What would Quebec society be like if children were taught to practice mindfulness? “I may be a dreamer or an idealist, but I think that would change everything,” replies Dr. Amélie Veilleux, who recently published the book A house just for me – Introducing your child to mindfulness.
Posted at 9:00 am
“We brush our teeth every day, but why don’t we have hygiene of our inner house? In an interview, the child psychiatrist sitting in the front row calls for ensuring that the impact of the pandemic on young people’s mental health is still being felt.
In today’s society, life is hectic, says the doctor, who admits that she herself has cultivated this lifestyle for a very long time. “We are under a lot of stress, under a kind of pressure to perform. »
“When we’re in this mode, it’s known in neuroscience, we’re more in our sympathetic nervous system,” explains the child psychiatrist. At this moment, our brain is thinking, but with blinders on. We don’t see. We focus on the goal. When we meditate we relax, we fall into our parasympathetic system. The blinkers are gone and we can see the bigger picture. »
Result ? We are then able to come up with creative solutions to the problems before us, the doctor argues.
Regular mindfulness practice also leads to better regulation of emotions and less anxiety, as numerous studies have shown.
The child psychiatrist notes that everyone has to deal with hardships in the course of their lives. In his eyes, mindfulness is a tool that can enable users “not to feel trapped in crises and to be able to step back and put things into perspective”. “If people were able to do this kind of self-accompaniment, it would certainly change society,” believes Dr. Amelie Veilleux.
A magic formula?
Mindfulness takes the time to stop, to breathe, to be in the present moment, to welcome emotions: the formula seems so simple, almost magical. Is it too good to be true?
“Actually, we have to qualify,” answers Dr. Amelie Veilleux. It’s not magic. It will not solve all problems at once. I think you have to try it and take some time. »
Although she has read a multitude of studies proving the benefits of this practice, the doctor admits that she herself was skeptical when she first started introducing it into her life. “I can’t say it was love at first sight. Really, really not. It was difficult,” she admits, stating that her mind was racing and she couldn’t clear her head.
“It’s really the persistence in remembering why I did it and what benefits it might have that has encouraged me to keep going,” says the child psychiatrist.
support parents
With her book she wants to support parents, whether they are used to meditation or not, in introducing their children to mindfulness. Each of the concepts covered is supplemented by short stories for children aged 5 and over and meditative listening adventures.
In a clear way, Dr. Amélie Veilleux (aka Dr. A.) specifically that through slow and deep breathing you can enter your inner home. Its spaces are sometimes filled with little visitors (emotions) that we must give a warm welcome if we don’t want them to wreak havoc. There is also a radio (thoughts) that plays constantly and that you have to learn to tame.
Adept at conveying information through metaphor and imagery, Dr. Amélie Veilleux to write a book aimed directly at children. Why didn’t she choose this path?
“I see him in my office. If I want to convey something to the child, I have to involve the parents. He must know me and work with me. […] It didn’t make sense for me to write a book just for children,” she explains.
She reminds families who want to learn more about mindfulness that it’s a process that takes time but, in her eyes, is worth it. “It’s like you go to the gym and do bodybuilding exercises. Even if it gets harder one day, we know it has a long-term effect on building our muscles. It’s the same every time we return to the present moment. We are in the process of strengthening our focus of attention. We rebalance our nervous system and it makes it easier to do on its own afterwards,” she says.
A home just for me – introducing your child to mindfulness
dr Amelie Veilleux
Cardinal Editions
239 p.