What is it ?
What Is an Emotion? Name 3 emotions
Emotions are messages from your brain and body that tell you how you feel about what is happening around you.
Happy, sad, mad, excited, worried, bored, annoyed, surprised, anxious
You walk into school and realize you forgot to study for a test.
The upcoming test/unpreparedness.
Your friend invites you to hang out and you smile and start to feel full of energy
Happiness/excitement
Your heart is beating faster, your stomach feels weird, and your thoughts are racing.
What emotion might your body be signaling?
Anxiety/nervousness, scared, worried
Someone says something to you online that made you feel sad, scared, worried or angry, etc.)
What Is a Trigger?
Something that happens, you see, hear, think about, or remember that causes a big feeling or strong reaction.
Think of a trigger like a button 🎛️ — when something pushes the button, it can make your emotions or body react quickly.
You text your friend, but they don't respond until hours later. You start thinking they don't like you anymore.
Not receiving a response/uncertainty.
You have to give a presentation and your heart starts racing.
Anxiety/nervousness
Your fists are clenched, your jaw is tight, and you feel hot.
Answer: Anger/frustration.
You get a grade that is much lower than you expected.
You think:
“I'm stupid. I'm never going to pass. What would you do?
Take a break, Notice the thought, Challenge the thought, Ask the teacher for help, Figure out what you need to work
What Is a Coping Skill? Name 3 coping skills
Are tool you use when you are feeling strong emotions
listening to music, drawing, journaling, playing games, talking to someone you trust, taking deep breaths, walking away, calling a friend, going outside, riding a bike, watching something funny, playing with a pet
Your sibling keeps bothering you while you're trying to finish homework.
Being interrupted or feeling unable to focus.
Someone takes something that belongs to you without asking. Your jaw is tense, firsts are clenched, feeling hot, and your heart starts to race
angry, confused, sad, frustrated
You feel heavy, tired, and want to be alone. what could you be feeling?
Sadness, loneliness, disappointment, grief, overwhelm, etc.
You're arguing with a family member. You notice your voice getting louder and your body getting tense.
what would you do ?
💬 Reflect:
“What might happen if you keep arguing while you're highly activated?”
Which could be a trigger? Does everyone have the same triggers?
A. Getting left out
B. Being yelled at
C. Getting bad news
D. All of the above
D. All of the above
Triggers can be different for everyone! Something that bothers one person might not bother another person.
You hear a group of peers saying mean things about someone else and your heart starts to race, your start to breath a little bit faster.
seeing someone else be treated unkindly, remembering a time someone was mean to you
Your friend moves away and you won't see them every day anymore.
Sadness/grief/loneliness.
💬 Reflect:
“What might someone do when they're feeling this way?”
Why is it useful to notice body signals?
Our body can give us an early warning sign that we're becoming emotionally activated, giving us an opportunity to use a coping skill before things escalate.
Your friends want you to do something because they think its going to be fun but you really dont want to do it. What would you do?
Say no, walk away, talk to an adult you trust
💬 Reflect:
“Why can saying no sometimes feel uncomfortable even when it's the right choice for you?”
Can you experience more than one emotion at the same time?
Yes it's common to feel more than one emotion in a moment, day or week.
You were having a really good day, your teacher gives you feedback on an assignment. You immediately start to feel sad and disappointed.
The teacher's feedback about your assignment
You find out that you're moving to a new school. You're excited about meeting new people but sad about leaving your friends.
Question:
Can both emotions be real at the same time?
Answer: Yes.
💬 Reflect:
Why is it important to know that emotions don't always come one at a time?
What is one physical sign that tells you you're getting stressed, angry, anxious, or overwhelmed?
You're already having a terrible day. You're tired, stressed about school, and worried about an upcoming test. Then your sibling starts teasing you.
1. Trigger 2. Emotion 3. Body signals 4. Possible thought 5. What would you do