Blakely– A 5 Year Old with Anxiety, Stress, and Tics

Last October, five year old Blakely came in to see me. Her parents were concerned because they had been noticing her developing a “tic”: blinking, twitching her nose, and repeatedly moving her neck in the same way. Her teacher and a family friend had also observed this, and made concerned comments. Blakely didn’t seem to be bothered by the involuntary movements, but she had also started having anxiety attacks for the first time recently, so her parents were getting worried about her stress levels.

Blakely’s family had gone through some traumatic events in the last few years, and then had made the big transition to living in Spain (in the midst of the pandemic) just a few months before these issues showed up for her. Although Blakely seemed to be coping well otherwise– happy, active, expressive– they wondered if there was a way to help her release the stress that was being held deeper in her body.

I was so glad they decided to trust me, and try CranioSacral Therapy. This is a gentle kind of bodywork that really focuses on releasing tension in the nervous system, and also teaches the body how to move into a restful state on a daily basis. As she laid on the table, Blakely became very peaceful. I worked with the restrictions in her head, neck, and spine. Later, she told her dad that the appointment was “So, so, so relaxing!” She asked her mom when she could see her “Relaxation Friend” (my new favorite nickname) again.

At the next appointment, her mom reported that her sequences of blinking/ moving had gotten longer, but were happening less frequently. I saw her weekly for a few visits, and things steadily improved. She stopped having panic attacks. There were sometimes regressions as stressful events came up, but she was making progress. Once in a while, painful emotional issues would surface, and she would cry briefly and ask her mom some questions about things that were hard for her. These were wonderful therapeutic moments, helping her to heal from these experiences, and connect even more with her mom.

We began spacing the visits out to every other week, then to less frequency. Two weeks ago, I saw Blakely again. It had been 3 1/2 months since her last appointment. She had been doing very well, but had recently gone back to the States, and there were a lot of big feelings and some routine changes in her life. She had started having some tics again. I worked with her while her mom read a book and we chatted together.

I saw her mom this week, and she reported that she hasn’t seen any tics come back since. Something that made me smile was that Blakely asked if she had an appointment with me. When her mom said that she didn’t, she replied, “Well, I can tell that my body is doing better and I don’t really need it!” I loved this self-awareness. Kids go through so much that they don’t have words for. It can be hard to figure out what they need and how to get it. I love it when I can work with children and offer them the space to release the tension, stress, and pain from their bodies and hearts. Children respond so well, and often recognize when they need this kind of help. It’s wonderful when they can ask for it, or even read their own bodies to see how they are doing.
It’s been such a joy to work with Blakely!

Here is a note from her mom:
“I am in awe at what this type of therapy can do. Knowing our young daughter was struggling was scary and upsetting for us. Ariana was able to not only help Blakely release her tension during her sessions, but the sessions also trained her little body how to release tension on it’s own.”

I appreciate Blakely’s family letting me share her story. We are all hoping it can offer encouragement and open a new perspective for other families who have a little one who is struggling. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch!