Former Spofforth teacher launches guided meditation to improve children’s mental health

A former teacher turned holistic therapist has launched a new project designed to help children improve their mental health.

Debbie Ross spent many years working as a teaching assistant, nursery nurse and special educational needs coordinator at Spofforth Church of England Primary School.

Among her favourite memories was a trip to Bewerley Park outdoor education centre, when she and the pupils enjoyed a guided meditation session. She said:

“The children are now grown up with their own children, but I’m still in touch with some and they remember doing it. It’s something they enjoyed and they’re now using those skills as adults.”

Now a holistic therapist and reiki practitioner, Debbie, who lives in Ripon, has created her own guided meditations designed to help children aged between five and 12 to relax.

She said each of them encourages the child to visualise a scene and use their imagination to help calm their minds. Debbie has paired each meditation with a crystal to add to the experience.

She said:

“I’m really driven to use crystals with the meditation. They’re very tactile and if the children learn what the crystal can help them with, they have got something to take away with them.

“Some children take the sodalite crystal into school with them because it’s small. They’ve all said it really helps them to stay calm.”

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Research has shown that the covid pandemic has had a negative impact on children’s mental health, with one in six having a diagnosable mental health condition in 2021 compared to one in nine just four years earlier.

Debbie said she hopes her guided crystal meditations will help children to develop skills that will benefit them throughout their lives.

She is speaking to local schools about introducing them for their pupils and also hopes to approach hospitals about using them for young patients.

Meanwhile, they are also available on Debbie’s website.