Introduction:
This is an
activity to get the group sharing and talking openly. Some of these questions
can also bring out various feelings about personal life situations. The
counselor/group leader should selectively use the two lists in any order. The
first list is the "Sender" list and the second list is the “Incoming Text” list. The
group members should take turns with the counselor selecting an incoming text
and a sender from the two lists. The counselor should mix and match using the
two lists to try to come up with a scenario that suits the person whose turn it
is. (For example, try not to choose the sender to be a child if the person
sharing does not have children or choose “boss” for someone who is not working)
The
counselor should read aloud the selected incoming text and sender, for example:
“You receive a text from your younger sister (Sender) saying “I need
you ASAP- right now!” (Incoming Text)
The person
who is taking their turn should describe to the group the following in response
to the text (as if it were actually happening)
- Thoughts – What
thoughts are going through your mind? (What do you suspect is going on?)
- Feelings – What
feelings are you experiencing
- Behavior – What do
you think you will do in this situation? (Just to keep things simple, assume
that the sender stops answering any follow up texts or calls after this initial
text)
LIST 1 – Sender – (Keep in mind, you can
also make up your own senders to make it more interesting)
Boss
Relationship
Partner
Best Friend
Friend’s
relationship partner
Oldest
Daughter
Oldest Son
Youngest
Daughter
Youngest
Son
Spouse
Your most
recent ex
Neighbor
Coworker
you like
Coworker
you don’t like
Mother
Father
Older sibling
Younger
sibling
Doctor
Aunt
Uncle
Grandmother
Grandfather
Your Boss’s
Boss
Mechanic
Your first
kiss
Someone
from this group
Childhood
friend you liked
Childhood
friend you didn’t like
OTHER? Make
up your own…
LIST 2 –
Incoming Texts
[You are
out] “Someone will be at the house when you get home tonight, I can’t tell you
any more right now, but I just wanted to let you know”
“I won two
free tickets to your favorite band in concert tonight, need to know right now
if you will go with me”
“I have a
sensitive question to ask you later, can’t talk now”
“I will be
asking you for a favor when I see you later tonight”
“I need you
ASAP! – right now!”
“You let me
down”
“Things
will never be the same between you and me”
“I finally
did it!”
“We good?”
“Turn on
the TV I’m on the news”
“I have
something to confess”
“I’m at the
police station (and they name the town or city)”
“I have
something I need to tell you meet me (then they provide location and time)”
“You’re the
best”
“I have
someone I want you to meet”
“I haven’t
forgotten what you did”
“I left
something for you on your doorstep”
“Hey, do
you want to make some money?”
“I’ve got
some bad news”
“I’ve got
some good news”
“Can you
help me move?”
“I need
money”
“I am in
the middle of a pregnancy scare”
“Can I stay
with you for a few days”
“I need you
to know I have an STD”
“I need to
leave town right away”
“I can’t do
this any longer”
“It finally
worked out for me!”
“There’s
something you and I need to work out”
OTHER? Make
up your own…
Follow up thoughts
and questions for when activity is complete (Optional)
Communication
– Why is it important for you to keep open lines of communication with others?
Choice of
association – How do you manage whom you associate with in order to avoid chaos
in your life?
Family – Do
you find your family to overall be more supportive or dysfunctional? (How do
you cope?)
Assumptions
– When you have limited information, how do you cope without overreacting?
Recovery –
If you are in recovery, how does this improve your ability to handle sudden
situations?
Thinking –
When you are in a situation where you have to wait, how do you cope with
anxious thoughts?
Feeling –
What helps you manage your feelings when something (like a strange text) triggers
you?
Behavior – How
do you prevent yourself from saying something you’ll regret in a text message
reply?
Stability –
Some things happen no matter what, however what are you doing today to increase
stability?
- Ø What else can you do to further increase stability and progress in your life going forward?
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