Calming the Body
This automatic survival response prepares your body to either defend itself or run away when it senses danger.
What is Fight-or-Flight?
A specific person, place, scent, or situation that brings back an uncomfortable memory or sparks a sudden emotional reaction is known as one of these.
What is a trigger?
Expecting the absolute worst-case scenario to happen in any situation—often called "making a mountain out of a molehill"—is this thinking trap starting with the letter "C."
What is catastrophizing?
Consistently putting everyone else's wants and feelings ahead of your own health and well-being is a habit commonly called "people-____."
What is people-pleasing?
A state of complete emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion caused by prolonged, unmanaged stress is known by this fiery term.
What is burnout?
Deep "belly breathing" relies on expanding and contracting this dome-shaped muscle located just below your lungs.
What is the diaphragm?
Unlike worrying about the future or dwelling on the past, this practice means intentionally paying attention to the present moment without judgment.
What is mindfulness?
Challenging a negative, unhelpful thought and looking at the situation from a more realistic or balanced angle is called "cognitive" this.
What is reframing (or restructuring)?
To express how you feel during a disagreement without blaming the other person or making them defensive, start your sentence with this single-letter pronoun.
What is "I" (an "I" statement)?
Writing down a personalized list of warning signs, coping skills, and support contacts before a tough moment hits is called making a "Crisis" or "Safety" one of these.
What is a plan?
Often abbreviated as PMR, this technique involves tensing one muscle group at a time for a few seconds and then completely releasing the tension.
What is Progressive Muscle Relaxation?
In the "5-4-3-2-1" grounding method, you name 5 things you see, 4 things you feel, 3 things you hear, 2 things you smell, and 1 thing using this final sense.
What is taste?
Believing that if you aren't 100% perfect, you are a total failure is a common thinking trap called "All-or-____" thinking.
What is All-or-Nothing (or Black-and-White) thinking?
Being honest, direct, and respectful about your needs—standing in the healthy middle ground between being passive and being aggressive—is called being this.
What is assertive?
Put off doing a task that needs to be done—often because of anxiety, overwhelm, or fear of failure—is known by this 15-letter word.
What is procrastination?
Physical exercise helps improve your mood by causing your brain to release these "feel-good" chemicals that act as natural pain and stress relievers.
What are endorphins (or dopamine / serotonin)?
Choosing to acknowledge reality as it is—without fighting it or throwing a tantrum over things you cannot change—is a skill called "Radical" this.
What is Acceptance (Radical Acceptance)?
Treating yourself with the same kindness, patience, and understanding during a hard time that you would offer to a good friend is called self-____.
What is self-compassion?
Fully concentrating on what someone is saying to truly understand them, rather than just waiting for your turn to talk, is a skill called "active" this.
What is active listening?
Often called the primary "stress hormone," your adrenal glands release high levels of this chemical when you are under constant pressure or lack sleep.
What is cortisol (or adrenaline)?
Splashing cold water on your face or holding an ice cube triggers the body's "dive reflex," which calms panic by immediately slowing down this vital sign.
What is your heart rate (or pulse)?
The optimal zone of nervous system arousal—where you feel grounded, calm, and able to handle stress without shutting down or exploding—is called your "Window of" this.
What is Tolerance (Window of Tolerance)?
This famous recovery prayer asks for the grace to accept the things you cannot change, the courage to change the things you can, and the wisdom to know the difference.
What is the Serenity Prayer?
Supporting someone's growth is "helping," whereas shielding someone from the natural consequences of their own destructive behavior is called this.
What is enabling?
Developed by Mary Ellen Copeland, the popular self-management recovery system known by the acronym W.R.A.P. stands for Wellness Recovery ____ Plan.
What is Action?