Thank you to those of you who attended my Kitchen Table Conversation at the Families in Global Transitions (FIGT) Conference!

Below are some notes and related resources to follow up the presentation.

If you have any follow-up questions or want to keep the conversation going, please don’t hesitate to contact me! (And please see below for more information about how we can stay connected.)

The Mindful TCK: Using Mindfulness to Help Children & Teens Develop a Sense of Groundedness, Self-Compassion, & Authentic Connections in a Global Life

Mindfulness is the practice of non-judgmental awareness of our present moment experiences. Practicing mindfulness may be especially beneficial for children and teens growing up abroad. Cultivating self-awareness and attunement to emotions and values may help TCKs feel more grounded in their sense of self — even as they grow up in and between cultures. These practices can also help TCKs build authentic connections and navigate intercultural relationships, allowing them to feel more at home in their global community. This kitchen table will discuss the benefits of mindfulness for everyone — but especially adolescent TCKs.

Related Resources for Teens, Younger Kids, & Parents:

Online Mindfulness Resources & Apps for Kids & Teens:

Mindfulnessforteens.com — A website for teens who are interested in learning more about mindfulness.

SmilingMind — A website and phone app that teaches mindfulness and meditation in a fun, modern way. There are settings for different age groups (from 7 – adult), so it can be age-appropriate for children.

Headspace — Another great website and phone app that teaches you how to meditate in an easy, approachable way. Great for teens or adults. (Includes both free and paid content, but even the free content is really good.)

MindYeti — A free online program designed specifically for kids to help them learn about and practice mindfulness. Their goal is to help kids “be calm, focused, and more connected to others and the world.”

The resources mentioned above are particularly geared toward kids/teens. Please see this page of my website for a more general collection of mindfulness resources (for adults too!), including additional websites with free audio-guided exercises for home practice.

Mindfulness Books for Teens:

Mitch R. Abblett PhD & Christopher Willard PsyD. Mindfulness for Teen Depression: A Workbook for Improving Your Mood (Instant Help, 2016).

Gina M. Biegel, The Stress Reduction Workbook for Teens: Mindfulness Skills to Help You Deal with Stress (Instant Help Books, 2009).

Joseph V. Ciarrochi, Louise Hayes, and Ann Bailey, Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life for Teens: A Guide to Living an Extraordinary Life (Instant Help, 2012).

Mark C. Purcell and Jason R. Murphy, Mindfulness for Teen Anger: A Workbook to Overcome Anger and Aggression Using MBSR and DBT Skills (Instant Help, 2014).

Amy Saltzman MD, Still Quiet Place for Teens: A Mindfulness Workbook to Ease Stress and Difficult Emotions (Instant Help, 2016).

Christopher Willard, Mindfulness for Teen Anxiety: A Workbook for Overcoming Anxiety at Home, at School, and Everywhere Else (Instant Help, 2014).

Mindfulness Books for Younger Kids:

Laurie Grossman, Mr. Musumeci’s 5th Grade Class, & Jon Kabat-Zinn PhD, Master of Mindfulness: How to Be Your Own Superhero in Times of Stress (Instant Help, 2016).

Thich Nhat Hanh, A Handful of Quiet in Four Pebbles (Plum Blossom, 2008).

Eline Snel, Sitting Still Like a Frog: Mindfulness Exercises for Kids (and their Parents) (Shambala Books, 2013).

Mindfulness Books for Parents:

Parents may be interested in checking out this section of my resources page for a list of general books on mindfulness. (One book that I mentioned toward the end of our discussion was Wherever You Go, There You Are, by Jon Kabat-Zinn.)

Some additional books specific to mindful parenting (integrating a bit of neuroscience) include:

Daniel J. Siegel & Mary Hartzell, Parenting from the Inside Out: How a Deeper Self-Understanding Can Help You Raise Children Who Thrive (Tarcher Perigee, 2016).

Daniel J. Siegel & Tina Payne Bryson, The Whole-Brain Child: 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child’s Developing Mind (Bantam, 2012).

If you’re aware of any other great resources on this subject that you want to share with others, please let me know so I can add them to the list!

Some of my related blog posts/podcast episodes:

Blog Posts:
An Introduction to Mindfulness
Mindfulness Abroad
A Taste of Mindfulness: Fine-Tuning Your Awareness Through Mindful Eating

Mindful Expat Podcast:
Episode 3: An Introduction to Mindfulness (Abroad!)
Episode 7: Diving Deeper into Mindfulness & Balancing Acceptance with Change
Episode 8: Raising Resilient Third Culture Kids (TCKs), with Guest: Josh Sandoz, MA, LMHC

Stay in Touch!

I really enjoyed our conversation at FIGT and hope we can stay in touch!

Feel free to email me at dana@dananelsoncounseling.com. And if you haven’t already done so, please connect me with me on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Want to learn more about how mindfulness can be helpful to those living abroad? You might be interested in checking out my latest project — the Mindful Expat Podcast! (And if this is a subject that you feel passionate about too and want to come on the podcast as a guest, please reach out to me!)

Thanks again for the great discussion! There is so much more that we could talk about regarding this subject, and I hope that we can continue the discussion!