The Behavior Iceberg (For Parents and Caregivers)
The Behavior Iceberg is a simple concept designed to help parents and caregivers understand common internal experiences that can contribute to a child’s behaviors. The visual of an iceberg helps to represent that an adult can easily see the child’s behaviors (often the one’s bringing the child to therapy) but that underneath the surface is the child’s thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and experiences that drive the behavior.
I Feel Statements (For children, teens, parents, and adults)
One of the most common strategies that can support children, teens, parents, and adults in their relationships is the practice of I feel statements. The I feel statement’s worksheets listed here all provide education on you statements vs I statements, include examples of what reframing a you statement into an I statement looks like, and offers a brief practice session for reframing you statements into I statements. There are currently 3 versions of this sheet posted with descriptions below listed in order. Check back later for an adult relationship specific version coming soon!
Check the title to the left of the download button to ensure you are downloading the version you need.
I feel statements for youth ages 5-12 includes examples that are more socially relevant to children ages 5-12. This also includes an optional 2nd page of you statement examples that you can print off and cut up into a set of practice flashcards for use with children. The flashcards would go great when incorporated into a board game/card game or another therapy activity in session where the child is asked to practice reframing the you statement into an I feel statement.
I feel statements for tweens and teens includes examples that are more socially relevant for teens ages 12 and up.
I feel statements for parents includes examples that are socially relevant for parents and include ways to communicate concerns and feelings with I feel statement while sometimes providing a reminder about a limit they are trying to express to their child.