Coping Skills
How can listening to music be used as a coping skill?
Listening to music can be relaxing and can help take your mind off of stressors.
Crying is a normal way to respond to strong emotions.
True.
You are smiling
Happy
Tell me about a time you felt happy.
Who was there with you?
Is it okay to feel angry?
Yes!
But it is not okay to hurt ourselves, hurt other people, or destroy things.
How can talking to someone be used as a coping skill?
Talking to someone about your problems allows you to express your emotions and feelings and get everything out rather than bottling it up.
You can have more than one feeling at a time.
True.
Your fists are clenched, your face is red, your body is hot.
Anger
Tell me about a time that you were very angry.
How did you calm down?
What is an anger trigger? Name 3 of your anger triggers.
Certain situations, people, topics, things that make you angry.
How can helping another person be used as a coping skill?
Helping others can improve our mood and make us feel good about ourselves.
Ignoring your feelings will make them go away.
False.
You are slumped in your chair and you can't keep your eyes open.
Tired
Tell me about a time you felt very sad.
What helped make you feel better?
Share a time when you handled your anger in a positive way. Share a time when you handled your anger in a negative way.
Which felt better? Which had better results?
What do good coping skills do?
Identify 3 good coping skills.
Good coping skills help make you feel better without hurting yourself or others. It does not get you into trouble later.
Examples: positive self-talk, deep breathing, exercise/go for a walk, art/do something creative, listen to music, spend time with friends or family, take a break, count to 10.
Other people can make me feel a certain way.
False.
Our feelings come from our thoughts, so others do not have the power to make us feel bad unless we allow them too.
You don't understand the question, so you are staring at the teacher with scrunched eyebrows.
Confused
Tell me about a time you were scared.
What helped you feel better?
What are 3 things you can say to help calm yourself down (positive self-talk)
Just let it go, it's not a big deal, this won't last forever, think about what the consequences will be, I don't want to do/say something I'll regret later, I'm not going to let this person/thing get to me, is this worth getting in trouble for?
What do bad coping skills do?
Identify 3 bad coping skills.
Bad coping skills might make you feel good when you use them but they end up hurting yourself or others. It can be harmful and can get you into trouble.
Examples: being violent, spreading rumors, hurting yourself, yelling/screaming, shutting down and refusing to talk, blaming others, pretending like you don't care, negative self-talk.
There are good and bad feelings.
False.
Feelings are not good or bad/right or wrong, they are just feelings. You have a choice in how you express them, which can result in positive or negative consequences.
You are crying, you have a frown, you are staying quiet and you don't want to be around anybody.
Sad
Tell me about a time you were excited.
Did you enjoy that feeling?
List 2 physical (in your body), 2 cognitive (thoughts) and 2 emotional signs of anger.
Physical: headache, rapid heart beat, breathing fast, stomachache, sweating, feeling hot, dizziness, shaking/trembling.
Cognitive: any thoughts that occur in response to a stressor - what we say to ourselves (thinking something is criticism, rude, demanding, humiliating, controlling).
Emotional: sad, lonely, hurt, abandoned, jealous, guilty, humiliated, confused, rejected, tired, bored, neglected, overwhelmed