Building Health Skills

How do you do it?

Health Skills

Health Skills, or Life skills, are specific tools and strategies that help you maintain, protect and improve all aspects of your life.

Activity: In your groups, create a list of all the health skills you can think of. Brainstorm with your group and think about what skills are necessary to maintain, protect and improve ALL aspects of your life…

Interpersonal SkillsInterpersonal Communication, or the exchange of thoughts, feelings, and beliefs between two or more people, is a vital health skill.

Effective CommunicationWas that an example of effective communication?

What did you observe that was ineffective?

How could that conversation been classified as effective communication?

What skills do you think are necessary to achieve effective communication?

Effective Communication

Use “I” messages to state your position. This helps to avoid placing blame.

Use a respectful tone. Be mindful of facial expressions and gestures.

Avoid interrupting the speaker. Show that you are listening by asking questions and nodding.

Do you do this with your friends? Teachers? Parents?

And most importantly, be honest!

CommunicationActivity: Work with one or two people in your group. Each pair or 3 should have a “sharing concern” skill card and a “resolving conflict” skill card. Discuss the differences of the cards with your partner. Use the 2 situations I will read (p.29 Glencoe Hardback) to fill out the appropriate skill card to the situation focusing on using “Good” communication skills.

Any volunteers care to share?

Refusal skillsRefusal Skills are communication strategies that can help you say no when you are urged to take part in behaviors that are unsafe or unhealthful, or that go against your values.

Can I have a volunteer Help me act out a scenario?

Alcohol, drugs, smoking, Property damage, or stealing…you pick.

Refusal SkillsSay “NO” in a firm voice

Explain why. Tell them it goes against your values.

Suggest something else.

Use appropriate body language. Look them in the eye.

Leave if necessary.

Did our volunteer do this?

So you now know how to manage others with

communication and refusal skills, but what

about managing myself???

Personal SkillsPracticing Self-Management. Making good choices today will benefit you later in life. Exercising, eating well, maintaining relationships, building self-esteem.

Activity: Imagine I am a genie. I have the ability to grant you 3 wishes. You have exactly 1 minute to write down 3 wishes (can’t wish for more wishes).

What did you wish for?

Why?

Self ManagementRead the “Letter from a Doctor” to the class. Imagine this letter is addressed to you…

Take a good look at the 3 wishes you wrote down. Does this news change your 3 wishes at all?

If you want to change anything based on the news you received, do it now.

Does anyone want to share what they changed?

Self Management-If this news you received were true, are you happy

with your healthful behaviors? -Would you change any behaviors in your life? -Did the 3 wishes activity make you think about things any differently?

Stress Management

Stress!What is stress? Based on what you just watched, get into your groups and write a definition of stress.

Stress• All stress is a response to a stressor, or a

physical or psychological demand that requires a person to adapt to a situation.

• Balloon Activity: Take out a piece of paper and draw a circle. Inside of the circle, write all of the stressors in your life.

StressThe air in the balloon is equal to the stress in your life.

Did the balloon pop? Could it?

What might happen to a person’s wellness if stress goes unmanaged?

What strategies are effective in managing stress? (1 effective strategy equals a puff out of the balloon)

Stress TestTake a copy of the “Stress Test” and pick the two biggest stressors in your life. Answer the questions.

Get with a partner and share what you wrote. Make suggestions or comments on your partner’s strategies to manage the stress.

High Level Stressors• Death of a parent• Divorce of parents• Break-ups• Getting a job• Money Trouble• Failing at school• Parent losing job• Loss of a pet• Moving• Illness

Low Level Stressors• Vacation• Christmas or other holidays• Change in eating habits• Change in sleeping habits• Traffic ticket• Change in personal appearance• Ending of school

Physical Effects of StressWhat can stress do to the body?

Rapid, shallow breathingPounding of the heartIncreased blood pressureSweatingDizzinessSleeplessnessLoss of AppetiteWeight loss/Weight gainSubstance abuse

Psychological Effects of Stress

• Anxiety• Depression• Impulsive behavior• Low self-esteem• Avoiding activities• Inability to concentrate• Loss of energy• Loss of joy

Stress/Self Management

Keeping balance in your life by practicing stress management and self-management will help overall wellness…