In most cases, Linda prefers to have one parent present while she works with a child – up until the age of 13 or 14. It is sometimes important to have at least one session with the entire family present, or to see other family members individually. Why is this the case?
1. Testing for and understanding the dynamics of energy flow between family members is invaluable in understanding the context of an issue;
2. Young children are so close energetically to their parents that they frequently carry symptoms which make sense when understood in the context of one or both of the parents’ lives;
3. Parents hold important information about what happened early in their children’s lives. These early experiences shape the child’s current reality and when they are discussed in session (often after coming up in the child’s Map) vital shifts occur both individually and in family relationships;
4. The loving support of a parent is invaluable to children who are tuning in to the sometimes difficult emotions which emerge during their Map.
5. Surprising connections and revelations accompany this work. For example, one parent learned that the anger of her 7-year-old was related to his fear that his older brother, stationed in Iraq, would be killed or injured. The parent played a crucial role in helping the child navigate this reality.
6. Children readily understand the value of using energy techniques to calm themselves in difficult situations or help them sleep at night. It is helpful for mom or dad to utilize and understand these techniques in their role of daily helper or coach to the child.
Children love to work with mind-body-spirit techniques. The mapping process enables them to discover and talk about what is going on inside them. And they understand readily – more easily than adults in many cases – how to release the blocks they are holding in their mind-body-spirit. The beautiful images which emerge during the visualizations of children are a true treasure, and a testimony to the fact that they are intimate with the world of Spirit.