Telka's Tools: Basic Tool Kit Begins Here

You already know what you need to do for your health, nothing on this list is new to you. This list reminds you that feeling better, being better and living better begins with the basics.  

20 steps total on these 2 pages.

 Let's go!

Marsha Linehan's DBT Tool "States of Mind" helps differentiate between emotion mind and reason mind. She argues that wise mind is a blend of both. Telka's version  adds personal values to this concept.  Aligning your thoughts, emotions, actions 

AND  values leads to a wise mind.  

A wise minds leads to a  life lived with dignity, purpose and self-respect. 

Become the role model you have always wished to become.

Have you ever wondered how you can make really bad decisions or say terrible things when you are mad? It's a brain thing. When your fight, flight or freeze response is triggered, your brain is not thinking logically. Learn more about your brain using the 13 signs of high emotional intelligence.

  Emotional health requires resilient coping skills. 

Resilient coping teaches you how to cheer yourself up and calm yourself down. 

The Map to Emotional Health has three steps: Embrace it A.L.L.

1. Acknowledge your emotions and triggers (Mind and Body). 

2. Learn Coping Skills. 

3. Let Go, Release the need to control that which is out of your control.

For a more detailed explanation of the map, click here.

2 page PDF

Fight, Flight, Freeze are automatic brain responses to perceived danger.  To rise above these primitive, automatic responses, your brain must be healthy and calm. 

Use Telka's 4 choices model to compliment each tool on this site.  

Choice allows you to problem solve and cope by aligning your thoughts and actions with your values (wise mind).  3 page PDF  

Use this 4 choices worksheet to think through your stressful situations using wise mind. 

Replace complaining and blaming with problem-solving.

Choose dignity and self-respect. 

Become the best version of you.

Fight, flight and freeze stress reactions in your brain will impair your ability to think logically, apply reason, and to problem solve. Your impaired thinking is called "cognitive distortion".

 Notice each time your mind gets stuck in one of these 11 distorted thoughts. 

Use this new awareness of your distorted thoughts 

as you practice managing your emotions.

Using the cognitive distortion list above, you can make a choice to change (reframe) your distorted thoughts by using this Self-talk Ladder Tool.

Your Choice.

3 page PDF