Calming the fight, flight, and freeze response involves methods to help the body relax and feel emotionally balanced. This includes taking deep breaths, doing mindfulness exercises, and using positive self-talk to lower stress levels.
The How to Calm the Fight, Flight, Freeze Response handout is a helpful tool that provides kids and teens ideas for calming their minds and bodies during challenging situations. It starts with a brief introduction to the topic before introducing different calming activities.
Kids and teens implementing the tips from this handout may be able to experience reduced stress, better sleep, and improved daily functioning. Parents and teachers can print out copies of these handouts and display them at home on their child’s bedroom wall or in their classroom. They can also create flashcards with helpful information so that kids and teens can bring them anywhere for easier access.
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Want more resources like this? Check out our full catalog of stress management worksheets and handouts.
References:
- Stroud, L. R., Foster, E., Papandonatos, G. D., Handwerger, K., Granger, D. A., Kivlighan, K. T., & Niaura, R. (2009). Stress response and the adolescent transition: Performance versus peer rejection stressors. Development and Psychopathology, 21(1), 47-68. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0954579409000042
- Thoma, M. V., La Marca, R., Brönnimann, R., Finkel, L., Ehlert, U., & Nater, U. M. (2013). The effect of music on the human stress response. PLoS ONE, 8(8), e70156. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0070156
- Uebelacker, L., Wolff, J., Guo, J., Feltus, S., Caviness, C., Tremont, G., Conte, K., Rosen, R., & Yen, S. (2021). Teens’ perspectives on yoga as a treatment for stress and depression. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 59, 102723. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2021.102723
