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Name 3 healthy coping skills (NOT DISTRACTIONS-think of things you can do that don't require materials to use them)
-Deep Breathing
-S.O.D.A.S./S.T.O.P.
-Positive Imagery
-Progressive Muscle Relaxation
-Finger Taps/Palm Presses
-ABC Game/Color Game
-10-10-10
Name one example of an unhealthy coping skill.
- Avoiding Help
- Fighting
- Yelling at others
- Harming others or yourself
-Substance Abuse
-Isolating yourself
Which of the following is a benefit of using healthy coping skills?
a.) they reduce stress
b.) they allow us to create better relationships
c.) they allow us to have a healthy mind and body
d.) all of the above
d.) all of the above
True or False:
At the BoysTown IPU, you cannot leave a group for any reason, even if you are upset.
False
You can always advocate to take space if you need to. You can expect to take 5-10 minutes to do a coping skill or speak with staff about what is upsetting you.
Which of the coping skills are unhealthy?
- Getting Fresh Air
- Talking to a Trusted Friend/Adult
- Destroying Property
- Hair pulling and eating it
- Exercising
- Playing Sports
- Taking Feelings Out on Others
- Yelling at someone you don't like
-Staying at home in your room instead of hanging out with positive friends
- Destroying Property
- Hair pulling and eating it
- Taking Feelings Out on Others
- Yelling at someone you don't like
-Staying at home in your room instead of hanging out with positive friends
Name 3 things you like to do for self care?
Self care is anything that involves you meeting a need you have.
Personal hygiene, getting enough sleep, relaxation through hobbies, doing homework/studying for school, exercise, drinking enough water, and eating a healthy diet are all examples of self-care activities
What are some benefits that you have experienced from using healthy coping skills?
- Feeling more relaxed
- Having a clear mind to help solve your problems
- Creating healthy relationships with others
- Being able to think about your response to a situation
True or False:
Every coping skill is healthy.
FALSE!
Some ways that we learn to cope are not healthy for us! (ex: fighting, eating too much, running from problems, etc.)
Some can appear healthy but can actually become unhealthy. For example, watching TV can be a nice distraction, but watching TV for 10 hours straight would be considered an avoidance behavior.
Healthy coping skills help us:
a.) Deal with stressors in our lives
b.) Work through our emotions and problems
c.) Process our thoughts and emotions
d.) All of the above
d.) All of the above
Using healthy coping skills allow us to take a minute and process what is happening with our emotions, stressors, thoughts, and problems.
How can unhealthy coping skills negatively affect our lives?
-Hurt Ourselves
-Self Sabotage any progress we've made already
-Hurt Others with words/actions/behaviors
-Creates Problems that weren't there before
-Lose relationships with people we care about due to loss of trust
What is an "I" statement?
I statements allow us to claim ownership of our emotions and communicate them more clearly to others without them feeling the need to get defensive.
ex.) "I feel angry when people call me the nickname I don't like. It makes me feel disrespected when people don't respect the boundary about what name I prefer to be called."
True or False:
You are allowed to take your hygiene bins into the bathroom with you during morning hygiene and shower time.
False!
Hygiene bins should be kept in the hallway when you are in the bathroom for safety purposes.
What does it mean to be mindful? What activities would be considered mindful? Is it a coping skill?
Mindfulness is when you center yourself in the present moment. It can be done through meditation, relaxation exercises, or just simply slowing down and taking notice of things that are currently around you.
Yes, it is a coping skill!
John has a lot of stress from school. When he gets home, he gets easily agitated with his younger brother who asks him "what is wrong." He gets so anxious, in fact, from this incessant question that he yells at his brother to get his frustration out.
Is this a healthy coping skill, why or why not? What would better coping skills be in this situation?
No!
Talking with someone is a great coping skill. However, yelling is unhealthy and it may cause issues in our relationships.
Other coping skills: Deep breathing, PMR, Finger Taps/Palm Presses, 10-10-10, counting to 10 before answering, asking for space and agreeing to have a conversation later instead of yelling
What coping skills can be used to reduce stress? Name three
- meditation
- talking with someone
- breathing exercises
- exercise
- mindfulness
- yoga
True or False:
Coping skills help you focus on the important things in your life.
TRUE!
When we can cope with problems in our lives, it is easier to focus on everything else that is important to us!
Name three things that you can journal about.
- Your Feelings (sad, happy, mad, motivated, etc.)
- Thoughts
- Favorite Activities
- Goals
- Future Events
-Lists
-Memories (positive AND negative ones)
Charlene gets into a fight with her mom. She decides to leave the situation and go for a walk. Is this a healthy coping skill?
Yes!
Going on a walk and leaving the situation is a great way to reduce stress and calm down. It is important to calmly ask to take space before leaving the situation to ensure the other person is aware that you need time to process and will continue the conversation when it is more appropriate to do so.
CBT is a type of therapy, what does CBT stand for?
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
True or False:
A two-minute healthy distraction can be enough to help you feel better.
True!
Research has suggested that even just 2 minutes of a distraction can help with negative thoughts and emotions.
What are some ways you can combat negative thinking?
-Positive Imagery
-Positive Self Talk
-Positive Affirmations
-Challenging the negative thoughts with reality statements
What is a grounding coping skill? Describe what it does.
Examples of Grounding skills include: Deep breathing, counting to 10, ABC/Color Game, meditation, positive imagery.
Name 3 of the 4 techs that are on shift today
-Ms. Dakota
-Ms. Jen
-Ms. Emma
-Ms. Summer
True or False:
Depression and sadness are the same.
False!
Depression is a more intense emotion that can cause physical symptoms like sleeping too much/too little, loss/gain of appetite, etc. Depression takes time to get over whereas sadness is an emotion that everyone can experience and get over relatively quickly.