The Whole-Brain Child

into the conversation, something changed in his brain. After a few
minutes of exercise, he was able to calm his amygdala and give
control back to his upstairs brain.
Studies support Liam and his spontaneous strategy. Research
shows that when we change our physical state—through movement
or relaxation, for example—we can change our emotional state.
Try smiling for a minute—it can make you feel happier; quick,
shallow breaths accompany anxiety, and if you take a slow, deep
breath, you’ll likely feel calmer. (You can try these little exercises
with your child to teach her how her body affects how she feels.)
The body is full of information that it sends to the brain. In fact,
a lot of the emotion we feel actually begins in the body. Our
churning stomach and tense shoulders send physical messages of
anxiety to the brain before we even consciously realize that we’re
nervous. The flow of energy and information from the body up into
our brain stem, into our limbic region, and then up into the cortex,
changes our bodily states, our emotional states, and our thoughts.
What happened for Liam, then, was that the movement of his
body helped bring his whole self into a state of integration, so his
upstairs brain, his downstairs brain, and his body could all once
again do their jobs in a way that was eʃective and healthy. When
he felt overwhelmed, the ɻow of energy and information became
blocked, resulting in dis-integration. Vigorously moving his body
released some of his angry energy and tension, allowing him to
relax. So after his run, his body sent “calmer” information to his
upstairs brain, meaning that his emotional balance returned and the
diʃerent parts of his brain and body began to function again in an
integrated way.
The next time your children need help calming down or
regaining control, look for ways to get them moving. For young
kids, experiment with what might be called creative, loving
trickery, as shown on this page.