Stress Management /Group Discussion

Type of modality / Stress Management discussion/Ice breaker, cognitive, helpful
Type of play / Shared cooperative
Interaction pattern / Intra-group
# of participants required / 6(2 teams of 3)
Equipment/supplies / Writing utensils(pen, pencil, marker, chalk), large paper or a board
Facilities required/environment / Classroom or lounge type of environment
Precautions / Being careful of other’s emotions and feeling with their drawing and answers

Sequence/Directions (Details of how a to move through the activity from start to finish) This can be less than ten steps of more than ten steps…

1.Split the group into 2 teams, using a number of different ways (eg. By birthdays, favorite colors/cars/shoes/movies/etc.)

2.Have Group 1 list a number of stressors in their lives or general life stressors. They can individually, or someone they designate, can write on the board or large paper for everyone to see

3.Group 2 will now go down that list coming up with different ways they, or people may generally deal with stressors (selecting only positive ways to handle stress). Each individual may write their answer next to stressor or one individual they may designate to do so.

4.After Group 2 has finished with their ideas, have a large group discussion on each item and add any other thoughts or ideas individuals may have.

5. Repeat these steps by switching the group’s tasks from the previous steps.

Activity Analysis (What is required of this activity without any adjustments, accommodations, alterations)

Category / Skills
Primary body position / Sitting and standing
Part of the body required / Hands for writing
Movement / Grasp: palmar/scissor/radial-digital/3-jaw chuck/pincer, reaching, standing,
Physical / Balance: dynamic sitting, static sitting, static standing, fine muscle coordination, flexibility, Active range of motion: upper extremities, visual-motor integration,
Cognitive / Arousal/alertness, attention: focused attention, selective attention, sharing attention, sustaining attention, cognitive flexibility, concept formation, concentration, insight, judgment, memory: short term, orientation: person, problem solving: simple, reading, spelling, writing
Social / Conversation: starting, sustaining, ending, handling criticism, heterogeneity, homogeneity, interpersonal interactions, maintaining social space, physical contact, relating with equals, regulating behavior
Perception / Auditory, tactile, visual
Communication/language / Reception of spoken, written and body language, expression of spoken, written and body language, producing signs and symbols
Self-care / N/A
Psychological/emotional (possible) / Joy for assisting others or getting help, guilt if someone gets down on themselves, pain for having personal mental anguish like feeling secluded, anger for one individual’s response to someone else’s issue, fear of social rejection and frustration if an individual becomes depressed or produces anxiety from the outcomes of exercise.

SIMPLIFYING AND COMPLICATING THIS ACTIVITY:

Ways to SIMPLIFY demands / Ways to make more COMPLEX
Cognitively / Limit number of responses for each group. Have a list of typical responses that cause people stress, to trigger conversation or to give people suggestions that might help them think of their own stressors. / Make the responses for each group need to meet a certain number or every individual needs a certain number themselves
Physically / N/A / Have participants act out their ideas
Socially / Do the exercise anonymously / Have the participants personally respond to other groups stresses

Other Comments: Participants can easily have their feelings hurt or hurt others’ feelings so leader needs to make sure and acknowledge the fact everyone is opening up to the group so be kind and thoughtful of others. To kick it off leader could and probably should start with a few of their own to break the ice, get the brainstorming rolling and help everyone feel a little more comfortable sharing their own. This is supposed to be helpful to one another.

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