Feelings
Feelings are something that we feel from within or inside ourselves. They are a reaction to how our body is feeling.
Listening to music
Listening to music can reduce stress by:
What emotion do you feel when your face turns red, your heart starts beating faster, you clench your fists, and your body feels hot and you want to yell or fight?
Anger, rage, mad
What skills could you use when you can't focus in the classroom and are feeling like you need to move or have too much energy?
Fidgit, deep breathing, ask for a break, mindfulness, asking to take a walk
Describe the skill: Body Scan
To do a body scan, you can follow these steps:
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is simply… noticing what is happening right now.
Talking to someone
Talking to someone can reduce stress:
What emotion are you feeling when you want to cry, isolate, are missing something or someone or are upset with something.
Sadness, frustration, disappointment.
What skills could you use when you are angry because you lost at a game and are being trash talked?
Walking away, deep breathing, talk to someone, mindfulness, grounding 54321.
Describe the skill: Progressive muscle relaxation
Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) can be done by following these steps123:
Thoughts
Thoughts are the words that run through your mind. They are words we say to ourselves about what's going on around us.
Exercise
Exercising reduces stress by:
What emotion are you feeling when your heart is beating fast, your mind is racing with a lot of thoughts, you are thinking about what could go wrong, you are having trouble sitting still?
Anxiety, worry, stress
What skills could you use when you are embarrassed in front of a friend or peers?
Mindfulness, positive self-talk, grounding 54321, walking away, talking to someone, listening to music, fidgeting.
Describe the skill: Cue controlled relaxation
Cue-controlled relaxation is a technique that pairs a specific environmental cue or cues with the relaxation response
1. It is a type of classical conditioning that pairs a state of relaxation with a word of your choosing
2. Over time and with practice, saying that one word causes deep relaxation
2. The cue helps the individual remember to engage in relaxation exercises, developing a daily environment that promotes relaxation and stress relief1.
Grounding
Fidgits
Individuals with anxiety may fidget or make small movements when they are feeling anxious, restless, impatient or nervous. Fidget toys give these movements an outlet, which can help calm a person’s nerves, relieve stress and serve as a distraction in an overstimulating environment.
What emotion are you feeling when you are feeling positive, feeling social and talkative, are smiling and wanting to dance or skip?
Happiness, joy, gladness
What skill could you use when you are feeling sad and wanting to cry and have a lot of strong emotions?
Crying, talking to someone, art, listening to music, going for a walk, visualization, mindfulness, body scan.
Describe the skill: Grounding 5-4-3-2-1
Before you BEGIN the 54321 Grounding exercise
Wise Mind
The wise mind is where we find the balance between the reasonable mind and the emotional mind.
Art
Creating art can reduce stress in several ways:
What emotion are you feeling when you think you did a good job at something, feel like you are doing better than before, maybe feel like you did a better job than someone else, are feeling capable of doing things and wanting recognition for your efforts?
Confident, proud
What skills can you use when you are feeling worried, overwhelmed, anxious, concerned about an event or situation?
body scan, talking to someone, mindfulness, deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, visualization of a relaxing place, listening to music, fidgeting.
How do you use the skill: Visualization
Here are five steps to get you started on your visualization practice: