More fun, children’s sophrology combines body movements, relaxation and breathing exercises as well as positive thought. Why such a craze? Who is it for? Zoom on this well-being technique, which can largely help children manage the stress caused by the start of the school year.
More and more workshops and books on sophrology specially designed for children are emerging. What are the benefits of this practice? How to start? From what age? We take stock with Catherine Aliotta, sophrologist and director of the Sophrology Training Institute.
Why do sophrology on a child?
Number of well-being professionals believe that children would be under pressure at school, like at home. Solicited by too many activities, they would need to relax. Besides, the parents themselves are looking for techniques to appease them. “Today, there is a strong tendency to find a space for yourself where you can take more time“, says Laurent Dupeyrat, meditation teacher. But if the request generally comes from parents, it would seem that children take pleasure in participating in this type of activity and even want to return there afterwards. “When coming, the child asks to come back if he encounters difficulties, if he feels the need … He realizes that with sophrology he feels good, that it is a space where he can speak …”says Catherine Aliotta.
For what children is sophrology recommended?
Sophrology can be practiced from the age of 4-5 years. Depending on the age of the child and his maturity, sophrology can help him overcome various difficulties. “”In kindergarten, she is for example useful for him to learn to manage your emotionshas channelhas sleep better,, better apprehend your bodybut also to cut the cord If he has difficulty living separation“, explains Catherine Aliotta. She can for example help a young person to accept her body that is transformed, a child to live a difficult phase of life (alternate guard) …
This relaxation technique also allows primary children who are shy, who have difficulty going towards others to overcome this fear, but also to better manage learning difficulties, anxiety or phobias
A sophrology session takes place in the same way as a session for an adultonly its organization will be different. For example, the practice will be shorter and the explanations longer for kindergarten children. It will also be more fun to be able to interest the child. During the session, the child will be able to visualize a situation which anxious and ideas by the voice of the sophrologist. “”To combat the fear of the night, the child will put on for example protective pajamas. He can also be the hero of a story. It works very well because children have an overflowing imagination“, Note Catherine Aliotta. Parents are only present at the start of the first sophrology session to get lost quickly. Also, they do not participate in the other sessions.”The child can thus express themselves freely. Indeed, when the parents are present, the child is concerned about what he says“says the sophrologist. If the parents are absent during the sophrology sessions, this is not the case for meditation workshops. “”We offer family sessions in which children and their parents do preparatory exercises. It is a meditation by sound, physical postures, simple visualizations …“”
The advantage of sophrology is that exercises can be easily reproduced at home. The child can do exercises of 2 to 3 minutes when he feels the need. The sophrologist can also record the session and send it to the parents so that the child can listen to him home.
Thanks to Catherine Aliotta, author for practicing sophrology on a daily basis by Editions Insereditions.
