Recovery often starts with this important step:
Taking deep breaths, counting to 10, and grounding exercises are all examples of this.
Calming or Emotional-regulation skills.
In the beliefs-behavior cycle, our behaviors are strongly influences by these internal statments to ourselves.
Thoughts or beliefs
Many people experience this type of stress reaction after release due to overwhelming choices and responsibilities.
Reentry stress
Listening fully without interrupting is called this.
These small, positive actions repeated over time help build long-term change.
Healthy Habits
Writing thoughts and feelings down to process them is called this
Journaling
This type of belief often comes from past experiences and may not reflect current reality.
Core beliefs
One of the healthiest ways to rebuild life after incarceration is to set these small, achievable steps.
Realistic Goals
Statements that start with "I feel..." instead of blaming others are called this.
This type of mindset views setbacks as opportunities to grow instead of failures.
Growth Mindset
This coping skill involves focusing only on what you can control in a situation
Using the circle of control
Changing this part of the cycle can help change behaviors, even if emotions don't change right away.
Changing our thoughts.
This is the term for working to repair relationships and rebuild trust after incarceration
Reconciliation or rebuilding connections.
This type of boundary makes clear what behavior is okay and what isn't.
Healthy Boundaries
Having this internal belief "I can handle this" improves resilience.
Self-efficacy or Self-confidence
When a belief leads to behavior that reinforces the belief (i.e. someone thinks "I'm not good enough, so then they avoid trying) it's called this.
People often struggle with this belief after incarceration: "Because of my past, I can't succeed." It's an example of this unhelpful thinking pattern...
A limiting belief.
Recognizing someone else's feelings without trying to fix them is called this
Empathy
This term describes bouncing back from challenges stronger than before.
Resilience
This strategy involves breaking a problem into smaller parts to make it easier to handle.
Problem Solving
Replacing a negative automatic thought with a more balanced one is an example of this therapuetic skill.
Reframing
Many people leaving incarceration benefit from these supportive networks (recovery groups, mentors, community).
A support system
This conflict resolution skill focuses on finding solutions that meet everyone's needs.
Collaborative problem solving