Somatic Healing by Katherine Emery

I’ve written a lot about the effects of the full moon on my students’ behavior. While scientific studies don’t conclusively support a direct link between the full moon and children’s behavior, many parents and teachers observe changes in children’s behavior during this phase of the lunar cycle. Some educators notice that children become more excitable, emotional, and active during the full moon. This week, my students were more prone to mood swings, crying, and frustration. Two of my students who are usually confident and independent were very whiny and needed more reassurance, band aids, and hugs this week.

November is a big birthday month in my class and with that comes cupcakes. As the sugar kicks in, their movements become quicker, they seem to be everywhere at once, running, jumping, and spinning around. Their voices get louder and they may giggle uncontrollably. This week my students acted out imaginary scenarios where they were super heroes with cupcake power. After this burst of energy, they begin to wind down, often putting their heads on the table. Some kids become cranky as the sugar dips in their bloodstreams.

Luckily, recess follows lunch so this incredible burst of energy is focused on running and playing outside. After recess we “Drop Everything And Read” for fifteen minutes. Five and six year olds choose their favorite “reading buddy” (stuffed animal) and settle down somewhere comfy in our room to read. More children fall asleep during “DEAR” when we’re experiencing a full moon, not unusual as many kindergartners still take naps or rest at home.

In 2002, kindergarten became full day as it was thought that children displayed notable gains in their academic performance. A full day of kindergarten offers more social and emotional benefits. Children have more time to focus on activities and the transition between activities is more relaxed. My students work very hard on reading and math for two hours in the morning. There are many class rules to follow and it can be nerve wracking to keep emotions in check. They look forward to their forty-five minutes of play before lunch. The “alphas” in our class might suggest the theme of each day’s play. Lately, the preferred choices are the castle with its dragon and fairies and being veterinarians at a zoo. A few choose to play quietly alone. Play time is like a breath of fresh air, these little children are able to express themselves freely.

During our very busy day, we take a moment to reconnect with our breath. We breathe with our hands on our hearts, feeling our heartbeats. We begin our day with a quick tapping exercise: touching our foreheads help us focus, our collarbone helps us feel strong, and tapping our wrists help us feel calm. We then move into a meditation. We have ”breathing wands” with five beads that we push from one side to the other as we take a big, deep breaths.

Just adding breath work as an interlude in each day centers my students and helps them re-connect with their bodies. We jump and swing our arms when transitioning from reading to math to relieve stored stress or tension. These simple exercises calm our nervous systems and promote relaxation.

Recently, I discovered a name for these techniques, Somatic Healing. I receive meditations from The Daily Om and a class on Somatic Healing was offered. Somatic healing is a therapeutic approach that focuses on the connection between mind and body to promote emotional, physical, and mental wellbeing. The word somatic comes from the Greek word, soma, meaning “body.” Somatic healing helps individuals process and release trauma or stress by focusing on bodily awareness rather than solely talking or analyzing. Somatic healing techniques help calm the fight-flight-freeze response often associated with trauma and stress. Meditation mentor, Julie Slovis uses the phrase, “feel it to heal it” to guide students in her somatic healing class.

Somatic healing can empower both children and adults alike to understand their bodies, regulate their emotions, and develop lifelong tools for resilience and self-awareness.