🧠 Anxiety Brain vs. Brave Brain
Anxiety Brain says: “Keep it. You might need it.”
Brave Brain says: "________________________"
“I can decide later.” / “If I really need it, I can find another one.” / “It’s okay not to keep everything.”
Smallest brave thing near other kids:
Sit nearby
Stand in the same area
Make eye contact
Say “hi”
Special, useful, or leftover?
Keep special or useful. Throw away leftover.
Three things that stay the same:
Parent still loves me
They come back
My house is the same
My teacher is there
What is a script?
A sentence or line you say the same way over and over.
Anxiety Brain says: “Keep it. You might need it.”
Brave Brain says: "________________________"
It’s okay if it’s awkward.” / “I can try one small sentence.” / “Awkward isn’t dangerous.”
If you don’t want to join but don’t want to leave:
Stay in the space
Do a similar activity nearby
Watch calmly
If I throw this away, what do I think will happen?
“I might need it.”
“I might regret it.”
“Something bad might happen.”
How long does it usually take for parent to come back?
Realistic timeframe (after school / after work / after session).
Why do scripts feel safe?
They are predictable
You know what will happen next
They lower anxiety
When your heart beats fast and your brain says something bad might happen, that is called…
A false alarm.
One safe, non-script sentence:
“What are you playing?”
“Can I watch?”
“That looks fun.”
“What’s the rule?”
What actually happens when we throw small trash away?
Nothing dangerous
The room gets cleaner
We feel nervous, then calm
Invisible string is made of…
Love
Memory
Trust
Routine
One new way to say the same thing:
...
Name one time your Anxiety Brain was wrong.
“I thought something bad would happen but it didn’t.”
“I threw something away and nothing bad happened.”
“I talked and it was fine.”
Quiet brave move in roleplay:
Speak once
Stay for 30 seconds
Ask one question
Nod and stay
3-Question Rule:
Is it broken or empty?
Will I use it this week?
Is it truly special?
If 2 or 3 answers are “no,” it’s trash.
“Missing but okay” practice:
Take 3 slow breaths
Say: “I can miss them and still be okay.”
Turn one script into three versions.
Let's try together
Anxiety Brain says: “If I don’t keep it or don’t stay close, something bad could happen.”
What does Brave Brain say about uncertainty?
“I can handle not knowing.”
“Not knowing is uncomfortable, not dangerous.”
“I don’t have to solve everything right now.”
“Feelings aren’t facts.”
Choose one small, low-value item (real or pretend) and decide to throw it away using the 3-Question Rule. Then sit with the feeling for 30 seconds without taking it back.
..
Imagine your parent is in another room for 2 minutes.
Name what your body feels and stay seated without checking.
“My chest feels tight.”
“I feel nervous.”