How to Train your Amygdala

This month I thought I would write a review of a children’s book How to Train Your Amygdala by Anna Housley Juster. This would be great to read with your child to learn about the amygdala and to practice the training strategies.  Reading it together can build positive connections, building new pathways in the brain impacting how your child can respond to perceived threats. Reading it together is also a fun way to show kids how their brain is triggered to flight, fight, or freeze. Kids can see that it is a natural response and how to calm themselves. As they read through the colorful book they are prompted to practice simple calming techniques. The author makes a difficult regulating concept engaging and practical.

 The author gives 4 tips at the end for adults which help children train their amygdala.

1. Pay attention to your threat response – The normal response to threats is to fight, freeze, or runaway. The problem is when the amygdala is confused and starts the alarm system when there is no danger. The book goes over techniques for working through these times: breathing techniques, visualizing techniques, and talking with someone.
2. What to do when words don’t work – sometimes we ask our child to “use their words” to explain what is going on when they feel threatened. At times the amygdala suppresses language to focus all our resources on the threat. When this happens it is important to help them calm before asking them to talk about how they feel.
3. The power of breath – Breathing is one of the best self-regulation tools you can offer children. The book has the child practice long deep breaths and imagine an elevator going up and down or waves coming in and out of the ocean.
4. A prescription for play – Play is the common language of children. When you play with your child you are building trust which makes it easier to adjust the amygdala’s reactivity.

If you would like to read more about the amygdala and children click on the link.