This document presents various acronyms related to mental health recovery. It reviews acronyms for concepts like managing emotions (FEAR, HALT, FINE), staying purpose-driven vs ego-driven (EGO, PURPOSE), handling urges (URGE, THINK), mindfulness (RAID, SCAN), distress tolerance (ACCEPTS, IMPROVE), sleep (SHADES), relaxation (RELAX), self-esteem (SELF), relationships (FAVOR), and communication (LOUD). The acronyms can be used in group settings or homework to increase awareness of skills, trigger their use, and reduce stress through exploring the meaning behind each concept and how clients apply them.

1. Acronyms for Mental
Health Recovery
Instructor: Dr. Dawn-Elise Snipes
Executive Director: AllCEUs Counselor Continuing Education
Podcast Host: Counselor Toolbox and Happiness Isn’t Brain Surgery

2. Objectives
 Review some quick tips and tools to help people
better manage their emotions
 Explore why each concept is necessary in recovery
 Identify ways to use each acronym to form the
foundation for a group (or homework)

3. Fear
FEAR
 False
 Expectations
 Appearing
 Real
FEAR
 Face
 Everything
 And
 Recover
 Emotional vs. Factual
Reasoning
 Facts for and against

4. Halt
HALT
 Hungry
 Angry
 Lonely
 Tired
HALT
 Honesty (Mindfulness)
 Acceptance
 Loving (Compassion)
 Tolerance

5. FINE
FINE
 Freaked out
 Insecure
 Neurotic
 Empty
FINE
 Faithful
 Involved
 Nimble
 Experienced

6. Ego-Driven vs. Purpose Driven
EGO
 Edging
 God (Good Orderly
Direction)
 Out
PURPOSE
 Present-Focus
 Understand what you need
 Review your goals
 Purposeful action (choose)
 Observe the effects
 Seek support
 Evaluate

7. Handling Urges
URGE
 Unpleasant
 Reactive
 Gravitate
 Extreme
THINK
 Thoughtful
 Honest
 Intelligent
 Necessary
 Kind

8. Mindfulness: RAID & SCAN
 Recognize
 Allow/Accept
 Investigate
 Decide how to improve
the next moment
 Survey
 Compassion
 Awareness
 Needs

9. Distress Tolerance: ACCEPTS
 Activities
 Contributing
 Comparisons
 Emotions (Opposite)
 Pushing Away
 Thoughts (Happy)
 Sensations

10. Distress Tolerance: IMPROVE
 Imagery
 Meaning
 Prayer
 Relaxation
 One thing at a time
 Vacation
 Encouragement

11. Sleep: SHADES
 Sleep routine
 Hydration
 Alcohol & Antihistamines (eliminate)
 Darkness
 Ergonomics
 Stimulants (eliminate)

12. Relaxation: RELAX
 Recreate
 Exercise
 Laugh
 Attitude adjustment
 eXplore new hobbies, interests and places

13. Self-Esteem: SELF
 Strengths
 Encouragement
 Love
 Friendship

14. Relationships: FAVOR
 Fair
 Aware of each person’s perspectives and needs
 Validate
 Opportunity (Compromise)
 Respect

15. Communication: LOUD
 Listen
 Observe
 Understand
 Describe

16. Summary
 Each of these acronyms can be used to increase
awareness, trigger the use of new skills and
reduce stress
 To use these in group
 Choose an acronym
 Explore why that concept is important in recovery
 Have clients identify how they operationalize or define
each term
 Create an infographic for each