Inner Chaos Warm-Up Script

“Hello everyone, and welcome. To begin, please find a comfortable seat—sit tall with both feet on the floor and hands resting gently in your lap. When you feel ready, softly close your eyes or lower your gaze to the floor.

Take a slow, deep breath in through your nose for a count of four… (pause briefly)… hold for two… (pause)… and gently release through your mouth for a count of six. Let’s do that two more times:

• Breathe in for four… hold for two… exhale for six…
• One more time: in for four… hold for two… and out for six…

Now allow your breath to return to its natural rhythm. Notice the sensation of air moving in and out, and any gentle rise and fall in your chest or belly. If your mind wanders, that’s okay — simply guide your attention back to the feeling of breathing.

As you remain calm and centered, bring to mind a recent moment when you felt inner turmoil—when your thoughts felt chaotic or your emotions felt overwhelming. You don’t need to speak or share out loud; just notice where in your body you felt that tension or unrest. Observe any colors, shapes, or sensations that come up as you recall this experience.

Keep breathing gently and allow yourself to fully notice this memory without judgment. When you’re ready, we will move into expressing these feelings through art. For now, simply sit with your breath and your awareness of that inner chaos.”

Inner Chaos Expression Activity Sheet

Instructions:

1. Recall the sensation of inner chaos you identified during the warm-up.
2. Using your art materials, express that feeling on the blank canvas below. Focus on conveying emotion through:
   • Color choices (hues, brightness, saturation)
   • Line quality (thick vs. thin, jagged vs. smooth)
   • Shapes and forms
   • Use of space (crowded vs. open areas)

Example for Inspiration (Adult Model)

• Imagine you’re facing a tough work deadline and feeling pulled in every direction. You might:

• Use a deep red wash across the page to represent stress.
• Draw sharp, black zig-zag lines emanating from the center to show racing thoughts.
• Add cool blue circles or calm green patches around the edges to symbolize moments of clarity or self-soothing.
• Leave a blank white space at the top to remind yourself of breathing room and perspective.

Art Space

Let your feelings guide your hand. There is no right or wrong way to draw your inner chaos.

Reflection Prompts (Optional)

• What colors did you choose and what do they represent for you?
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Describe the lines or textures you created (e.g., jagged, swirling, layered).
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Which shapes or symbols emerged, and what might they mean in the context of your emotions?
  
  
  
  
  
  
• How did you use the space on the page? Did you leave areas empty or fill every corner? How does that relate to how you experience your inner chaos?
  
  
  
  
  
  

Feel free to jot down any additional thoughts or insights at the bottom of your drawing.

Inner Chaos Reflection Worksheet

Use the prompts below to explore your artwork and your inner experience of chaos. Write your answers in the space provided.

1. Describe the primary emotions you expressed in your drawing. How did these feelings manifest in your mind or body as you worked?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

2. What thoughts, memories, or images arose while creating your art? How did these influence your emotional state?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

3. Select one emotion you depicted and write an acceptance statement using ACT-informed language (for example: “I notice I’m feeling ____, and that’s okay.”).
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

4. Identify one coping strategy or value-based action you can use when you next experience this emotion. Describe specifically how you would implement it.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

5. Reflection: What insight did you gain about your inner chaos and your capacity to work with challenging emotions?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Additional notes or insights:

Taming Inner Chaos Discussion Prompts

Teacher Facilitation Guidelines

• Arrange students in a circle to foster a sense of community.
• Remind everyone to listen actively and speak from “I” statements.
• Keep the pace moving—each student has about 30 seconds.
• Encourage empathy: affirm each speaker with a nod or brief comment before moving on.

Core Discussion Questions

1. Emotion Check-In
   • What one emotion did you express most strongly in your artwork, and why?
   
   
   
   
2. Artistic Insight
   • Which color, shape, or line in your piece felt most powerful, and how did it help you understand your inner chaos?
   
   
   
   
3. Coping Strategy Connection
   • From your work on the Inner Chaos Reflection Worksheet, what coping strategy resonated with you? How might you use it next time?
   
   
   
   
4. Peer Support
   • What is one thing your classmates can say or do to help you when you feel overwhelmed?
   
   
   
   

Potential Follow-Up Prompts

• “Can you say more about how that color captured your feeling?”
• “What part of the breathing exercise felt most helpful?”
• “How might you adapt that strategy on a stressful school day?”
• “Does anyone else relate to what ___ shared?”

Closing Affirmation

• Thank each other for sharing.
• Invite one final reminder: “One thing I’m taking away from today’s session is…”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Mindful Cool-Down Guide

To close our session and bring calm energy, guide students through this 2-minute routine. Encourage slow, intentional movement and breathing.

1. Settle In (15 seconds)
   • Have students sit or stand tall, feet hip-width apart.
   • Soften the eyes or gently lower the gaze.

2. Arm Stretch & Release (30 seconds)
   • Inhale: sweep arms up overhead, reaching fingers toward the ceiling.
   • Pause at the top.
   • Exhale: slowly lower arms by the sides.
   • Repeat 2 more times at a gentle pace.

3. Shoulder Rolls (20 seconds)
   • Roll shoulders forward in slow, full circles (3 times).
   • Then roll shoulders backward the same way (3 times).

4. Neck Release (20 seconds)
   • Drop the right ear toward the right shoulder; hold for two breaths.
   • Return to center and repeat on the left side for two breaths.

5. Side Stretch (20 seconds)
   • Inhale: lift the right arm overhead.
   • Exhale: lean gently to the left, feeling a stretch along your right side.
   • Hold for one breath, then switch sides.

6. Grounded Breathing (35 seconds)
   • Guide a box breath: Inhale for 4 seconds… hold for 2 seconds… exhale for 6 seconds.
   • Repeat twice, noticing the rise and fall of the belly.

7. Closing Reflection (10 seconds)
   • Invite students to place a hand on their heart and notice how they feel now compared to the start.
   • End with a collective exhale: “Together, let’s breathe out any remaining tension.”

This sequence helps regulate energy, release physical tension, and reinforce mindful awareness. Encourage students to use any of these movements or breaths whenever they need a moment of calm.