🌿 The Trio of Connection

Supporting your child through body, heart and soul

What if there were three powerful keys that could help you truly understand your child—how they think, feel, and flourish?

The Trio of Connection is my holistic framework for nurturing a child’s development through three interconnected lenses: Body, Heart, and Soul. Though we explore each area individually, they are deeply intertwined, working together to create a complete picture of who your child is.

This approach helps you decode behaviour, foster deeper connection, and create an environment where your child can truly blossom into themselves.

Body – The Physical Foundation

Our bodies are the gateway to experiencing the world. The “body” element of this trio includes brain development, sensory processing, and physical milestones—particularly during the early years.

I draw from my background in occupational therapy to explore how your child learns, moves, and engages with their environment. A strong understanding of their physical and sensory needs helps us support learning, regulation, and behaviour from the ground up.
👉 [Learn more about Body page 3.1]

Heart – Emotional World & Relationships

The heart of your child holds their emotions, connections, and core needs. When we understand how they give and receive love—particularly through Love Languages, based on the work of Gary Chapman—we can help them feel truly seen and valued.

Whether it’s quality time, touch, words, gifts or acts of service, filling your child’s "love tank" builds emotional security, improves behaviour, and strengthens your bond.
👉 [Learn more about Heart page 3.2]

Soul – Deeper Meaning & Purpose

Every child is born with a unique soul blueprint. By exploring their astrological birth chart, we gain profound insight into their inner world: their gifts, challenges, sensitivities, and life path.

Astrology gives us a symbolic language to understand not just what your child does, but why—offering you clarity and compassion as you support their individual journey.
👉 [Learn more about Soul page 3.3]

The Power of Connection

At the heart of this trio is connection—first with self, and then with others. A child who is consistently seen, heard, and nurtured in a way that aligns with who they are will feel safe to grow, express, and thrive.

“Every day in a hundred small ways our children ask: ‘Do you see me? Do you hear me? Do I matter?’ Their behaviour often reflects our response.”
— L.R. Knost

When we build connection across body, heart, and soul, we help children develop a strong inner compass—a sense of identity and resilience that guides them through life’s challenges and choices.

🔍 Putting It All Together

Once we explore all three modalities, we connect the dots—building a holistic blueprint of your child. This helps us:

• Understand what behaviours are really communicating
• Adjust the environment to better support their needs
• Strengthen relationships through empathy and attunement
• Create practical strategies for learning, sensory support, and emotional regulation

This process often requires small but powerful shifts—rethinking expectations, adapting parenting styles, and tuning into what your child’s whole being is asking for.

“Parents are often quick to judge whether or not behaviour warrants punishment. But when we pause to listen to what the behaviour is saying about our child’s feelings and experience, a whole new world opens up.”
— Rebecca Eanes

The Trio in Action

 

The aim of the Trio of Connection is to teach you to look at your child’s behaviour in any situation and ask yourself:

 

• Body: What is my child’s body trying to communicate?
• Heart: Is their love tank full—or crying out for attention?
• Soul: What part of their inner world needs to be honoured or supported?
• Connection: How can I use this moment to deepen our bond?

 

All behaviour is communication. Looking through different lenses will help us decipher what our children are trying to tell us and we can integrate this information with insights gained from their birth charts.

This approach is not about fixing your child—it’s about understanding them, so you can help them thrive in their own way. When we support their body, heart, and soul, they feel empowered to step fully into who they were always meant to be.

 

🌟 The Trio in Action: real life stories

 

👦 Meet Jamie

Jamie is a bright, energetic 5-year-old who recently started Prep. His parents were concerned about some of his behaviours:

• He doesn’t like being touched, especially unexpectedly
• He avoids messy play and dislikes dirty hands
• He lashes out when other children get too close, particularly in lines
• He’s prone to temper tantrums when frustrated or things don’t go his way

Let’s look at Jamie’s behaviour through the lens of the Trio of Connection.

🧠 Body: Understanding Jamie’s Sensory World

From a Sensory Processing perspective, Jamie shows signs of tactile defensiveness—a form of hypersensitivity where touch can feel overwhelming or even threatening.

To support his nervous system, his parents and teacher were given strategies like:

• Deep pressure activities (e.g. being rolled in a blanket)
• Heavy work play (e.g. carrying groceries, wheelbarrow pushing, tug-of-war, trampoline jumping)
• Gradual exposure to messy play
• Always asking permission before physical contact
• Wrestling games with dad or using a boxing bag for releasing tension

These activities help regulate Jamie’s sensory system, allowing him to feel calmer and more in control.

❤️ Heart: Meeting Jamie’s Emotional Needs

Jamie’s challenging behaviour at school had led to frequent negative feedback. This was concerning, especially if Words of Affirmation happened to be his primary love language.

Jamie’s parents were encouraged to:

• Observe how Jamie shows love—this offers clues to his preferred love language
• Use all five love languages consistently to show affection:
  • Words – Praise for progress rather than criticism for mistakes
  • Quality Time – Engaging in sensory activities together
  • Acts of Service – Supporting him through daily challenges
  • Gifts – Providing tactile tools as a gesture of love
  • Touch – Adjusting physical contact with consent

This understanding was particularly healing for Jamie’s mum, whose own love language is touch. She no longer felt personally rejected when Jamie avoided hugs, as she now understood his sensory needs.

✨ Soul: Honouring Jamie’s Inner Nature

Jamie’s astrological birth chart revealed that he has a Sun in Aries, with Mars as his ruling planet. Aries children tend to be:

• Assertive
• Independent
• Energetic
• Competitive
• Natural leaders

This insight helped Jamie’s parents shift their approach. Instead of seeing his wilfulness as defiance, they now saw it as a strength that needed guidance—not suppression.

They began to:

• Offer structured challenges
• Give Jamie choices to encourage decision-making
• Teach cooperation through team play
• Channel his drive into positive leadership roles

🧩 Integration: Seeing the Whole Child

By combining insights from Jamie’s body, heart, and soul, we created a fuller, more compassionate picture of who he is—and what he needs to thrive.

Understanding Jamie’s sensory sensitivity, recognising his love language, and honouring his fiery Aries nature allowed his parents and teachers to:

• Create a supportive environment
• Adjust their expectations
• Foster Jamie’s strengths
• Deepen their connection with him

Instead of trying to "fix" Jamie’s behaviour, they learned to work with his nature, helping him grow into his true self with confidence and emotional safety.

“The kids who need the most love will ask for it in the most unloving ways.” – Unknown

Case Study: Ella

A Gentle Soul in a Noisy World

Ella is a quiet and sensitive 4-year-old who prefers to stay close to her mother rather than playing with other children. She covers her ears when loud sounds erupt and avoids going outside when the sun is too bright. Her mother, recently back at work and adjusting to the demands of single parenting, is understandably feeling the strain.

Body: Understanding Ella’s Sensory Needs

Ella's behaviour suggests heightened sensitivity to sound and light—a common experience for children with sensory processing differences. When overwhelmed, her body’s instinct is to retreat.

To support her:

• Avoid overstimulation by limiting visits to busy environments like shopping centres, or by preparing her ahead of time.
• Noise-cancelling headphones or calming music can offer comfort once she is ready to wear them.
• Encourage play in quiet spaces, away from vacuum cleaners, lawn mowers or other jarring sounds.
• Playdates with one child at a time can help ease social anxiety.
• When visiting others, her mother can remain nearby until Ella feels confident to engage independently.

Heart: Nurturing Connection Through Love Languages

At Ella’s age, all five love languages can be explored to see which she responds to most naturally. With her mother working again, Ella may feel the absence of their previous closeness. Just a few minutes of focused time together each day—doing something Ella enjoys—can restore her sense of connection.

Some simple ways to support Ella’s emotional needs:

• Quality time: Daily routines or rituals, even brief, can be deeply grounding.
• Acts of service: Involving her in small, age-appropriate tasks builds her confidence and creates moments of shared connection.
• Words of affirmation: Gentle encouragement helps reinforce positive behaviour and self-worth.
• Gifts: Something as simple as a new hat or sunglasses can be both practical and meaningful.
• Physical touch: A reassuring hand or hug communicates understanding when words fall short.

Soul: A Deeper Look Through Astrology

Ella’s birth chart reveals a Cancer Sun and Pisces Moon, both water signs that speak to her deep emotional sensitivity and rich inner world. She likely craves emotional safety and may be especially attuned to the moods of those around her.

Suggestions for soul support:

• Create a nurturing home base—a cozy corner or play space where she can retreat and recharge.
• Encourage imagination through activities like pretend play, drawing, or storytelling.
• Mind the emotional atmosphere at home, especially as her mother adjusts to work-related stress.
• Foster compassion by allowing her to help care for a pet or tend to a small plant—outlets that channel her instinct to nurture.

Integration: Embracing Ella’s Whole Being

Ella’s sensitivity—both physical and emotional—isn’t something to be “fixed,” but honoured. With thoughtful support, her quiet, intuitive nature can become one of her greatest strengths.

Rather than expecting her to “toughen up” or become more outgoing, caregivers can:

• Celebrate her gentle empathy and attunement to others.
• Provide tools to help her navigate a sometimes-overwhelming world.
• Offer safe, manageable experiences that gradually build her confidence.

Conclusion: The Power of an Integrated Perspective

By considering Ella’s sensory profile, emotional needs, and astrological blueprint, we gain a fuller picture of who she is and how best to support her. Each lens offers valuable insight—but together, they allow us to meet Ella where she is, helping her feel seen, safe, and secure.

When children are understood in this holistic way, they are more likely to trust their caregivers, develop strong emotional bonds, and grow into confident, resilient individuals—secure in the knowledge that their unique nature is not only accepted, but cherished.