Taking Care of Feelings (Coping Skills)
What is the “big idea” for this lesson?
All thoughts and emotions are okay.
Thoughts and feelings come and go like waves. We can’t control what feelings we have, but we can practice different ways to take care of them.
Coping skills are ways we take care of our feelings.
One big way to take care of our feelings is to name, express and share them with others to “lighten our load”.
Reflection questions:
Have you noticed any overwhelming or challenging feelings during this Stay-At-Home period? What thoughts were you having? What emotions were you feeling? What sensations did you feel in your body and where in your body did you feel them? Did you notice if your emotional brain took over?
How did you take care of your feelings? What coping skills did you or could you use to help you cope with them?
Who are 3 trusted adults you could reach out to for support if needed? Who can you talk to about challenging situations or emotions? (ex. Talking to a counselor, teacher, parent, guardian, community member, etc.) How can you reach those trusted people during this time (ex. Phone, Facetime, text, email, Zoom, Google Hangout, etc.)?
Feelings Care Package Activity
This activity will help you create a “go-to” box or bag filled with the coping skills, or ways to take care of your feelings, that work best for you. You can “go to” this box/bag when you feel overwhelmed or are experiencing challenging emotions, so you can easily find and remember ways to help you take care of your feelings and cope with them in healthy ways.
Brainstorm:
Have you noticed any challenging or uncomfortable feelings during this Stay-At-Home period?
How did you take care of your feelings? What coping skills did you or could you use to help you cope with them?
Materials:
Found Bag or Box (or one you can decorate with permission)
Found materials (household objects, Nature objects)
Paper and pen/pencil (computer paper, post-its)
Favorite drawing supplies (crayons, markers, colored pencils, etc.)
Directions:
1. Read the brainstorm questions (above) and take some time to answer them for yourself.
2. Find or decorate a bag/box for your Feelings Care Package.
3. Find and collect objects or write/draw items to put in your box/bag which represent your favorite coping skills from each of the following categories:
Calm Within: Inward Relaxation (ex. Mindfulness, deep breathing exercises).
Get it Out: Outward Expression or Release (ex. cry, write/journal, create art, sing, dance, move, shake, stress ball, scream into or punch pillow, talk to someone).
Set it Aside: Temporary Distraction or Break (ex. take a walk around the block, listen to music, watch a show, play a game, take a nap/rest).
Positive Spin: See the positive or Help Another (ex. Positive self-talk, self-compassion, take another’s perspective, show kindness or help a family member or friend, give a gift or make a card to uplift someone, listen to another share their feelings, volunteer/community service or donation).
4. Ask for Help: Write a list of 3 trusted adults you can go to for support in coping with challenging situations and emotions. Add this list to your Feelings Care Package. (ex. counselor, teacher, parent, guardian, community member, etc.). If you cannot think of anyone, remember you can always reach out to your teacher! Talking to friends and siblings can be really helpful too, so feel free to include them on your list. Just make sure you have at least 3 adults too! Write the ways that you can contact them, even during this Stay-At-Home time (ex. Call, text, message, email, make a date on Zoom, Facetime, Google Hangouts, etc. or in person)
5. Optional: Share your Feelings Care Package with someone! Share with them how you are feeling and how you are coping or taking care of your feelings.
Feelings Care Package Ingredients
