BeCool: Losing It! is designed to teach students how to use the cognitive processes of "Imagining Consequences" and "Rational Self-Talk to manage their feelings and behavior, especially angry feelings and destructive behavior related to experiencing disrespect. failure and rejection.
In each of the eight videos, the protagonist is presented with a potentially provocative person or situation that could result in our hero "Losing It." Before doing anything, however, our leading character takes a moment to imagine what losing it would "look" like and how it could lead to doing something stupid, something not in their best interest. Since losing it always leads to doing something stupid, our hero decides it's better to be smart and "Talk Himself Out of It by modeling the use of BeCool (Rational) Self-Talk.
Specifically, The BeCool (Rational) Self-Talk Process is presented as the principal technique to use to stay in control and avoid Losing It!
The BeCool (Rational) Self-Talk Process
- Begin with imagining the consequences of Losing It! How could it lead to doing something stupid, something not in your best interest?
- Instead of Inflating the Problem ... Use The BeCool 1-10 Problem Scale to Put Things in Perspective:
- Instead of Letting Others Pull Your Strings ... Cut the Strings and Control Yourself
- Instead of Focusing on Blaming and Getting Even ... Focus on Fixing the Problem.
Then do something smart: Talk Yourself Out of It:
At the end of each video, a review segment contrasts the dramatic differences between negative and positive self-talk in anger management and coping effectiveness.
The chart below summarizes the components of The Losing It (Irrational) Self-Talk and The BeCool (Rational) Self-Talk Process.
In each of the BeCool: Losing It! video programs, these characteristics of negative (irrational) and positive (rational) self-talk, and the consequences of each are illustrated and analyzed. By the end of the series, your students should be able to recognize when they are thinking in a way that could lead to losing it and make the necessary self-talk corrections. Above all, they'll learn not to turn a problem they can handle into one they can't!