Session 3: Relaxation Skills

Abstract

When, for various reasons, the teen cannot alter the stressfulness of a challenging situation via active problem solving (“Solving the Problem”), such circumstances call for employing strategies to “Manage the Impact” of the stressor on their physical and emotional functioning. In Session 3 of the Children’s Health and Illness Recovery Program (CHIRP), the clinician instructs the teen in effective relaxation skills including diaphragmatic breathing and progressive muscle relaxation. These are introduced and practiced in the session, with homework practice assigned for skill development. Cognitive behavioral therapy skills are introduced to help the teen understand the bidirectional relationships between thoughts, emotional responses, and behavioral responses. Finally, thought-changing skills and activities are introduced from the CHIRP Workbook with the assignment of recoding stressful situations and their associated thoughts and feelings on a Thought Record sheet.