Family Dynamics Reflection Worksheet

Take a few minutes to answer each question honestly. Your responses will help you understand your feelings, strengths, challenges, and hopes related to your family.

1. How do you feel when you are at home with your family? Describe your emotions and what usually happens.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

2. What strengths do you notice in your family relationships? (For example: support, trust, communication, care.)
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

3. What challenges or tensions do you face in your family? Describe moments that feel difficult or cause stress.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

4. What goals or hopes do you have for improving your family interactions? Think of one or two things you’d like to change or work on.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Next Steps:
– Keep your reflections and bring any questions to your counselor or a trusted adult.
– Use this worksheet as a starting point for mapping relationships and planning healthy coping strategies.

Family Relationship Map Template

Use this space to map out your key family relationships visually.

1. Draw yourself in the center.
2. Add family members around you.
3. Draw lines connecting you to each person.
4. Label each connection as Supportive, Neutral, or Challenging.
5. Next to each line, jot a word or short phrase about how that relationship feels or an example of why you chose that label.

Relationship Details Table

If you’d like another way to organize your thoughts, use the table below to list each family member, label the relationship, and note one feeling or example.

Use this map whenever you want to check in on how you’re feeling about each relationship.

Healthy Coping Strategies Guide

When family life feels stressful or overwhelming, it helps to have a toolbox of healthy ways to cope. Below are several strategies you can try. Pick the ones that feel right for you and practice them whenever you need extra support.

Coping Strategies

• Deep Breathing: Sit comfortably, close your eyes, and take slow, deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth. Focus on counting to four as you inhale and four as you exhale. This calms your mind and body when things feel tense.

• Journaling: Write down your thoughts and feelings in a notebook or journal. You can describe what happened, how it made you feel, and what you might do differently next time. Getting your feelings on paper can help you see patterns and gain new insights.

• Physical Activity: Move your body in a way you enjoy—go for a walk, ride your bike, dance to your favorite song, or play a game outside. Exercise releases feel-good chemicals in your brain and helps you release built-up stress.

• Creative Expression: Draw, paint, color, play music, or craft something. Art gives you a safe way to express feelings that can be hard to put into words.

• Mindfulness or Meditation: Spend a few minutes paying attention to the present moment. Notice what you hear, see, and feel right now. Apps, videos, or guided scripts can help you learn simple mindfulness exercises.

• Positive Self-Talk: Notice when you’re thinking negative thoughts (“I’m a failure,” “No one cares”). Replace them with kinder statements (“I’m doing my best,” “I deserve help and support”). Saying positive affirmations out loud or in your head can boost your mood.

• Gratitude Practice: Each day, write down two or three things you’re grateful for—big or small. Focusing on positives can shift your mindset when life feels heavy.

• Setting Boundaries: If certain topics or situations at home make you upset, it’s okay to say, “I need a break,” or “Can we talk about this later?” Letting others know what you need helps protect your feelings.

• Talking with a Trusted Adult: Share your concerns with someone you trust—a teacher, counselor, coach, or family friend. Talking aloud can help you sort through problems and get advice.

• Progressive Muscle Relaxation: Tense and then relax each muscle group in your body—start with your toes, then move up through your legs, stomach, arms, and face. This practice helps you notice and release physical tension.


## Next Steps

1. Choose 2–3 strategies from above that seem most helpful.
2. Write down when and where you’ll try each one this week (for example, “When I feel upset at home, I will go outside for a 5-minute walk”).
3. Track how each strategy makes you feel.
4. Adjust and practice regularly—coping tools get stronger with use!

Personal Goals Planning Sheet

Use the SMART goal-setting framework to plan two goals that will help you manage family interactions or support your well-being. Fill in each section for both goals below.

Goal 1

Specific: What exactly will you do?

Measurable: How will you know you’ve met your goal?

Achievable: What steps will you take to make this happen?

Relevant: Why is this goal important to you or your family interactions?

Time-bound: When will you start, and by what date will you complete this goal?

Action Steps:

2. ______________________________



3. ______________________________

Progress Check: How and when will you track your progress?

Goal 2

Specific: What exactly will you do?

Measurable: How will you know you’ve met your goal?

Achievable: What steps will you take to make this happen?

Relevant: Why is this goal important to you or your family interactions?

Time-bound: When will you start, and by what date will you complete this goal?

Action Steps:

2. ______________________________



3. ______________________________

Progress Check: How and when will you track your progress?

Next Steps

• Choose one goal to start practicing this week.
• Share your plan with a trusted adult or write it in your journal.
• Revisit this sheet regularly to celebrate successes and adjust steps as needed.

Family Dynamics Toolbox Script

Introduction (2 minutes)

Teacher says:
“Hi there! Today we’re going to use our Family Dynamics Toolbox to learn more about your family relationships, explore some healthy ways to cope with challenges, and set goals that will help you feel more in control at home.

Here’s how we’ll spend our 15 minutes together:

1. Self-Reflection
2. Family Relationship Map
3. Coping Strategies Exploration
4. Personal Goals Setting
5. Wrap-Up & Next Steps

I have four materials for you:

• Family Dynamics Reflection Worksheet
• Family Relationship Map Template
• Healthy Coping Strategies Guide
• Personal Goals Planning Sheet

Does that plan make sense? Great—let’s get started!”

(Wait for student to nod or ask questions.)

Step 1: Self-Reflection (3 minutes)

Teacher says:
“Please open your Family Dynamics Reflection Worksheet. On question 1, I want you to write how you feel when you’re at home with your family. Describe your emotions and what usually happens. Take about one minute to write your thoughts.”

(After one minute)

Teacher asks:
“Would you like to share one feeling you wrote down? For example, you might feel calm, worried, or something else. What made you choose that word?”

(Listen and ask follow-ups, such as ‘Tell me more about a moment that felt like that.’)

Teacher says:
“Now move to questions 2 and 3. List two strengths you notice in your family relationships and then describe one challenge or tension you face. Spend about one minute on both.”

(After writing time)

Teacher asks:
“Which strength did you pick first? Why is that important to you? And what challenge felt biggest when you thought about it?”

Step 2: Family Relationship Map Creation (4 minutes)

Teacher says:
“Next, let’s look at the Family Relationship Map Template. Draw yourself in the center circle. Around you, add key family members. Draw a line from you to each person and label it Supportive, Neutral, or Challenging.”

(Give student about two minutes to draw and label.)

Teacher prompts:
“Okay—who did you place closest to you? How did you label that connection? Can you share one example of why it feels supportive or challenging?”

(Encourage detail: “What happens that makes you feel that way?”)

Teacher says:
“If you want, you can also use the table below your map to list each person and a short note about how you feel. Take another minute.”

Step 3: Coping Strategies Exploration (3 minutes)

Teacher says:
“Now open the Healthy Coping Strategies Guide. Read through the list of strategies—like deep breathing, journaling, or setting boundaries. Circle two or three that feel most helpful to you.”

(Give student one minute.)

Teacher asks:
“Which strategy did you circle first? Why does that one stand out? How do you imagine using it if things get stressful at home?”

(If student chooses deep breathing, you might ask: “Where would you be when you use it? In your room? Outside?”)

Step 4: Personal Goals Setting (3 minutes)

Teacher says:
“Finally, let’s set two SMART goals on your Personal Goals Planning Sheet. A SMART goal is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.”

Teacher prompts:
“Start with Goal 1. Write one clear, specific goal—like ‘I will take a 3-minute walk outside when I feel upset.’ Then fill in the steps, timeline, and how you’ll check progress. Take about two minutes to complete Goal 1.”

(After two minutes)

Teacher asks:
“What is your first goal? Can you tell me the steps you’ll take and when you’ll start?”
(Offer suggestions if it’s too vague: “How could you make that more measurable?”)

Teacher says:
“If you have time, you can also fill out Goal 2. Otherwise, we’ll focus on practicing Goal 1 this week.”

Wrap-Up & Next Steps (About 1 minute)

Teacher says:
“You did excellent work today. Let’s review:

• You reflected on your feelings at home.
• You mapped out family relationships and talked about what feels supportive or challenging.
• You picked coping strategies that feel right for you.
• You created a SMART goal to practice.

For the rest of this week, choose one coping strategy and your Goal 1 to try when you feel stressed. You could share your goal with a trusted adult or write about how it went in your journal. Keep all these materials handy—you can revisit them anytime.

Great job! I’m proud of how thoughtfully you worked today.”

(End of session.)