Beat the ANTs
This is a fast thought that pops into your brain automatically when you’re nervous.
What is an Automatic Negative Thought (ANT)?
This scale measures how strong your anxiety feels from 1–10.
What is SUDS (Subjective Units of Distress Scale)?
This type of praise builds confidence more than talking about grades.
What is effort-based praise?
This is something you do before games to lower anxiety.
What is breathing?
This therapy teaches how thoughts, feelings, body sensations, and actions are connected.
What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)?
This thinking trap makes you imagine the worst possible outcome.
What is catastrophizing?
This body part often hurts when anxiety shows up before performances, such as sports/basketball.
What is the stomach?
Sleeping in longer when worried can sometimes be this anxiety behavior.
What is avoidance?
This skill helps you focus on what’s happening right now instead of worrying about later.
What is grounding/mindfulness?
This shape we draw shows how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors affect each other.
What is the CBT triangle (or CBT model)?
This thinking trap is when you assume you know what other people are thinking about you.
What is mind reading?
This breathing strategy helps calm the nervous system.
What is deep breathing (or cyclic breathing)?
This is one thing you can do if grades drop instead of panicking.
What is make a plan / ask for help / talk to parents?
This shows therapy is working: anxiety stays lower and you can still play.
What is improvement / reduced SUDS / skill use?
Name another word for automatic negative thought.
What is a Thinking Error (or Cognitive Distortion)?
This phrase reminds you that nerves can mean something positive.
What is “Nerves mean I care” (or similar)?
This grounding exercise uses sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste.
What is the 5 senses grounding exercise?
This strength helps when school feels hard: trying again after mistakes.
What is persistence?
Name 3 coping tools in your toolbox.
Correct, if you have at least 3!
This is what happens when you stay away from something that makes you anxious, and it makes anxiety stronger over time.
What is avoidance?
This is what we focus on instead of perfection.
What is effort?
This part of your body turns on when your brain thinks there’s danger, even if there isn’t.
What is the brain alarm (or fight/flight system)?
This thought is more balanced than “I’m going to get in trouble.”
What is “We can make a plan” (or similar balanced thought)?
This is what we call it when anxiety comes back a little but you know how to handle it.
What is relapse prevention (or using coping skills independently or confidence)?
This is the goal of CBT: not to get rid of all anxiety, but to learn how to ______ it.
What is manage it (or handle it / respond to it differently)?