Write down the most common intrusive thought that keeps you up at night, but don’t include your name. Then choose a table leader to read each thought aloud and take turns guessing the author.
How old were you when you learned about death? What was your initial reaction?
How do you viscerally experience the feeling of shame in your body—as a wave of heat? As a tingling cold sweat? As a ringing sensation in your ears followed by utter blankness? Share with your elbow partner.
Share the longest period of time you’ve ever wept. Then, as a group, seat yourselves in order from shortest cry to longest cry.
Think of a beloved childhood possession that you lost, and tell your group the story of how you lost it. Did it float off in the ocean? Did a stepparent throw it away, claiming you were too old for such babyish things? Did a distracted caregiver run it over with their car? Choose the saddest story in your small group and be ready to reenact it for the whole group.
When you experience gastrointestinal issues, do you prefer throwing up or shitting as a means of relief? Find a buddy who shares your point of view.
Pull out your phones and take a few minutes to research the core beliefs of your childhood place of worship. Find the wildest claim within this theology and share it with the group, along with how you see this having shaped or stunted your early development.
Help yourself to some M&M’s. Now, for each M&M you took, tell us about a physical flaw you relentlessly obsess over.
Name a place you’d love to travel to but feel pretty sure you’ll never have the chance to visit. Who or what do you think will keep you from getting there?
As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? When did you first realize that you would not achieve this dream?