August 12, 2014

Are you sound sensitive?

August 12, 2014/ Renée van der Vloodt

Have you ever turned the radio on, determined to listen to the news or weather forecast, and next thing you know it’s over - and you didn’t take in a word. A nuisance maybe, but quite painless otherwise.

Creative people - think dyslexia, AD(H)D, autism - are known to struggle with the written language: reading and writing.

We are less aware of quite how sound sensitive they can be. This they have in common with HSP (Highly Sensitive People) and strongly affects how they process sound.

August 05, 2014

“What is wrong with you?!” - The Highly Sensitive Person

August 05, 2014/ Renée van der Vloodt

Recent research findings by leading experts in the field show that HPSs - or highly sensitive people - manifest more neurological brain activity when exposed to other people’s feelings, or pictures of emotions in others, than the average person.

About 20% of the population 'suffers' - and often quietly so - from these high levels of sensitivity. Growing up as an HSP can be difficult and confusing. Over-sensitivity and the fussing that can go with it, is seen as a flaw in western culture.

Find out more about Highly Sensitive People, tips and further reading in this post.

May 20, 2014

A Parent's Guide to Sleep

May 20, 2014/ Renée van der Vloodt

In my practice, I see children who struggle academically or emotionally. I am never surprised when they tell me that their sleep is bad too or that they wake tired in the morning. Bedtime itself can be a bone of contention between parent and child.

Working on ‘sleep hygiene’ with child and parent immediately makes other issues easier to deal with. We explore how things can be improved between them - how each has a responsibility - and in my practice, I teach the child or teenager what he can do immediately to improve the quality of his sleep. Giving them this responsibility can be very empowering and effective.

Here’s my sleep guide, which sums up what can be done.

May 06, 2014

Sleep: What do our Children Need?

May 06, 2014/ Renée van der Vloodt

Parents often tell me how stressful bedtime is. They talk about the difficulties they have getting their children to bed, about their children who have trouble falling asleep or about children whom they just can’t get up in the morning.

In spite of our best intentions, we can find ourselves muddling on for ages, trying to get sleep right for our children.

Let's start with the nuts and bolts - the different types of sleep our children need.

April 14, 2014

What Makes us so Angry?

April 14, 2014/ Renée van der Vloodt

Millie’s Mum was devastated that her 12-year old daughter would throw a tantrum at the drop of a hat and terrorise the household. She had even started having her volcanic outbursts in public. Her Mum equated this relentless anger to a deep lack of gratitude and appreciation. By the time they came to me, Millie’s Mum was in a constant state of sadness.

April 01, 2014

5 Tips to Help Children Deal with Anger

April 01, 2014/ Renée van der Vloodt

It really isn’t easy to handle our children’s rage. Particularly if it recurs, hurts others and breaks things. Perhaps we never learned to deal with our own angry feelings in childhood and fell into the habit of pushing them away; leaving us to feel guilty in the aftermath.

As I often get asked the question: How can I support my angry child?

Each child and scenario is different but here are five tips that will help us to give our children a better opportunity to acknowledge and deal with their angry feelings constructively.

March 25, 2014

Tools of the Trade: The Therapist’s Voice [VIDEO INTERVIEW]

March 25, 2014/ Renée van der Vloodt

Effective communication is at the heart of therapy. Our voice is the vehicle for our intention. Recently, I spoke to musician Professor Derek Barnes about how he teaches therapists and other healthcare professionals to play their vocal instrument to maximum effect. Watch the interview here to understand how you can learn to affect positive change in the other, by honouring and enhancing the uniqueness of our own voice.

March 17, 2014

Supportive Parents: Learning to say "NO"

March 17, 2014/ Renée van der Vloodt

Training for adult vitality and resilience starts in childhood. Keeping stress at bay successfully means learning to deal with life as it is. So, chuck out the 'if only's', the 'oughts', as well as the blame game and learn how to say "No" elegantly.

February 17, 2014

Stressed Kids: 3 Ways to give them back their childhoods

February 17, 2014/ Renée van der Vloodt

Stress has a way of creeping in, silently, slowly and sometimes quite unnoticed until you’re in deep.

School did it for my son. Every day a little more, like water whittling away at a stone. And all the while I had been so busy trying to help him succeed...

January 17, 2014

Become more Stress Aware [ VIDEO INTERVIEW ]

January 17, 2014/ Renée van der Vloodt

Have you ever asked yourself how stress-resilient you are?

What are the things you do when the pressure rises? Do you nail bite, over-eat or –drink, become anxious or irritable? And do you spot the signs early enough to take action and avert the symptoms that herald more serious stuff ahead? We all need to stay informed about the many faces of stress-related symptoms.

Join me and hear what my Human Givens colleague, stress expert Emily Gajewski, has to say about self-harming and how to deal with it.

December 03, 2013

8 Gift Ideas for a Compassionate Christmas

December 03, 2013/ Renée van der Vloodt

Across the globe the December month stands for giving. It invites us to be generous and mindful of others. Are Black Friday and Cyber Monday proof of this generosity or indications that we have lost the heart of what makes this season so special?

Christmas invites us to engage in the wishes of our friends and family and to reach out to those less fortunate, suffering from loneliness, illness or poverty.

The question is whether our gifts need to be material. Are there other ways for our presents to be meaningful and lasting? If you too, are eager to have a more loving, compassionate Christmas then read on…

November 14, 2013

Drawing: The Creative Key to Health and Focus

November 14, 2013/ Renée van der Vloodt

It may be writing, drawing or even mathematical problem-solving but we all have our own sacred, solitary activities that give us a sense of feeling fully present. We are more connected, focussed and more ourselves when engaged in these pastimes.

In this post we hear what Andrew Marr has to say on the matter, we look at the creative mind and how drawing can improve our happiness.

October 20, 2013

Tom's Story | Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in the Military

October 20, 2013/ Renée van der Vloodt

One in four homeless people is a former member of the armed services. Over 20,000 veterans are in jail or on probation.*

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is very real - and something we cannot begin to imagine. We are unable to comprehend the trauma but we can support those who are suffering.

I went to visit Tom, who was in Northern Ireland and the first Gulf War, and he told me his story. In this short video, we hear of the outstanding transformation his life took once he sought the help of PTSD Resolution.

October 18, 2013

What is Dyslexia?

October 18, 2013/ Renée van der Vloodt

Tying to find out what dyslexia is can leave you more confused than when you started. This is partly due to the inconsistency of the symptoms of dyslexia. They can also vary and overlap with other related conditions such as dyspraxia, dyscalculia or AD(H)D.

Read this post for more clarity on dyslexia and the symptoms, and gifts.

October 08, 2013

Modern Parenting with Miriam Chachamu

October 08, 2013/ Renée van der Vloodt

Modern parenting has a new set of challenges. As we spend time learning, practicing and reflecting as parents, we realise that the experience is both dynamic and full of choice.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Miriam Chachamu, well-regarded family therapist and author of the popular book "How to Calm a Challenging Child". In our video interview, Miriam gives us helpful parenting tips and advice as we discuss fairness, sibling rivalry, choice and teenagers.

September 30, 2013

3 Simple Ways to End Black and White Thinking

September 30, 2013/ Renée van der Vloodt

Many creative people live at the extremes. They are up or down. It's everything or nothing. Black or white. This way of thinking is habitual and feels normal to those who have creative tendencies. However, by breaking this habit, you can better harness your talents and realise your potential.

There are 3 simple things that you can do to break this habit and significantly change the way you experience life.

September 16, 2013

Living at the Extremes – Is this you?

September 16, 2013/ Renée van der Vloodt

Do you spend your life living at the extremes? Up or down. Black or white.

The inner life of the AD(H)D experience, or that of the gifted creative person, can feel as turbulent and unpredictable as the sea itself. Let us explore the effects of living at the extremes and understand what we can do to sail on calmer waters.

September 11, 2013

Healing Heroes with Suzie Jennings [VIDEO INTERVIEW]

September 11, 2013/ Renée van der Vloodt

Suzie Jennings, founder of Heroes at Ease, the first yoga programme specifically for wounded military, explains how yoga helps war veterans in overcoming PTSD.

August 20, 2013

3 Tips on How to Nurture Your Child's Dyslexic Talents

August 20, 2013/ Renée van der Vloodt

With a narrow focus on the academic results we often lose sight of the bigger, and much richer, picture.

Here are 3 very simple things that you can do as a parent, which will immediately change the dynamics at home and give your child access to his greater self, his more genuine nature.

August 12, 2013

Bestowing our Children with a Gift that Lasts

August 12, 2013/ Renée van der Vloodt

As important as reading and writing are to the freedom that comes with literacy, seeing them as the only answer to the problem of growing up with dyslexia would be misleading, or even falling short of offering children the real keys to the kingdom of their future.

N.B. This was written with children with dyslexia in mind but the idea reaches out to all parents and professionals working with children.

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