Skills & strategies – part 2

Now you can try the STOP-THINK-GO method to support yourself and others to manage their problems.

STOP: Take a pause and a deep breath, and consider what problems are most urgent. Use the circles of control to identify and choose a problem which you can do something about. You can write the things that you can control in the inner circle, such as how you response to others, how you speak to someone when you are angry or even how you initiate a conversation with someone who you feel upset with. Also write what aspects of the problem are out of your control, such as how others act, someone you love getting sick or the way someone treats you. Now that you have thought about what is within your control and what is out of your control, pick an aspect of the problem that is most urgent that you have control over.

THINK: Think of ways to manage that problem. The following questions may help:

• What have you done in the past to overcome problems like this?
• What have you already tried doing?
• Is there someone who can help with managing this problem (e.g. friends, loved ones or organizations)?
• Do other people you know have similar problems? How have they managed?

GO: Choose a way to manage that problem and try it out. If it doesn’t work, try another solution.

You can practice the STOP-THINK-GO method using the template attached in the download section below. You can make it fun and playful by using any supplies you have around the house and drawing or using colored marker to fill in each step. Remember to share with your family and friends and adapt it to use with the children in your life!