Skills
To practice this skill, you may find something useful in your freezer
Intense sensations (TIP)
Your teacher directs you to put down your pencil, but you haven't finished your work. You raise your hand and ask if you can have time after lunch to finish.
Flexible
We practice mindfulness activities like "window swap" because it may help us....
focus
relax
calm our minds and bodies
Hermione Granger is a character that may be a good representation of "x" mind
Wise Mind
I have a test today, and I notice the thought "I am going to do terribly on this test". Name the thinking trap
Jumping Jack (jumping to conclusions)
Disaster Darrel (thinking the worst)
When you practice this skill, your nervous system relaxes
paced breathing (TIP)
Your teacher says "time's up" when you haven't finished your work. You slam your fist on the desk in frustration and demand more time! Is this response rigid or flexible?
Rigid
The intense sensations skill taps into the "x" reflex, which is a way mamals respond to cold temperatures so that they are able to survive longer
dive reflex
reasonable mind
Your friend plays baseball, but tends to drop the ball a lot. Today, he made a really good play and tagged out the runner. He says "I'm so bad at baseball."
Name the thinking trap and help your friend think about this in a different way.
Negative Nina- Ignoring the positives
That was a great play! You're a good player!"
TO practice this skill, you may look at something relaxing, listen to calming music, smell a candle, hold your favorite blanket or eat something delicious!
Self Soothe with five senses
Your teacher says "time's up" during art class, but you haven't finished your work. A flexible response may be...
You ask if you can bring your project home so you can finish your work.
This skill teaches us to refocus our mind on something else for a while, so that we have time to calm down and respond to big emotions in an effective way.
DISTRACT
Dumbledore may be a good representation of "x" mind
wise mind
When 'I have an unhelpful thought suddenly come into my mind it's called a
snap judgment or thinking trap
You can silently practice this skill at school while sitting at your desk
Paced breathing or progressive muscle relaxation
Your mom says it's time to turn off the TV, but your favorite show isn't over. You ask for more time. She says "unfortunately not, we have to leave for baseball practice". You feel frustrated, but remember responding flexibly may be more helpful to you, mom and your baseball team and say....
I'm really disappointed. Can I watch the rest when we come back?
The three parts of an emotion, as represented by a triangle are....
Thoughts, feelings and behaviors
If I'm having a big emotion wave, I may do one of these exercises to move into wise mind so that I can make a better decision about how to act.
mindfulness
breathing
TIP
DISTRACT
Vulnerable
To practice this skill, you may breathe in, shrug your shoulders, hold and release while you breathe out....
Tense and Relax (TIP)
You are having a play date and your friend says they are bored of the game you are playing. You feel disappointed, and want to keep playing. You respond flexibly and say....
I really like this game, can we play five minutes more and then do your activity?
or
Ok, we can do what you'd like now, but can we come back to this later?
You hate the school lunch today, and have the thought "this will ruin my whole day". Another way to think about this may improve my mood and the outcome. What is a more helpful thought?
I'll eat the apple and have a snack when I get home.
At least the dessert is something I like!
I may not love this lunch, but I'll eat a few bites and maybe it's "good enough".
When you listen to your favorite song and dance and sing like no one is watching, you are likely in this state of mind
emotion
Triangle