Counseling Session Script: Calm Your Inner Storm

Materials: Calm Your Inner Storm Slide Deck, Grounding Mindfulness Activity Guide, Anxiety Coping Strategies Worksheet, student notebook, pen

1. Welcome & Grounding Exercise (5 minutes)

Counselor:
“Hi [Student Name], I’m really glad we could meet today. Our goal for the next 30 minutes is to understand a bit about how anxiety shows up in our brains and bodies, practice a quick grounding exercise, and learn three simple coping tools you can use any time you feel anxious. How does that sound to you?”

Pause for student response.

Counselor:
“Great! Let’s start with a grounding exercise called 5-4-3-2-1. You’ll find the steps in the Grounding Mindfulness Activity Guide. I’ll guide you through each sense—just notice and name what you experience.”

1. “First, look around and name 5 things you can see.”
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. “Now, focus on 4 things you can feel—maybe the chair under you or the fabric of your shirt.”
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. “Next, listen for 3 sounds in the room or just outside.”
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. “See if you can notice 2 different smells right now.”
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. “Finally, notice 1 taste in your mouth.”
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Counselor:
“You did great. How does your body feel now compared to before we started?”

Pause for student reflection.

2. Psychoeducation: Anxiety’s Impact (7 minutes)

Counselor:
“Let’s look at slides 2–5 in our Calm Your Inner Storm Slide Deck. These will help explain what happens in your body when anxiety shows up.”

Counselor (Slide 2 – Grounding Reminder):
“Remember the grounding we just did? It’s a quick way to shift focus away from worries.”

Counselor (Slide 3 – The Fight-or-Flight Response):
“Anxiety turns on our built-in alarm system called fight-or-flight. It speeds up your heart, makes your breathing quick, and tenses muscles to prepare for action—even if there’s no real danger.”

Counselor (Slide 4 – Brain & Anxiety):
“Here’s a simple view of your brain: the amygdala is like an alarm center that senses threats, and the prefrontal cortex helps with thinking and planning. Sometimes anxiety hijacks that thinking part.”

Counselor (Slide 5 – Physical Signs of Anxiety):
“Common signs include a racing heart, shallow breathing, sweaty palms, or muscle tension. Can you share a recent moment when you felt anxious? What did you notice physically?”

Pause for student example.

Counselor:
“Thanks for sharing. It’s helpful to connect your experience with what’s happening in your body and brain.”

3. Coping Strategies Activity (10 minutes)

Counselor:
“Now we’ll explore three strategies to help calm anxiety: deep breathing, journaling, and reframing negative thoughts. You have an Anxiety Coping Strategies Worksheet to guide your practice.”

A. Deep Breathing (4-7-8)

Counselor:
“Let’s practice a breathing technique called 4-7-8. I’ll count, and you follow along.”

1. “Breathe in quietly through your nose for 4 seconds.”
2. “Hold that breath for 7 seconds.”
3. “Exhale completely through your mouth for 8 seconds.”

Counselor:
“Ready? Here we go…” (Count aloud: 1-2-3-4… hold 1-2-…7… exhale 1-2-…8.)

Repeat together two more times.

Counselor:
“How did that feel? Did you notice anything changing in your body?”

Pause briefly.

B. Journaling

Counselor:
“Writing can help organize thoughts and lower tension. On your worksheet under ‘Journaling,’ write one short response to this prompt: ‘What I’m feeling right now is…’”

Pause for writing.

Counselor:
“Nice work. What did you notice as you wrote?”

Pause briefly.

C. Reframing Negative Thoughts

Counselor:
“Finally, let’s talk about reframing. Think of a recent negative thought—write it down on your worksheet.”

Pause for writing.

Counselor:
“Okay, now ask yourself: ‘Is this thought 100% true?’ Then write a more balanced thought beside it. I’ll model one example first…”

Model a sample (e.g., “I’ll never do well on tests” → “I’ve studied before and improved my scores; I can prepare for this one too”).

Counselor:
“Great—now you try.”

Pause for student work.

4. Discussion & Debrief (5 minutes)

Counselor:
“Let’s talk about what you tried.
• Which strategy felt most accessible to you?
• When in your day might you use it?
• What could get in the way of trying it?”

Pause after each question and offer prompts as needed: “Can you tell me more about that?” “What might help you remember to do it?”

Counselor:
“I really appreciate your honest thoughts. It’s normal to notice things that may feel challenging. We can tweak these strategies so they fit your routine.”

5. Reflection Prompt & Wrap-Up (3 minutes)

Counselor:
“In your notebook, finish this sentence:

One coping strategy I will practice this week is _____ because _____.

Counselor:
“How do you feel now compared to before our grounding exercise?”

Pause briefly.

Counselor:
“To wrap up: you learned why anxiety happens, tried grounding, and practiced three strategies—deep breathing, journaling, and reframing. We’ll check in next week to see what worked and adjust as needed. Thank you for your openness today. You’re building skills that will help you calm your inner storm anytime.”

Counselor:
“I’ll see you at our follow-up. Take care!”

Anxiety Coping Discussion

Purpose:
This discussion guide helps you facilitate a reflective conversation after practicing coping strategies. It encourages students to articulate their experiences, identify preferred tools, and troubleshoot challenges.

Discussion Guidelines

• Create a safe, judgment-free space: reassure the student that all responses are valid.
• Use open-ended questions to invite reflection.
• Listen actively and validate feelings: “It makes sense you felt that way.”
• Offer brief prompts or examples if the student needs help elaborating.

Key Discussion Questions & Follow-Ups

1. Which strategy felt most comfortable or helpful for you?
   • Follow-up: “What about that strategy worked for you?”
   • Example prompt: “Did it change your breathing or thought pattern?”

2. When during your typical day do you think you could use this strategy?
   • Follow-up: “Can you picture a moment—like before a test or practice—when you might try it?”
   • Example prompt: “What would remind you to use it?”

3. What obstacles might make it hard to use these strategies?
   • Follow-up: “What could get in the way—time, environment, forgetting?”
   • Example prompt: “How could we adapt the strategy to fit your routine?”

4. How did your body or mind feel after practicing each strategy?
   • Follow-up: “Did your heart feel calmer? Did one strategy help you think more clearly?”
   • Example prompt: “Which sensations or thoughts stood out to you?”

Additional Prompts (if needed)

• “Can you give me an example of a situation you’d like to try this in?”
• “What would a reminder note or app alert look like for you?”
• “Who could support you in remembering to use this strategy?”

Wrap-Up Reflection

Ask the student to complete one final prompt in their notebook:

One coping strategy I will practice this week is _____ because _____.

Provide space:

Thank the student for their honesty and set a brief follow-up to review progress and adjust strategies as needed.

Anxiety Coping Strategies Worksheet

Use this worksheet to practice and reflect on three healthy coping strategies for anxiety. Take your time with each section.

A. Deep Breathing (4-7-8 Technique)

Practice three rounds of 4-7-8 breathing:

1. Inhale quietly through your nose for 4 seconds.
2. Hold your breath for 7 seconds.
3. Exhale completely through your mouth for 8 seconds.

After you practice, answer the questions below:

1. How did you feel before doing the breathing exercise?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

2. How did you feel after completing three rounds?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

B. Journaling

Write a brief response to each prompt. Be honest and descriptive.

1. What I’m feeling right now is…
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

2. Something that triggered me today was…
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

C. Reframing Negative Thoughts

Identify a recent negative thought and reshape it into a balanced perspective.

1. Negative thought:
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

2. Is this thought 100% true? (circle one) Yes / No
   If no, why not? Explain:
   
   
   
   
   
   

3. More balanced thought:
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Great work! Keep this worksheet in a safe place and revisit it whenever you notice anxious thoughts. Practice these strategies regularly to build your emotional resilience.