From the Counsellors
Name it to tame it
In our last article we looked at the 'zones of regulation' and introduced the idea of ‘name it to tame it’ for supporting young people in identifying and managing their big emotions. In this week’s article, we delve deeper into this.
The 'name it to tame it' strategy, developed by author of The Whole Brain Child, Daniel Siegel, addresses the idea that naming the emotions they feel can help children identify and regulate them.
According to Siegel, this process makes children feel heard and that their experiences are valued which, in turn, has a 'taming' effect.
We share below a few examples of how we can help young people name the emotion they are experiencing.
If your child is scared and hiding behind you, you might say, 'Wow, that was so scary! You didn’t like that part of the movie'.
If your child is frustrated and angry during homework time, you might say, 'This homework is so frustrating! I bet you just want it to be over already!'
If your child is feeling anxious about a new activity, you might say, 'Sounds like you are feeling nervous about soccer practice. Thanks for telling me.'
If your child is feeling sad that their grandparents left today, you might say, 'It’s so hard to say goodbye to Grandma and Grandpa. It’s OK to miss them. I miss them too.'
How can naming benefit a child?
- Labelling your child’s emotions for them is validating.
- Labelling emotions gives children the vocabulary to talk about how they feel.
- Labelling emotions helps us find solutions.
- Labelling emotions builds empathy.
You can explore fun ideas for exploring emotions through play here.
Taylor Fletcher (Kinder–Year 6) and
Rachel Sylvester (Years 7–12)
SMC Counsellors