Coping Skills
What is a coping skill?
An effective and positive way to deal with uncomfortable emotions or situations.
Coping Skills are used to avoid problems in our lives.
FALSE
Coping skills help us work through problems in a healthy way.
What are the outcomes of using healthy coping skills?
We feel better. Problems may be solved.
You might feel this way if you are in a new place meeting new people. You might feel this way before a performance.
Nervous/Anxious
What goes up but never comes down?
Your age
Define "healthy coping skills."
Coping skills that are not harmful to you or others.
Coping skills help you focus on important things in your life.
TRUE
When we cope with problems and our emotions, it helps us think more clearly and handle problems/emotions better.
What happens when you always withdraw from others to cope with your feelings? (Keep your feelings inside)
You could feel alone, sad, depressed...
You might feel this way if someone mistreats you.
Angry/Upset
What gets wetter the more it dries?
A Towel
Define "unhealthy coping skills."
Coping skills that are harmful to you or others, and/or keep you from effectively addressing your needs.
Every coping skill is healthy.
FALSE
Some ways we learn to cope are not healthy (e.g., like fighting or destroying property)
What are some consequences for using unhealthy coping skills?
You can get in trouble, you can feel like everything is crashing down on you, which is overwhelming, you can hurt people and lose friendships, etc.
You might feel this way if you had to sit alone during lunch.
Lonely
What has a face and two hands but no arms or legs?
A clock
Name 4 healthy coping skills you can use here at Open Hearts.
Deep breathing
Talk to staff member
Take a Walk with staff
Draw or Journal
relax in the sensory room
Coping skills are something everyone is born knowing how to do.
FALSE
Coping skills are learned throughout our lives
What are the healthy consequences for using healthy coping skills?
You can feel understood and you can understand others better, you don't hold onto grudges.
You might feel this way if you see other people with something you want but do not have.
Jealous
What is always in front of you but can’t be seen?
The future
Name 3 unhealthy coping skills
destroying property
Physical/Verbally hurting others
Avoiding an issue
Unhealthy coping skills are still coping skills.
True
There are both healthy and unhealthy coping skills; the key is to knowing which are which, and using healthy ones.
How do you avoid using unhealthy coping skills?
Distract yourself from the urge, talk to someone, remove yourself from the situation, or take a break
You might this way when you are surprised with a trip to your favorite vacation spot, restaurant, movie theater.
Excited
What is the end of everything?
The letter "g"