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A New Paradigm of Parenting – The Synergy of Breathwork & Play Therapy
Eleanor Mann and Emma Johnston
Key Takeaways:
Connected Play: Children process experiences through play, not words. Their behavior (e.g., refusing shoes, tantrums) often signals deeper needs rather than just resistance. Connected play allows parents to engage with their child’s inner world, fostering emotional security.
Parent-Child Attunement: By engaging in play, parents can communicate “I see you, I understand you,” reinforcing a child’s sense of worth and emotional safety. This method is described as transformative, deepening trust and connection.
Self-Regulation & Nervous System Awareness: Parents’ emotional states impact their children. Self-connection through breathwork and nervous system regulation enhances a parent’s ability to respond with presence rather than react.
Reframing Parenting Stress: Parenting can be deeply dysregulating, but practical tools—like breathwork and self-awareness—help parents shift from overwhelm to connection. Parents can move from self-judgment to acceptance by recognizing that self-care is essential for co-regulation with their child.
- The Role of Self-Connection in Parenting: The more attuned a parent is to themselves, the more available they are for deep moments of connection with their child, even in everyday interactions.
Experiential part:
1. Vagal Break Breathing Exercise (Regulating Parent’s Nervous System)
- Purpose: Quickly shifts a parent’s state from stress or dysregulation into connection and presence. Helps regulate emotions, reducing reactivity.
- How to do it:
- Inhale deeply through the nose.
- Hold the breath while wriggling fingers, toes, and undulating the spine, smiling if possible.
- Exhale fully and notice any shifts in state.
- Repeat as needed to feel more present and available for connection.
2. Eye Gazing Practice with Baby (Enhancing Infant-Parent Bond)
- Purpose: Deepens connection and co-regulation through shared presence and attunement. Babies naturally seek this type of relational interaction, and it supports emotional development.
- How to do it:
- Find a comfortable position where eye contact with your baby happens naturally.
- Take a breath to settle yourself before engaging.
- When your baby looks at you, soften your face and receive their gaze with warmth.
- Notice any shifts in your body—feelings of warmth, relaxation, or connection.
- Allow your baby to look away when needed (self-regulation) and welcome them back when they return.
Both exercises emphasize presence and attunement—helping parents be in a state where they can truly connect, creating an environment where their child feels seen, safe, and supported.
Hi, we are Eleanor and Emma, founders of The Reconnected.
Together, we have built a global community of families that are changing the course of their children’s future, co-regulating more effectively, and forming new patterns in their homes.
Our methods are grounded in practical strategies and integrated practice. Between us, we have qualifications in breathwork, play therapy, psychology and counselling. Plus, 11 beautiful children that fuel our mission and inspire a legacy.
The Reconnected was founded in 2019. It has been broadly recommended and now includes our own private Reconnected App with 100k families inside, over 150k followers on Instagram and tens of thousands of new members each year.
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