Coping Skills
What is a coping skill?
A strategy or behavior someone uses to manage stress, emotions, or difficult situations.
What is a trigger?
A trigger is anything—such as a person, place, situation, thought, or feeling—that reminds someone of past pain, stress, or substance use and causes a strong emotional or physical reaction.
What is relapse prevention?
Relapse prevention is a plan or set of strategies used to help someone stay on track in their recovery by recognizing warning signs and using healthy coping skills before a full relapse happens.
What does it mean to be mindful?
Being mindful means paying attention to the present moment—on purpose, without judgment. It’s about noticing your thoughts, feelings, and surroundings instead of reacting automatically.
What is self-care?
Self-care is any intentional activity that helps you take care of your mental, emotional, or physical health. It’s about doing things that recharge and support your well-being.
Name one healthy coping skill and one unhealthy coping skill.
Healthy: deep breathing, journaling, talking to someone.
Unhealthy: using substances, isolation, self-blame.
Give an example of a common trigger in recovery.
Examples include: seeing old friends who use, being around alcohol, feeling lonely, stressed, or rejected, or visiting places associated with substance use.
What’s one early warning sign that you might be slipping toward relapse?
Examples include: isolating from support, skipping meetings, romanticizing past use, increased stress, irritability, poor sleep, or thinking “one time won’t hurt.”
Name one simple mindfulness exercise.
Deep breathing
Body scan
Counting breaths
Mindful eating
5-4-3-2-1 grounding
Observing sounds around you
Name one daily self-care activity.
Examples: taking a walk, showering, eating a balanced meal, journaling, listening to music, spending time with supportive people, or setting boundaries.
This grounding technique uses your senses to help you stay in the present moment — name it and describe how it works.
The 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique — name 5 things you can see, 4 you can touch, 3 you can hear, 2 you can smell, 1 you can taste.
What are two ways you can respond to a trigger in a healthy way?
Use grounding techniques (deep breathing, mindfulness, sensory awareness), reach out for support, distract yourself with an activity, use positive self-talk, or remove yourself from the triggering situation.
What is the difference between a lapse and a relapse?
A lapse is a brief return to old behavior (like using once) followed by a quick return to recovery.
A relapse is a full return to the previous pattern of use or self-destructive behavior.
How can mindfulness help you in recovery?
It helps you notice cravings or emotions before they take over, reduces stress, improves emotional control, and lets you respond thoughtfully instead of reacting out of habit or impulse.
Why is having a support system important in recovery?
Support systems give you encouragement, accountability, and connection. They remind you that you’re not alone and help you stay grounded when things get hard.
What is the difference between emotion-focused and problem-focused coping?
Emotion-focused coping helps manage how you feel (e.g., relaxation, journaling), while problem-focused coping tackles the situation itself (e.g., making a plan, setting boundaries).
How can identifying your triggers help prevent relapse?
When you know what triggers you, you can prepare ahead of time—either by avoiding certain situations, using coping strategies early, or reaching out for help before the craving or emotional reaction gets stronger.
What are the three stages of relapse?
Emotional Relapse: You’re not thinking about using, but emotions and behaviors (like denial, poor self-care, bottling feelings) are setting the stage.
Mental Relapse: You start thinking about using — craving, remembering the “good times,” or planning it.
Physical Relapse: You actually return to the behavior or substance use.
Describe the difference between reacting and responding.
Reacting is automatic and emotionally driven (acting on impulse).
Responding is mindful—you pause, notice what’s happening, and choose a healthy action that fits your goals and values.
What are three qualities of a supportive person or environment?
Supportive people are nonjudgmental, trustworthy, and encouraging. They listen, respect your boundaries, and celebrate your progress without enabling unhealthy behaviors.
Imagine you’re feeling triggered or overwhelmed — describe how you would use the STOP skill from DBT to respond instead of react.
S – Stop what you’re doing
T – Take a step back and breathe
O – Observe what’s happening inside and around you
P – Proceed mindfully using coping or grounding skills
Describe a time you recognized a trigger early and used a coping skill to handle it — what was the outcome?
(This one is designed as a personal reflection question.)
Encourage participants to share an example like:
“I felt anxious seeing someone I used to drink with, so I called a friend from group and went for a walk instead. The craving passed, and I felt proud I didn’t give in.”
Create a short relapse prevention plan for yourself — include at least two people you can contact and two actions you can take.
(This one is interactive/personal — but here’s an example model answer)
People: My sponsor and my sister.
Actions: Call someone before making a risky choice, go for a walk, attend a meeting, use grounding or mindfulness skills, or review my reasons for recovery.
How can mindfulness help you sit with uncomfortable emotions instead of avoiding or escaping them?
Mindfulness teaches you to observe your emotions instead of judging or running from them. By noticing sensations in your body and naming what you feel (“I’m anxious,” “I’m sad”), you create space between the feeling and your reaction. This helps the emotion pass naturally instead of growing stronger through avoidance or suppression.
Design your ideal self-care day — what activities, people, and settings help you feel restored?
(Personal reflection question — participants can share their version, but here’s an example)
Morning walk and coffee, journaling or meditation, connecting with a friend, reading or creative time, nourishing meals, time in nature, and ending the day with gratitude or relaxation.