Coping Skills
True or False: Yelling is a healthy coping skills for anger
False. Yelling tends to increase one's anger and create negative communication patterns.
Name one supportive adult in your life?
What is one symptom of anxiety?
What is the name of Mrs. Melissa's Dog?
Jackson. Fun Fact: Jackson is a husky and he was born in the state of Ohio before moving to Missouri with his family.
Name One Emotion besides: Sad, Happy, or Angry
Lonely, Confused, Irritated, Shy, Jealous, Etc.
What is a coping skill for anxiety that begins with the letter Z?
Zoo, Zig-Zagging, Zesty Perspective, Zoom Calls, Etc.
Who is a supportive person in your life that begins with the letter: P?
Paul, Principal, Phil, Pearl, Etc!
True or False: Mental Health Therapists are able to diagnose someone with Heart Disease?
What is the name of Mrs. Melissa's employer? IE: When I come to this school, I actually work for _________
Saint Louis Counseling
True or False: Therapists can be best friends with their clients.
False! This is called a dual-relationship and is against the law within the field of therapy. You can trust your therapist and even like spending time with them, but you should not interact with your therapist on a regular basis outside of sessions.
What is the number 1 rule of a healthy coping skill?
In order to be healthy, the coping skill must not hurt you or someone else.
Tell me about a time you were honest about your feelings with someone else: how did you feel afterwards?
ANY TIME you were successful in sharing your feelings without losing your cool!
What is one symptom of Adjustment Disorder?
Difficulty concentrating, feeling depressed or sad, feeling anxious or nervous, impulsive or reckless behavior, recent life change, feeling tired, body aches, irregular heart beat, your emotional or behavioral symptoms are clinically significant. This means that your stress must exceed what would normally be expected and/or the stress is causing significant problems in your work, home or social life.
Provide one example of a positive affirmation (say something nice about yourself or your life!)
"I am" (any positive word here) or "I can" (anything positive here)
How long does a typical therapy session last?
Anywhere between 27 minutes and 125 minutes.
True or False: Coloring is a healthy coping skill?
True. Coloring can be helpful to find a task to focus while you calm down. Did you know there are even adult coloring books now? My favorite says, "My Circle of Trust is Made Up of Donuts!"
What is one way people can be supportive of you?
Active listening, spending time with you, being non-judgmental, keeping what you say only to people who need to know, etc.
True or False: Mental Health Disorders are permanent
False. While some mental health disorders may be life-long, many diagnoses are able to be treated within one year and clients may no longer meet the criteria for the diagnosis.
True or False: Therapy means you sit for 60 minutes and tell your deepest darkest feelings to a stranger who takes notes and nods while saying "Mhm, go on..."
False! While talk therapy does exist and helps many people, there are SO many ways therapists can work with clients. A therapist can use games, art, music, dancing, horses, and even movies in therapy sessions.
What is a "Treatment Plan" in therapy?
A treatment plan is a list of short-term and long-term goals the client and counselor set for the client to accomplishment before being discharged.
Name one time you used a healthy coping skill?
ANY TIME you didn't hurt yourself or someone else!
Who is someone supportive in your life that begins with the letter: C?
Carla, Cat, Cameron, Charlie, Etc.
What is one reason people may not go to therapy?
Cost, time management, fear related to being judged, fear of stigmatizing diagnosis, past experiences with therapy, etc.
I want to start seeing a therapist: where do I start?
You can call your insurance company, use Google, use PsychologyToday, OpenPath, or Mental Health Match. You can ask your friends and family if they recommend anyone. You can also call 211 to get recommendations! It's important to keep trying new therapists until you find one that is a good fit.
True or False: A Therapist should tell everyone what their clients talk about in session
FALSE! This is against HIPAA (a federal law) and it ruins trust within the relationship. The only times a therapist should tell people what was said in session is when: A client wants to hurt themselves or someone else, someone else is hurting someone the client knows, a judge says the therapist has to come to court and testify, an insurance company does an audit, or someone under 18's parent's asks for information (this depends on the situation too)