Coping Skills
What is "my happy place?"
A place to visualize that makes me feel calm and peaceful.
Look around the room right now and name 3 blue objects you see.
Marker, crayon, pencil, blanket, jewelry, clothing, drink, snack, etc.
What is anxiety?
A feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease about something.
What is a "worry thought" or "hot thought"?
A thought that tells you something bad or scary is going to happen.
Who lives in a pineapple under the sea?
Spongebob Squarepants
Name one way you can shake out your nervous energy using your body?
Jumping jacks, push ups, wiggling, dancing, etc.
How do you do the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique?
Name 5 things you see, 4 you can feel, 3 you can hear, 2 you can smell, 1 you can taste.
Name 2 things that happen to your body when you feel anixous.
Fast heartbeat, butterflies in tummy, shaky hands, sweating, etc.
Change this "hot thought" into a "cool thought": "I am going to fail my test."
"I studied, and I will just do my best."
A group of these majestic, bouncing Australian animals is called a "mob."
Kangaroos.
True or False: If a coping skill doesn't fix your anxiety in 10 seconds, it means it doesn't work.
False: Coping skills take time and practice to help your body reset.
Imagine you are holding a hot cup of hot chocolate. How can you use it to breathe deeply?
Smell the hot chocolate for 4 seconds, blow on it to cool it down for 4 seconds.
True or False: Anxiety is a normal emotion that everyone feels sometimes.
True.
What question can you ask yourself to check if a "hot thought" is actually true?
"Is this fact, or just a feeling?" or "What is the evidence?"
If you could own ANY animal in the world, what would you choose?
Lion, tiger, bear, unicorn, fish, etc.
Why does taking slow, deep breaths help an anxious body?
It sends a signal (oxygen) to your brain that to show your body that you are safe, which slows down your heartbeat.
What is progressive muscle relaxation?
Squeezing your muscles tightly and then releasing it.
Anxiety can sometimes feel like a false alarm. What does that mean?
It means your body feels like you are in danger even when you are safe.
If your anxiety tells you "nobody likes me," how can you prove that thought wrong?
Find the evidence - name family and friends who love and care about you.
What is the only continent in the world that does not have snakes or reptiles?
Antarctica
Name an animal for ever letter of the alphabet.
Alligator, Bear, Cat, Dog, Elephant...
True or False: You can practice grounding tools even when you are completely calm.
True! Practicing when calm makes them much easier to remember during panic.
What are the typical 3 survival reactions your body jumps into when it panics?
Flight, Flight, or Freeze.
What is the difference between a fact and a feeling?
A fact can be proven with evidence; a feeling is an emotion you experience internally.
Do you think aliens exist?
Prove it.