Feelings Bookmark

One of the first things I encourage kids to do when they start exploring coping skills is label their feelings. First, labeling the feeling makes it easier to self-regulate. Second, I want kids to make the connection between having a feeling and using a coping skill to manage that feeling in a safe and healthy way. Third, I want them to be able to start to recognize how their feelings shift when they use a coping skill. For example, in an ideal world, a child recognizes they are having a big feeling of anger, then they use a coping skill, and after using a skill, their anger is at a medium or a small level of anger. That is successfully navigating anger in a safe and healthy way. I created a bookmark to help kids label their feelings before and after using a coping skill. As always, there’s a space for “Other” feelings, recognizing that kids may label emotions not included on the bookmark.