OT and Stress Relief
This breathing exercise helps calm your body by taking slow, deep breaths, which helps with stress.
What is deep breathing?
Name three positive ways to handle an emotional situation.
What are taking deep breaths, asking to take a break, using "I" statements, using sensory modulation techniques, and more.
This activity is part of your daily routine that helps you stay clean and feel fresh, and should be done twice a day.
What is brushing your teeth (oral hygiene)?
This sensory technique involves using calming scents, such as lavender, to reduce stress or alerting scents, such as lemon, to help you feel energized.
What is essential oil/ aromatherapy?
This coping skill can be done at any time of the day and involves writing down emotions, stressors, gratitude, and more.
What is journaling?
Taking a short walk or stretching can help reduce stress and make you feel better. This is an example of what daily activity.
What is exercise?
Name three negative ways to handle an emotional situation.
What are yelling at someone else, physically hurting yourself or others, isolating for long periods, and more.
When you get up each morning, this is a basic chore you can do before even leaving your room to feel more accomplished for the day.
What is making your bed?
This is a sensory strategy that can be used to quiet the noise around you in order to feel more calm.
What is using noise cancelling headphones?
This leisure activity can be used as a coping skill and involves using a needle and yarn to create different projects.
What is knitting or crocheting?
This leisure activity can be done in your free time or as a coping skill. It involves cutting out pictures or quotes and gluing them together to make your own picture.
What is making a collage?
This is the term for focusing on the positive things in life even when you are feeling down.
What is gratitude/ practicing gratitude?
This simple tool can help you stay organized by keeping track of important tasks or appointments.
What is a planner or calendar?
This is a system made up of family, friends, staff, and therapist that can support you in your journey.
What is a support system?
This form of exercise is gentle, can be modified to meet your abilities, and can be relaxing. We did this by following a video on YouTube.
What is chair yoga?
When we made our stress balls we filled out a sheet about calming and alerting strategies focused on you senses. This is called...
What is sensory modualtion?
These are positive strategies to use when you are in a disagreement with someone. We learned about this in one of our first groups after playing likes/ dislikes bingo.
What is conflict resolution?
When we planted our succulents we learned about this occupation that prepares you to be able to do your ADLs. These activities can also be used as coping strategies and include cooking, cleaning, and shopping.
What are IADLs?
_____ _______ involves eating nutritious foods, exercising regularly, taking regular showers, and getting enough rest. This can support overall mental health.
What is self-care?
This fun self care activity can be done alone or with others. It can be a form of self expression and can be many different colors. (Hint: having this done may make you feel more confident or pretty.)
What is doing make up/ nails?
This chore can be used as a coping skill and can reduce stress by having a neat organized space around you.
What is cleaning?
Repeating calming phrases or words can make you feel better. We learned about these when we made our bracelets and keychains.
What are positive affirmations?
OT can help you create this routine by using strategies such as going to bed at the same time every night, creating a calming environment, limiting snacks before bed, and more.
What is a sleep/ night routine?
This is the term for recognizing your limits and making sure to protect your personal space.
What is setting boundaries?
This is a technique used to relax your body by visualizing and imagining a peaceful or happy place.
What is guided imagery?