- 15 to 20 minutes
- In person
- Teletherapy
Overview
This activity helps kids experiment with their heart rate and think critically about clues their body is giving them about their emotions.
Time in Mightier program
Weeks 2+
Therapeutic Goals
- Provide psychoeducation regarding body cues
- Develop emotional awareness
- Develop body awareness
- Increase emotional vocabulary
- Practice self-reflection
- Support client’s understanding and enjoyment of Mightier
Documentation Suggestion
Client and clinician engaged in a psychoeducation-based intervention using the Mightier biofeedback tool. The intervention focused on body cues and helped the client to develop emotional and body awareness while increasing emotional vocabulary and practicing self-reflection
Materials needed
Mightier tablet
Heart rate monitor
Paper
Writing utensils
Step-by-step instructions
- Have the client put on their heart rate monitor and turn on the tablet.
- Ask your client what they know about their body and their emotions. Some possible questions may include:
-Do you notice anything about the connection between your feelings and how your body feels?
-What do you notice about your body when you feel __? - Ask your client what they notice about their body in relation to the areas of the Gizmo.
-What do you notice about your body when you are in the red?
-What do you notice about your body when you are in the blue? - Provide psychoeducation about body cues using the script below (or something similar):
When we feel a feeling, our body may feel different. It may be that when we are worried we get an upset stomach or our legs or arms are shaky. Sometimes when we get angry our face can get red, our fists might clench, and we might get sweaty. These are clues that our body gives us. It can be helpful to learn our own body cues as they can help us to notice when we are feeling something so we can make a decision that will help us feel a bit better. Everyone’s body is different and everyone’s reactions to emotions are different. - Tell your client you are both going to experiment to see if they can notice other things about their body when they are in the different sections of the Gizmo.
- Ask your client to draw an outline of their body on a piece of paper and to grab a red writing utensil.
- Ask your client to get into the red however they choose to. This can be a movement like jumping jacks, running in place, dancing, etc. For some clients later in their Mightier journey, they may be able to think of something that makes them frustrated or anxious to get into the red.
- Once they are in the red, ask your client to close their eyes and reflect on what their body feels like. Ask them to color in, highlight, or draw where they are feeling a change in their body once entering the red. This may take a few times to notice sensations for some clients.
- Ask your client if they notice any of these changes in situations outside of playing Mightier. Reflect on situations that may come in handy to identify body cues.
- Repeat this process for the blue section of the Gizmo.