Belong Health

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for Children: A Parent's Guide

Core Principles of ACT
ACT is structured around six key principles that encourage healthy emotional responses and self-growth:

1. Cognitive Diffusion
Teaching children to see their thoughts as separate from themselves—helping them avoid being overwhelmed by negative thinking, reducing the power of negative or unhelpful thoughts.
Example: Imagining thoughts as clouds passing in the sky or leaves floating down a stream to create distance from distressing ideas.
Detailed Examples:

Silly Voices: Encourage your child to say a negative thought in a funny or exaggerated voice, which can make the thought seem less intimidating.
Thought Naming: Teach your child to label their thoughts (e.g., "There's the 'I'm not good at this' thought again"), promoting awareness without judgment.
Thanking the Mind: When an unhelpful thought arises, guide your child to respond with, "Thanks, mind," acknowledging the thought without accepting it as truth.

2. Acceptance
Encouraging children to make space for uncomfortable emotions rather than suppressing or avoiding them.
Example: Using mindfulness exercises to acknowledge feelings without judgment, such as deep breathing or naming emotions aloud.
Detailed Examples:

Emotion Surfing: Explain emotions as waves that rise and fall; guide your child to "ride" the wave of emotion until it passes.
Body Scan: Lead your child through a relaxation exercise, focusing on different body parts to notice where they feel emotions physically, promoting acceptance of bodily sensations.
Weather Metaphor: Compare emotions to weather patterns that change over time, helping your child understand that feelings are temporary and natural.

3. Present Moment Awareness
Helping children stay focused on the present instead of dwelling on the past or worrying about the future.
Example: Practicing grounding techniques like the "5-4-3-2-1" sensory exercise (naming things they see, hear, feel, smell, and taste).
Detailed Examples:

Mindful Eating: Encourage your child to eat a snack slowly, paying attention to the taste, texture, and smell, fostering mindfulness.
Five Senses Exercise: Ask your child to identify things they can see, hear, touch, smell, and taste in their environment to ground them in the present.
Breathing Buddies: Have your child lie down with a stuffed animal on their belly and watch it rise and fall with each breath, promoting focus on breathing.

4. Self-as-Context
Teaching children that they are more than their thoughts and emotions—their identity is separate from temporary feelings.
Example: Encouraging them to recognize their values, strengths, and positive qualities beyond how they feel in the moment.
Detailed Examples:

Perspective-Taking: Encourage your child to consider how they would view a friend's situation, promoting understanding that perspectives can change.
Storytelling: Have your child tell a story from their life, emphasizing that they are the storyteller and not the story itself.
Observing Thoughts: Guide your child to notice their thoughts as if they are watching clouds pass by, reinforcing the idea that they are the observer, not the thoughts.

5. Values
Helping children identify what truly matters to them and align their actions with their core values.
Example: Creating a "Values Chart" with activities that bring joy and fulfillment, such as helping others, being creative, or playing a favorite sport.
Detailed Examples:

Values Collage: Create a collage with your child using images and words that represent what they care about, such as kindness, creativity, or friendship.
Hero Discussion: Talk about their heroes and what qualities they admire, linking those qualities to their own values.
Values Journal: Encourage your child to keep a journal where they write about times they acted in line with their values and how it made them feel.

6. Committed Action
Supporting children in taking small steps toward their goals, even when faced with difficult emotions.
Example: Setting up achievable challenges and celebrating progress with encouragement and rewards.
Detailed Examples:

Goal Setting: Help your child set specific, achievable goals that align with their values, such as making a new friend or completing a project.
Action Plan: Break down goals into manageable steps and create a visual plan to track progress.
Celebrating Effort: Acknowledge and celebrate your child's efforts toward their goals, regardless of the outcome, to reinforce persistence.

How Parents Can Support ACT at Home
Parents play a crucial role in reinforcing ACT principles through everyday interactions. Here’s how you can help:
✔ Model Acceptance: Show your child that all emotions are normal by acknowledging and managing your own emotions in a healthy way.
✔ Encourage Mindfulness: Practice mindfulness together, such as gratitude reflections, mindful walks, or deep breathing exercises.
✔ Validate Feelings: Help your child understand that emotions aren’t "good" or "bad"—they are simply part of being human.
✔ Promote Problem-Solving: Encourage your child to take small steps toward their goals without fear of failure.

By incorporating ACT strategies into daily life, parents can help children develop emotional resilience, self-awareness, and confidence—empowering them to face life’s challenges with strength and flexibility.

Detailed Strategies for Parents to Support ACT Principles at Home

1. Model Acceptance
Concept: Demonstrate embracing emotions and experiences without judgment, showing your child how to handle feelings constructively.
Strategies:

Share Your Feelings: Openly discuss your own emotions with your child, explaining how you manage them. For example, "I'm feeling frustrated right now, so I'm going to take a few deep breaths to calm down."
Normalize Emotions: Reassure your child that all emotions are part of the human experience. For instance, "It's okay to feel sad sometimes; everyone feels that way."
Avoid Suppressing Emotions: Instead of hiding your feelings, express them appropriately, teaching your child that it's healthy to acknowledge emotions.

2. Encourage Mindfulness
Concept: Promote practices that help your child stay present and fully engage with their current experience.
Strategies:

Mindful Activities: Engage in activities like yoga, meditation, or nature walks together, focusing on the present moment.
Sensory Play: Provide opportunities for your child to explore different textures, sounds, and smells, enhancing their sensory awareness.
Mindfulness Apps: Use child-friendly mindfulness apps or guided meditations to make practice engaging.

3. Validate Feelings
Concept: Acknowledge and accept your child's emotions, helping them feel understood and supported.
Strategies:

Reflective Listening: Paraphrase what your child says to show understanding. For example, "It sounds like you're really upset because your friend didn’t play with you today."
Empathize: Express empathy by saying things like, "I can see why that would make you feel angry."
Avoid Dismissing Emotions: Instead of saying, "Don’t be sad, it’s not a big deal," try acknowledging their feelings: "I know you’re feeling sad right now, and that’s okay. I’m here if you want to talk."
Encourage Emotional Expression: Help your child put their feelings into words by asking, "Can you tell me what made you feel that way?" or "Where do you feel this emotion in your body?"
Help Name Emotions: Younger children may struggle to articulate how they feel. Using phrases like "It sounds like you’re feeling frustrated" helps them develop emotional awareness.

4. Promote Problem-Solving
Concept: Teach children how to navigate challenges, empowering them to take action in difficult situations.
Strategies:

Ask Open-Ended Questions: Instead of solving problems for them, ask, "What do you think we could do about this?" to encourage independent thinking.
Break Problems into Steps: Help them see that problems can be tackled one step at a time. For example, if they’re struggling with homework, break it into smaller tasks.
Brainstorm Solutions: If your child is stuck, suggest multiple options and have them pick one. Example: "If your toy is broken, should we try fixing it together, finding a new way to play, or asking for help?"
Encourage a Growth Mindset: Reframe mistakes as learning opportunities. Say things like, "You might not be able to do it yet, but with practice, you’ll get there."
Model Problem-Solving in Your Own Life: Narrate your own thought process when facing challenges: "I spilled my drink, so I need to grab a towel and clean it up."
Practice Through Play: Engage in activities like puzzles, strategy games, or role-playing scenarios to build problem-solving skills in a fun way.

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Explore Home Therapy Packs
Our guides provide practical strategies to support children facing these challenges. To further enhance your approach, consider our Home Therapy Packs, designed to engage children and improve focus at home.
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Referrals to Belong Health
We are Medicare and Private Health fund registered for Occupational Therapy and Speech Pathology.

EPC/Team care arrangements/Chronic disease (CDM) or GP management plans and self-referrals are all acceptable.

WA NDIS Registered Provider

Medicare
You can get a referral from your/your child’s GP for OT on a Chronic Disease Management (CDM) plan this gives you 5 sessions for OT per calendar year with a $53 rebate available on each session or a Helping Children with Autism/PDD/ or an eligible disability package (20 sessions between allied health professionals, as set up by a Paediatrician/Psychiatrist) which gives your child under 16 years a $75 rebate per session for the 20 sessions, you can use up to 10 sessions per Health Professional (up to 10 for OT) and you will need a separate referral letter from your child’s Paediatrician for each Allied Health Professional you are seeking services from.

Private Health
Your Private Health fund may cover up to 75% of the cost of OT sessions if this is included in your cover, be sure to call them or check your policy for details.

No referral or self referral
You do not require a referral for accessing OT

NDIS Registered Provider
We are an NDIS Registered Provider
Whether you or your child have NDIS funding that is NDIS Managed, Third Party Plan Managed or you are Self-Managing your funds, you are able to use your funding to cover the full cost of therapy services plus travel costs. You will need provide us with your/your child’s NDIS number and plan details ahead of your first session. Once you have booked a session or contacted us, our team will be in touch to discuss our service agreement and provide you with our services price list.

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Belong Health Occupational Therapist & NDIS Support Coordination

OFFICE HOURS: MONDAY TO FRIDAY 8:30am - 4:30pm

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Phone: 08 9586 3934

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