Coming to Therapy
How do you feel about therapy?
Sometimes kids feel nervous about therapy, if they haven't been before. Some kids feel excited. Thank you for sharing your story!
Name some coping skills that you are aware of.
Thank you for sharing! Examples of coping skills are progressive muscle relaxation, deep breathing, use of stress ball, talking to friends or healthy adults, taking a break, eating a snack, drinking water, count to 10, read a book, draw a picture, color, music, etc.
Thank you for sharing! some common breathing exercises are box breathing, 4-5-4 breathing, color breathing, etc.
If our sibling is having a tough time (sad, upset, frustrated), what should we do?
problem solve with them, give them some space, help them use some coping skills, let an adult know so they can help them
Describe some typical emotions you experience.
Thank you for sharing. Examples of emotions could be stress, annoyed, mad, anxious, sad, happy, excited, etc.
Do you have any questions about therapy?
Thank you for sharing!
What is a coping skill?
A coping skill is a tool that you can use to manage emotions.
Tell us about a time when you used a breathing exercise and if it worked.
Thank you for sharing!
Share some things you love about your siblings
Share at least one thing about each sibling.
Bonus 100 points: share something your siblings love about you.
Why is it important to control emotions?
So that situations don't get out of hand. Sometimes kids say things they don't mean or do things that get them in trouble when they can't control their emotions.
What can you do if you are not comfortable in therapy?
Try talking about it to your parent or a safe adult. Try explaining to your therapist what makes you uncomfortable.
What is the difference between a healthy and an unhealthy coping skill?
Unhealthy coping skills provide instant relief, but have negative effects on the person or persons around them. Healthy coping skills do not always feel good in the moment, but they have positive long-lasting effects.
When are breathing exercises useful?
Whenever you feel a strong emotion, especially anger, anxious, stressed, overwhelmed.
Why is it helpful to practice our superpower of empathy with siblings?
To help solve problems, to think of what the other person is feeling, to practice kindness, to change the way we look at the problem (our perspective)
Why do we experience emotions?
Emotions are your brain's ability to protect you. It is the way we can tell if something is good or bad for us.
Why do you think you are going to therapy?
Thank you for sharing! There are several reasons kids go to therapy. If you don't know why you are going, talk to your parent or therapist.
This is when you change your thoughts to manage difficult or unrealistic emotions.
Thought reframing or challenging.
When should you practice breathing exercises?
You should practice breathing exercises a few times per week when you are in a calm state of mind and in a safe place.
What is one way to solve a problem with a sibling?
Compromise, calm before talking it out, identify the size of the problem, think of possible solutions, talk to your sibling, talk to a trusted adult.
How do we control emotions?
Use healthy coping skills such as deep breathing, muscle relaxation, color breathing, talking to a healthy adult, friend, therapist, etc., counting to 10, taking a break or timeout, eating a healthy snack, drinking water, going for a walk, etc.
How do you know if you need to return to therapy after finishing therapy?
If you start experiencing similar problems or emotions to the reason you started therapy initially. Also, if start experiencing different problems that you don't know how to handle.
How do coping skills work?
Coping skills are used to manage difficult emotions or life situations by creating a calming effect in your brain and body.
How does deep breathing calm emotions?
Slow breathing can help change the way your brain works by creating a calm space for it. By creating this calm space for your brain, your nervous system calms down as well, creating a calming feeling in your whole body.
What is a problem you've had with a sibling and how did you solve it?
Kid's choice.
Bonus 100 points: what would you do if you had a similar problem?
Tell us about a time when you experienced a difficult emotion.
Thank you for sharing.