Trigger Talk Circle

Welcome to our Trigger Talk Circle! In your small groups, we're going to talk about the things that sometimes make us react without thinking. Remember, this is a safe space to share and listen. There are no right or wrong answers, and everyone's experiences are different.

Discussion Guidelines:

• Listen respectfully when others are speaking.
• Share only what you feel comfortable sharing.
• Focus on your own experiences.

Discussion Prompts:

1. When do you feel impatient? What situations make you want to rush, interrupt, or get ahead?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

2. What makes you feel frustrated? Think about times when things don't go your way, or you find something difficult. What's your immediate reaction?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

3. What situations make you feel angry or annoyed? How does your body feel when you start to get angry? (e.g., tight shoulders, fast heartbeat)
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

4. When do you get really excited and want to blurt things out or move quickly? What happens in those moments?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

5. Think about a time you made a quick decision you later regretted. What was happening right before you made that decision?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

6. What helps you calm down or slow down when you feel a strong emotion? (Even if it only works sometimes!)
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

My Reaction Reflection Log: Think First!

This log is your personal tool to help you notice your triggers and practice using your "pause button" before you react impulsively. Remember, every time you try, you're getting better at thinking first!

My Triggers & My Plan

Choose 1-2 triggers you identified during our discussion. For each trigger, write down:

• What the trigger is.
• How it makes you feel (emotions and body sensations).
• What specific coping mechanism (your "pause button" strategy) you will try to use next time.

Trigger 1:

What is this trigger?

How does it make me feel?

My "Pause Button" Strategy (What will I do instead of reacting impulsively?):

Trigger 2 (Optional):

What is this trigger?

How does it make me feel?

My "Pause Button" Strategy (What will I do instead of reacting impulsively?):

Practice & Reflect

Over the next few days, pay attention to when these triggers come up. After you experience a trigger, try to use your strategy, then take a moment to reflect:

Reflection (after a trigger/reaction):

What happened?

Did I use my "Pause Button" strategy? (Yes/No/Sort of)

What was the outcome? What did I learn?

What will I try differently next time, or what will I keep doing?

Think First! Script

Warm-Up: What's Your Instant Reaction? (5 minutes)

"Good morning/afternoon, everyone! To start our session today, I want you to think about a time you reacted super fast without really thinking about it first. It could be something small, like blurting out an answer, or quickly grabbing something. What happened? Just a quick, low-stakes example if you feel comfortable sharing."

(Allow a few students to share brief examples. Validate their responses and thank them for sharing.)

"Great examples! What you're describing, those super-fast reactions without thinking it through first, we call those impulses. Today, we're going to talk all about these impulses and how we can learn to 'Think First!' before we act."

Exploring Impulses with 'Impulse Control Toolbox' (10 minutes)

"Let's dive deeper into this with our Impulse Control Toolbox slide deck. Look at our first slide, 'Think First! Impulse Control Toolbox: Learning to Pause Before You Pounce!' This pretty much sums up what we're aiming for."

(Advance to Slide 2: "What's an Impulse?")

"So, as we just discussed, an impulse is when you act or speak without really thinking about what might happen next. Take a look at the examples on the slide: blurting out an answer, grabbing something, or even slamming a book when you're frustrated. Can anyone think of another example of an impulse they've seen or even experienced themselves?"

(Allow 1-2 student responses, guiding them to understand the definition.)

(Advance to Slide 3: "What's Your Trigger?")

"Now, sometimes these impulses don't just happen out of nowhere. There's usually something that sets them off. We call these things triggers. A trigger is something that makes you feel a strong emotion or want to react impulsively. The slide gives some examples: feeling frustrated when a game isn't fair, getting angry when someone cuts in line, or even feeling so excited you want to shout. What's important to remember is that triggers can be different for everyone. What might trigger me, might not trigger you, and that's perfectly normal."

(Advance to Slide 4: "Find Your Pause Button!")

"Here's the cool part: we can learn to control these impulses! Imagine you have a mental pause button. When you feel an impulse coming on, like that feeling of wanting to blurt out or slam something, you can try to press this button. First, Stop: Freeze for a second. Then, Think: What's happening? How do I feel? What are my choices? And finally, Choose: Pick the best way to respond. It takes practice, just like learning any new skill, but you absolutely can do it!"

(Advance to Slide 5: "Building Our Toolbox")

"Today, we're going to start building your personal 'Impulse Control Toolbox'. By learning to identify your own triggers and practicing this 'pause button' strategy, you'll become the master of your reactions instead of your reactions mastering you!"

Identifying Triggers: 'Trigger Talk Circle' (15 minutes)

"Now, we're going to move into a Trigger Talk Circle activity. I'm going to give each of you some prompts. In your small groups, I want you to discuss these prompts. The goal is to identify your own personal triggers – those things that make you feel a strong emotion or want to react quickly. When you share, try to describe what you feel, like frustration or excitement, and where you feel it in your body, like a tight chest or shaky hands. Remember, this is a safe space for sharing. Everyone experiences triggers differently, and there are no right or wrong answers. Just listen respectfully and share what you're comfortable with."

(Distribute the Trigger Talk Circle prompts and allow groups to discuss. Circulate and facilitate as needed.)

Developing Coping Mechanisms (10 minutes)

"Alright everyone, let's bring it back together. Based on your discussions, what are some of those healthy ways we can 'press the pause button' or react differently when we feel a trigger coming on? What are some strategies you've used or heard of?"

(Write student suggestions on a shared whiteboard or chart paper. Examples: deep breaths, counting to ten, walking away, asking for help, thinking about the consequences, taking a sip of water.)

"These are fantastic ideas! This shows that there are many different ways to handle triggers. What's important to remember is that these are personalized coping mechanisms. What works really well for one person might not work as well for another, and that's okay! Your job is to find what works best for you."

Reflection and Planning: 'My Reaction Reflection Log' (5 minutes)

"To wrap up our session, I'm going to give each of you a My Reaction Reflection Log. On this log, I want you to choose one or two of the triggers you identified today, and write down a specific coping mechanism – one of the strategies we just discussed or one you thought of yourself – that you will try to use next time you encounter that trigger."

"This log is a personal tool. It's designed to help you practice 'Thinking First!' It's not about being perfect, it's about making progress. Every time you try to use your pause button, you're building a stronger impulse control muscle."

Cool Down: One Word Reflection (5 minutes)

"To end our session, I'd like you to take a moment and think about everything we discussed today. About impulses, triggers, and finding your pause button. On the Think First! Cool Down handout, I want you to write down one word that is the most important thing you're taking away from this session about controlling your reactions. If you feel comfortable, we might share a few words before we finish today. Thank you all for your thoughtful participation!"

Think First! Cool Down: One Word Reflection

Take a moment to think about what we discussed today about impulses, triggers, and pause buttons.

In one word, what is the most important thing you're taking away from this session about controlling your reactions?