Impulse Control for Teens: What Pushes My Buttons
This session includes impulse control activities for teens, helping older students recognize stress signals like a racing heart or a tight jaw before frustration takes over. They watch a short video, discuss why body clues can be easy to miss, and work through a quick game that pairs everyday situations with possible responses. The goal is to notice those early signals and choose a response that keeps them feeling ready.
Extension activity
- Skill
- Self-Regulation
- Goal
- Using Your Self-Controller
- 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 lessonWhat Pushes my Buttons
This video guides students in identifying their stress signals, noticing their thoughts, and using calming strategies to stay in control when something pushes their buttons.
- Extension activity
Understanding Stress & Self-Control
In this interactive activity, students complete fill-in-the-blank prompts to learn about stress signals and calming strategies.
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: Why do people sometimes ignore signs of stress in the moment?
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 to recognize their stress signals, the body clues and thoughts that show up when something pushes their buttons. They practiced noticing early warning signs like a racing heart or a tense jaw, then used their Self-Controller Scanner to name the feeling and pick a calming strategy. This helps them catch stress early and respond in a way that keeps them in control.
Key Terms
- Stress Signals
- The warning signs in your body and thoughts that show stress is building, like a racing heart, tense muscles, or a thought like "I can't handle this." Noticing them early gives you time to use a calming strategy before stress takes over.
- Body Clues
- Body clues are signals you notice inside your body, like a fast heartbeat, a hot face, or tense muscles, that tell you a feeling is starting. Noticing them early can help you figure out what your body needs.
Sample IEP Goal This Session Supports
-
Using Your Self-Controller
Learner will use their Self-Controller to manage stress responses when triggers arise (e.g., unexpected changes, transitions away from preferred activities) by recognizing stress signals and applying a self-selected strategy before reacting in 4 out of 5 opportunities independently/given X prompt(s).
Send this tip home to support generalization
At home or in the classroom, when a student seems tense, try asking what their body is noticing right now, like a racing heart or a tight jaw. Naming an early signal out loud can make it easier to choose a calming strategy next time.
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Frequently asked questions
Is this intervention free?
Yes, this ready-to-teach session on What Pushes My Buttons 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 What Pushes my Buttons, three practice prompts, and an extension activity, Understanding Stress & Self-Control.
What skill does this intervention teach?
This ready-to-teach session is on self-regulation - more specifically, using your self-controller.
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