Since it's launch, Mindfulness Techniques for Children & Young People is now being used by practitioners throughout the country and beyond. 

Read what people have said about the book below. 

Reviews

Gillian Ruddock, Educational Psychologist, West Lothian Educational Psychology Services said: 

"Mindfulness Techniques for Children & Young People is an excellent book that has a wide range of applications with children and young people. 

In addition to clearly explain what mindfulness is, there is a very accessible chapter on the development and regulation of the stress response system which is a must-read for everyone working with children and young people.

The comprehensive nature of the book allows it to be used independently by adults working with children and young people, or with additional consultative support from Stan. 

I'm excited about the potential impact the approach could have in schools, and I would highly recommend this book to you!"

Fiona McKerral, headteacher, St Mary's Primary School, Bathgate said: 

"Stan's book has given our staff an excellent understanding about how mindfulness techniques can impact positively on children's health and well being. It provides guidance on how to design a mindfulness programme tailored to suit the needs of individual children. 

Examples of work with the Royal Blind School provided insight and enhanced our understanding. As a result of the book, we know use mindfulness techniques daily in out school and look forward to measuring the positive impact this seems to be having." 

Alison McFarlane, headteacher, Gartcosh Primary School said: 

"In Gartcosh Primary we are committed to a programme of mindfulness in supporting our children, parents and staff. I am pleased to say that Stan has been a great support for us on that journey, offering us a wide range of techniques and tools to complement our growth mindset approach.  As a staff group, we are becoming more aware of the impact of adverse childhood experiences. Mindfulness can and does make a difference. Stan has trained all of the staff within the school. As a result we have a greater understanding of the impact of stress on children and a greater recognition of the need to engage quickly and sensitively when a difficult situation arises. Our approach now includes the use of mindfulness techniques.

 Stan has worked with our children and been a mentor for the whole school, equipping us with a wide range of mindfulness exercises. He has supported us in creating a programme of mindfulness in the classroom and the techniques that he has taught the children and staff are supporting behaviour and learning across the school. It is making a difference. It does make a difference. Simple exercises, big impact.  

I would highly recommend his book to you."

 Managing Stress and Distress - Reviews

 Lisa Moore, Education Officer Health and Well-being at West Lothian Council

Stan Godek’s book, Managing Stress and Distress: How to Help, Understand and Support Children and Young People, is a solution focussed guide that brings hope and inspiration to those who are helping our children and young people to navigate their way through this.

In a world that calls for us to be trauma informed and understand attachment-based approaches, Stan uses his expertise to make this knowledge and skill set accessible to his readers through straightforward, easy to follow sections with How to Help summaries, Expert Views and Key Points which cleverly signpost and motivate the audience.

Having had the privilege of working with Stan and knowing the incredible impact of his work and how much it helps our children and young people, I was filled with a renewed sense of confidence in implementing mindfulness, building strength and resilience, along with a refreshed view of the importance to finding regular moments of calm. It reminds us that we can help, support and take action. We can provide our young people with positive experiences, secure environments, trusted adults and predictable routines.

Overall, this book is helpful, solution focussed, practical and inspirational. Most importantly, children and young people’s needs are at the heart of this compassionate overview of how we can actually help to manage stress and distress.

I would highly recommend this book to educators, families and indeed anyone who, like Stan, has a genuine desire to make the world a better, more informed place where adults have the confidence to support children and young people to thrive and meet their potential.

Anne Black, Retired Social Work Manager

This book covers some exceedingly complex and difficult areas affecting children and young people who are experiencing stress and distress. Despite the challenging topics the author has managed to make the book accessible to many different audiences.

While providing a very comprehensive overview of theories and practice it outlines the many developments over the years of our understanding of some of the key areas which can impact on children and young people’s ability to cope with stress and consequent distress.

Stan Godek has expertly encapsulated the realities of stress and distress and provides many routes to greater understanding of their impact and then discusses more directed ways to help children and young people.
His five sections allow readers to explore key areas fully and sensitively, distilling the topics into manageable parts to set out the sources, impacts and responses to stress and distress.
These sections are Stress and the Brain, Attachment and Loss , Managing Distress, Childhood Stressors and Mindfulness and Stress.

In each, theoretical knowledge is succinctly described and the book then outlines how the theories are translated into behaviours and thus opens up routes to help alleviate adverse reactions to stress.
I found that the sections at the end of each chapter which tabulate “How to help “were clear and helpful. These sections make the more complex issues accessible as they are linked to actions carers, workers and parents can take.

No review can do justice to this extremely comprehensive book which offers so many insights into the complex areas of stress and distress.

The text reflects the author’s deep knowledge and experience of trying to help children and young people have greater satisfaction in their lives.

One quote which Stan uses is:
“You cannot stop the waves but you can learn to surf”

I believe that the book will provide many ways in which workers, carers and parents can help young people to surf and not be overwhelmed by the waves.

Claire Macpherson, Deputy Head – Early Education and Director of Pastoral Care, ESMS

Stan Godek’s latest book, ‘Managing Stress and Distress: How to Understand and Support Children and Young People’ is an absolute must read for educators and early years practitioners, parents and carers.

Having taught and supported children, young people and families for over 35 years, in both local authority schools and predominantly ESMS, I have been asked repeatedly by teachers and parents to suggest strategies for how to support distressed behaviours displayed by children either in school, at home or at a point of transition. The answer is, always to have a conversation, it takes time and I regularly refer to suggestions Stan Godek has made. In this book we now have a “go to guide” providing a range of strategies to help manage stress and distress in children and young people.

At ESMS we have been privileged to have worked with Stan over many years. He has supported both our staff and our parents and encouraged the idea that any form of distress should be treated as a signal. Stan’s book provides expert answers on the many questions we all ask on this topic. He reminds us that, in order to support the child or young person we must first understand the underlying reasons for behaviours and the chapters on brain development and attachment support this. He also reminds us that distress has a communicative function and our responses, as adults, must be both informed and calming in order to support children and ease their distress. Even in an environment like ours, where staff are attachment aware and recognise the importance of routines, consistency and supporting transitions, distressed behaviours can still occur. I hear Stan’s voice at these times reminding us of the key phrase “attention needing”.

As a school we have embedded Mindfulness in our curriculum and are currently working to create a Zen Garden where the children can explore the Green Mindfulness techniques that they know and love and which Stan has outlined.

In his new book Stan not only helps parents and educators to see the importance of taking the time to understand the communication signals associated with stress and distress, but he also expertly guides us through how to do this and how to help. Thank you, Stan!

Fiona Macdonald, former Practitioner Manager in Residential Child Care

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. So well written. Full yet concise. As a former Practitioner Manager in Residential Child Care, had this book been available when I was practicing I would have used it in supervision sessions. Each chapter lends itself to tailor making supervision for Residential Care Officers and being able to identify individual young people thus deepening understanding and individualising care responses. A gem of a book for current and future practitioners.