Calming Strategies for Teens: Staying Calm
This session teaches calming strategies for teens, helping older students notice the moment strong feelings rise and choose how they respond. It separates having a big emotion from the actions that follow, so students see what stays within their control even when the situation does not. They watch a short video, discuss how to handle an upsetting grade, and play a quick game matching situations to steady responses. The takeaway is a set of strategies, including positive self-talk, for staying in control of their actions.
Extension activity
- Skill
- Self-Regulation
- Goal
- Managing Stress
- Grade level
- Middle & High School
Get everything you need to teach the skill
These materials are part of a no-prep session designed by our clinical team, with all the structure, scaffolding, and support you need to teach included.
Engaging materials
Video modeling lessonStaying Calm Introduction
Help your students become aware of losing control and how to return to a calm state independently. We always acknowledge the right to strong feelings, but our reaction remains within our control. We can’t always have control of the situation, but with strategies we can stay in control of our actions.
- Extension activity
Interactive Worksheet: Staying Calm
Students are given problem scenarios and asked to come up with three strategies they would use to calm down in each.
Plus everything you need to teach them
Warm-up
- Video: 4-7-8 Breathing2:13
- Video: Obstacles into Opportunities Visualization1:19
- Video: Yoga Pose Library
Session Opener
Guiding Question: What strategies help a person stay in control?
Practice
- Discussion Question
- Role-Play Activity
- Mini Game
How to use it with your students
- 1Watch Play the video modeling lesson so students see the skill in action.
- 2Practice Try the skill together with a discussion prompt, role-play, or mini game.
- 3Extend Use the extension activity to help students carry the skill further.
What's Covered
In this lesson, students learned that having strong feelings is okay, but the way they react is something they can control. They practiced noticing the physical warning signs that they are starting to feel overwhelmed and choosing a strategy to work through the moment, like counting to ten or talking to a trusted adult. They also talked about how, even when they can't change a stressful situation, they can stay in control of their own response.
Key Terms
- Self-Controller
- Noticing your body's warning signs when a feeling starts to build, then using a calming strategy early. You catch the frustration before it takes over instead of reacting after it does.
- Positive Self-Talk
- Positive self-talk means intentionally using kind and encouraging thoughts when you’re dealing with a frustrating or stressful situation. It helps you respond more thoughtfully instead of reacting right away.
Sample IEP Goal This Session Supports
-
Managing Stress
Learner will recognize signs of stress in their own body or thinking (e.g., tight chest, racing thoughts, feeling overwhelmed) and apply a self-selected strategy (e.g., deep breathing, positive self-talk, taking a break) to manage the feeling in 4 out of 5 opportunities independently/given X prompt(s).
Send this tip home to support generalization
When a stressful moment comes up at home or at school, try asking which strategy the student wants to use before things build further. Having two or three options ready makes it easier to pick one in the moment.
Ready to teach Staying Calm?
Get the video, activity and discussion materials with zero prep.
Get These Materials Free
More Self-Regulation Activities
Frequently asked questions
Is this intervention free?
Yes, this ready-to-teach session on Staying Calm is free. You can access this intervention free for 14 days through the Everyday Speech Session Library. Every user gets three free sessions, but you can get more or extend your access by sharing the Session Library with friends and colleagues.
What ages is this for?
These materials are designed for middle and high school students.
What's included?
You'll get access to your choice of warm-up videos, a session opener, a core material on Staying Calm Introduction, three practice prompts, and an extension activity, Interactive Worksheet: Staying Calm.
What skill does this intervention teach?
This ready-to-teach session is on self-regulation - more specifically, managing stress.
Get access to the full curriculum
A no-prep social skills curriculum with a full scope and sequence that builds student skills over time. MTSS-aligned across every tier, with 400+ whole class lessons and 800+ ready-to-teach sessions.
Start a 30-Day Free Trial
