The document discusses ways to address emotional triggers. It recommends primary prevention by identifying risk factors and enhancing protective factors like social support, self-efficacy, and physical health. Secondary prevention involves distress tolerance skills and mindfulness exercises to help people pause when upset and evaluate their thoughts, feelings, and response options. The overall goal is to help people enhance well-being and develop coping strategies to constructively manage emotional triggers.

1. Addressing Emotional
Triggers
Dr. Dawn-Elise Snipes
Executive Director, AllCEUs Counselor Education
Host: Counselor Toolbox Podcast
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2. Objectives
 Review common needs
 Identify ways to prevent and mitigate emotional
upset
 This presentation focuses more on the hows than
the whats.
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3. Emotional Triggers
 Emotional triggers are things that cause you to
react with anger (fight) or fear (flee/freeze) or
f*** it (depression)
 Common emotional needs:
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 Acceptance
(Rejection)
 Predictability
(Unknown)
 Control
(Powerlessness)
 Success (Failure)
 Attention (E)
 Space (I)
 Consistency (J)
 Order (J)
 Variety (P)
 Flexibility (P)
 Sights
 Sounds
 Smells
 Safety (Maslow)
 Other…?

4. Primary Prevention
 Primary prevention identifies modifiable risk and
protective factors
 Ex. Washing your hands
 Helps people deal with life on life’s terms and
minimizes vulnerabilities
When people are healthy, safe, loved, supported and
have a sense of self-efficacy then things that might
otherwise seem overwhelming may feel more
manageable.
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5. Primary Prevention
 Interventions
 During the assessment, identify:
Areas of life that are going well (Hardiness)
Strengths (Enhance)
Risk factors/Triggers (Minimize)
 Emotional
 Mental
 Physical
 Environmental (People, pictures, sounds, smells)
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6. Primary Prevention
 Protective Factors
 Self Efficacy
Enhanced by developing an early intervention plan during
the assessment (What are 3 things you can address this
week…)
Small successes increase self efficacy
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7. Primary Prevention
 Protective Factors
 Physical Health (Handouts)
Sleep: Why it’s important and sleep routine worksheet
Nutrition: Why it’s important and food diary (online)
Pain: Why it is important, ergonomics, suggestions for
non-drug pain management
General Health (diabetes, thyroid, heart, autoimmune):
Why they are important and how they can impact mood
and distress tolerance
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8. Primary Prevention
 Protective Factors cont…
 Social Support
List 3 supportive people—How can you nurture these
relationships?
List 3 people who can be destructive—In what way are they
destructive and how can you deal with them in the short
term?
 Assertiveness Skills
 Economic Security
 Work Satisfaction
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9. Primary Prevention
 Protective Factors cont…
 Emotionally and Physically Safe Environment
What is stressful in your current environment? How can
you address that? (Media, people, sounds, sights etc.)
What could you do to make your space more relaxing and
trigger happy memories and feelings?
 Pictures
 Colors
 Aromatherapy
 Organization
 White noise
 Curtains/blinds
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10. Primary Prevention
 Protective Factors cont…
 Psychological Flexibility
 What does a rich and meaningful life look like to me?
 What things can I do to start working toward that?
 What things do I need to stop doing to start working toward that?
 What thoughts can I have that will help me have the courage,
strength, contentment and motivation to turn off autopilot and
start making conscious choices?
 (Hint: Efficacy, empowerment, compassion, acceptance,
tolerance, willingness, patience…)
 Key question: Are my current thoughts and behaviors getting me
closer to or further away from what is important to me?
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11. Primary Prevention
 Protective Factors cont…
 Self Esteem (Worksheet to be processed)
How would your best friend describe you?
How would your child describe you?
How would you describe yourself?
Describe the person you want to be.
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12. Secondary Prevention
 Early Intervention
 Prevents it from getting worse
 Once someone is triggered, what can they do?
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13. Secondary Prevention
 Interventions
 Distress Tolerance
I’m upset and feeling out of control. What do I need to
do? (Stop and get into your wise/thinking/acting mind.)
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Activities
Comparisons
Contribute
Emotions
Push away
Thoughts
Sensations
Imagery
Meaning
Prayer
Relaxation
One at a time
Vacation
Encouragement

14. Secondary Prevention
 Interventions
 Mindfulness Part 1
What are the FACTS of the situation?
What am I thinking?
What am I feeling emotionally?
What are my urges?
How do I feel physically?
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15. Secondary Prevention
 Interventions
 Mindfulness Part 2
 Am I using emotional reasoning? (Do the facts support my
feelings?)
 Am I confusing high and low probability events?
 What response choices do I have right now that will help me
use my energy constructively?
 How could I embrace the bad with the good or change my
perspective?
 Rejection (relationship problems or ends)
 The unknown (health problems)
 Loss of control (politics)
 Failure (quit a job)
 What could I have noticed earlier prevent this upset?
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16. Secondary Prevention
 Interventions
 Coping and Problem Solving Skills
In the past when this has happened, how have I…
When this is NOT happening, what is different?
What parts of this situation are in my control?
Who can I call to get support?
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17. Summary
 Addressing emotional triggers involves helping
people
 Enhance their happiness, sense of connection/support,
efficacy
 Understand and heal their body to support their mood
 Improve their environment
 Learn to practice the pause with distress tolerance
skills
 Develop mindful awareness of their thoughts, feelings
and urges and their rich and meaningful life.
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