Feelings
Feelings are good or bad. True or false?
False. No feeling is bad to have.
This part of your brain's job is to look out for danger
Amygdala or "alarm system" of the brain (limbic/feeling brain)
"If I don't do well on this test, I will fail the class. If I fail the class, I will not get into a good college. If I don't get into a good college, I won't get a good job and I will have a bad life."
Catastrophizing or Snowballing: blowing things out of proportion
"I failed the test. I am just going to keep failing my whole life."
"I failed this test, but I can do better next time. I can ask for help to learn how to study better."
Name a technique to help yourself defuse from a thought or experience
Naming it to tame it; Singing the thought in a funny voice; thanking the thought, LLAMA (Label, Let Go, Allow, Mindfulness, Approach);
The feeling of displeasure, being very irritated or annoyed.
Anger
Ignoring your feelings makes them go away. True or False?
False. Ignoring feelings only makes them grow more intense. Like a pressure valve, they will slowly seep out or explode in unintended and potentially harmful ways.
True or False: Other people can make me feel a certain way.
False. Our feelings come from our thoughts, so others do not have the power to make us feel bad unless we allow them to.
"I can't believe I got that wrong! I am so stupid!"
Labeling: assigning labels to ourselves or other people
"My mother is frustrated with my behavior, but she always loves me. Part of her job is to help me see when behaviors are unexpected."
What's the name of a breathing strategy that involves a longer exhale than inhale?
Hum breathing or 478 breathing
A feeling you have when you fear something bad will happen to you or someone else.
Name 3 uncomfortable feelings
Examples may include: angry/mad, frustrated, annoyed, worried/anxious, stressed, sad, scared
True of False: Crying is a normal reaction to strong feelings.
What is True? Crying releases tension. Some scientists believe it releases stress hormones too, which is why we feel better after a good cry.
All or nothing or black and white thinking
"This math is too hard. I'm not even going to try."
"This math is a real brain stretcher. Once I figure this out, I will be able to do so many other problems."
Why is it important to practice coping skills when cool, calm and collected, rather than when things feel stressful?
When our fight-flight-freeze response is activated, we "flip our lid" and our body shifts into survival mode. We cannot learn during this time. Instead, we practice when we are not distressed to make it easier to access this "pathway" in our brains when we are distressed.
Feeling ashamed or embarrassed because of your actions.
What is guilty?
Why are feelings important?
They help us to understand and communicate our needs.
What are the amygdalae's three "F" responses?
"Everyone is talking about me. They must not like my shirt."
Mind reading: imagining we know what others are thinking
"I am such an idiot. I can't believe I said that."
"I am having a thought that I am an idiot because I am embarrassed by what I said. Everyone says things they don't mean sometimes. I bet I won't even remember this next week."
When your worry makes you ask "What if?!" what should you do?
Talk back with an "Even if"
Focus on what IS (here and now)
A feeling you may have when you are constantly thinking about something and are unsure of what the outcome will be.
What is worried?
Anxiety is never helpful. True or False
False. Anxiety can be helpful if it helps us come up with a plan. Anxiety without planning is not helpful.
How does a deep breath work to calm you down?
A long exhale triggers the vagus nerve that activates the parasympathetic (rest and digest) part of you brain, calming the sympathetic (fight, flight, freeze) system.
Overgeneralizing: seeing a pattern based on a single event
Mental filter: Noticing our failures but not seeing our successes
"They are whispering about me. I just know it!"
"They are whispering, but it might not be about me. I am going to assume they are not talking about me until I have evidence that they are."
What is one technique that helps you be in the present moment?
Your parent doesn't show up when they said they would, you missed the winning soccer goal at the game, you don't have enough money for a new game.
Disappointment