Mellow Moods

This episode was created for those moments when fear, worry, or anxiety seem to arise without a clear reason.Side note: I got down to my favourite beach in Perth and recorded the waves for you, I hope you like listening to them as much as I do. Using the metaphor of the ocean, this meditation gently explores how our internal world can shift and change; from choppy and unsettled, to heavy and grey, to moments of clarity and calm.Rather than trying to remove fear, this practice invites you to build a deeper relationship with safety. To notice what safety feels like within your body, even when your nervous system feels activated.Through breath, grounding and imagery, you are guided to recognise that while the surface may feel unsettled, there is a steadier place within you that remains.This is a slower, longer and more reflective practice designed to support:• anxiety and emotional overwhelm• body-based awareness• reconnecting with a sense of internal safety

Bonus episodeA gentle Balloon Breathing practice to help children slow down, feel calm, and reconnect with their bodies. This one is especially heartfelt, with my daughter joining me in the narration. She is passionate about relaxation too and it was such a special episode to create together.Enjoy!

In this episode, children are guided through a gentle breathing exercise using their hands.By tracing each finger like a starfish and pairing movement with breath, children practise slow, steady breathing in a simple and visual way.This creates a rhythm the body can follow, helping to support calm and awareness.Children can trace, watch, imagine, or simply listen, with full choice in how they participate.Parent & Teacher information: This episode is grounded in trauma-informed and neurodivergent-affirming practice, offering structured, predictable breathing with visual support.Starfish breathing supports:• breath awareness and control• calming the nervous system• body-based regulationIt can be used:• during moments of overwhelm• before sleep• as part of a daily calming routine• in classrooms or group settingsChildren may engage in different ways: tracing, watching, imagining, or resting, and all responses are welcome.

In this episode, children are invited to focus on something familiar, enjoyable, or deeply interesting to help their body feel calm and safe.By gently bringing attention to something they love, whether real or imagined, children can experience a sense of safety, interest, and regulation.Children are encouraged to engage in their own way, whether that’s thinking, looking, holding, moving, or simply listening.Parent & Teacher NotesIt supports:• emotional regulation• attention and engagement• sensory and cognitive organisationIt may be especially helpful for children who benefit from:• predictable focus• special interests• sensory-based calmingChildren can engage in flexible ways; still, moving, quiet, or expressive, all ways are valid.

In this episode, children are guided to use gentle eye movements to follow slow, predictable patterns.By tracking movement side to side, up and down, and in soft shapes, children can begin to feel more organised, focused, and settled in their bodies.Children are invited to use their finger, an object, or simply imagine a moving light; with full choice over how they engage.Parent & Teacher NotesThis episode is grounded in trauma-informed and neurodivergent-affirming practice, offering predictable, low-demand sensory input.Visual tracking supports:• attention and focus• nervous system regulation• visual-motor integrationIt can be used:• during transitions• as a calming reset• to support focus and learning readinessChildren may follow, watch, imagine, or rest; all responses are welcome.

Finding Calm Through RepetitionIn this episode, children are invited to explore simple tapping and pressing patterns to help their bodies feel steadier and more organised.Using gentle taps and presses, children practise repeating predictable patterns. Rhythm and repetition can help the brain know what to expect, which can support a sense of calm and safety in the body.This practice is especially helpful for children who enjoy structure, repetition, or sensory input, and offers a low-pressure way to regulate through movement.Children are reminded that they are in charge; they can follow along, create their own patterns, press more firmly or softly, or simply listen.Parent, Guardian & Teacher TipsThis episode is grounded in trauma-informed and neurodivergent-affirming practice, recognising that tapping and pressing can be powerful tools for regulation.It can be used:• during transitions• as a classroom regulation break• to support focus and attentionChildren may engage in different ways; tapping, pressing, watching, or listening, and all responses are welcome.

Gentle Movements to Release EnergyIn this episode, children are invited to explore gentle movements that can help the body release extra energy and feel more steady again.Some children regulate best through movement, especially when their bodies feel wiggly, restless, tight, or full of energy. This practice offers a calm and structured way to move, stretch, shake, and reset, while helping children notice what feels good and supportive for their body.Children are reminded that they are in charge; they can move in their own way, make movements bigger or smaller, or simply listen.Parent & Teacher NotesThis episode is grounded in trauma-informed and neurodivergent-affirming practice, recognising that movement is often an important and valid form of regulation.It can be especially helpful:• during transitions• after recess or busy play• before focused learning• during emotional reset momentsChildren may choose different types and sizes of movement, and all responses are welcome.

In this episode, children explore Dragon Breath, a playful breathing exercise designed to help release big feelings and extra energy from the body.Children practise slow breaths out through the mouth; imagining a dragon gently blowing warm air. Longer exhales can help the nervous system begin to settle, supporting children when they feel overwhelmed, anxious, or full of energy.The activity includes different ways to explore breathing, such as slow dragon breaths, quiet dragon breaths, and big dragon breaths, allowing children to choose what feels comfortable for their bodies.This practice encourages children to notice their breathing while learning that calming strategies can be adapted to suit their own needs.Dragon Breath focuses on long, slow exhales, which can help the nervous system shift from stress toward calm.Parent & Teacher NotesChildren are encouraged to explore breathing in ways that feel comfortable. They may:• breathe quietly or loudly• breathe through the mouth or nose• move their arms like dragon wings• imagine blowing away mist or warm air• participate brieflyAll responses are valid.This activity is especially helpful during moments of:• anxiety or overwhelm• emotional regulation• transitions between activities• after conflict or frustration• before sleep routinesChoice-based breathing supports children in learning that their breath can be a helpful tool for calming the body.

Learning to listen to the bodyIn this episode, children practise noticing sensations in their bodies — such as warmth, movement, breathing, or relaxation.This skill helps build interoceptive awareness, which is the ability to notice internal body signals.By gently exploring sensations in their hands, shoulders, breath, and feet, children begin to understand the messages their bodies send throughout the day.Parent & Teacher NotesDeveloping this awareness helps children recognise when their bodies need movement, rest, or calming strategies.Interoceptive awareness supports:• emotional regulation• self-awareness• attention and focus• recognising early signs of stress or fatigueSome children will notice sensations easily, while others may notice very little. Both responses are normal.Encourage curiosity with prompts such as:“What do you notice?”“Does anything feel different?”“Your body might notice something different next time.”Children may move while noticing sensations, which is expected and acceptable.This activity can be used:• before learning tasks• after recess• during emotional resets• as part of calming routines

Exploring different ways to breatheIn this episode, children discover that there are many ways to breathe, and they get to choose what works best for their body.Rather than teaching one “correct” breathing technique, children explore several gentle options such as slow nose breathing, breathing out through the mouth, “cooling soup” breaths, or quiet “sleeping kitten” breaths.Choice-based breathing helps children feel more comfortable with regulation practices and encourages them to develop their own calming strategies.Parent & Teacher NotesChildren are encouraged to explore breathing in ways that feel comfortable.They may choose to:• breathe through the nose• breathe through the mouth• watch their chest or belly move instead of controlling breath• rock or sway while breathing• participate brieflyAll responses are valid.Choice-based breathing is particularly supportive for neurodivergent learners, as it reduces pressure and increases engagement.This activity is helpful:• before focused work• during emotional regulation moments• before sleep routines• when children feel anxious or overwhelmed

Helping the body feel steady through the feetIn this episode, children practise grounding by noticing and pressing their feet into the floor.Connecting the feet with the ground can help children feel stable, balanced, and present in their bodies, especially when energy feels busy or overwhelming.Children explore simple movements such as pressing their feet down, rocking forward and back, lifting their heels, or wiggling their toes while noticing the support of the ground beneath them.Grounding through the feet is a powerful way to help the body settle and organise sensory input.Parent & Teacher NotesThis activity supports proprioceptive awareness through the legs and feet, which can help children regulate their nervous systems.Children may:• press firmly or softly• rock or sway• wiggle their toes• lift heels or stomp gently• simply notice their feet touching the groundAll variations are appropriate.This activity works well:• during classroom transitions• after recess or lunch• when children feel restless or overstimulated• before quiet learning activities

Helping the body feel steady through gentle pressingIn this episode, children explore how gentle pressing with their muscles can help their bodies feel more organised and steady.By pressing their hands, feet, or body against something supportive, children experience proprioceptive input, which can help the nervous system settle and improve body awareness.This practice helps children notice the difference between muscles working and relaxing, building early regulation skills.Children are encouraged to explore pressing in ways that feel comfortable for their bodies, including pressing hands together, pressing feet into the floor, giving themselves a hug, or squeezing a cushion or soft toy.Parent & Teacher NotesThis activity can be especially helpful:• during transitions between activities• after recess or physical play• before focused classroom work• when children feel restless or unsettledChildren may prefer soft pressing, stronger pressing, movement, or imagination instead of physical pressing. All responses are valid.Encourage curiosity rather than correction with prompts such as:“Try what feels comfortable for your body.”“You can press softer or stronger.”“You can stop anytime.”

About the Calm Senses SeriesThis short introduction episode is designed for parents, caregivers, and educators.Many families and teachers have told me they simply need something quick they can press play on when children need help settling, regulating, or reconnecting with their bodies. To make that easier, this episode explains the purpose of the Calm Senses activities so the children’s episodes can begin straight away, without a long adult introduction.The Calm Senses Series offers short, simple body and breathing practices that help children develop body awareness, emotional regulation, and calming skills through sensory exploration.Each activity uses trauma-informed and neurodivergent-affirming language, meaning children are always given choice in how they participate.You’ll often hear phrases such as:“If it feels comfortable”“You can choose what works for your body”“There is no right way”These activities can be used:• during classroom transitions• after recess or busy play• before focused learning• during emotional reset moments• before bedtime routinesChildren may move, fidget, press, rock, or adapt the activity in their own way. All responses are valid.The goal is not perfect stillness: it’s helping children notice what their bodies need and respond with supportive strategies.

Rising Sun Meditation | ~20 minutes | adultsBegin your day with steadiness and clarity through this grounding sunrise meditation set in the quiet stillness of the Australian bush. Designed for young adults and adults navigating busy mornings and fast-paced lives, this practice invites you to slow your breath, calm the nervous system, and release the lingering weight of yesterday. As the rising sun illuminates the landscape, you’ll be guided to gather yourself, settle the busy mind, and set a gentle intention for the day ahead.Perfect for starting the morning with presence, balance, and grounded calm.Mellow Moods is for general wellbeing and isn’t a substitute for professional mental health support.

Back to School Meditation | Ages 6–12 | 12 minThis short, gentle back-to-school meditation is designed to support children aged 6–12 as they settle into a new school term. Through calming breath, simple grounding, and reassuring guidance, children are supported to regulate nervous feelings, normalise excitement and tearfulness, and feel steady in moments of change. A supportive pause to help young minds feel calm, confident, and ready to learn.

This special Christmas meditation invites you and your family to slow down, breathe deeply, and reconnect with the true spirit of the season. Together, we explore the warmth, kindness, gratitude, and togetherness that make Christmas meaningful. With gentle guidance, soft imagery, and a focus on connection with loved ones, this meditation offers a peaceful pause in the midst of the holiday rush. A beautiful way to unwind as a family and return to what matters most.

This episode is suitable for teens and adults Failure is one of those experiences we all understand but rarely talk about honestly. It tightens the chest, stirs old insecurities, and invites that loud, persistent inner critic to have its say. Most of us don’t like failing (I certainly don’t), yet it happens to every single one of us, often more than we’d prefer. The real work isn’t in avoiding failure, but in learning to stay with the discomfort without shrinking, judging ourselves, or shutting down. This week’s episode, Falling Forward, is a compassionate meditation designed to help you navigate the sting of failure with softness rather than shame. Together we explore how failure shows up in the body, how to gently reduce its intensity, how to loosen the grip of the inner critic, and how to offer ourselves the same kindness we’d readily give to a friend. If failure has felt heavy lately. or if you’re simply human, this episode is for you.

For teens and adults | 15 minutesWhen loneliness feels vast, like standing beneath an endless night, this meditation helps you find light in connection. Guided through breath and reflection, you’ll explore the beauty of individuality and the quiet comfort of belonging to something greater.Each star, like each person, shines alone yet forms a tapestry of unity across time and space. You are not alone in the sky; you are part of the constellation.

🌙 Safe and Sound: A Bedtime Meditation After a Bad Dream10 minutes | For children aged 4–10When children wake from a nightmare, their hearts can race and their bodies can feel tense, even though the danger has passed. This gentle 10-minute meditation helps little ones calm their bodies, settle their breathing, and remember they are safe. Through soft imagery, golden light, and comforting words, children are guided back to a sense of warmth, security, and peaceful rest. Perfect for bedtime or middle of the night wake-ups. 💛

30-minute guided meditation | Suitable for teens and adultsWhen your mind jumps to the worst-case scenario, your body can follow...racing heart, tight chest, restless energy. This extended meditation helps calm the stress response, activate the vagus nerve, and bring your body and mind back to safety. Through gentle breathing, grounding, and imagery, learn how to stay present, soothe anxiety, and remind yourself: fear is a feeling, not a fact.

A Guided Meditation for Growth, Rest & Self-CompassionIn this gentle meditation, you’ll journey into a garden that lives within, a place where your inner world is reflected in petals, roots, and soft light. Through calming imagery and breath, this practice explores how we grow through both sunshine and storms, and what happens when we forget to tend to our own well-being.Whether you're feeling strong, tired, or somewhere in between, this meditation is an invitation to pause, soften, and reconnect. Ideal for teens, adults, or emotionally aware children.Use with headphones for full effect. Optional: pair with ambient nature sounds (breeze, birdsong, water).🌱 You are not just surviving. You are learning to bloom.

A calming 5-minute meditation to help children and teens unwind at the end of the day. Drift into a peaceful inner garden where rest, care, and healing begin.Perfect for bedtime: soft music, gentle imagery, and a message of hope.✨ Let your little flower bloom again tomorrow.

In this gentle episode, we explore Bee Breath (Bhramari Pranayama) 🐝 — a fun and calming breathing technique that helps children (and adults!) feel peaceful, focused, and safe. With simple instructions and soothing imagery, kids can hum like a happy bee 🐝 and discover their inner calm. Perfect for bedtime, transitions, or anytime emotions feel big.This episode is for educational and relaxation purposes only. It is not a substitute for psychological treatment.

In this episode of Mellow Moods, Jess dives into the art of co-regulation — the calming, connected way adults can help children manage big emotions. Discover practical strategies, heartfelt real-life examples, and the science behind why your calm matters. Whether you’re a parent, teacher, or caregiver, this episode offers grounding support for everyday moments of overwhelm.Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional psychological advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult a licensed mental health professional for personal guidance.

In this special Easter episode, children are invited to join the Easter Bunny on a calming journey through fields of blooming flowers and soft sunshine. Guided by gentle narration, this meditation encourages deep breathing, imagination, and mindfulness. Perfect for bedtime or quiet moments during the holiday, this story blends seasonal wonder with foundational relaxation techniques to help children feel grounded, safe, and joyfully centered.

In this episode, I guide you through a gentle meditation to slow down and find stillness amidst the busyness of life. Using breath, visualisation, and mantra, this practice helps you reset, release tension, and move at a more peaceful pace. Suitable for both children and adults, this meditation invites you to pause, breathe, and embrace the beauty of slowing down.

Hi all, this is a reupload from last season. It is a short body scan using a butterfly to dance around the body. This is a great introduction to meditation for children. Enjoy!

Hello 2025! This episode is for adult listeners and includes a short life update as well as a short New Year resolution discussion and meditation. Unfortunately there was some strange interference in the recording, but given the message of the episode and the mess of life, I have decided to roll with it anyway. Preeclampsia info can be found at this link :https://www.preeclampsia.org/ I am happy to be back. Enjoy :)

This episode was inspired by our recent trip to Monkey Mia, a beautiful place up North in Western Australia. The water is crystal clear and the beach is full of shells. This meditation will ask you to explore a beach, but also find a shell unique to you, inspired by you. You will be guided through celebrating it's uniqueness and by default celebrating your own.

Welcome to 2024! This will be short episode about managing racing thoughts, which we all face from time to time, some more than others. You might notice than when you try to quiet down for the night, or have some quiet time/relaxation during the day, that your mind may be busy with thoughts, thoughts that zoom and race by, others may go by a little more slowly, and at times when our mind are so busy it can be hard to focus in on one thought or slow them down enough so we can get to a peaceful restful sleep. When our mind is so full of energy as is our body and as is our breath. This short exercise will invite you to practice observing your thoughts but not engaging with them, this can help minimise our minds chatter and subsequently calm our feelings, breath and body.

There has been a bit of a gap between episodes, being a one person passion project I have just not had the space to record and put an episode out there. This episode is one on my favourites, it builds on the skills you may have learnt in prior episodes. it is suited to all age groups. It is a creative way to work with a distressing feeling you may be having. Using colour and breath you are guided though imagining your feelings and slowly filling your inner world with a peaceful vibrant colour.

This episode is suited to young children (and all ages if you love a bit of magic and imagination!). You will be guided through a meditation focusing on the experience of happiness. We will explore this feeling together with images, colour and creativity. This exercise will be great to do at the start of your day to promote a happy burst of energy 🌻

This episode was a listener request and may be helpful for you if you experience fear, worry or anxiety during your day where there may be no reason for it. Fear and anxiety are actually pretty helpful feelings. When your stress response is activated it is your bodies way of communicating with you that something in your environment is making you feel unsafe, it sounds internal alarms when it senses danger. However for some of us, our body can be detecting smoke when there is no fire, when there is no reason be alarmed or afraid. So this episode has been designed to assist you to think about a time and place where you may have felt extremely safe, you then will be guided to gently explore this feeling and this place. This is to help you to become familiar with feeling a sense of safety, which is the opposite to fear. Once you become familiar with tapping into this sensation you may be more able to refer back to it in your every day life.

This episode is suitable for all ages. It is a guided visualisation exploring the wonderful world of colour! If you have a vivid imagination and love exploring colours, then this episode is for you. This episode may assist you to slow down racing thoughts, promote a sense of focus and foster a sense of calm within the body and mind.

This Episode was a listener request. It is a Mindful Object Meditation, suitable for the little ones in your life. I’ll guide them through a little bedtime routine, setting up your sleep space, some breathing, cuddling your favourite comforter and drifting off to sleep 💤 This was fun to create. Click the link in bio and hit follow.If you have a topic request message me or email at [email protected] 

This episode is suited to adults and adolescents with tips on how to share this exercise with young children in your life. This episode will introduce you to a breathing exercise called 3-Part-Breath, in yoga we call this exercise Viloma Pranayama. So what is it? Viloma is an interrupted breathing technique where you pause briefly during your breath. Some of the benefits of Viloma breathing are: Improves control of your breath and movement of air within your body Helps cool you down- it is not a heating pranayama technique meaning it works to calm the central nervous system. Focus your attention  Still your mind May relieve anxiety and stress related symptoms.

This episode is suitable for all ages, but in particular children. This visualisation introduces children to the concept of a body scan exercise by using an imaginary butterfly to guide them around. It is short and sweet. Enjoy Mellow Mooders.

This episode is a guided visualisation. If you enjoy looking at landscapes or imagining nature then this episode is for you. This visualisation is suited to adolescents, young adults and adults, due to the depth of the imagery used and the deeper reflective practice you will be guided through. I love listening to the rain and I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I enjoyed creating it.

This episode is suitable for all ages and is a short visualisation meditation about the rising sun. This meditation may help you bring a sense of calm and focus to the start of your day. Enjoy!

This episode is suitable for parents, guardians, adults and adolescents. This episode Jessica will explain what meditation is and why it is important. There is also a short breathing exercise at the end of the episode which will introduce you to the art of breathing. The breathing exercise is called diaphragmatic breathing, and sets the foundation for future episodes.

This is a short introduction to Mellow Moods. Jessica will explain what the series is about and what you may expect to hear in future episodes.