Over the last two weeks, you…
- Learned what anxiety is. Remember, anxiety is a normal emotion everyone has to keep us safe. LUNA will help you feel less anxiety in situations that are not dangerous.
- Learned about the three parts of anxiety- including the physical part (for example, heart beating fast or sweating), anxious thoughts (expecting bad things to happen), and behavior (avoiding situations that make you afraid).
- You also set your own goals for the program and rewards for achieving those goals!
This week, you will learn how to use “coping skills” to manage your anxiety. We will also give you instructions for 2 specific skills:
- Deep breathing (2 different ways)
- Grounding Practice with 5-4-3-2-1
Then, you and your parent will look over a list of coping skills and choose 2 that you want to focus on.
You will spend about 30 - 45 minutes reading, watching cartoons, and doing activities with your parent. You will also spend a couple of minutes every day this week practicing your coping skills with your parent.
Recognizing When You Are Anxious
Before you can learn how to relax when you feel anxious, you first need to be able to tell when you are anxious. This worksheet Recognizing Anxiety in My Body is to help you recognize the physical signs of anxiety in your body. When you feel one of these, you will know it is time to use a coping skill.
Feeling anxious can make your body feel uncomfortable, but coping skills can help you calm down and feel better! Up next, we will teach you how to do 2 types of coping skills.
