Emotional Health

These days are filled with unknowns, the need for reassurance, and the quest for a sense of safety, peace, and calm. We have put together a list of resources, both external sources (see Emotional Health Resources) and exercises to do privately at home. When talking with students at school, we refer to our "tool box". This is a set of strategies to use when those uncomfortable, overwhelming feelings set in. Please think of this as resources for your tool box - fill your tool box with what works for you.

Deep Breathing Exercises

Check in Request Forms

Ways to Promote Children’s Resilience to the COVID-19 Pandemic

Pritchett Elementary School social worker virtual office

Tripp Elementary School social worker virtual office

We are missing all of you while we are Remote Learning. Please feel free to use any of the tools below to regulate your body or emotions.

Tools for Regulating the Body

  • Maintain a routine (wake/sleep, meals, schoolwork, etc.

  • Practice good nutrition

  • Get enough sleep

  • Limit screen time, especially at night (I know this is challenging right now with online learning)

  • Get fresh air, sunshine, and exercise (keep safe physical/social distance)

  • Experience nature, indoors or out

  • Practice relaxation breathing

  • Focus on positive physical sensations you experience each day

    • Tastes, smells, touch, movement

    • Go to the 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Grounding Techinique below to practice

  • Take care of your health and medical issues

    • Stay in touch with your providers via telehealth

    • If you have questions, ask!

Tools for Regulating Emotion

  • Practice self-kindness, mindfulness, connection with humanity

  • Use appropriate touch - when safe: hug, hold hands, place your hand over your own heart and feel your breath

  • Do for others - reach out, cook/bake, donate

  • Reduce boredom - try what you enjoy or something new

  • Focus on positive physical sensations you experience each day

    • Tastes, smells, touch, movement

    • Go to the 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Grounding Technique below to practice

  • Increase social engagement (keep safe physical/social distance) - call, text, email, video chat

  • Recognize and accept your feelings

  • Identify and use supports

Activities for Calm and Balance

Deep breathing - practice this for 5 minutes in the morning and 5 minutes in the evening. If you practice when you are not feeling upset, anxious, scared or worried, you will be be able to use it confidently when you do need it to calm down. It also gives you a chance to feel good at least twice a day.

  • Stand up or sit up straight in a chair - you want to open up your lungs

  • Take a deep, slow breath out through your nose or nearly closed lips - breath out as much air as you can

  • Breath slowly and deeply in through your nose -completely fill your lungs, imagine breathing in so much air you push your belly button out, when you think you can't take in any more air, take just a little more.

  • Slowly breath out - pushing out all that air, making room for more air

  • Repeat in and out breaths - slowly, focus on the air moving in and out of your nose/mouth, the feeling of your chest filling and emptying. Empty your mind of any thoughts except the soothing air moving in an out.

  • With these deep breaths, you are tickling the "feel good" receptors in your diaphragm - the thin membrane of skin between your lungs and your tummy. By tickling these feel good receptors, your body will begin to calm, you will feel safe, your thoughts will slow down, and you will feel more in control

Journaling - You are living history right now. Consider keeping a journal. Everyday, add to your documentation of history.

  • Choose your favorite means of expression - writing, singing, music, drawing - you name it.

  • Everyday express how you are feeling through your chosen media

  • Ways to start -

    • "Today is the (whatever number) days of social distancing......

    • Explain what and why social distance is.....

    • Today I feel - name an emotion/feeling and describe that emotion/feeling

    • What does this mean to a child

    • What would you tell yourself 3 months ago

    • What wisdom do you have for students studying your journal in history class 50 years from now

  • Journals can be private or shared - your choice

5 4 3 2 1 Grounding Technique

This technique will take you through your five senses to help remind you of the present. This is a calming technique that can help you get through tough or stressful situations.

Take a deep belly breath to begin.

5 - LOOK: Look around for 5 things that you can see, and say them out loud. For example, you could say, I see the computer, I see the cup, I see the picture frame.

4 - FEEL: Pay attention to your body and think of 4 things that you can feel, and say them out loud. For example, you could say, I feel my feet warm in my socks, I feel the hair on the back of my neck, or I feel the pillow I am sitting on.

3 - LISTEN: Listen for 3 sounds. It could be the sound of traffic outside, the sound of typing or the sound of your tummy rumbling. Say the three things out loud.

2 - SMELL: Say two things you can smell. If you’re allowed to, it’s okay to move to another spot and sniff something. If you can’t smell anything at the moment or you can’t move, then name your 2 favorite smells.

1 - TASTE: Say one thing you can taste. It may be the toothpaste from brushing your teeth, or a mint from after lunch. If you can’t taste anything, then say your favorite thing to taste.

Take another deep belly breath to end.