Resilience Training Exercises
This page contains additional resources to support you in practicing the various skills taught during the workshops.
Mindfulness
Brief Mindfulness Exercise
This is a brief mindfulness exercise, allowing you to focus on your breathing and stay in the moment.
One-Minute Mindfulness Exercise
This exercise guides you in a one-minute practice of mindfulness that you can do anywhere.
Emotional Temperature Exercise
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Additional Links:
Uncertainty Exercise
This exercise guides you in sitting with the uncertainty that surrounds us during challenging times.
Brief Body Scan Exercise
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Mindfulness Meditation Breathing Space Exercise
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Self-Compassion
Self-Compassion Break
This video shows Dr. Annie Burke guiding a Self-Compassion Break, which was developed by Chris Germer, PhD. and Kristen Neff, PhD., the co-creators of the Mindful Self-Compassion Program. This exercise walks you through being kind to yourself during a stressful time.
Criticizer, Criticized, and Compassionate Observer Writing Exercise
📝 Supplies: Pen & paper
This audio guides you through an exercise where you practice self-compassion by considering different, often conflicting parts of yourself and how they feel in the present moment.
Feel free to pause the audio throughout to give yourself more time to write.
Additional Links:
Inside Out Video Clip
Here is a link to a video that illustrates how different parts of ourselves can respond in different ways to difficult events in our live
Chris Germer- Self-Compassion Break Extended Version
Chris Germer, Ph.D., the co-creator of Self-Compassion recorded an extended version of his Self-Compassion Break for us.
Self-Compassion Letter
Writing Exercise
📝 Supplies: Pen & paper
This audio guides you through an exercise where you write a letter to yourself to yourself from the perspective of a kind, understanding, and compassionate other.
Feel free to pause the audio throughout to give yourself more time to write.
Kristen Neff’s Self-Compassion Break
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Mentalization of Self and Others
Mentalization of Self Exercise
This exercise helps you practice to understand and interpret your own thoughts, feelings, and desires to support you in identifying your needs and better understand your reactions.
Additional Links:
Key and Peele Video Clip
Here is a link to a video that illustrates how it can be difficult to mentalize another person’s perspective or experience when you have limited information (e.g., in texts)
Resilience
Inner Strength Exercise
This audio guides you in identifying a personal strength and imagining how to use it to navigate a current or future challenge.
Additional Links:
Sharon Salzberg Video Clip
Here is a link to a video that illustrates how awareness of our inner states helps us to meet our needs more effectively
DOWNLOADABLE RESOURCES
Session 1
Handout 1.2 Resilience Research
Handout 1.3 Mindfulness Research
Handout 1.4 Resilience Promoters & Dampeners Examples
Worksheet 1.1 Setting Goals & Intentions
Worksheet 1.2 Resilience Promoters & Dampeners
Session 2
Handout 2.2 Self-Compassion Research
Worksheet 2.1 Self-Critic, Criticized, Compassionate Observer
Additional Resources
Self-Compassion & Meditation
Kristen Neff, Ph.D., has included multiple self-compassion and meditation activities on her website.
UCLA Mindfulness Center
UCLA offers several guided mediation exercises through their Mindfulness Center both in English and Spanish.