Connected Kids: Help Kids with Special Needs (and Autism) SHINE with mindful, heartfelt activities - Paperback

by Lorraine E. Murray (Author)

Many children today struggle with anxiety, overwhelm, and emotional regulation - especially neurodivergent children who experience the world more intensely.

Connected Kids offers simple, practical mindfulness-based strategies to help children calm their nervous system, build emotional awareness, and feel more secure.

What it provides

• mindfulness tools for anxiety
• emotional regulation strategies
• grounding techniques for children
• support for ADHD/autism-related overwhelm

Who it is for

Parents, teachers, and professionals supporting children aged 5 -17 experiencing anxiety, stress, or neurodivergent challenges.

Following the international success of 'Calm Kids, ' published author and intuitive meditation teacher Lorraine E Murray offers a practical, enlightening, and creative guide for professionals, educators, and parents/carers.

The book will provide you with the inspiration that embraces meditation, and mindful and intuitive methods to help with self-regulation and relaxation:

• understand how meditation can support brain development, emotional intelligence, and improved learning
• learn how to adapt meditation styles and practices to accommodate children experiencing SEN
• support self-soothing and regulation skills to help children reduce anxiety and stress
• learn how to use meditation and mindful practices to support creative solutions to reduce challenging behaviours
• read about real-life pilot studies illustrating the experiences of families and professionals who trialled these methods.
• explore information to worldwide research that supports the use of meditation for health and well-being
• develop a range of intuitive, mindful, problem-solving methods for the whole family
• understand how to connect the mind, body, and energy of these practices with SEN responses

Lorraine E. Murray is the founder of the Connected Kids Method, an accredited, certified, award-winning training program that trains adults to teach children and teens (inclusive of neurodivergence), mindful skills to support wellbeing.

She is also the author of 'Calm Kids' (non-fiction) and the children's fiction book (ages 7 to 12): "The Curious Adventures of Robbie and Jess: A book for all children... waiting to discover their superpowers".

She has taught thousands of people how to bring meditation into family or professional lives with young people, has practised meditation personally for over 30 years, is a foster parent and a qualified healer and intuitive expert. She is a teacher on Insight Timer, a podcaster, and a blogger.

"This book truly is wonderful for the general population, but Lorraine's detailed work on challenges that people with autism face and several specific balancing mindful activities make this the best book I have read for helping kids feel their best. For children who struggle with food, she suggests practicing a gratitude meditation before eating where the caregiver and child explore the journey of the food to the plate (imagine the food growing as a plant and thanking sun, soil, and water, as well as the farmer who cared for it, etc.) Kids become less afraid of unfamiliar foods and textures as they think about the effort involved for the food from a seed in the ground to their plates - I've seen this work in my own home!"

"We have found the skills our pupils have learned through the Connected Kids approach to be a useful, possibly vital, life tool for now and in the future. In an increasingly complex and stressful world. We have made them an essential part of our curriculum by integrating short mindfulness sessions throughout the day and whenever pupils need to use them. Our pupils have severe learning difficulties, many also with autism, and yet the ideas can be adapted quite easily to each individual's needs."

Author Biography

Lorraine Murray has been teaching meditation since 2003. She's worked with all ages and abilities and specialises in working with Autism and ADHD. Her first book 'Calm Kids' is part of the Connected Kids programme which she teaches worldwide.