ANTS
What are automatic negative thoughts?
Bad or negative things that pop into our head
What are the 3 parts of the triangle?
Thoughts, feelings, actions
Get a piece of paper and demonstrate your favorite shape breathing technique.
Triangle, square, figure 8, star, rainbow...
What is a fact check?
Asking if our thoughts are actually true. Such as "Is this the whole truth? Am I missing something? Could this be an opinion?"
What is the only mammal that is capable of flight?
A bat.
What is mind reading? And why is it a thinking error?
When we believe we already know what someone else is thinking. We assume these things to be true, but we do not actually know that they are true.
How are all 3 parts connected?
Our thoughts influence how we feel and our feelings guide our actions.
5 see
4 feel
3 hear
2 smell
1 taste
How might we reconsider ANTS?
Thinking differently about thoughts that pop into our head. This would involve asking "Is this thought helpful? If a friend had this thought, what would I say to him? Is there any other way to see this situation?"
What is the hottest planet in our solar system?
Venus.
What is predicting the future? Why is it a thinking error?
When our brain automatically assumes only something bad will happen - but it might not.
Thought - I am a terrible baseball player.
Feeling - Sad, discouraged, defeated.
Action - ???
What is muscle relaxation?
Tensing and releasing various muscles to encourage calm minds and thoughts. Helps to notice the difference between a tense/stressed and loose/peaceful state.
What is redirecting automatic negative thoughts?
Which ocean is the largest?
What is the difference between facts and opinions?
Facts are things we know to be true.
Opinions are things we think or believe.
Thoughts - Mom never lets me do anything I want to! She's so mean!
Feeling - ???
Action - Argue with her, yell, slam doors.
Frustrated, left out, annoyed
Use reconsidering to challenge this negative thought:
I am the worse baseball player ever. I'll never be as good as my teammates.
I am one of the hardest working players on my team. I show up to every practice and game and give it my all. If I keep practicing, I know I can do even better than I already am. It's okay to not be the best.
What is a group of sharks called?
A shiver.
What is all or nothing thinking? And why is it a thinking error?
When we have thoughts that might include words 'all', 'none', 'never'. They imply we either will always be bad/negative or will never be good/positive. Does not allow for the 'in between'
Thought - ???
Feeling - Defeated, embarrassed, anxious
Action - Not talk to anyone, blush, want to run away.
Any thought that may relate.
Any appropriate coping skill
Use redirecting to challenge this negative thought:
My mom is the absolute worst! I can't stand her anymore. It's all her fault her and dad aren't together anymore.
I cannot change that mom and dad didn't get along and aren't together anymore. I know mom and dad both love me and wanted me to have the best life possible. It's okay to miss them together, while also accepting and feeling joy while they are apart.
The cats on the wall are cartoon versions of my cats. Try to guess their names, for each one you get correct, you get 500 points.
I'll give you a hint - the first letters of their names are:
M, D, B, and H
Macy - blue
Duchess - pink
Boots - cream
Hazel - yellow