Mental Health Resources
BOX BREATHING EXERCISE
SELF-CHECK-IN: HOW ARE MY BODY AND MIND IN THIS MOMENT
SELF-CHECK-IN: HOW ARE MY BODY AND MIND NOW?
STRESS MANAGEMENT
THIS IS ONE CYCLE OF BOX BREATHING. COMPLETE1-4 CYCLES OR UNTIL YOU FEEL CALM AND CENTERED.
Evaluating Unhealthy
Thoughts
Have you ever assumed the worst would happen or made negative predictions about how a situation would turn out?
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Or did you find yourself second guessing what others think of you? These kinds of thoughts are automatic and happen at the speed of light that you may not even realize that you have them - or question them!
​Having unhelpful thoughts is a normal part of growth. However,when it's persistent or overwhelming, it can negatively impact your behavior, emotions and physical well-being. These kinds of unhelpful thoughts can make you feel inadequate,anxious, embarrassed, or angry,among other negative emotions.
These thoughts might feel like the truth and are often the consequence of thought patterns passed down to us or trauma.
These thoughts may have remained unchallenged for years.How you view your experiences is often based on emotions and assumptions, it's important to remember this is not always based on facts.
Step 1: Identifying unhelpful thoughts
To begin this exercise, you will think about an unhelpful thought you frequently have or have had in the past and describe the situation in which the unhelpful thought occurred.
Some examples include:
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“I’m a failure”
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“They’re only being nice to me because they
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have to be”
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“No one likes me”
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"People like me don't or can't do things like
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that"
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"I will always need to work so hard"
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“I can’t do this”
Now, think of a time when you experienced these kinds of unhelpful thoughts. Describe the specific situation and what thought(s) were present at the time.
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How did these thoughts make you feel?
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Why was this line of thinking not helpful in this situation?
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This step is about bringing
awareness to a new helpful
thought. Think of a helpful thought
as sturdy, super comfortable all
encompassing chair to sit in as
opposed to a wobbly,
uncomfortable one.
Helpful thinking means taking a
perspective that results feelings
that help you to better deal with a
challenging situation. It does not
bypass the automatic negative
thought, it is simply a way to
respond to those thoughts in the
moments when you feel you can.
The brain is much like a muscle and
at first thinking in this way may feel
uncomfortable and triggering and
with patience and practice it can
get easier.
Step 2: Identifying more helpful thoughts
For instance, imagine you experience high-stress levels
before delivering a presentation.
Thinking,
“Oh my goodness, I’m losing it and will make a fool of
myself”
This will be likely to generate more negative stressful
feelings. It will probably make it more difficult for you to
deal with the challenging situation.
A more helpful alternative thought would be:
“It’s normal and ok to be stressed. All I can do is give it my
best.”
These thoughts will
likely result in more
positive feelings of
reassurance that are
more helpful for
dealing with stressful
situations.
What is a more helpful thought in the situation you thought about? Alternatively you can think about the
most optimistic and resilient person you know, what would they think in this situation?
In what ways are these thoughts more helpful in this situation? What insights have you gained from this
exercise?
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Or try these worksheets
