Random
Riddle:
The more you take away from me, the bigger I get. What am I?
A hole!
Your friend cuts in front of you in line. You are annoyed. What is a healthy first response?
Calmly address it or let it go rather than immediately starting an argument.
If you are confused about a program rule, what should you do?
Ask STAFF for clarification
What coping skill involves taking slow, controlled breaths to help your body calm down?
Deep breathing
Show us how you would use deep breathing if you were becoming frustrated during an argument.
Demonstrate a slow inhale, controlled exhale, and explain that the goal is to slow down the body's stress response before reacting.
FINISH THE LYRIC:
It's me, hi....
I'm the problem, it's me.
Someone leaves you on "read" for three hours. What is one thing you should not automatically assume?
That they hate you, are mad at you, or are intentionally ignoring you.
Why are personal boundaries important in a therapeutic program?
They help people feel safe, respected, and able to participate in treatment without unnecessary interpersonal conflict.
What DBT skill means accepting reality as it is, even when you don't like it?
Radical Acceptance
A friend keeps asking you to tell them personal information about another person. You don't want to share it. Roleplay how you would set that boundary.
"I'm not comfortable talking about someone else's personal business. You should probably ask them directly."
Point requirement: You should communicate the boundary calmly and respectfully without insulting or attacking the friend.
In Mean Girls, what color do the Plastics wear on Wednesdays?
On Wednesdays, we wear PINK!
our friend is angry at another person and wants you to take sides. What could you say?
Something like, "I care about you, but I don't want to get involved in the conflict."
True or False: If something happens between two peers outside of programming, it can never affect the group.
FALSE - it almost always affects the group dynamic
You hear somebody you are close with is talking negatively about you, or spreading rumors. You're extremely angry and want to send an angry text immediately. Name one coping skill you could use before responding.
Take a break, deep breathing, grounding, counting, mindfulness, talk to staff/support person, etc.
Your friend texts you and tells you "I have to talk to you", but then they do not respond again for hours. You begin thinking about all of the negative things they could have to talk to you about.
Roleplay how you would challenge that thought using CBT.
"I don't actually know why they haven't answered. They could be busy, sleeping, with family, or have their phone off. I don't have enough evidence to assume I did something wrong or that something is wrong."
Riddle:
I have cities but no houses, forests but no trees, and rivers but no water. What am I?
A map!
You hear a rumor about yourself spreading through the group. What would be a more effective response than confronting everyone angrily?
Take a moment to regulate, identify what is actually known, speak directly with the appropriate person/staff, and avoid spreading the rumor further.
Two people in the program begin dating. They start arguing through text, and the conflict follows them into programming. What is one reason this can become a problem for the therapeutic environment?
Their conflict can affect other peers, create distractions/drama, increase emotional distress, and interfere with treatment.
Your friend says, "Everyone hates me because nobody answered my text." What is one CBT skill you could use to help challenge this thought?
Look for evidence for and against the thought / identify alternative explanations / challenge all-or-nothing thinking.
Your friend tells you, "You always choose everyone else over me. You obviously don't care about me."
Roleplay how you would respond using effective communication rather than becoming defensive.
Strong response:
"I hear that you're feeling left out, and I don't want you to feel that way. At the same time, I don't think it's fair to say I never care about you. Can we talk about what happened specifically?"
Bonus: Identify what made their response effective.
Who am I?
I'm from a famous fictional family.
I have a very deadpan personality.
My best friend is named Enid.
I attend Nevermore Academy.
Wednesday Adams
Your friend tells you, "If you stop talking to me, I'm going to hurt myself." What should you do?
Take the statement seriously and immediately involve a trusted adult/staff member rather than trying to handle the situation yourself.
A peer tells you something concerning about another peer and asks you to keep it secret. What should you consider before agreeing?
Whether there is a safety concern. If someone may be at risk of harming themselves or someone else, staff should be informed rather than keeping it secret.
You are overwhelmed, angry, and beginning to shut down. Explain the difference between avoiding a problem and taking a healthy break.
Avoidance means refusing to address the problem or continually putting it off; a healthy break is intentionally stepping away to regulate yourself before returning to address the situation.
Someone tells you, "If you really cared about me, you'd prove it by sending me a picture you know you're not supposed to send."
Identify what is happening and roleplay your response.
Recognize that this is peer pressure and a manipulation tactic. You can: Call it out and set a boundary, stop responding, go to an adult, etc.