How many times have you heard, “I am NOT mad” when everything you see says the child in front of you is, in fact, roaring mad?
Spitting mad. Throwing shoes mad. Ripping dad’s shirt on the way into therapy mad.
That’s where this story starts, with a young client of mine who was definitely NOT mad as he arrived kicking and screaming (literally!) to his therapy appointment with me.
We didn’t head straight into the office that day. We stayed outside, stomping through puddles and swinging sticks. A little rhythm. A little movement. Just enough to help his nervous system start to settle.
When it seemed like his Upstairs Brain was peeking back out, I said, “Hey, I’m wondering what was going on that you got so mad earlier—”
He cut me off with a growl: “I was NOT mad.”
Okay. Not ready.
The three of us kept walking and playing with our sticks. Then I shifted gears: “Were you feeling kind of Tiger Brain?”
That, he could say yes to.
>> Brain Goggles On
This was a kiddo whose brain had been impacted by pre-natal trauma plus extensive abuse and neglect in his first year of life.
His Tiger Protector was always on alert.
I honestly don’t remember what the trigger was that day, but I remember the relief I saw in his whole body when we started to unpack his intense, primal feelings in words he could relate to.
Kids don’t always have words for overwhelm, shame, disappointment, sensory overload, fear, or feeling out of control. And honestly, adults don’t always either.
That’s one reason I love using brain-based language and playful tools with kids. It gives them a safer, more concrete way to talk about big feelings without getting stuck in shame or power struggles.
>> Color + Move
Movement, rhythm, coloring, play, and sensory support can all help kids reconnect with themselves when words are out of reach. And Riley the Brave is here to help with a few new coloring pages, including a Dance Break page straight from B Is for Brain: Get Ready for School with Riley the Brave.
Inside you’ll find:
- Playful pages from across the Riley series
- Calming and connection-focused activities
- Coloring pages designed to support emotional expression
- And a few simple ways to help little brains reconnect with their Upstairs Brain
Download all five free Riley the Brave Coloring Pages from the Powerful Printables library!
>> Go Further
At BraveBrains, we believe behavior makes more sense when we understand the brain beneath it. For more support with big feelings (that are really hard to talk about), check out the full Riley the Brave Series.
