Cognitive Model
What is a feeling?
Feelings are words to describe our mood or how our body feels.
Name three emotion words that are similar to angry.
Examples include: mad, furious, irritated, annoyed, frustrated.
Is “No one likes me.” Is this a positive or negative thought?
Negative Thought.
What is your favorite coping skill?
_____________
What is anxiety?
Anxiety is the feeling you get when you’re worried or scared about something. It is a natural, human feeling of fear or panic.
What is a behavior?
Behavior is what we do (run, skip, cry, yell, etc.).
Name three emotion words that are similar to happy.
Joy, proud, accepted, optimistic.
Is "I know I tried my best" a positive or negative thought?
Positive thought.
Name a coping skill you use when you are angry?
Screaming into a pillow, taking a break/space, weighted blanket, taking a walk, stress ball or figet,etc.
True or False: All of these are symptoms of anxiety: sweaty hands, butterflies in stomach, face turning red, and increased heart rate.
True.
What is a thought?
Thoughts are what we say to ourselves in our heads.
How would someone feel if they found out a fun activity was cancelled?
sad, disappointed, frustrated, angry.
Is "I'll never be able to do this" a positive or negative thought?
Negative thought.
Name a coping skill you can use if you are worried about a doctor's appointment.
Think of fun things you can look forward to.
True or False: Our feelings of anxiety are tied to the fight/flight/freeze system in our brains.
True.
How are thoughts, feelings, and behaviors connected? Can anyone give an example of each? Use the following situation: You just found out you have a snow day.
Thought: “Hooray! I can sleep in and see my friends.” Feeling: excited, happy. Behavior: dance around, yell with joy.
How would someone feel if their pet went missing?
Scared, sad, worried,etc.
What is an ANT?
An ANT is an Automatic Negative Thought. These thoughts seem true, but often they are not, or they are exaggerated. ANTs make us feel sad, angry, or nervous. An example of an ANT is, “No one wants to play me.”
Name a coping skill you can do before or during a test.
Deep breathing (5 finger breathing, square breathing), tapping, 54321, Rainbow grounding, balloon breathing, etc.
True or false: It’s wrong to feel nervous, anxious, angry, or sad.
False. There are no wrong feelings. We all experience different feelings at different times.
How are thoughts, feelings, and behaviors connected? Can anyone give an example of each? Use the following situation: You have a substitute in class.
Thought: Oh no, why can't it be Mrs. Kip? Why aren't going to know anything about our classroom.
Feeling: Annoyed, frustrated, etc.
Behavior: Not listening to the substitute.
(Don't do this, please be kind!)
Why is it helpful to identify our feelings?
If we know how we feel, we can know what strategies/coping skills can help us.
What are two questions I can ask myself if I catch an ANT in my head and want to have a more helpful thought instead?
Ask:
“How do I know this is true?”
“What is the evidence?”
“What would I tell my best friend if they were having this thought?”
Teach or explain one coping skill that helps you.
__________
What does it mean to avoid? Is avoiding helpful?
Avoidance is what we are doing when we stay away from something. We especially avoid situations that cause us to feel afraid or uncomfortable. Avoiding can be helpful at times when we need to protect ourselves, but avoiding is not helpful if we are staying away from something safe that we want to do or need to do, such as going to the dentist or doctor, participating in school, or meeting new friends.