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I Can Be CalmA SOCIAL STORY ONMINDFULNESS AND SELF CALMINGA Social Story By Kathleen Yopp, MOT, OTR/LUsing the Vagus Nerve to help withEmotional RegulationCopywrite Helping Hands Therapy Services

I wrote this book to give kids (and parents andtherapists) a better understanding of how tolisten to our bodies to know when we arebecoming upset, overwhelmed, anxious orscared, and using the Vagus nerve to help calmthe body back down. This Book is written as a social story so that it iseasy for children to understand! Kathleen Helping Hands Therapy Services, PLLCTheBodySendsSignals!WWW.HELPINGHANDSTHERAPYSERVICES.COM

I like it when things go myway, and things are thesame.Sometimes I get upset whenthings are new, or theychange, or they do not gomy way. I might get upset when my friendswant to do something that I don’twant to do. Or, if somethingbreaks when I am playing with it.Or, when it is time to stopsomething fun, but I don’t wantto.WWW.HELPINGHANDSTHERAPYSERVICES.COM

I get upset and then Iwant to cry and scream. I might get somad or upsetthat I can’t usemy words and Iwant to runaway and hide.WWW.HELPINGHANDSTHERAPYSERVICES.COM

I have aSuperPower!It is my vagus nerve! And whenI do these exercises, it tells mybrain how to calm down! I CAN USE A SUPER POWER THAT HELPS ME KNOW WHAT TO DO! And then I rememberthat it is okay to getangry and sad,because there issomething that I can doto feel better! WWW.HELPINGHANDSTHERAPYSERVICES.COM

First, I needto listen tomy body W W W. H E L P I NG H A N D S TH E R A P Y SE R V I C E S. C O MSometimes, theemotions areconfusing, I don'tknow what I amfeeling. But, if I listento my body, it helps meunderstand whichemotion I am feeling. It tells me when I amstarting to get upsetand overwhelmed.

My bodygivesClues! W W W. H E L P I NG H A N D S TH E R A P Y SE R V I C E S. C O MMy body tellsme when I amstarting to getupset andoverwhelmed! My heart starts to beatreal fast, and then mybreathing too! I start tosqueeze my fists and myarms get real tight. Everything starts tobother me, even thesounds and the lights!

W W W. H E L P I NG H A N D S TH E R A P Y SE R V I C E S. C O MThen I remember, whenmy body feels thesesignals, I can do thesethings to help my bodycalm down! I count on 5 fingers, this is what to do!

I CLOSE MY EYES AND COUNTTO TEN. I TAKE DEEP BREATHS,AND HOLD IT FOR A FEWSECONDS BEFORE I BREATHBACK OUT.I START TO THINK OF HAPPYTHINGS THAT MAKE ME CALMAND HAPPY, LIKE FLOWERS INTHE GARDEN, AND PUFFYCLOUDS IN THE SKY. W W W. H E L P I NG H A N D S TH E R A P Y SE R V I C E S. C O M0102

030405I REMEMBER THINGS THAT MAKEME FEEL BETTER, LIKE HUGS ANDKISSES FROM MOMMY ORDADDY. I SIT WITH MOM ANDSHE GIVES ME A BIG HUG ANDSITS WITH ME QUIETLY UNTIL ICALM BACK DOWN.I CALL MY DOG WHO IS SOSOFT AND WARM. I SNUGGLEWITH HER AND SHE MAKES MEFEEL BETTER.I GET MY FAVORITESTUFFY, AND I HUGAND SQUEEZE REALTIGHT.W W W. H E L P I NG H A N D S TH E R A P Y SE R V I C E S. C O M

My shoulders relax, and mymouth starts to smile. My hands start to relax while Iam petting my dog andsqueezing my soft stuffy. I keeptaking deep breaths, and myheart does not beat so hard andfast. And then I realize, I amstarting to feel much calmer!Then all of a sudden, Ifeel my body sendanother signal, that I amstarting to feel less mad.WWW.HELPINGHANDSTHERAPYSERVICES.COM

WWW.HELPINGHANDSTHERAPYSERVICES.COMThese are my calminghelpers and they makeme feel much better!I am much happier whenI can feel calm!

I am proud of myself that Ican help my body calm downand I know my mommy anddaddy are so proud of metoo! WWW.HELPINGHANDSTHERAPYSERVICES.COM