Sense of Self
Name 2 things that influence how sense of self forms
Early childhood experiences (especially with caregivers)
Culture, gender, and social roles
Mental health and trauma (which can distort, fragment, or pause development)
Life transitions, roles (parent, student, survivor), and relationship dynamics
Define self-concept
Self-concept is the mental picture you have of yourself—who you think you are, what you believe you're capable of, and how you fit into the world.
What is intellectual wellness?
It’s not about being ‘book smart’—it’s about beingcurious, creative, open-minded, and mentallyengaged
The ability to explore new ideas, apply criticalthinking, and engage in creative or educationalactivities
Not just academic—it can include hobbies, puzzles,reading, learning a skill, making art, etc
What is bouncing back?
The ability to recover from setbacks
Fighting through adversity with strength and flexibility
Reclaiming strength after setbacks, using real-life tools and community support
What is one positive of having strong sense of self?
It helps us make choices
It helps us recognize our own worth
It helps us identify and accept the thingswe would like to improve
The clown is a common adaptive identity. Describe it.
Uses humor to deflect pain and avoid being taken seriously
Name one thing you can do to help with intellectual wellness
learn something new, do something creative, engage in a hobby
What is a victim mentality?
A victim mentality is a self-defeating attitude (opposite of a bounce back attitude) with self-limiting thoughts aboutyourself that restrict you from reaching your full potential.
A victim mentality is a feeling that one can't make changes in one's life and that one if living the life of a victim.
People who struggle with a victim mentality have often had many difficult circumstances in their past which have led toa negative attitude.
Name two common factors that often result in people developing a survival identity.
Childhood trauma or neglect
Bullying or social exclusion
Family systems with strict expectations orunpredictable emotions
Marginalized identities (e.g., racial,LGBTQIA+, neurodivergent)
Chronic invalidation or lack of emotionalsafety
Survival-based identities are not inherently bad—they helped us get through. But they become problematic when:
They prevent us from being authentic or vulnerable
They reinforce shame (“I can’t be loved as I am”)
They limit self-discovery or joy
They become exhausting to maintain
Name three components of a bounce back mentality
Optimism
Commitment
Secure attachments
Facing fear
Selflessness
Faith/Spirituality
Social supports
Patience
Sense of humor
Personal goals
Adapt to change
Positive view of change
In childhood, our identities are shaped in response to...(name one)
What earns us praise or attention
What keeps us out of trouble
What helps us avoid emotional pain
The adaptive identity role the rebel can be described as "pushes boundaries to avoid being controlled or hurt." What is underneath that role?
Deep mistrust, fear of abandonment or betrayal
What are two common barriers to exploring intellectual wellness?
Feeling like you’re “too behind” to start something new
Internalized shame or “what’s the point?” thinking
Struggles with attention, motivation, or executive functioning
Not knowing what you’re interested in yet
How is connection related to resilience?
Caring leads to concern which leads to connection
We become connected with what we care about
If an individual wants to increase their level of resilience, thendeepening connections is essential to this process.
Self-concept is shaped over time by...
Childhood experiences
Feedback from others
Culture and community
Trauma or success stories
Name two common influences on self-esteem?
Critical caregivers or teachers
Bullying or rejection
Childhood neglect or trauma
Validation and success
Encouragement and connection
Why does intellectual wellness matter? Name two reasons.
Reduces boredom and impulsivity
Increases self-esteem and identity outside of symptoms or substance use
Encourages structure, progress, and mastery
Offers safe “escape” or flow states that support emotion regulation
Helps reconnect with curiosity, creativity, and play
Name 2 types of connections that can increase resilience?
spiritual, community, education/self-improvement, hobbies, friends and family, animals, nature