Name that Skill
What does emotional regulation mean?
The ability to recognize, understand, and manage emotions in healthy ways.
"Identify what is going on inside of us and what to do with it"
In the ACCEPTS skill, what does the A stand for?
Activities.
What is the main purpose of grounding?
To bring your attention back to the present moment when emotions, thoughts, or stress feel overwhelming.
What are the three states of mind discussed in the Wise Mind skill?
Emotional Mind, Reasonable (Logical) Mind, and Wise Mind.
Your heart starts beating faster and you notice that you're clenching your fists. Are these triggers, warning signs, or coping skills?
What is distress tolerance?
The ability to cope with uncomfortable or intense emotions without making the situation worse.
Name one Activity you could use to distract yourself when experiencing a strong emotion.
Examples include drawing, listening to music, exercising, playing a game, reading, crafting, or another healthy activity.
What are the five senses that can be used for grounding?
Sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste.
"I'm so angry that I don't care what happens. I'm sending the text!" Which state of mind is most likely in control?
Emotional Mind
You become upset whenever someone raises their voice during an argument. The raised voice would most likely be considered what?
A trigger.
What is a coping skill?
A safe, healthy strategy used to manage emotions, stress, or difficult situations.
Which part of ACCEPTS involves doing something kind or helpful for another person?
Contributing.
In the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique, what do you identify first?
Five things you can see (the easiest of the senses to use).
"I'm going to ignore all of my feelings and only focus on the facts." Which state of mind does this best describe?
Reasonable (logical) mind
Name three warning signs that could tell someone their emotions are becoming more intense.
Examples include racing heart, muscle tension, sweating, shaking, racing thoughts, becoming quiet, wanting to leave, clenching fists, isolating, feeling hot, or becoming irritable.
What is a trigger?
A situation, thought, person, memory, or event that causes a strong, negative emotional response.
You're upset after an argument and know continuing to think about it will make you more upset. Name two ACCEPTS strategies you could use in the moment.
Examples include doing an activity, helping someone, creating a different emotion, temporarily pushing the situation away, distracting with thoughts, or using a safe physical sensation.
ou're becoming overwhelmed during a group activity. Name two grounding strategies you could use without leaving the room.
Examples include 5-4-3-2-1, noticing your feet on the floor, describing objects around you, or focusing on physical sensations.
What does Wise Mind combine?
Emotions and logical or reasonable thinking (the emotional and logical minds).
You're frustrated because something didn't go your way. You notice your face getting hot and you're starting to raise your voice. What should you try to do next?
Recognize the warning signs and choose a healthy coping skill before the emotion escalates further.
What is the difference between a trigger and a warning sign?
A trigger is something that starts or contributes to an emotional reaction, while a warning sign is something you notice in yourself that tells you your emotions are becoming more intense.
What do the letters in ACCEPTS stand for?
Activities, Contributing, Comparisons, Emotions, Pushing Away, Thoughts, and Sensations.
True or False: Grounding is supposed to make an uncomfortable emotion disappear completely.
Grounding can help you stay present and manage the intensity of an emotion, not eliminate the emotion.
Your friend doesn't answer your text. Your first thought is, "She's ignoring me because she's mad at me!" What could a Wise Mind response sound like?
Example: "I feel worried that she's upset with me, but I don't actually know why she hasn't answered. She could just be busy; I'll give her some time before deciding what it means."
Maya is working on a group project with friends when one of them laughs at an idea she shares and says, “That doesn’t really make sense.” Maya immediately feels embarrassed and irritated. She notices her face getting warm, her heart beating faster, and thoughts like, “They think I’m stupid” running through her head. She wants to snap back at her friend, but instead, she picks up a marker and quietly adds details to her part of the project while listening to the conversation. After a few minutes, she feels more prepared to respond calmly.
Identify the trigger, at least two emotions or warning signs, and the coping skill Maya used to keep the situation from getting worse.
Bonus: What might Maya’s Emotion Mind tell her to do? What might her Wise Mind tell her to do?