The Power of Pause

Written by Kristin Tallackson, M.A.

I work with children and parents who often have trouble “pausing”. As humans, our first instinct is to react when a situation arises. When our child is not listening to us, our first instinct is to respond with a demand. It usually sounds something like, “If you don’t _____, I will____”. These reactions, in part, are due to time restraints, stress, and a lack of understanding of what our child’s behavior may be indicating.

I wanted to give a quick reminder of the benefit of pausing. When we pause, we stop those automatic thoughts and actions from occurring and are able to take a step back. Pausing allows us to step out of our tunnel focused view and take in the larger picture. Physiologically, it allows are heart rate to decrease and our bodies to relax. Pausing helps not only you, but your child. When you pause, it models for your child what it looks like to be in control of your emotions.

Remember:

When in doubt, PAUSE

When angry, PAUSE

When tired, PAUSE

When stressed, PAUSE

When upset, PAUSE

Today, take to practice pausing. Pause the stress, worry, and chaos of life and take in what is around you.

Kristin Tallackson is a counselor at Heights Family Counseling who specializes in anxiety therapy, behavior, mood, attachment, and child/teen counseling. Kristin's counseling approach is to offer a safe place for you to process and work through a multitude of circumstances, while offering valuable insight and perspective into whatever journey you may find yourself. Her philosophy is to embrace you where you are, equip you with tools, coping mechanisms and knowledge, and empower you to take those tools and lead a fulfilling life. Read more about Kristin’s counseling approach at https://heightsfamilycounseling.com/amy-rollo/. Set up an appointment with Kristin online.