Coping Skills for Stress and Anxiety - Silent Counting
Silent counting is a breathe and stretch tool that can be used to distract you from worries in your brain. Fear can send a alarm to your body and tell you all the things that can go wrong. By focusing on the numbers while breathing, the chatter in your mind settles and you feel more peaceful.
This breath work can be used before a test or difficult conversation.
To practice this tool, sit or stand tall.
Align your shoulders over your hips. Lengthen the back of your neck.
Close your eyes or gently gaze down your nose. Become aware of how you are breathing.
Now start to silently count the breath. Breathe in and say in your head, “one.” Breathe out and silently say, “one.” Breathe in and say, “two.” Breathe out, “two.” Continue counting until you reach ten. If you lose count, simply start over.
Once you hit ten, silently count backwards in your head until you reach one.
Use silent counting before Powerful You Lessons. Mindful Maria (K-1), Quieting Quin (Grades 2-6), or Quieting Quincy (Teens) to help students recognize the power of silence.
Powerful You Primary (Kindergarten–Grade 1) is a colorful, hand-illustrated social-emotional learning resource designed to help young children find guidance, encouragement, and support for challenges they may experience at school or at home. Created from more than 30 years of educational experience, this engaging tool brings comfort, confidence, and joy to early learners.
Available as a book or laminated role-play card set, Powerful You Primary gives educators, counselors, and families flexible ways to teach essential life skills in fun and meaningful ways. Each lesson uses storytelling to capture attention and strengthen learning through role-playing, movement, thinking maps, games, and positive self-talk.
Children meet the 26 A–Z Powerful You Kids, memorable characters who model positive behaviors and healthy choices. For example, G – Goodsport Grady teaches teamwork and pitching in. Other lessons focus on honesty, independence, self-esteem, responsibility, taking turns, waiting to speak, ignoring distractions, and more.
Lessons align with ASCA National Standards developed by American School Counselor Association, making this a valuable resource for classroom guidance, school counseling lessons, small groups, and home support. Powerful You Primary helps transform classrooms and home environments by teaching social skills proactively and addressing concerns such as bullying at the core.
Companion Classroom Social Skill Signs that match every A–Z lesson are also available separately to reinforce learning visually throughout the day.
Created by an educator who has supported children for over 30 years, Powerful You Primary helps children build skills in:
Problem-solving
Teamwork
Listening
Self-confidence
Friendship skills
Emotional awareness
Respect
Responsibility
Powerful You is a grab-and-go counseling resource designed to make group and classroom counseling simple, meaningful, and effective. Packed with 26 short, easy-to-use themed lessons, this book helps counselors, educators, and support staff guide students through important life topics with confidence and care.
Each lesson begins with a true story that reflects real challenges children face, followed by engaging turn-and-talk prompts that encourage student reflection, discussion, and connection. Inspiring quotes, hands-on activities, and practical tips are also included for optional lesson extensions.
Created by a school counselor with more than 35 years of experience listening to and supporting children, these lessons align with ASCA National Standards and explore sensitive school and home issues through a child’s perspective. Powerful You gives adults ready-to-use tools to build emotional awareness, resilience, communication skills, and confidence in students.
To bring each lesson to life, companion Powerful You laminated role-playing cards and colorful classroom signs are also available separately. These engaging tools correspond with every lesson and provide an interactive way for students to practice skills, deepen understanding, and reinforce key concepts.
Self-Built Teens is an easy-to-use workbook for counselors, parents, educators, or anyone working with youth. Each life lesson includes a short story with reflective turn-and-talk prompts designed to open communication and build meaningful connections. Every A–Z lesson also includes free movement videos and printable signs available when you sign up here: Self-Built Teens Bonus Lessons
Mindful chair stretches are woven throughout the book to encourage movement, release tension, and re-energize learning. This organized toolkit is filled with engaging activities that inspire growth, create positive shifts, and ignite momentum toward incredible possibilities.
As a district school counselor, Julie Frizzi spent hours listening to teens’ ideas about how to boost connection in schools. These students consistently asked for short movement breaks, reflection time with classmates, and fun icebreaker activities. Self-Built Teens was created with these elements to help build relationships, increase self-awareness, strengthen problem-solving skills, and develop self-management tools.
Find more social-emotional books and resources from Powerful You at Powerful You Website