Emotional Regulation
Why is it important to "check-in" with our feelings?
It helps us become more self-aware and regulate our emotions.
What are coping skills and give 2 examples of healthy coping skills.
Coping skills are actions and ways of thinking that help us manage difficult emotions (red and orange emotions).
Ex: Talking to someone, taking a break, journaling, finger breathing, happy place meditating, mindfulness, walking, reading, re-framing thoughts,
If you're in the red, how could that affect how you communicate?
You could be so upset it is hard to talk, you may talk fast and not make sense, you might talk loudly which makes it hard for others to focus on what you're saying and may make others feel upset too.
True or false: What we think does not affect how we feel or what we do.
False, our thoughts can change how we feel and what we do
What does it mean to regulate our emotions?
The ability to know what you are feeling and to manage/express our feelings in appropriate ways.
What should you do if your coping skill does not work?
Multiple answers: Ask for help from a trusted adult, try a different coping skill, give it time...
What is the difference between verbal and nonverbal communication?
Verbal is what we say and how we say it (tone, words, loudness). Non-verbal communication is how we communicate without words (body language, eye contact, touch).
How can perspective help us solve a problem?
It can help us to look at our problem from multiple perspectives and in different ways to find different solutions. If we're having a problem with someone else, we can look at it from their different perspective. We do not have to agree with their way of thinking, but we can try to understand it and meet halfway.
Example of what to say: "I understand that when I used your pen it made you upset. I thought you would not care, but now I know for next time."
Are there wrong/bad emotions?
No, there are emotions that are difficult to feel like angry or frustrated but they are not wrong. There are also "wrong" ways to handle emotions, like yelling at someone, but the emotion is not wrong. Emotions tell us more information about ourselves.
What is an unhealthy coping skill?
Eating too much of an unhealthy food, spending a lot of time watching tv/video games/social media to escape, yelling at others/taking it out on others, avoiding the situation even after we took a break to cool off.
What is one helpful way to appropriately communicate our feelings to someone. What is one unhelpful was to communicate our feelings to someone?
"I feel" statements.
Yelling/name-calling, using sarcasm, making assumptions
We learned that our thoughts, feelings, and actions are all connected. If we're having a negative thought, this can lead to difficult feelings and unhelpful actions/problems. What should we do?
Re-frame (change) our negative thought to either a neutral or positive thought.