Coping Skills
Avoiding doing the things that make me feel nervous.
Is this a helpful or unhelpful coping strategy?
Unhelpful
I'm feeling nervous about leaving the house for an appointment tomorrow. What can I do?
Write down or voice record how I am feeling
Talk to mum
Remind myself that I have done this before and that mum wouldn't take me anywhere that wasn't safe
It's okay to feel angry, sad, nervous, worried, etc. What is important is how we manage these feelings.
True
Your stomach is going round and round and you don't feel good after mum has said that you are going somewhere tomorrow. You are feeling?
Nervous, anxious, worried, concerned
Yelling, screaming and fighting are productive ways to deal with our feelings?
Nope, these are unproductive ways to deal with our feelings and don't help us manage them well
I want to try a new food but I am feeling nervous. I can...
Make sure I have a food that I am comfortable with near by so I can eat it after trying the new food
We can ask for help if we are having a hard time coping or managing our feelings?
Absolutely!
You get to hang out with some friends today and you've been looking forward to it all week. How are you feeling?
Happy, excited, nervous?
I am feeling nervous about going somewhere. I decide to avoid going.
This will help me feel better in the short term but not in the long term
In a session your therapist is asking you about things you are not ready to talk about yet. What can you do?
Use my code word
It might take some time to work towards our goals but that's okay and it doesn't mean we aren't progressing?
True
You want to try new foods but you're worried about doing so. How do you feel?
Nervous, conflicted, stuck
You have a thousand thoughts running through your head and they just wont go away. You can...
Write them down on a piece of paper
Talk to someone about them
Because I find something difficult now it means that it will always be difficult for me
False
You're at home and you start to feel nervous. What can you do?
Hang out with my pet
Get into comfy clothes/my favorite blanket
Go for a walk in the backyard