By Karen Young, Illustrated by Norvile Dovidonyte
All feelings are important – the magical, the messy, and the in-between. Sometimes though, big feelings can have us behaving in ways that aren’t so, let’s say… shiny. This happens to all of us. The more young people understand how and why, the more they can build the capacity to feel their feelings and manage them in positive ways. ‘Ups and Downs’ draws on Polyvagal Theory, a widely accepted neuroscientific theory, to support young people to understand why they feel and do as they do, and how to do differently when they need to. Driving brains and bodies isn’t easy! It takes time, experience, and the right information, so let’s give them that.