Sesame Street: Helping Traumatized Children Cope
When you get big feelings, take deep belly breaths.
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When Big Bird has “big feelings,” he imagines himself in a comfy-cozy nest, soothed by the smell of baking cookies. The Count teaches the Cookie Monster a breathing technique to ease agitation while the green monster Rosita punches a pillow to release her anger. These Muppet characters are part of a Sesame Street in Communities project that provides free online resources, including books, videos, and digital activities, to help children deal with trauma. The problem is significant: almost half of all American children have experienced abuse, domestic violence, poverty, a natural disaster, the mental illness of a caregiver, or another adverse event. Thanks to the Muppets for teaching them resilience! (This session is made possible by support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.)
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