This feeling can make your chest feel tight and your thoughts race. It’s not always logical but wants to protect you.
What is anxiety?
Butterflies in your stomach, hands fidgety
What is nervousness or excitement?
Breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth 5 times can help regulate your nervous system.
What is deep breathing?
Fear
What is feeling safe? What is grounding and emotional or physical safety?
A hot, spiky feeling that shows up when something feels unfair or out of control.
What is anger?
Your heart is beating fast and your muscles are tense—this might mean you're feeling…
What is anxious or alert?
Holding this cold thing can jolt your system back into the present.
What is ice?
Anger
What is setting a boundary? What is fairness?
This emotion may cause tears and often shows up when we feel disconnected or something ends.
What is sadness?
Sweaty palms, shaky voice, shallow breath: your body might be saying...
What is panic or overwhelm?
Writing down your thoughts, even if no one sees it, is a way to release pressure.
What is journaling or writing a letter that you wont send?
Joy
What is celebrate / sharing it with others?
This big emotion often happens when we are surprised in an overwhelming way and can freeze us up.
What is fear or panic?
When you’re overwhelmed, your brain might do this thing where it stops and you feel _________.
What is shutdown
This skill involves identifying unhelpful thinking patterns and challeging them.
What is thought challenging / cognitive distortions?
Sadness
What is soothing, comfort, and gentle self-compassion or connection with others?
This emotion may appear when you think something bad might happen.
What is Worry
Your face might feel hot, your muscles tense, feeling restless, and tight jaw.
What is anger?
This skill involves imagination to help tolerate intrusive thoughts.
What is leaves on a stream / clouds passing by / waves crashing?
Surprise
What is to pause, assess the new information, and adjust?