More playful, sophrology for children combines body movements, relaxation and breathing exercises as well as positive thinking. Why such an interest ? Who is she talking to ? Zoom on this technique of well-being, which can greatly help children to manage the stress caused by the start of the school year.
More and more workshops and books on sophrology specially designed for children are born. What are the benefits of this practice? How to start? Starting at what age ? We take stock with Catherine Aliotta, sophrologist and director of the Sophrology Training Institute.
Why do sophrology on a child?
Many wellness professionals believe that children would be under pressure at school, as well as at home. Requested by too many activities, they would thus need to relax. Moreover, the parents themselves are looking for techniques to appease them. “Today, we are globally observing a strong tendency to find a space for ourselves where we can take more time“, assures Laurent Dupeyrat, meditation teacher. But if the request generally comes from the parents, it seems that the children take pleasure in participating in this type of activity and even want to return to it on their own afterwards. “Once there, 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 talk… “says Catherine Aliotta.
For which children is sophrology recommended?
Sophrology can be practiced from the age of 4-5 years. Depending on the child’s age and maturity, sophrology can help him overcome various difficulties. “In kindergarten, it is for example useful for him to learn to manage your emotionsto to channelto sleep betterbetter apprehend his bodybut also to Cut the rope if he has difficulties coping with the separation“, explains Catherine Aliotta. She can, for example, help a young person to accept his body which is changing, a child to live a difficult phase of life (alternate custody)…
This relaxation technique also allows primary school children who are shy, who have difficulty approaching 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 adult, only its organization will be different. For example, the practice will be shorter and the explanations longer for kindergarten children. It will also be more playful to be able to interest the child. During the session, the child will be able to visualize a situation that worries him and ideas through the voice of the sophrologist. “To fight against 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“, remarks Catherine Aliotta. The parents are only present at the beginning of the first sophrology session to slip away quickly. Also, they do not participate in the other sessions. “The child can thus express himself 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 the meditation workshops. “We offer family sessions during which children and their parents do preparatory exercises. It is a meditation through sound, physical postures, simple visualizations…“
The advantage of sophrology is that the exercises can be easily reproduced at home. The child can do exercises for 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 it again at home.
Thanks to Catherine Aliotta, author of Practicing sophrology on a daily basis at Editions InterEditions.