PBSIS Social Skill Lesson 4
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SESSION 4: Relaxation Skills
Sections
Materials
Time
I. Review Homework
Activity
N/A
10 minutes
II. Relaxation Strategies
Flip chart, markers,
Relaxation
Strategies Cards
15 minutes
III. Role-Play Activity
My Trigger Map
Handout
15 minutes
V. Homework Activity
Homework Handout 5 minutes
NJ PBSIS (2014). NJPBSIS is sponsored by New Jersey Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs in collaboration with The Boggs Center, Rutgers
Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. PBSIS is funded by I.D.E.A., Part B. www.njpbs.org
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PBSIS Social Skill Lesson 4
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SESSION 4: Relaxation Skills
I. Review Homework Activity (10 minutes)
 Purpose: Review assignments and reflect on the content covered during the
last session.

Review each student’s observed or experienced triggers and what happened
after the trigger (specifically the student’s behavior).
II. Relaxation Strategies (15 minutes)
 Purpose: Teach students skills to relax in challenging situations.

Copy and cut up Relaxation Strategy Cards. There are cards for each
relaxation strategy (i.e. counting, deep breathing and muscle relaxation).
Each student should receive a card for each strategy.
 TIP: Laminate cards and hole punch at top left corner. Students will receive
cards for skills/strategies in subsequent sessions. Provide strong or a ring
for students to hold all cards together.

Topic introduction
 We are going to be discussing ways to deal with your trigger situations. The
first one we are going to learn is called relaxation. We are going to learn
how to calm down and allow ourselves to make good choices. Remember,
your triggers and feelings will still exist. We are going to learn how to calm
down when we are upset (angry, embarrassed, sad) so that we can make
better choices when we have these kind of upsetting feelings. We want to
understand what our feelings are and make choices about how to best deal
with them. When you are calm you can make good choices.

All students, regardless of function of behavior, will benefit from
instruction on the 3 relaxation strategies.

Hand out Counting Cards to students.

Counting Strategy:
 When you feel yourself getting upset or feel like you might do something
that could get you in trouble, try to take a short break in your head before
doing anything. Count from 1 to 10 slowly in your head and then make a
choice about what you should do (TIP: have students count 1 Mississippi, 2
Mississippi...to slow the count down). Make sure that you concentrate on
counting and try to get everything else out of your mind. Try to think
NJ PBSIS (2014). NJPBSIS is sponsored by New Jersey Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs in collaboration with The Boggs Center, Rutgers
Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. PBSIS is funded by I.D.E.A., Part B. www.njpbs.org
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PBSIS Social Skill Lesson 4
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about only the numbers. This is a great strategy because you can do it
anywhere, anytime, and it is private.
 Instructor models strategy.
 TIP: Talk out loud the steps (i.e. I’m going count to 10 to calm down; 1, 2,
3; I feel calm now)
 Practice counting as a group. Students can count out loud as a group.
 As a group, brainstorm when they can or cannot use this skill.
 Ask students: Why do you think this skill would be helpful?

Deep Breathing Strategy:
 When you feel yourself becoming upset, use deep breathing to relax. There
are two very important steps to remember. First, take a slow, deep breath
in, so that you bring air all the way down to your stomach. Second, slowly
let the air out, while slowly counting to five in your head.
 Instructor models strategy.
 TIP: Talk out loud the steps (i.e. First, I take a deep breath and bring the
air down to my stomach; Then, I’m going to let the air out, 1 2 3 4 5; I
feel calm now).
 Practice deep breathing as a group. Encourage students to talk out loud
the steps.
 As a group, brainstorm when they can or cannot use this skill.
 Ask students: Why do you think this skill would be helpful?

Muscle Relaxation Strategy:
 Another strategy you can use when you feel upset and your muscles tighten
is muscle relaxation. With muscle relaxation, you are going to make your
muscles loosen. You are going to tighten and then relax different muscle
groups in your body until your entire body feels relaxed (instructor should
demonstrate tightened and relaxed muscles).
 Instructor models strategy.
 TIP: Talk out loud the steps. First, I close my eyes. I let my arms and legs
rest comfortably. I tighten my feet and legs and make them really tight.
I count to 5 – 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Now I let my feet and legs relax for 5
seconds (1, 2, 3, 4, 5). The instructor should work up the body
(stomach, arms/hands, shoulders/neck, face/head, whole body) doing
the same thing.
 Practice deep breathing as a group.
 Now, you are going to try muscle relaxation. I am going to talk you
through the process. Close your eyes. Let your arms and legs rest
comfortably. Starting with your feet and legs, tense your muscles really
tight. Concentrate on how your muscles feel with all the tension in
them. Now we are going to hold this for 5 seconds (Count to 5 slowly).
Now stop tightening your muscles and let them relax. Feel how heavy
NJ PBSIS (2014). NJPBSIS is sponsored by New Jersey Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs in collaboration with The Boggs Center, Rutgers
Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. PBSIS is funded by I.D.E.A., Part B. www.njpbs.org
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PBSIS Social Skill Lesson 4
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they get. Notice the difference between the tense and relaxed feelings
in your muscles. Stay relaxed for 5 seconds (count to 5 slowly).
 Work up the body doing the same thing for the following body parts:
- stomach/upper body
- arms/hands
- shoulders/neck
- face/head
- whole body
 As a group, brainstorm when they can or cannot use this skill.
 Instruct students that this technique is best practiced at night before they
fall asleep.
 Prompt students to think about when they can use this skill during school
(i.e. different times and places it would be appropriate to try this skill,
such as a counselor or nurse’s office, during breaks, etc.). Remind
students that they need permission from their teacher and others (e.g.,
guidance counselor, nurse) to use this skill in set locations.
 Prompt students to think about how they can modify this skill to use in
class. For example, show students how they can sit in a chair and
practice tightening some of their muscle groups (e.g., legs, lower body,
hands) and it would not be obvious to others (remind students that
when using this strategy in class, they would need to keep their eyes
open).
 Ask students: Why do you think this skill would be helpful?
III. Role Play Activity (15 minutes)
 Purpose: To provide students with additional experience using relaxation
strategies.
 Ask students to identify a situation or trigger that makes them upset,
frustrated, overwhelmed, or angry (You can have them refer to their My
Trigger Map).
 Ask for student volunteers to role-play the situation and the use of a
relaxation strategy of their choice. The skill instructor may need to recruit
additional student volunteers to help with the role-play.
 Students may need lots of initial prompting on how to use the relaxation
strategies. Encourage students to verbalize (self-talk) through each step
and to use their cards.
 Be sure to stress to students that using relaxation strategies correctly and
effectively takes LOTS of practice!
IV. Homework Activity and Departure (5 minutes):
 Instruct students to practice skills at home and in school when
possible/needed.
NJ PBSIS (2014). NJPBSIS is sponsored by New Jersey Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs in collaboration with The Boggs Center, Rutgers
Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. PBSIS is funded by I.D.E.A., Part B. www.njpbs.org
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PBSIS Social Skill Lesson 4
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Handout Homework Sheet.
 Option 1: Instruct students that when they are upset and use a skill,
afterwards they should fill out the sheet.
 Option 2: Instruct students that when they are upset and use a skill, they
can draw how they felt before using a calming strategy and then draw how
they felt after
NJ PBSIS (2014). NJPBSIS is sponsored by New Jersey Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs in collaboration with The Boggs Center, Rutgers
Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. PBSIS is funded by I.D.E.A., Part B. www.njpbs.org
5
PBSIS Social Skill Lesson 4
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NJ PBSIS (2014). NJPBSIS is sponsored by New Jersey Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs in collaboration with The Boggs Center, Rutgers
Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. PBSIS is funded by I.D.E.A., Part B. www.njpbs.org
6
PBSIS Social Skill Lesson 4
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NJ PBSIS (2014). NJPBSIS is sponsored by New Jersey Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs in collaboration with The Boggs Center, Rutgers
Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. PBSIS is funded by I.D.E.A., Part B. www.njpbs.org
7
PBSIS Social Skill Lesson 4
8
NJ PBSIS (2014). NJPBSIS is sponsored by New Jersey Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs in collaboration with The Boggs Center, Rutgers
Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. PBSIS is funded by I.D.E.A., Part B. www.njpbs.org
8
PBSIS Social Skill Lesson 4
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Session 4 Homework
Relaxation Strategies (Option 1)
What was your trigger? __________________________________________
How did you feel? _______________________________________________
Circle the strategy used
What strategy did you use to calm yourself down?
Did the strategy work for you?
YES
Counting
Deep Breathing
Muscle Relaxation
Calming Phrase
NO
NJ PBSIS (2014). NJPBSIS is sponsored by New Jersey Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs in collaboration with The Boggs Center, Rutgers
Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. PBSIS is funded by I.D.E.A., Part B. www.njpbs.org
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