Name It to Tame It - Externalization Activities

Even when a student can name exactly what they feel, it can still feel like they can't do anything to change it. Giving a feeling a name, a face, and a character of its own is one of the most effective ways to help students step back from it and start managing challenging feelings.

This resource gives counselors a ready-to-use illustrated set of CBT externalization activities. Students can create their own or choose from 10 fully illustrated feeling characters covering worry, fear, anger, sadness, overwhelm, negative self-talk, perfectionism, comparison, impulsivity, and relational aggression. Students build their character and identify coping strategies to shrink it.

With this resource, you'll be able to:

• Introduce the research-based externalization technique with illustrated anchor charts that students can see and connect with.
• Guide students through a complete character profile: triggers, warning signs, what it says, what it wants them to do, and how to talk back.
• Help students build self-regulation and separate their identity from their feelings using a simple, research-backed CBT framework.
• Use the resource flexibly: pull individual character pages as needed, use anchor charts for display, or work through the student worksheets in session.

What's Included

Challenges represented: worry, fear, anger, sadness, overwhelm, negative self-talk, perfectionism, comparison, impulsivity, and relational aggression.

10 Character Posters + Cards

One-page character posters and cards for each of the 10 feeling characters, written in narrative format for display or student reference. Each poster covers when the character shows up, warning signs, what it says, what it wants students to do, one talk-back script, and three "send it away" strategies.

• 10 characters: What If Machine, The Dread, Short Fuse, Gloom Cloud, Overwhelm Octopus, Brain Bully, Perfection Police, Not-Enough Whisper, Blaster, Power Magnet
• Full-color illustrated poster for each character
• Concise, student-friendly narrative format

Additional poster featuring all 10 characters.

PDF | Color and black & white included

10 Two-Page Student Worksheets

Structured counseling worksheets for each character that guide students through the externalization activity step-by-step. Students draw their own version of the character and work through each section in session with their counselor.

• Make It Yours: drawing space + intensity scale (Know Its Strength)
• Know Its Triggers: situations that bring the character out.
• Know Its Warning Signs: physical signs + behaviors.
• Know Its Moves: what it says + what it wants you to do
• Talk Back To It: three phrases + space for the student's own.
• Shrink It: Write down ways to make the feeling smaller.
• My Plan: four-part plan.

PDF | Black & white

Counselor Directions

A one-page guide introducing the externalization technique and the 5-step session framework for using this resource.

• Overview of the externalization concept in plain language
• 5-step framework: Introduce & Draw, Build the Profile, Separate the Student from the Character, Figure Out What Shrinks It, Create the Plan
• Key facilitation tip: interview the character, not the student
• Character reference table with all 10 feelings

Create-Your-Own Template

A two-page blank template that students use to design their own character. Follows the same structure as the preset student worksheets, with all fields open for student input.

PDF and Editable Powerpoint | Black and white

Paper Bag Puppet Craft Extension Step-by-step directions for a paper bag puppet version of any feeling character, a hands-on entry point for younger students (grades K-3) or students who engage better through making than writing.

Why You'll Love It

• Pull-apart format. Each character has its own set of pages, so you grab exactly what you need for each student.
• 10 fully illustrated characters, ready to use. Every character comes to life with a custom illustration in both color and black & white.
• Poster, card + student worksheet for every character. Display the anchor chart, and work through the student worksheet in the session. Both pieces are designed to work together or independently.
• Students draw their own version. The worksheets include a drawing space where students create their own version of the character, deepening ownership and personalizing the process.
• Black & white included for everything. Print in color for display and anchor charts; print in black & white for student worksheets to save ink.
• Covers 10 common presenting concerns: worry, fear, anger, sadness, overwhelm, negative self-talk, perfectionism, comparison, impulsivity, and relational aggression.

Perfect For

• Individual counseling sessions where a student can't see that feelings are temporary or strongly identify with their feelings (I'm an angry kid, I'm a worrier).
• Small groups focused on coping skills, emotional regulation, anger, anxiety, or stress management.
• Classroom guidance lessons and counseling activities introduce the idea that feelings are something students can name and manage.
• Counselors looking for a CBT-based approach that feels accessible and concrete for upper elementary students.

Resource Details

• Grade Levels: Ideally 3-6, can be used with 2-8
• Format: PDF + Editable PowerPoint template
• Printing: Full color and black & white options included for all components
• Prep: Print the pages you need
• Session Length: 30 minutes per character; can span multiple sessions
• Group Size: Individual sessions or small groups

You Might Like

Looking for more counseling resources to manage big feelings and challenging thinking? Check out these related resources:

• Negative Thinking Tools - CBT cognitive distortion characters using the same illustrated style; pairs directly with this externalization resource
• Feelings Posters & Worksheets - Beautifully illustrated feelings posters for display in your office or classroom + worksheets for each feeling.

MORE CBT Resources

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