‘Flipping the Lid’ – Explanation & How to Implement Strategy

THE BRAIN
HOUSE

Our Brains are a bit like a house – with an upstairs and a downstairs. It is like we have different characters living upstairs and downstairs. They are in charge of different jobs that help us think, decide, move, behave, react, feel etc. Some characters live in the upstairs part of our brain and others in the downstairs. They are all very important and they all have different jobs that

Upstairs we have the characters that help us to think, to problem solve, to plan, to follow instructions, to be creative. These could have names like ‘Poppy the Planner’, ‘Cathy the Creator’, ‘Calming Cassie’.

Downstairs are the ‘feelers’. They help to keep us safe. These characters look out for danger, sound the alarm and make sure we are ready to fight, run or hide when there is a threat. Downstairs live characters such as Frightened Fred, Alerting

Brainstorm fun names/characters with your child to help them understand the characters that live upstairs and downstairs in their brain. These could be names/animals/cartoon/action figures etc

★ Have fun in brainstorming what names will work best for you ALL as a family so that you can all refer to your Brain House and the language is a shared language.

Flipping the Lid!

Our Brains work best when upstairs and downstairs work together. The characters constantly run up and down the stairs giving messages to each other to keep our bodies and minds feeling good. This helps us make good choices, make friends and get along with other people.

Sometimes in the downstairs brain, Alerting Annie spots some danger, Frightened Fred panics and then Big Boss rings the alarm telling your body that there is danger ahead. Big Boss is in charge and he shouts out that ‘the downstairs brain’ is TAKING OVER!! The upstairs gang can only work again when we are out of danger. The downstairs brain ‘flips the lid’ so they no longer can work together.
Big Boss tells other parts of our bodies that there is danger e.g. out palms become sweaty, our hearts beat faster, our muscles feel tight and stiff. He also can tell our bodies to keep very still. He does this

Talk/Draw with your child about times that they felt these various sensations and experiences that triggered them – where/when they felt unsafe. This will help them understand times in the past/memories. You as adult can also share your experiences/make

It is also useful to imagine when these reactions would be safest e.g. if you met a bear at the park (be mindful not to pick scenarios that would be too frightening for children –

★ It is also important that children realise that EVERYONE ‘Flips their Lid’ – normalise it for them, recount experiences that you have had when your lid flipped! E.g. My lid flipped when I couldn’t remember where I had left my car keys and we were late for school. I couldn’t think properly as the upstairs had flipped so the downstairs character e.g. Panicked Pete was working hard!

Big Boots can get over-excited and take too much control – he likes to be in charge! Sometimes we need to help him realise we are no longer in danger and that everything is OK and safe again. Sometimes he gets confused too and needs some practice!

How can we practice using Calming Cassie and Problem-Solving Paul so that Big Boss doesn’t ring the alarm when there is no danger and he gets confused? – Brainstorm coping mechanisms with your child that will help them to calm down when there is no

★ COPING SKILLS

– BREATHING EXERCISES
– MOVEMENT
– RELEASE – STRESS BALLS, PUNCHING
– MUSIC/DRAWING/CREATIVE EXPRESSION
– READING
– WRITING
– PRESSURE/TOUCH/BLANKET SWADDLE

A Shared Language = Emotional Understanding &

Once you’ve got all the characters in the Brain House decided upon, an understanding of their duties and how it works your whole family have a shared language that can be used to help your child regulate emotions and as a result understand them and cope more effectively. The child can decide upon a creative way of displaying this ‘Brain House’ – lego/arts & crafts/story
This language can become part of the daily routine e.g. it looks like Big Boss is sounding the

★ This Technique enables children to learn ways to manage big feelings and to normalise these sensations. They learn the language and express themselves more effectively. You assist the child in finding ways to get the lid back on! Be mindful of your own lid also!!

Tell-me-and-I-forget-teach-me-and-I-remember-involve-me-and-I-learn-unlock-ireland

DON’T FORGET – I’M HERE WITH YOU EVERY STEP OF THE WAY TO SUPPORT, LISTEN, ADVISE! 😊

Deirdre Ward: Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist & Play Therapist (B.Ed., MIAPTP)
Tel: (085) 1780736
Email: info@unlockirl.ie