The Calm Down Box

I thought today that I would share some of the tools and resources I use.  Over the years, I have collected tons of different things to help me in my practice.  I find the best tools are the simple ones....not too elaborate, fancy, or expensive.  

The Calm Down Box is one of those tools.  As with most other creative things I do, I got my inspiration from Pinterest.  I created this box to help with a variety of issues, including clients who are stressed or nervous, kids who are fidgety and need something to do, and for those who get upset when they are bringing up a particular issue.

I travel some in my practice, so I knew I wanted something small enough to be portable without weighing me down, but could also hold several different items.  So I took a trip to my local Dollar Tree (a great resource for counseling!) and came up with the green box.  Originally, I did not want it be to a "see through" box, but for $1 I was willing to compromise.  I glued some die-cut letters on top from some scrapbook kits I had on hand and filled it up.  Here are some of the things I put in it.

I found this little guy at Dollar Tree as well.  It makes a great fidget toy, but also works as a stress ball.  I know from experience with my own children that these things get dirty and break easily, but again for $1 it is easily replaced.

(Sorry, I know this is a terrible picture).  I filled some balloons with different things (uncooked grits, sand, and play-doh) to add some sensory items to the mix.

Added some pom-poms and smaller fidget balls I had on hand.

I use this box in a variety of different ways.  If a client is particularly nervous at the beginning of the session, they can choose one item to hold.  I will also allow kids to select one to hold throughout the session if they want to give little hands something to do.

I would love not know what tips and tools you use to help nerves and wiggles!

When Bad Things Happen

In light of the shootings today at the Empire State Building, I thought I'd take a moment and discuss how we deal with bad things.  It seems that more and more awful things are happening in our country - shootings, death, abuse.  It seems quite distant from us sometimes, but the reality is that things like this can happen anytime, anywhere.  How are we to cope with it all?

I was watching a portion of a video blog about today's shooting in NYC and, at least for that segment, the focus seemed to be on why no one is talking about gun control.  I only saw a portion of their discussion, but that seemed a bit nonsensical to me.  Gun control laws are not going to fix the problem (sorry, not trying to get on a political soap box here).  I think focus should be on why these things happen in the first place.  As I'm writing this, the story is focused on apparently there was some sort of dispute between the shooter and a coworker.  The reality here that applies to a much bigger picture is that many people are stressed, we have trouble focusing on the positives in our lives and the world, and gratitude in general seems to be low.  That's not to say these are the only issues factored into bad things happening, but just my take on the state of situation. (Now stepping down off my box!)

When bad things happen in our county, state, neighborhood, or home we are faced with emotional challenges.  Our brain generally operates through a sort of filter - using past experiences to guide us on how to deal with new ones.  But if we don't have a similar past experience, sometimes we struggle (sometimes we struggle anyway!).  So here I've listed just a few of my suggestions for dealing with bad things:

• Spend time with positive friends/family
• Turn the news off - rehashing it on every TV channel isn't helping fix the hurt, fear, etc
• Take a walk - research has shown that exercise can help improve your mood
• Use your normal healthy coping skills
• Stay away from drugs and alcohol
• Talk to a friend, family member, teacher, pastor, counselor, etc
• Seek professional help if negative feelings don't' go away on their own

These suggestions sound simple (and they are) but in a time of emotional distress, they are sometimes hard to remember.  There are of course many more healthy things you can do, but these are just a few of the simplest and easiest (for me anyway) to remember.

How do you cope with bad things?

Behavior Modification - What is that?

Behavior

Modification

Series

Teaching positive behavior

I want to introduce a new series - the behavior modification series - in which I will explain and guide you through developing and using a behavior modification plan.  I will say this particular series is intended for therapists, but may also be utilized by teachers or similar profession where establishing healthy behaviors is important for success.  Individuals are encouraged to use the information in these posts only in conjunction with guidance and support from your therapist/doctor (see disclaimer below).  

So, what exactly is behavior modification.  Simply put, this is a set of strategies used to monitor and change a person's behaviors by developing healthier behaviors.  For example, a person who wants to lose weight could use behavior modification steps to decrease eating and increase exercise.  A teacher could use behavior modification in a classroom to get students to stay in their seats and focus on school work.  

There are a number of specific techniques that are applied in behavior modification.  The overall goal remains the same however: use healthy behaviors in place of unhealthy ones.  One thing that helps behavior modification work more effectively is to have the person's willingness to change, however, that is not a requirement.

Now I don't mean to say that we go around making people change their behavior against their will, but let's think of it in the context of something.  A toddler wants a cookie before dinner.  Mom says no.  Toddler cries and whimpers a bit, but Mom still says no.  So, toddler, insistent on getting that cookie, cries harder, stomps his feet, maybe even lays on the floor in an all out temper tantrum.  Mom gives in just to get him off the floor.  Same thing happens the next day and the next - only this time, Mom gives in before we get to temper tantrum stage so she doesn't have to go through that again.  The toddler has been using behavior modification strategies (yes, I realize, he doesn't know that - but that's just what it is).  The child introduced a stimulus (we will talk about this as we go) to get what he wanted and Mom gave it to him.  The child learned that if I cry hard enough and long enough, she'll give my my cookie.  

This could be reversed also if Mom decided she is not going to give in any longer and let's him cry regardless - he will eventually learn that he can not have the cookie.  

So, that is a very plain, simple version of what behavior modification is.  The techniques are relatively simple, though they are involved.  As we go through this series, we will discuss the various elements of behavior modification.

Feeling Overwhelmed?

Many times, we have so much going on in our lives that we start to feel weighed down and don't know how we'll catch up.  Do you feel that way?  Most of us do at some point.  Some people seem to have a knack for dealing with the pressure; others struggle.

What do you get overwhelmed by?  Too much housework?  Behind on paperwork at your job?  Bills behind?  Here, I've outlined some general suggestions for managing your negative feelings while getting things done.

• Get started!  That is the first step that will make any of these other suggestions work.  The stuff that is piled up is not going to get done by stressing, worrying, or hiding under the covers.  
• Break large tasks into smaller ones.  For instance, if you have a lot of housework to do, break the tasks up.  Clean for 10 or 15 minute spurts, then rest for a few minutes, clean again.  I tell people: if you only wash one dish every hour, if a little while, you'll get them all done.
• Stay away from multitasking - if you are focused on too many things at one time, you will start to feel overwhelmed more easily.  
• Get some help.  This is perhaps the most difficult for people to accept.  The reality is that we all need help from time to time.  Someone else may have better skills in a particular area - get their help with it (and don't forget to say thank you!)
• Prioritize.  That big stack of paperwork on your desk probably doesn't all need to be done at one time.  Sort through things and make a list of the most important and do those first.
• Work at the time of day that you feel your best.  If you are a morning person and generally feel your best at that time, get up and get started on these things.  Or maybe you prefer the evening time (just don't vacuum when everyone else is asleep!)
• Rest when you need to.  No matter what you're doing, you are going to get tired at some point.  Take a rest every now and then, a few minutes at a time, then get back to work.

The important thing to remember is that as long as you are working toward getting that task done, the task will get done eventually.  Once you have it done, put your focus on keeping it caught up.

How do you deal with feeling overwhelmed?

The Truth About Goals...

 "If you don't know where you are going, you'll probably end up somewhere else."  - Lewis Carroll

It sounds so simple, yet almost everyone gets lost in their journey to recovery.  That is why goals (and revision of goals) is so important.  Think of your mental health or substance abuse recovery as a road map.  I first have to set a destination in order to know when I've got there.  Then I need to plan the best route for me.  If I start out in Atlanta and plan to end up somewhere in Montana, heading toward Maine makes little sense.

Yet if we look at setbacks in our lives, we can see that most of those times, it is due to know knowing where we are heading and/or how we'll get there.  Mental Health and Substance Abuse recovery are no different.  Are you depressed? A goal such as "I don't want to be depressed anymore" may or may not be the best goal for you.  The truth is, we all get depressed from time to time.  A better goal might be that "I want to get out of bed and take a shower every day".  Even though it sounds minor to some, ask a person who has been severely depressed for a while and just how big of a chore that actually is!

The next step is to then plan a course of action to be able to get out of bed and take that shower.  Maybe a behavior checklist. Maybe an accountability partner.  Maybe external motivators.  Anything that works will work!

If you find yourself getting off track with your treatment and recovery, take a look at your "Recovery Road Map".  You may need to revamp your goals and/or the direction you're going to reach those goals.

How do you stay on track with your goals?

From I Can't to I Can

In my group room, I have a cutout of a headstone with the word "Can't" on it.  This is to symbolize that the word "can't" is no longer available for us to use.  The word "can't" implies that you lack the ability to do something, when most of the time, it is the ambition or motivation or desire to do something.  I encourage people to say "I don't want to" over "I can't" (or better yet, switch to "I can"!)

There are many reasons we use "can't": fear, mood changes, anxiety, lack of knowledge or understanding, and so on.  We have to address these issues if we want to make a switch to "I can".  That's not easy to do sometimes.

Let's use an example: say I want to open a new business but have no experience in this area.  Fear can easily take over: What if I fail? How will I pay the bills? Will anyone use my business? It is much easier to switch to "I can't" because then I don't have to risk these things happening; I don't have the ability to start that business if "I can't".  But let's say I recognize that fear is holding me back.  What should I do to deal with that fear?  I could talk to others who have done this before. I can plan a little longer. I can take some new courses at the local college or trade school.  Then when I have more information and understanding about running my business, my excuse is no longer "I can't" but either I can go forth or decide that I don't want to.

The key is to address the problems that are underlying what you are thinking about - the fear, uncertainty, motivation, etc.

What have you been telling yourself you can't do?  How can you change it?

Focus on Positives

I've been thinking a lot about positive vs. negative attitudes.  I tend to lean more toward having a positive attitude even in stressful or difficult situations.  I do realize, however, that it is quite difficult to stay positive and I even struggle with it sometimes.  Someone asked me the question the other day: "Do you stay positive even in bad situations?"  My response was, "I'm human."  I think some things are bad.  I think sometimes life hands us lemons.  I think sometimes the way things are just flat out stinks!  But I also answered that in spite of these initial thoughts, I cope with negative situations by looking at positives.

For example, I have a dear friend who recently shared concerns about potential health problems.  Rather than get lost in how bad the idea of having major health issues can be, I cracked a joke about it with her.  Granted you can't do that with everyone, but our friendship is such that she knew what I was doing.  Humor is one of my ways to turn a negative into a positive.

Studies have shown people who have a more positive attitude generally recover from surgeries, illnesses, etc more quickly and heal better than those who don't.  How do you tend to view things in your life?  Are you dwelling on how bad things are?  Are you thinking your life couldn't get any worse?  Or are you on the opposite end of the spectrum, thinking how wonderful everything is?

There is no right place to be.  It is different for everyone.  For me, somewhere in the middle, but more toward the positive side of things is the right place.  Reality is that sometimes things are bad, but after that initial reaction, it is time to think about the good things, how to make things better, moments of gratitude, and so on.

Let's say, for example, you have an argument with your spouse/significant other.  What could possibly be positive about that?  Well, for starters, what about being together to even have an argument in the first place?   Many couples are not in that position.  Too much of  a stretch toward positive????  Ok, ok.  Think about how to handle the situation in a positive way.  Is yelling and screaming helping?  Probably not.  A positive step is to get yourself calmed down (yes, that means never mind what they are doing - at least for right now).  Now what? Do you need to walk away for a moment? Do you need to listen a little more? Do you need to say something with a bit more clarity?  Thinking about these things and responding appropriately are all positive steps.

Keep in mind you don't have to do it all at one time, you don't even have to get it right.  Working in the direction of a more positive lifestyle is a good step.

What things do you do to stay positive?