Session 1 Warm Up: Name and Sound Imitation Game

Time: 7 minutes

Overview: This warm-up activity helps build rapport and encourages Josiah to communicate by imitating simple movements and sounds in a playful turn-taking game.

Instructions:

1. Greeting
   • Sit at Josiah’s level and greet him by name.
   • Ask, “How are you feeling today?” Pause and wait for any verbal or nonverbal response.
2. Name and Sound Imitation Game
   • Model a simple movement (e.g., clap your hands once) paired with a sound (“la!”).
   • Encourage Josiah to imitate both the movement and the sound.
   • Take turns: let Josiah pick a movement or sound for you to copy, then you model a new one for him.
   • Offer enthusiastic praise or a small token (sticker, stamp) for each attempt.
3. Transition
   • Celebrate his efforts: “Great job copying sounds and movements!”
   • Explain that now you’ll learn some words for feelings together.

Materials:

• Comfortable seating area (chair or floor cushion)
• A small token or sticker to reinforce participation
  
  
  

Session 1 Flashcard Game: Feeling Dice Match

Time: 7 minutes

Overview:
A playful turn-taking game where Josiah uses the Feeling Dice and Emotion Flashcards to identify and match emotions, reinforcing his vocabulary with modeling and fading prompts.

Instructions:

1. Setup
   • Spread the Emotion Flashcards face down in a grid on the table.
   • Place the Feeling Dice within reach.
2. Teacher Modeling Turn
   • You roll the dice and name the emotion it lands on (e.g., “I rolled ‘angry’!”).
   • Flip one card to show its picture; if it matches, say “Yes, this is angry!”
   • Flip a second card to demonstrate finding a non-match, modeling how to search again.
3. Josiah’s Turn
   • Invite Josiah to roll the dice and ask, “What did you roll?”
   • If he hesitates, offer a fading prompt: “It looks like the dice shows a sad face. Can you say ‘sad’?”
   • Ask him to flip one card to see if it matches.
   • Provide praise for correct flips (“Great job finding sad!”) or gentle guidance if he flips the wrong card (“Let’s try another card”).
4. Variation – Memory Match
   • After a few simple rounds, turn cards face down again.
   • Roll the dice, then let Josiah flip two cards to find the matching emotion.
   • Celebrate successful matches with stickers or high-fives.
5. Transition
   • Congratulate Josiah on his good work: “You matched so many feelings today!”
   • Explain that next you’ll practice matching feelings words on a worksheet.

Materials:

• Emotion Flashcards Emotion Flashcards
• Feeling Dice Feeling Dice

Session 1 Feelings Worksheet

Part 1: Match the Faces to the Words

Below are four faces showing different feelings. Next to each number, write the letter of the word that matches the face.

1. 🙂 _____
2. 🙁 _____
3. 😠 _____
4. 😨 _____

A. Happy
B. Sad
C. Angry
D. Scared

Part 2: Draw and Write

Think of a time you felt one of these feelings. In the space below, draw your face showing that feeling. Then write the feeling word on the line.

Drawing area:

Feeling word: ____________________

Great job! Remember, using words helps others understand how you feel.

Session 1 Cool Down: Breathing & Reflection

Time: 3 minutes

Overview:
A brief calming routine to help Josiah settle, reflect on what he learned, and reinforce using words to express feelings.

Instructions:

1. Calming Breath Practice
   • Invite Josiah to sit comfortably and place his hands on his belly.
   • Model slowly inhaling through the nose (“Breathe in…”) and exhaling through the mouth (“…and out”).
   • Practice together for three slow breaths: “One…Two…Three.”
2. Reflection Prompt
   • Show the Emotion Vocabulary Chart.
   • Ask Josiah: “Which feeling did you like learning about today?”
   • Encourage him to point to the emotion and say its name.
   • Follow up: “Why did you pick that feeling?” Praise any attempt to use words.
3. Positive Reinforcement
   • Provide a sticker or stamp on his worksheet or hand.
   • Say: “Great job using your words, Josiah! Talking about feelings helps others understand you.”

Materials:

• Emotion Vocabulary Chart Emotion Vocabulary Chart
• Stickers or stamps for reinforcement

Session 1 Discussion: Talking About Feelings

Purpose: To help Josiah reflect on why putting feelings into words is helpful and to practice using emotion vocabulary in conversation.

Teacher Guidelines

• Sit at Josiah’s level and maintain a calm, supportive tone.
• Use visual supports: point to the Emotion Vocabulary Chart or show a flashcard as needed.
• Offer plenty of positive reinforcement for any attempt to use words (stickers, praise).
• If Josiah struggles, use a two-choice prompt (e.g., “Did you feel happy or sad?”) and then expand his response.
• Keep turns short and clear: ask one question at a time, wait patiently, then follow up.

Discussion Questions

1. Why do we use words to talk about feelings?
   • Prompt: “When you say ‘I feel angry,’ what do you think happens?”
   • Follow-up: “How do you feel when someone understands your words?”
     
     
     
2. Which feeling word did you like practicing today?
   • Show the chart or flashcards and have Josiah point.
   • Ask: “Why did you pick that one?”
   • If he points without a word, model: “You picked ‘happy.’ Can you say ‘happy’?”
     
     
     
3. Think of a time you felt [selected emotion]. What happened?
   • Example: “Remember when you felt sad? What made you feel sad?”
   • Encourage a short answer: “I was sad when ____.”
   • If needed, offer choices: “Were you sad because you dropped your toy or because it was bedtime?”
     
     
     
4. How do you feel when you use words instead of yelling or crying?
   • Prompt: “Does talking make you feel calm or do you still feel upset?”
   • Follow-up: “What helps you feel calmer?”
     
     
     
5. What can you do next time you feel [angry/sad/scared/happy]?
   • Encourage him to name one action: “I can say ‘I’m mad’ or take deep breaths.”
   • Reinforce any response: “Great idea! Saying ‘I’m mad’ helps others know how you feel.”
     
     
     

Reflection & Closure

• Review his response to one favorite question and celebrate his use of words.
• Reinforce: “Using words helps others understand you and keeps you feeling safe.”
• Offer a final sticker or stamp as a reward for sharing.

Next Step: Remind Josiah that tomorrow you’ll learn more words and practice together again!

Session 1 CBT Materials: Thought-Feeling Connection Chart & Coping Thoughts Cards

Thought-Feeling Connection Chart

Use this chart to discuss how our thoughts can lead to different feelings. Ask Josiah to point to a thought, name the feeling it creates, and explain why.

Coping Thoughts Cards

(Print and cut along the dotted lines. After identifying an emotion, Josiah draws one card and practices saying the helpful thought.)

• I can take deep breaths.



• I can use my words.



• This feeling will pass.



• I am safe right now.



• I can ask for help.



• I can take a break.

How to Use These Materials

1. Match Thought to Feeling: Show the Thought-Feeling Connection Chart. Say a thought aloud and have Josiah point to the matching feeling.
2. Select a Coping Thought: Once he identifies the feeling, invite him to draw a Coping Thoughts Card.
3. Practice Together: Model saying the coping thought, then have Josiah repeat it.
4. Reinforce: Praise his use of words (“Great job calming yourself with words!”) and offer a sticker or high-five.

Family CBT Home Activities for Emotional Regulation

Purpose: Simple, playful CBT-based exercises for you and Josiah to practice at home. These activities reinforce identifying feelings, linking thoughts to emotions, and using coping statements to self-regulate.

Activity 1: Daily Emotion Check-In

Materials:
• A sheet of paper with four faces drawn or printed (🙂 🙁 😠 😨)
• Small tokens or stickers

Instructions:

1. Morning & Evening Routine
   • Sit with Josiah and show the four faces.
   • Ask: “How do you feel right now?” He points to a face and names it.
   • Ask: “What thought are you having?” Model: “I think it’s a fun day!”
   • Place a sticker under that face to mark his check-in.
2. Follow-Up Question
   • If he points to a negative feeling, gently ask: “Can you tell me what you were thinking that made you feel ___?”
   • Offer choices if he hesitates (“Were you thinking ‘I can’t do it’ or ‘I don’t want to stop playing’?”).

Why it helps: Builds self-awareness by linking thoughts and feelings daily.

Activity 2: Thought–Feeling Detective

Materials: Thought–Feeling Connection Chart

Instructions:

1. Review the chart with him: read a printed thought (e.g., “No one likes me”) and ask: “What feeling goes with this thought?”
2. Have Josiah point to or say the feeling word.
3. Make Your Own: Ask him to suggest a thought he had today (e.g., “I’ll get in trouble”) and draw it in a bubble. Together, identify which feeling it matches.
4. Praise his detective work (“Great job figuring out that ‘I’ll get in trouble’ felt scary!”).

Why it helps: Reinforces that our thoughts influence feelings and gives him vocabulary to explain “why” he feels a certain way.

Activity 3: Coping Thoughts Scavenger Hunt

Materials: Coping Thoughts Cards

Instructions:

1. Hide 3–5 coping-thought cards around a room (e.g., “I can take deep breaths,” “I am safe right now”).
2. Invite Josiah to find one card when he feels upset or bored.
3. When he finds a card, have him read or repeat the coping thought out loud.
4. Practice together: model the coping strategy (e.g., take three deep breaths) and let him follow.
5. Celebrate with a hug, high-five, or sticker.

Why it helps: Makes coping thoughts fun to discover and anchors self-talk strategies in real moments of need.

Activity 4: Balloon Breaths Game

Materials: None (optional: a real balloon)

Instructions:

1. Pretend you’re blowing up a big balloon.
2. Take a slow, deep breath in through the nose while raising your arms overhead.
3. Exhale through the mouth and lower your arms as if you’re blowing out a balloon.
4. Count “1…2…3…” with Josiah as you exhale.
5. Repeat 3–5 times whenever he seems frustrated, angry, or tired.

Why it helps: Teaches a concrete, fun breathing routine to calm his body and mind.

Tips for Success

• Consistency: Do these mini-activities daily or whenever strong emotions arise.
• Visual Support: Keep charts/cards in a visible spot so he can remind himself.
• Positive Reinforcement: Praise effort (“You did a great job using your words!”) and offer small rewards (stickers, hugs).
• Modeling: Use these strategies yourself when you feel stressed—kids learn best by watching you.

By practicing together, you’ll help Josiah build lasting skills to notice his thoughts, name his feelings, and choose healthy ways to calm himself. Good luck, and have fun!