Today, we’re here to help you with one of the season’s most delightful (and sometimes daunting) tasks—gift giving! Whether you’re looking for thoughtful gifts for colleagues, clients, or even yourself, we’ve got you covered with products and activities that foster healing, growth, and joy.
Sensory Items: Calm in the Chaos
It’s important to remember that the purpose of sensory items is to help children and adolescents who have experienced trauma become regulated, but this can only be done with a regulated adult present. The adult’s (who must also be regulated) goal is to model and teach how to use the sensory item to meet the need that the young person has.
This could be a large muscle movement, to meet proprioceptive needs, using an item such as a kickband on a chair, which helps us feel grounded and aware of our own body in space. Or it might be a tactile fidget such as a stress ball or playdough, which can help us refocus back brain energy and move to a place of calm where we can accept the support of others.
Remember, if a child or young person is unable to utilize the sensory item appropriately, with our help, it is our job as the regulated adult to help them notice this and encourage the use of a different item that they can use successfully.
Other sensory items you could utilize: fidget spinners, weighted blankets, noise-cancelling headphones, wall push-ups, appropriate snacks that are crunchy or chewy, bubbles or lava lamps.
Self-Care Essentials: More than a Quick Fix
Self-care is more than just a bubble bath or chocolate. When we support children and families that have experienced trauma often we can find ourselves struggling with symptoms of secondary traumatic stress and burnout – both components of compassion fatigue. While a helpful distraction, and a way to calm, these very real conditions cannot be fully processed and managed using such self-care “band-aids”.
We must first be willing to acknowledge that we are encountering challenges, whether those are physical, mental or emotional, with grace, because we are human, and this work is hard. Once recognized it is important to seek support that will help you overcome these symptoms.
Professional resources such as reflective supervision and individual therapy or counseling are a great place to start. Combine these with additional self-care practices such as mindfulness, journaling and meditation and you will soon find yourself on a path to healing and back to the helping person you want to be.
Professional Development/Educational Resources: Ignite your Thought Process
We know it can be hard to find the time to continue our own professional learning beyond what is required for our job or role. However, it is important that we try to find opportunities to ignite and expand our thought processes so that we can show up for those we support with knowledge and expertise, and an open mind.
Thinking outside of the box when it comes to learning can sometimes be helpful – perhaps there’s a podcast you can listen to while you walk the dog, maybe you’re making a trip soon and could read a new book while waiting at the airport or riding in the car, or is reading a blog your thing? If you are able to dedicate more time to it, then more intensive training or even engaging in consultation might be something you can commit to.
Therapeutic tools: Healing Through Play
Therapeutic tools offer a powerful way to process emotions and experiences—especially for children and individuals who have experienced trauma. One of the most impactful approaches in this category is Sand Tray Therapy. It enables individuals to express emotions and experiences through symbolic play with miniature objects in the sand, which can be easier than verbalizing difficult topics.
For those interested in diving deeper into therapeutic techniques, The Knowledge Center’s Teachable platform offers a variety of courses designed to enhance your skills. Explore our range of courses and discover strategies and tools to create powerful opportunities for healing and connection.
