We're at Alegian Elementary School
and we're going to be doing the Best Self exercise
with the fifth grade.
My name is George and I'm kind.
Brave. Funny.
Silly.
And we're gonna be focused on their best self
and also describing their anti-self.
(rhythmic music)
Angry.
Okay, we got angry.
Rhodes.
When I'm in my room I'm like
nobody cares at all.
Cares about you. Yeah.
And then we're going to do that same exercise
with the parents and I think they're
going to be really surprised on what they learned.
Denny and Bridget.
Thank you for doing the Best Self exercise.
Well do you have any guesses what her characteristics
of her anti-self would be Denny?
I have this idea of Bridget
like she's really great so enlighten me.
I stomp my feet and go to my room
to scream into my pillow when I'm mad
and I lock myself in the bathroom
and don't eat for hours and hours.
And what does your anti-self look like?
Okay, so the anti-self
did you name her?
A devil.
Wow, when you say you don't eat
for hours and hours, does that mean
that you won't eat?
I got sad and so I didn't eat my dinner.
It always like blows my mind.
This is not the kind of thing
that I usually get to hear from her.
I have more knowledge of who she is
so now I'm ready to help.
Why don't you start, Maria,
with when you're not being your best self
what is it?
I feel sad, angry.
And what did you draw for your anti-self?
I drew a dark cloud.
Can you tell when mom is kind of in her dark cloud?
Yeah.
Your anti-self is your dark cloud
and his, when he's at his best
is a cloud with a rainbow.
What does your mom do for you
that makes you feel like this?
She talks to me in the right way.
She respects me and she would like listen to me.
Let's describe your anti-self.
I get mad at myself and then say negative things
like I say I don't like myself.
What's your anti-self named?
George the negative side.
So George the negative side.
Really small and the quote, the bubble,
says I don't like myself.
Yeah.
What are your thoughts on this?
If he doesn't seem as strong
then he goes sad.
I have to alert myself, see what I'm doing.
Not beat yourself up.
Correct.
Well you need to be loving to yourself
so may your best selves shine through
as we leave here today, all right.
Yes.
Let's do this.
(audience clapping)
Those kids look tiny.
You must look like Herman Munster
when you come in.
He's bigger than I am.
Rhode's mother learned just how much her behavior
was affecting her son.
Take a look at this.
You both did the Best Self exercise.
Should I share my anti-self.
Yes, share your anti-self.
So overwhelmed, negative, undependable,
impatient, my little person was just blah.
And do you see this in your mom?
Yeah.
When this comes out?
A lot of the time.
For instance, yesterday, you were kind of like
that when I was like mom, mom, mom
and then you're like uhhh I can't,
please, just let me think, okay.
Right.
And Rhodes' anti-self, let's see.
Good for nothing, useless,
horrible, evil, hurt.
It's a shadow of who I really am.
It's very helpful because I feel like
it's a clear picture to paint
of how it makes him feel.
So do you think you could express this
when you're feeling the shadow?
Yeah.
That would be awesome
'cause then I know it's coming
and I can stop what I'm gonna do
and I can rethink how I respond to things, you know.
Yeah.
Even just in a short session we got a lot
out of it and now he can say I'm feeling
like I'm going to that shadowy place
and I know exactly what that means
so I think that's really huge.
It was really hard for me to say
how I was feeling so people would understand
when I'm mad but now it's kind of,
it's through this, it's easier.
I thought coach Mike was awesome.
Well thank you guys.
Thank you.
Group hug.
Thank you coach Mike.
I love you.
Love you, too.
(audience clapping)
Wasn't it refreshing how fourthcoming
these children were?
Oh, it was unbelievable.
I just wanna say thank you so much.
I think there's, so grateful you allowed
and encouraged and inspired me to go to these schools.
You're, I'm gonna toot your own horn
even though you didn't ask but you're iconic.
You're the leader in mental health
in a public way for over 17 years
and I just so deeply appreciate what you've done
to raise awareness and also allowing me
to go into schools so I just wanted to applaud
you for--
Well thank you.