Calm Your Body
This breathing technique involves breathing in slowly through your nose and breathing out slowly through your mouth
What is deep breathing?
Name one coping skill you can use that costs $0
Examples: Walking, deep breathing, meditating, journaling, drawing
Name one healthy way to express anger
True or false: Just because you have a thought doesn't mean the thought is true
True
Your teacher or boss gives you a surprise assignment or task and you feel stressed immediately. What could you do?
Take a deep breathe, break the task into steps, use positive self-talk
Name two activities that you can do to help calm yourself when you're feeling overwhelmed
Examples: taking a walk, sitting outside, stretch, exercise, etc.
True or False: Avoiding every uncomfortable feeling is always a healthy coping strategy
False
What is the difference between feeling an emotion and acting on an emotion?
Feelings are automatic; we still have choices about how we respond to them.
Instead of thinking "everyone hates me," you could ask yourself this question to look for evidence
"what evidence do I have for and against this thought?"
Your friend leaves you on read and you start thinking they're mad at you. What could you do before confronting them?
Check the facts, consider alternative explanations, wait, distract yourself
You are tense or angry after an argument. Name one grounding or relaxation technique you can use before responding
Examples: deep breathing, taking a break, grounding
Name 3 healthy coping strategies you could utilize after a stressful day
Examples: going on a walk, exercise, journaling, talking to a friend
You're embarrassed after making a mistake in front of peers. Name one coping skill you could use for this situation.
Talking to someone, self-compassion, challenging negative thoughts, humor
A friend doesn't text you back for 4 hours. Your first thought is "they're mad at me." Name one more balanced explanation
They are busy, sleeping, working, with family, didn't see the message, etc.
Someone says something insulting about you online. Name 2 healthy ways to respond.
Don't respond immediately, block/report them, talk to a trusted person, take a break from social media
You are feeling stressed and notice that your body has a lot of nervous energy. What is one physical activity you could do for 10-15 minutes to help your body release
walking, dancing, exercising, etc
You want to isolate yourself after a difficult day. What is one way to get some space while maintaining connection with others?
Tell someone you need alone time but plan to check in later; text a trusted person; spend time around others without talking, etc
You're so upset that you don't trust yourself to have a productive conversation. What is one thing you could say to the other person?
"I am really upset right now. I need to take some time before we talk about this."
Your coworker doesn't respond to your email for 6 hours. Your first thought is, "I did something wrong and now they don't want to talk to me." Name one more balanced explanation
They didn't see your email, they are busy with other work
You get into an argument with someone you care about. You're angry and want to send a really mean text. What coping skill could you use before hitting send?
You are very angry and feel like you might yell or break something. Explain why calming your body before trying to solve the problem can help.
Gives you more ability to think clearly and make a safer decision
What is the difference between a coping skill that gives you short-term relief and one that actually helps you long-term?
Short-term relief may reduce distress temporarily but potentially create additional problems, whereas healthy long-term coping helps regulate emptions without causing additional harm or problems
Why can naming an emotion help you manage it?
Being able to identify and label your emotions can increase awareness and create space between the feeling and interaction.
You're thinking "I can't handle this." Rewrite the thought into something more realistic or empowering
Example: "This is really difficult, but I can get through it."
You're having one of those days where everything feels like too much. You don't know exactly what you need. Walk us through what you could do from the moment you realized you're overwhelmed until you feel more regulated.
Example: Pause, identify your emotions, calm your body, identify what triggered it, choose a coping skill, reach out for support, and address the problem when regulated