Coping Skills

Breathing Techniques

100

Box Breathing 

4x4x4

100

Ocean Breathing 

Visualize a wave - breath in with the wave and breath out with the wave

100

Diaphragmatic breathing — "belly breathing"

• Find a comfortable position: Lie flat on your back with your knees bent, or sit upright in a supportive chair.
• Place your hands: Put one hand on your upper chest and the other on your belly.
• Inhale deeply: Breathe in slowly through your nose. The hand on your stomach should rise, while the hand on your chest should remain as still as possible.
• Exhale slowly: Tighten your stomach muscles and breathe out slowly through pursed lips.

100

4-7-8

Empty your lungs completely. Inhale quietly through your nose for a count of 4, hold your breath for a count of 7, and exhale completely through your mouth making a "whoosh" sound for a count of 8. Repeat for four full cycles

100

Five finger breathing

Trace along your hand and take a deep breath as you trace up your finger and a breath out as you trace down. 

Cognitive Reframing

100

Shift perspective

Consider how someone else may talk to you, or if you would speak the same way to someone else as you do yourself. 

100

Identify feelings

When having an intense emotion, before doing anything stop and determine what you are feeling. Label what feeling you are experiencing. 

100

Positive Self Talk

Say three positive things to yourself. 

100

Decatastrophizing 

Rather than thinking of the "worst case scenario", what are some other reasonable outcomes for the situation? 

100

Rewording

After identifying a negative thought, change the wording or perspective to something positive and supportive. 

TIPP

100

Temperature

Endure a change in temperature (a splash of cold water, a warm mug, or step outside). 

100

Movement

Move you body through light stretching or walking.

100

Paced Breathing 

Recognize and decrease the pace of your breathing. 

100

Paired Muscle Relaxation

Tense then relax each muscle group one at a time. 

Mindfulness

100

Look for the rainbow

Looking around your environment find one thing from each color in the rainbow.

100

Cognitive counting

Count to your favorite number, then count backwards. 

100

Mind-body connection

Starting with your head and going to your toes, acknowledge each part of your body and how it is feeling.

100

Mindful listening

Listen to the sounds around you. Name each different sound that you hear. 

100

Meditation

Use a guided meditation on Youtube

Self-Soothing

100

Touch

Using a heat or cold (heating pad, ice pack, cold or warm shower) 

100

Smell

Light your favorite candle or cook your favorite meal. 

100

See

Create an album on your phone of all the pictures that bring you peace. 

100

Taste

Eat a comfort food.

100

Hear

Create a playlist of songs that reconnect you.