Power to Prevent - National Diabetes Education Program - National ...

Say: “This handout provides more tips about coping with negative feelings. Let’s try an activity for staying
positive by talking back to negative thoughts. I’d like one of you to read a negative thought from the
left column of the handout. Then, someone else can read a positive thought from the right column in
response.”
Ask for volunteers, and let the group work through several negative and positive thoughts. Then
ask if participants are willing to share negative thoughts that they have had themselves while trying
to change their lifestyles and behaviors. For each negative thought expressed, ask other group
members to state a positive thought. Have the person who volunteered the negative thought repeat
the positive thought. Have the group applaud the person who changed from a negative to a positive
thought. Here is an example:
Jane (negative thought): “I can’t stop eating candy every day.”
Program leader: “Can anyone help Jane come up with a more positive thought?”
Sarah (positive thought): “I’ll choose to eat something healthful, rather than candy, just for
today.”
Program leader: “Jane, how about repeating that positive thought?”
Jane (positive thought): “I’ll choose to eat something healthy, rather than candy, just for today.”
Program leader: “Let’s all give Jane a hand for that positive thought!”
Group members: Applause.
Say: “On the second page of your handout, Talk Back to Negative Thoughts, there’s a worksheet to help you
change negative thoughts into positive thoughts. Use the worksheet this month and see how you do.”
Handouts to Take Home
Distribute copies of Appendix Z and AA as handouts to take home to read
OPTIONAL: Hand out copies of the NDEP publications Dealing with the Ups and Downs of
Diabetes and Tips for Helping a Person with Diabetes for participants to read at home or to share
with their family and friends.
Activity
Take a 5- to 0-minute break for physical activity (e.g., walk around the building, down
the hall and back, or in a circle in the room). Try to move to music, if available.
Review of Discussion Points
Say:“Today we learned about three main topics: recognizing negative feelings and stress; coping with
feelings and stress in a positive way, especially by involving others; and changing negative thoughts
into positive thoughts. Let’s take something that we learned and make a pledge about food or activity
that we can keep during the coming month.”
NDEP Power to Prevent Session 5