🌱 Pause. Exploring shutdown and withdrawal through a BOUNCE® lens
As a BOUNCE® practitioner, you’re not here to bring a child out of shutdown —
you’re here to understand how the nervous system is protecting itself.
Shutdown and withdrawal are not avoidance or lack of interest.
They are protective, energy-saving responses when the child’s body 🧠, emotions 💛, and sense of safety 🤝 have been overwhelmed.
Before choosing an activity, pause and ask:
- Body 🧘 – Has the nervous system moved outside the window of tolerance and into conservation mode?
- Openness 🔓 – Does the child need quiet safety before any form of engagement?
- Understanding sensory differences 👂👀 – Is stimulation (noise, pace, proximity) still too much?
- Navigating emotions 💭 – Are feelings present but held inward to avoid overwhelm?
- Connection 🤝 – Would shared presence or parallel activity feel safer than interaction?
- Esteem 🌟 – Is fear of getting it wrong or being noticed keeping the child withdrawn?
Your role is not to activate the child —
it’s to gently widen the window of tolerance so re-engagement can happen safely.
Start with curiosity 🌿
Then choose the intervention that meets the child where they are right now.
🖨️ Looking for Printables
Choose these when the child needs soft, non-verbal ways to communicate or be seen.
- Somatic Toolkit
- Communication Pack
- Therapeutic LEGO Activities
- Belief Systems
- Body based activities to explore physical sensations gently
These support understanding without requiring explanation.
📘 Looking for Lesson Plans
Choose this when you want a gentle, structured sequence that builds emotional safety over time.
- Emotional Literacy lesson plans, then explore this.
🧰 Looking for a Regulation Tool
Choose this when the child is in or moving out of shutdown.
- Somatic, body-based regulation strategies
- Gentle yoga, stretching, and breath-led movement
- Music for regulation with slow, predictable rhythm
These support safe return without demand.
🧱 Looking for a Creative Hands-on Activity
Choose this when the child is beginning to re-emerge and needs low-pressure connection.
- Play-based activities that allow parallel play
- Sand tray and Creative and expressive activities that support symbolic expression
- Quiet, hands-on activities that don’t require talking such as Play-doh sessions
This allows connection to rebuild softly.
💡 Did you Know?
These, along with every course, resources, activity and idea are all free to Annual Professional Members and Team Members of the Learning Portal?
