are on the rise. Diseases and pains that can't be diagnosed are often attributed to stress that could have been managed more appropriately if people understood mindfulness.
The youngsters are brought up to fend for themselves while parents work to support massive mortgages. TV, smart phones, computer games are the common baby sitters. Its no wonder children are not coping as healthfully as they once were able.
As I see more adults coming to me, suffering the effects of losing the ability to function correctly as humans, I realised that targeting the children would make a lot more sense. Children need learn to become aware of what is happening around them instead of focussing only on electronic gadgets. They need to learn how to be in charge of their boundaries, to know that its ok to say no sometimes. They need to understand how to connect authentically with others so that they can develop lasting relationships.
If you would like your children to learn coping strategies to enable them to have happier, healthier lives please check my website for details of the Horse Wisdom Program on offer at www.whisperingsands.com.au where horses are the co- facilitators, and the office is outside in the "Great Outdoors".
