Senses
Which of your 5 senses are you most aware of right now and throughout the day (sight, hearing, touch, smell, taste)?
USING SENSES TO COPE: When feeling a heavy emotion or when your emotions escalate, you can use senses to ground you. This is because they help you become aware of the present moment and focus on physical sensations, giving you time to process the emotion rather than react to it.
Share with the group 1 sense that has escalated your emotions and 1 sense that calms your escalated emotions.
What's your favorite way to get in touch with your creativity?
Draw a face displaying your current emotion.
What is your favorite way to stay active?
USING EXERCISE TO COPE
Benefits of exercise:
Name your favorite exercise and assign a person on your team to do 10 reps of that exercise.
Which of your 5 senses do you notice the least throughout your day (sight, hearing, touch, smell, taste)?
Choose 2/5 to try:
Sight: Look around the room and name 10 things you see.
Hearing: Listen and name 5 things you hear.
Touch: Touch your nails, nail bed, and finger and explain the texture.
Smell: Smell object given to you by facilitator and describe the smell.
Taste: Taste object given to you and don't swallow it for 1-minute, describing while tasting.
List an example of how you use creativity in your everyday life.
Create a writing prompt that would help you cope with a heavy emotion. Write 5 sentences under the prompt and turn into Nyia or Tianna for your points. (you have 1-minute)
What's your go-to stretch?
Show us!
What is the skill where you are present, aware of all your senses, and in the moment?
Mindfulness
What is your go-to, creative coping skill?
Each person on your team needs to identify an emotion they feel escalates often in their life and create a 3 part plan for a coping skill they can do when feeling that emotion.
For example: NUMB
1. Verbally tell someone I'm feeling numb.
2. Exercise to get my heart rate up and feel.
3. Take a cold shower.
How do you feel after you have done a hard exercise for an extended amount of time? When is the last time you have exercised?
Choose 2:
20 jumping Jacks
10 crunches
5 sit ups
What is your go to calming technique?
Choose 3/5 to try:
Sight: Look around the room and name 10 things you see.
Hearing: Listen and name 5 things you hear.
Touch: Touch your nails, nail bed, and finger and explain the texture.
Smell: Smell object given to you by facilitator and describe the smell.
Taste: Taste object given to you and don't swallow it for 1-minute, describing while tasting.
Give an example of how you used creativity today (writing, drawing, painting, etc) to process an emotion.
Write a haiku about an emotion you have felt today.
What is your favorite dance move?
Opposite Action DBT Skill: Do the opposite of what you feel to shift your mood. For example, when you're angry at someone, give them a genuine compliment or 'thank you' or when you're feeling depressed stand up and shake your body out or dance to your favorite song.
Stand up and dance to the song of your choice for 20 seconds.
When is the last time your emotions were at an all time high - you were the MOST angry, MOST anxious, or MOST numb, etc.?
Vagus Nerve 'Icing': The vagus nerve system acts to counterbalance the fight or flight system and can trigger a relaxation response in our body. It is one of the cranial nerves that connect the brain to the body. The vagus nerve is a major part of how our bodies and brains function; without it, our bodies wouldn’t be able to do basic tasks, and by stimulating it we can receive powerful health benefits.
Hold an ice cube either up to your face or neck until it melts as a coping skill during high stress/emotional moments to calm down. TRY THIS for 500 points.
What skills do you use in daily life that are deemed "unusual" or personal to you? What skills have you developed that you have created yourself? What works for you?
Show us!
What is the funniest/goofiest movement you do daily?
Identify a negative emotion you feel often. Come up with a 16 count dance with your team (you have 1-minute to do this!) and teach the rest of the group (1-minute to teach).