*For teachers, educators, and group leaders to use for group discussion and/or writing prompts.
How to use this resource:
(1) Review the list of principles below to see what topics might complement your teaching environment.
(2) When you find a principle you'd like to explore with your students scroll farther down to find ideas for thought questions and writing prompts. Adapt these to the needs, age, and setting of your students (NOTE: While some videos in the series may resonate with young children, most of the content in the series is aimed at teens and adults. Always use discretion when providing video clips to younger viewers).
LIST OF PRINCIPLES:
We can practice empathic listening by setting aside the tendency to try and "fix" people's problems and instead connect with how they are feeling. (Inside Out, 10:18 min.)
Despite the things that happen to us, we can learn to respond in healthy ways and continue to learn and grow; Our lives are not stopped by things that happen to us. (Batman 8:49 min.)
We can learn to deal with being overwhelmed by breaking tasks and moments in life down in to smaller pieces. (Anna from Frozen, 7:37 min.)
Our thoughts create our reality; we can learn to manage our emotions better by being mindful of our thoughts (Father of the Bride, 7:37 min).
How we talk to ourselves and think about ourselves affects how we feel and our overall mental health. (X-Men and Professor X, 8:13 min.)
We can learn to have a better relationship with our anger by understanding how our brain is connected to our bodies and by learning to self-soothe (The Hulk, 11:33 min).
Using the breath to stay focused in the present moment helps us let go of unnecessary worries about the future and and stop dwelling unnecessarily on the past. (The Karate Kid, 7:35 min.)
Facing our fears, instead of avoiding them, helps reduce our fear. (Luke Skywalker, 10:29 min.)
Practicing bringing to mind positive mental resources helps us combat distressing thoughts and emotions. (Harry Potter, 10:17 min.)
Taking time to imagine what we'd like to be different in our lives, is a first step to making positive change. (Falcon and Winter Soldier, 4:18 min)
We can learn to manage our fears by (1) understanding how the brain is structured and (2) getting clear about what we have control of and what we don't. (Dune, 10:16 min.)
Emotions are not "good" or "bad". Rather, emotions are "messengers" that highlight things in our life that deserve our attention. (Data from Star Trek, 10:22 min.)
We all see the world in different ways because of our upbringing; understanding this idea—and how we tend to see the world different than others—can help us navigate relationships more effectively. (Ready Player One and Virtual Reality Analogy, 9:21 min.)
Refusing to accept things as they are (or were) keeps us perpetually unhappy; rather, we can learn to shift our focus towards making the changes that would move us into a better future. (Frodo and Gandalf, 6:11 min.)
We can be mindful of parts of our personality (inner voices) that may be hurting, afraid, or needing certain things. These parts do not define us or determine our whole identity. (Luca, 5:58 min.)
Trust is an essential element of all relationships; we build trust over time through small, incremental experiences wherein trust is rewarded. (Loki, 8:00 min.)
Practicing mindful meditation helps us develop parts of our brain that increase our ability to respond wisely to events, rather than be emotionally caught up in them (The Matrix, 8:47 min.)
We can practice meditation through the skill of mental noting. (Pooh Bear, 7:26 min.)
Below are videos I've made that---while pertinent to mental health and my practice--may be more appropriate for specific audiences:
An important aspect to healing trauma is understanding symptoms of trauma and how it disconnects us from our bodies and other people. (Stranger Things---Max and Vecna, 12:14 min.)
Going to therapy allows us to practice principles that change our brains and responses over time. We can be patient with ourselves and the process. (Doctor Strange, 5:14 min.)
We can learn to recognize unhelpful patterns of people-pleasing in ourselves and start to develop healthy boundaries. (Ella Enchanted, 7:15 min.)
Compromise is an essential aspect of healthy relationships. (Stranger Things---El and Hopper, 6:28 min.)
Understanding and being mindful about how and why we react to our partners the way we do helps us move out of unhelpful patterns (Spiderman Cartoon from the 80's, 6:12 min.)
We can be mindful of, and work to change, avoidance patterns that don't serve us. (Wandavision, 8:23 min.)
Trauma results when our brains and bodies learn unhelpful lessons from overwhelming experiences; while some experiences are one-time events, other forms of trauma are accrued over time because of our up-bringing and work themselves into our personality patterns. (Finding Nemo, 11:18 min.)
Rumination--or replaying negative events in our mind--is not helpful. When we find ourselves ruminating we can choose to shift our attention and be curious about what we are experiencing. (Ted Lasso, 10:53 min.)
We can benefit from exploring how toxic shame may be contributing to our mental health. (Gremlins, 7:45 min.)
We can benefit from reality checking others' expectations of us, making sure that they are in line with our values and who we want to be (Encanto, 9:55 min.)
Trauma results in different levels of personality disintegration; while we may not experience the level of dissociation that some with Dissociative Identity Disorder experience we can all relate to, and likely will experience dissociation at some level. (Moon Knight, 8:21 min.)
Codependency puts unnecessary strain on relationships; we can learn to have a healthy level of distance and differentiation in our relationships. (Wreck it Ralph, 16:42 min.)
POSSIBLE THOUGHT/DISCUSSION QUESTIONS AND WRITING PROMPTS:
Principle(s): WE CAN PRACTICE EMPATHY BY SETTING ASIDE THE TENDENCY TO TRY AND "FIX" PEOPLE'S PROBLEMS AND INSTEAD CONNECT WITH HOW THEY ARE FEELING.
* Could be used to train in-school organizations like 'Hope Squads' or other compassion-based clubs where empathetic listening is a valuable tool.
**NOTE: This could also be a good place to emphasize among youth that even though they can be good listeners, they are not their friend’s therapist or crisis line.
Discussion Questions/Writing Prompts:
What are some of the things people tend to say or do when people share hard things with another person? (i.e. "Well, at least you have...", or, "I can't even imagine...") Why do you think those responses sometimes don't help (or even hurt)? Why do you think it's so hard to just sit with other people's feelings?
What resources do you know of that are good to use if you or a friend is having serious mental health issues? (SafeUT app, talk to a school counselor for advice, 988, parents, etc)
Principle(s): DESPITE THE THINGS THAT HAPPEN TO US, WE CAN LEARN TO RESPOND IN HEALTHY WAYS AND CONTINUE TO LEARN AND GROW; OUR LIVES ARE NOT STOPPED BY DIFFICULT THINGS THAT HAPPEN TO US.
Class/group discussion idea:
(A) Write on the board: "It's better to put shoes on our feet than to try and cover the whole world in leather". (B) Ask the group - What do you think this quote is getting at? How would you put it in your own words? (C) Ask/Discuss - Who are people you've known that demonstrate great resilience despite hard circumstances? (These examples could be from history, their lives, or even fictional characters). (D) Watch the Batman video and when it's done, ask - "How does Bruce's experience in the cave relate to the quote we started with? Discuss.
Discussion Questions/Writing Prompts: What situations in life do *you* wish you could respond differently to? How exactly do you wish you could respond differently? What would that look like?
**NOTE: My Luke/Yoda, Dune, and WandaVision episodes also explore this theme from additional angles if you want to explore this topic more.
Principle(s): WE CAN LEARN TO DEAL WITH BEING OVERWHELMED BY BREAKING TASKS AND MOMENTS IN LIFE DOWN INTO SMALLER PIECES.
Discussion Questions/Writing Prompts:
If you feel comfortable sharing, what is something in your life that you were able to get through with the principle of "do the next right thing"?
What is something that is overwhelming you right now in your life? What might it look like to break that down into smaller pieces?
Principle(s): OUR THOUGHTS CREATE OUR REALITY; WE CAN LEARN TO MANAGE OUR EMOTIONS BETTER BY BEING MINDFUL OF OUR THOUGHTS.
Discussion Questions/Writing Prompts: Take an issue that you feel emotional about currently and once you have identified it, try writing out what beliefs you have about what happened? (Try to use short, clear statements). Step back mentally and ask yourself questions such as: “Is that true?” “Can I really know that’s true?” “What might someone else believe about the situation?” "What statements might be more true than your automatic thoughts?" Could there be other ways to look at it?
As you reflect on situations in your life - what is belief, or automatic thought, that comes up for you a lot that isnt helpful to you?
Principle(s): HOW WE TALK TO OURSELVES AND HOW WE THINK ABOUT OURSELVES AFFECTS HOW WE FEEL AND OUR OVERALL MENTAL HEALTH.
Discussion Questions/Writing Prompts: What are some common things you say to yourself when things go wrong? What would you say to a friend experiencing similar things?
Principle(s): WE CAN LEARN TO HAVE A BETTER RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR ANGER BY UNDERSTANDING HOW OUR BRAIN IS CONNECTED TO OUR BODIES AND LEARNING TO PRACTICE SELF-SOOTHING SKILLS.
Discussion Questions/Writing Prompts: What kind of things might be underneath the tip of your anger iceberg? What have you learned today about why it is so hard to manage our anger? What have you learned about yourself and self-soothing? What are other strategies people use to self-sooth?
Principle(s): USING THE BREATH TO STAY FOCUSED IN THE PRESENT MOMENT HELPS US LET GO OF UNNECESSARY WORRIES ABOUT THE FUTURE AND STOP DWELLING UNNECESSARILY ON THE PAST.
Discussion Questions/Writing Prompts: What do you notice about where your mind tends to go--past or future? Why might that be helpful to remember next time you notice your are feeling distressed, sad, or anxious?
Principle(s): WE CAN LEARN TO SEE OUR FEARS IN DIFFERENT WAYS BY REFRAMING OUR EXPERIENCES; FACING OUR FEARS--INSTEAD OF AVOIDING THEM--ACTUALLY HELPS REDUCE OUR FEAR; FAILURE CAN BE FRAMED AS "LEARNING AND GROWTH".
Discussion Questions/Writing Prompts: In your life what has been an u helpful lesson or pattern you have had to unlearn? If you had an experience in the cave like Luke what do you think the cave would show you?
Principle(s): JUST AS OUR EMOTIONS ARE AFFECTED BY NEGATIVE THOUGHTS AND IMAGES THAT COME INTO THE MIND SPONTANEOUSLY, WE CAN LEARN TO CONSCIOUSLY PRACTICE BRINGING TO MIND POSITIVE MEMORIES, MODELS, AND RESOURCES TO STRENGTHEN US.
Discussion Questions/Writing Prompts: What are some of your emotional dementors? If there was an attribute or feeling (like “confidence”) you’d like to have more of in your life (a) when have you felt that feeling before, (b) where have you seen that attribute modeled in someone else, (c) and in who’s presence do you feel more of that attribute?
Additional questions/writing assignments:
Pick an attribute you'd like to develop more in your life (for example: confidence, safety, etc)
Write about a powerful strengthening memory you've had with that attribute or feeling. (It could be: Where someone modeled that attribute you'd like to focus more on in your life; or, when someone helped you feel that attribute you'd like to feel more of in your life). Write about memory including how you felt and what you experienced.
Principle(s): TAKING TIME TO IMAGINE WHAT YOU'D LIKE TO BE DIFFERENT IN YOUR LIFE, AND GETTING CLEAR ABOUT THAT, IS A FIRST STEP TO WORKING TOWARDS WHAT WE WANT IN LIFE.
Discussion Questions/Writing Prompts: How would you answer the miracle question?
Principle(s): WE CAN LEARN TO MANAGE OUR FEARS; UNDERSTANDING HOW THE BRAIN WORKS CAN HELP US MANAGE OUR ANXIETIES BETTER; LEARNING TO IDENTIFY WHAT IS IN OUR CONTROL AND WHAT ISN'T IS HELPFUL IN MANAGING OUR FEARS.
Discussion Questions/Writing Prompts: What does Paul’s box represent for you? What things in your life are within your control and what things aren't? (Make a list or diagram)
Principle(s): EMOTIONS ARE NOT "BAD" OR "GOOD"; EMOTIONS ARE "MESSENGERS" THAT HELP US KNOW OURSELVES, THE WORLD AROUND US, AND WHAT MIGHT NEED OUR ATTENTION.
Discussion Questions/Writing Prompts: What “gift” or important message might a current emotion be indicating for me?
Principle(s): WE ALL SEE THE WORLD IN DIFFERENT WAYS BECAUSE OF OUR UPBRINGING; UNDERSTANDING THIS IDEA--AND HOW WE WE TEND TO SEE THE WORLD DIFFERENTLY THAN OTHERS--CAN HELP US NAVIGATE RELATIONSHIPS MORE EFFECTIVELY.
**This video could be used in classes or groups that may need to discuss or explore controversial subjects. It could help set the tone for respectful discussion in the class by first clarifying the idea that as we share our opinions we need to remember that we are sharing about our lens, rather than objective truth--and that invites us to be respectful of differing views.
Discussion Questions/Writing Prompts: Why do you think understanding this principle makes a difference in how we relate to others? What things in your life do you feel have influenced the way you see the world?
Possible learning activity: Take an item (like a flag or some other symbol) and place it in the center of the room. Invite your students to imagine how those items might be seen or perceived depending on someone's background.
Principle(s): REFUSING TO ACCEPT THINGS AS THEY ARE (OR WERE) KEEPS US PERPETUALLY UNHAPPY; RATHER, WE CAN LEARN TO SHIFT OUR FOCUS TOWARDS MAKING CHANGES THAT WOULD MOVE US TOWARDS A BETTER FUTURE.
Discussion Questions/Writing Prompts: What is an example of a "ring" that has come to you? Rather than focusing on the heaviness of the ring, what are some things you could do to make your journey better?
Exercise: Some people find it helpful to choose a radical acceptance “mantra” to come back to when they are struggling (ie "What's done is done." Or, "We can't change the past but I can steps into a better future".) What might be a helpful acceptance mantra for you? Take time to construct one for you.
Principle(s): WE CAN BE MINDFUL OF PARTS OF OUR PERSONALITY (INNER VOICES) THAT MAY BE HURTING, AFRAID, OR NEEDING CERTAIN THINGS. THESE PARTS DO NOT DEFINE US OR DETERMINE OUR WHOLE IDENTITY.
Discussion Questions/Writing Prompts: Identify a part of yourself that you find curious or troublesome. Use the questions provided in the video to get to know this part better.
If you feel like material in the Play Therapy series could benefit others, feel free to download the flyer below to share in a setting of your choice:
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