Empower Tweens With Tools For Emotional Balance
Anxiety doesn’t necessarily wait until adulthood. Many tweens—children ages 10 up to 13—are already facing big emotional health challenges. It is not clear why some tweens develop anxiety and depression. However, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), children are more likely to experience anxiety if they have experienced trauma, stress, violence, abuse, bullying or when their own parents or caregivers have anxiety or depression themselves. Anxiety may manifest as feeling stressed, difficulty sleeping, nervous stomachs, or even mild panic.
What strategies can we adopt to help better regulate emotions, improve sleep, and improve calm so that we can preventively support our children's emotional health regardless of where they may be at?
Why Mental Health Support Matters in Tweens
According to the CDC, 10% of children aged 3 to 17 have a diagnosed anxiety disorder, with females more affected than males. Symptoms often first appear in middle school. Tween years are a critical time for brain and emotional development. When these challenges are left unchecked, they can grow into more serious issues in high school and beyond.
Evidence Supporting Acupuncture to Complement Traditional Therapies
Traditional Chinese Medicine sees emotional wellness as deeply connected to physical balance. Rather than waiting for a crisis, acupuncture and related therapies like cupping, gua sha, and ear seeding offer a safe, gentle, and empowering way to support mental health in kids—even before medications might be considered.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
A recent review and meta-analysis by Zhao et al. (Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 2025) found that the integration of acupuncture in the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) was successful in reducing medication side-effects of methylphenidate (Ritalin). Also, when acupuncture was combined with behavioral therapies, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), psychosomatic symptoms were more effectively improved.
A study published in the Journal of Pediatrics and Child Health found that acupuncture lowered anxiety in children and adolescents (8 to 16 years of age) with generalized anxiety. Acupuncture’s known ability to regulate the autonomic nervous system and reduce cortisol—the body’s stress hormone may also result in improving focus, reducing feelings of stress and overwhelm, and improving sleep quality.
How Treatments Work for Tweens
At Seyhart, our practitioners use extremely gentle techniques designed for younger clients. In addition to "acupuncture lite" children and tweens may prefer non-needle options, such as acupressure, ear seeds, cupping or light gua sha along the back and shoulders. These help to relieve stress, calm the nervous system, and teach the body how to relax naturally.
Parents often report that after just 2–3 sessions, children may sleep better, experience fewer meltdowns, and be more at ease in their day-to-day lives.
Why Early Support Matters
Mental health exists on a spectrum. Addressing mild or moderate symptoms in a holistic way may prevent the need for medication or therapy down the road. While we support all forms of treatment when needed, acupuncture offers a complementary path to supporting all aspects of mental and emotional health.