Supplemental Counseling Activities

Understanding Stress

Recognizing and Regulating Stress

Need some help managing stress? View the PowerPoint Presentation and listen to the TEDtalks and learn how to recognize your bodies stress responses and regulate those to keep you happier and healthier!

Keeping Perspective and Practicing Self-Care

Keeping Perspective by Practicing Self Care

Self-Care during times of hardship or chaos is one of the most difficult skills to learn, but also a necessity!

Character Strong- Paying It Forward

Watch the following clips from Give Back Films. Note the people's reactions and answer the following questions:

How do people react to the random acts of kindness?

Where does kindness get its power?

Many of these examples involve giving things of monetary value. What are other things we can give to others that have just as much or more value?

How do personal or social values foster or hinder random acts of kindness?

Paying for People's Drive-Thru

Watch the video and note the people's reactions.

Paying for People's Gas

Watch the video and note the people's reactions.

Tipping a Waitress

Watch the video and note the people's reactions.

Reconnecting

Practical tools for families to connect and build character together while at home.

Family Bucket List

Sit together as a family and see if you can brainstorm a list of 25 things you want to do together this year. Get creative and collaborative! Make sure the items range from totally doable in a day to something that may seem silly or impossible. Work to check things off each month until you make your next one.



Love Language

Ask each family member how they prefer to receive kindness and love from other people in the family. Some people prefer words of affirmation or acts of service, whereas others may prefer a hug each day. Post a list of people’s preferences in a place everyone will see and be reminded.

Kindness & Patience

Summary:

This a Greek short film made in 2007. An elderly father and adult son are sitting on a bench. Suddenly a sparrow lands across from them. The father asks the son, “What is that?” multiple times. The son grows more impatient each time. What the father does next is a beautiful lesson in patience through love.

Note: The video is very grainy.

Debrief:

What lesson does the father teach his son?

Have you ever had an experience when you lost your temper? What happened?

How can you develop patience?

How does patience demonstrate kindness?

Having a Vision and Discovering Your Light

“The path from dreams to success does exist. May you have the vision to find it, the courage to get onto it, and the perseverance to follow it.”

-Kalpana Chawla (American astronaut, engineer, and the first woman of Indian descent to go into space)

1.Consider what “vision” is by reflecting on the quote above

  • After reading the quote, get into pairs to discuss the following questions:

What kind of path did Kalpana talk about?

  • How would you define what “vision” is?

  • Return to the full group for a discussion. What stands out to you from your conversations in pairs?

  • On your own as individuals, reflect on this question: What do you think having a Vision can do for you?

2. Learn about Vision from NB Ambassador Erik Weihenmayer

    • How does Erik Weihenmayer describe Vision?

    • Based on your own ideas and on how Erik describes Vision, what would you say the “building blocks” of a person’s Vision are? In other words, what would it be helpful to know about yourself that you can use to build your own Vision?

3. Reflect on who you are with the "Who Are You" activity sheet below.

Vision-

Discover Your Light

Who Are You?

Answer these questions to help you discover your light and to help you find your vision.

Who Are You? - No Barriers Ignite Lesson 2