Mindfulness
What is mindfulness?
Focusing the mind in the present moment, without judgment and without trying to change it.
Being alert and aware to what is happening inside you and around you. Experiencing reality as it really is.
True or false - Distress tolerance is about making yourself feel better .
FALSE
•The goal with distress tolerance is to TOLERATE the situation, get through it and NOT make it WORSE.
What does DBT stand for?
Dialectical Behavioral Skills.
What example (on the Power Point presentation) did we use to begin the distress tolerance module to demonstrate crisis survival skills?
Slipping and falling off a cruise ship into the ocean.
Give an example of a time you responded poorly to an emotional crisis.
Yelled back at someone, walked out of class, hit something, skipped class, got mad at someone else when you were to blame.
Mindfulness is the path to....
WISE MIND
True or False: If you can't deal with your pain you may act impulsively and make the situation worse?
TRUE.
When you act impulsively, you may end up hurting yourself, hurting someone else, and not getting what you want.
Define the word, "dialectics".
There is always more than one way to see a situation and two things that seem opposite can both have truth in them. "Both-and" thinking.
Helps us move away from "black and white" or "always/never" thinking to more balanced (grey) thinking.More than one way to see things or solve a problem.
Give an example of an emotional crisis.
Finding out a pet has died or is ill.
Break up of a relationship. The end of a friendship.
Argument with parents or teacher. Finding out you got an F in class after working very hard. Taking a test unprepared. Someone says something negative about you on social media. Lack of sleep.
Which of the crisis survival skills we learned changes the body chemistry (only one does this).
TIPP Skills
What should we do when our mind wanders or gets "stuck" on worries when we are practicing mindfulness?
Continually bring your mind back to the present moment without judging it.
Treat your thoughts like clouds passing in the sky or packages on a conveyor belt. Notice them and let them pass and do not focus or try and "force" the thoughts out of your mind.
Name the two types of distress tolerance skills.
1. Crisis survival skills
2. Reality acceptance skills
Give one example of a crisis urge.
Examples: Yell, hit, run away, self injure, post risky pictures online, skipping school, throw something, put head down at inappropriate time, self injury.
List at least three examples of negative/harmful coping strategies.
Drinking, using drugs, risky online behavior, too much caffeine, exploding with anger, procrastinating, lying, spending too much money, skipping class, avoiding school, excessive screen time, sexual acting out, bullying, over exercising, over eating, too much sleep.
What is fight or flight?
The instinctive physiological response to a threatening situation, which causes us to either resist forcibly (fight) or to run away (flight).
Name the three states of mind.
1. WISE
2. REASONABLE
3. EMOTIONAL
Define/explain when crisis survival skills are to be utilized/practiced.
Getting through a short-term crisis without making it worse. In the moment of a crisis things we can do to help decrease our strong emotions. For use when emotion is high and problem solving is difficult or not possible right now. Not to make the pain go away, but more tolerable.
What is radical acceptance?
•Radical acceptance is acknowledging real life rather than rejecting it.•It is fully accepting the things that we cannot change in life.•With acceptance, we can turn suffering into pain you can manage.
One of the skills we learned was Wise Mind ACCEPTS. State what one letter of the ACCEPTS is and an example of the skill.
Activities, Contributing, Comparisons, Emotions, Pushing Away, Thoughts, Sensations
One of the skills we learned was IMPROVE the moment. State what one letter of the IMPROVE is and an example of the skill.
Imagery, Meaning, Prayer, Relaxation, One thing at a time, Vacation, Encouragement.
1. Observing
2. Describing
3. Participating
Define/explain when reality acceptance skills are to be utilized/practiced.
Tolerating distress for long-term problems.
Accepting the reality of a situation.
The goal IS NOT to make the pain go away, but to make the pain more tolerable.
What are the four options to solve any problem?
1. Solve the problem.
2. Feel better about the problem.
3. Tolerate the problem.
4. Stay miserable - or possibly make it worse!
State the SIX self sooth senses AND give an example of how you can practice one.
Vision, smell, touch, hearing, taste, movement.
What does each letter of TIPP stand for and give one example of how to practice the skill.
Temperature, Intense exercise, Paced breathing, Progressive muscle relaxation.