Sunflower Lane Therapy

04/03/2026

Have you ever noticed how your child can go from calm to explosive in seconds? Dan Siegel’s Upstairs / Downstairs Brain is a simple way to understand why.

The 'downstairs brain' is in charge of big emotions, survival instincts and staying safe. It reacts quickly – think fight, flight, freeze.

The 'upstairs brain' is where problem-solving, empathy, and reasoning live. It helps children make good choices, manage feelings, and connect with others.

But here’s the catch: children’s upstairs brains are still under construction. That means when emotions overwhelm, their downstairs brain often takes over.

This isn’t 'bad behaviour' – it’s biology. When we see it this way, we can respond with compassion, co-regulation, and strategies that help a young person move from downstairs to upstairs.
Resources to support educating a child around this model are available in our Resource Store.
EMOTIONS and MY BRAIN
This extensive resource pack based on Dan Siegel’s Upstairs and Downstairs Brain
helps and educates children and young people on the concept of the upstairs and downstairs brain can help them recognise how their own brain functions and develop strategies for self-regulation and emotional intelligence.
The pack comprises explainers, emotions scale resources, practical activities including upstairs and downstairs brain choices (behaviours), stress response, amygdala hijack, explainers for both adults and young people and activities to consolidate learning around parts of the brain and functions. Also includes 5 skin tone range of emotions.

Varying resources to suit ages 6-16yrs. Now also available as an 8 week intervention.
Electronic download available at link in comments or via our Linktree Shop in Bio.

01/03/2026

We need more nuance in how we talk about therapeutic approaches for children, and young people

Highly verbal, cognitive strategies have their place. But they’re not universally developmentally appropriate. A teenager-appropriate approach isn’t automatically right for a preschooler or a child just starting school. And equally, not every teenager is ready for a purely cognitive or verbal process — regardless of their age

That’s where play comes in!

I’ve worked with many teenagers who have found their voice through play-based communication — a board game, a metaphor, a moment of shared play — when words alone couldn’t get there

Developmental readiness matters more than chronological age. Play meets children and young people where they are

26/02/2026

The Jai Institute for Parenting 💙

25/02/2026

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Responsive Parenting Inspirations 💕

17/02/2026

Teach Through Love 💕

15/02/2026

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10/02/2026

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07/02/2026

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06/02/2026

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We don’t give children directions. Huh? Why? We help them find their own. Children are born with an internal system that helps them make sense of the world: their feelings, body cues, curiosity, and instincts. In play therapy, we trust that system.

When adults constantly direct children (what to feel, how to respond, what choice to make) children may comply, but they don’t learn how to decide. They learn how to look outside themselves for answers.

When we slow down and allow children to explore, struggle a little, and notice their own signals (with a safe adult nearby), something important happens:
They build self-trust; They learn emotional awareness; They develop confidence in their own judgment.

This doesn’t mean children are left alone or without boundaries. It means adults provide safety, structure, and relationship, while children practice choice, voice, and agency.

In play therapy, direction comes from within the child, not imposed from outside. Over time, this helps children: Regulate emotions more effectively; Solve problems independently; Navigate relationships with greater confidence.

We don’t remove guidance. We shift it from control to connection. And from that connection, an inner compass begins to form.

06/02/2026

Absolutely love this ❤️

02/02/2026

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SECOND CHANCE SUNDAY

If you’ve ever been told to “send them to calm down” and it didn’t sit right with you — this is why.
Children don’t learn regulation through isolation. They learn it through connection. Through an adult who stays close, steady, and calm enough for them to borrow that calm until their own nervous system can catch up. This isn’t about spoiling or rescuing. It’s about building the brain skills that make self-regulation possible.

01/02/2026

Every brain is different. Every child deserves to understand their own.

When we talk about the autism spectrum, many people still picture a straight line. In reality, it is much closer to a mix of different traits, needs, and strengths that show up in different ways for each child.

Every child has a different brain. Some children feel the world very strongly through sound, light, or touch. Some need routine and knowing what is coming next to feel calm. Some focus deeply, feel emotions intensely, or communicate best with clear, direct words. Some need movement, comfort, or quiet to regulate.

Understanding the spectrum this way matters, especially for children. When children learn that brains work differently, it helps them make sense of themselves and others. It reduces shame, confusion, and the feeling that something is wrong with them. It also helps adults move away from labels and towards understanding real needs.

This child friendly resource outlines the autism spectrum in a simple, visual way that shows children that different brains are normal, valuable, and needed. It supports positive conversations about differences, emotions, behaviour, and self understanding.

Like the photo and comment "GARDEN" and we will send you a message with a link to a free PDF of this resource.