Guest, Kathryn Lovewell offers “The ‘Magic’ Question to Lift Your Well-Being”

“There are so many spoken and unspoken pressures for parents now.”

In this episode, I talk to Kathryn Lovewell. She is an award winning, international emotional health and wellbeing specialist.  She is a passionate Certified Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) teacher.  She has been providing wellbeing training in Education and the community for over 20 years and teaching meditation and self-inquiry since 2006.  Kathryn is author of Every Teacher Matters, The Little Book of Self Compassion and also her soon-to-be-published book for children: The Voices in my Head.

We start the episode by talking about her forthcoming book, The Voices in my head – which is her first book for children. As a former teacher, I believe her when she says it’s most suitable for children in the 7-10 age range – although it could be suitable as shared reading for a younger audience. I think she’s given the “voices” great names: Booster and Crusher – but she cautions that the voice of Crusher is quite mean – but the book is how to give Booster more of a boost. At the time of recording this episode, and writing this description I haven’t read a copy – but I expect it will be a nice guide for parents too!

Katheryn shares some tips for parents. For her first tip, she suggests treating yourself as you would your best friend – noting that many of us would be harsher to ourselves than others. She gives an example of missing your child perform in the class assembly – and how it’s too easy to “beat ourselves up”.  Instead ask yourself how you would respond if the situation had happened to your best friend. Her second tip is about loving self-touch in stressful situations to release good hormones. Touching your neck, the back of your hand – something deliberate and well intentioned. Her third tip starts with asking yourself the question “What’s the kindest thing I can do for myself right now?” It’s a question which recognises any constraints that there might be – and she offers a couple of easy suggestions like “take 3 deep breathes”. Kathryn has a lovely calm voice, is full of wisdom and compassion – I hope you enjoy listening to this episode.

More information You can find more about Kathryn and The Kind Mind Academy: https://kindmindacademy.com/ Or take a look at the Kind Mind Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/kindmindacademy

This Parent Podcast is brought to you by Suzanne Hazelton – author of Great Days at Work, and creator of GenieBubble Making WORLD CLASS educational resources available to every child, to help them find their own interests and flourish. www.geniebubble.org

The GenieBubble Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/GenieBubbleista

And be sure to join the GenieBubbleGroup – our small but growing community at https://www.facebook.com/groups/geniebubblegroup

We appreciate you sharing this information! C’mon – don’t be shy!