Building bonds through mindfulness: a healing workshop for families with SEN children

Families of children with special educational needs (SEN) often experience exceptional stress which can compromise their overall wellbeing. To help them connect with their inner feelings, resolve their emotions and alleviate pressure, two mindfulness experts crafted and facilitated a workshop on a serene Sunday morning at EdUHK. During this event, which 15 families with SEN children experienced a period of peacefulness and discovered the power of mindfulness.

Many families with SEN children face difficulties in building relationships. In many cases, it is challenging to ease the tense atmosphere, let alone strengthen their relationships. “Mindfulness practices bring the participants to the present moment, promote acceptance and non-judgmental attitudes, which can help create a safe emotional space for both sides to open up and connect with each other,” Dr Claudia Wong, an Assistant Professor from the Department of Health and Physical Education (HPE), said.

Dr Claudia Wong, a certified teacher of Mindfulness Self-Compassion for teenagers and young adults, was invited by Dr Yancy Shi, founder of the Hong Kong Mindfulness Psychological Education Center and a veteran in psychological education, to co-host Sunday retreat on 23 March.

On that Sunday morning, 15 families, mostly new migrants, participated in a two-hour parent-child mindfulness workshop, which featured a series of thoughtfully designed mindfulness activities aimed at deepening connection and emotional attunement. “In the ‘palm prints’ activity, parents and children were given time to observe the details of their palms before outlining them on a paper. In another ‘impressions of home’ activity, parents and children drew pictures of their dream homes. Some children expressed a desire for an attic bedroom,” the HPE expert in mindfulness said. Dr Wong added that through these mindfulness practices, participants became more attuned to their present feelings and experiences.

As children often relate to little animals, the workshop included a “tiger meditation” session where children imagined themselves as cubs and felt safe and protected in their parents’ arms. “By visualising themselves as cubs, children feel secure and protected. Such a safe environment is particularly important for SEN children who often face misunderstandings and criticisms. This secure setting enabled family members to explore their feelings and connect with each other,” Dr Wong explained.

In addition to these activities, the free workshop included mindful raisin-eating, gentle hand-holding exercises, compassionate breathing meditation, shared embraces with whispered heartfelt messages, mindful gazing, synchronised walking, and expressive letter writing. “These activities helped participants slow down, touch each other’s true inner feelings and emotionally connect. They awakened participants’ innate softness: their ability to be gentle, compassionate, and deeply human,” Dr Wong remarked.

During the sharing session, some parents were eager to ask questions about handling conflicts with their children, while child participants expressed experiencing parental love during the workshop. “One mother reflected that it was the first time she had set aside her expectations and allowed her child to work at his own pace. A six-year-old child showed appreciation to his mother for her care. In one family, while the parents were delighted to discover that their son was more mature than they perceived, their son expressed a desire to support and lessen the burden on his parents,” Dr Wong said.

The Sunday morning gathering was more than just an ordinary workshop; it was a heartfelt journey into mindfulness and self-compassion that deepened familial bonds and fostered emotional healing. “Parents of SEN children often feel unspeakable pressure and loneliness. When they shared their experiences in the workshop, they realised they were not alone in their struggles. This can be incredibly healing. Dr Shi and I were glad to serve our community with our expertise. We were thrilled to see that when participants joined the workshop with a burdened mind, they left with a lightened heart and a big smile,” Dr Wong said.