Parent and Child Psychological Services of Sarasota
  • Home
  • About Our Team
  • General Therapy Info
  • Anxiety
  • Behavior Problems/PCIT
  • OCD, PANS/PANDAS & BFRBs
  • Selective Mutism
  • Trauma
  • Testing
  • Resources & Events
  • FAQs
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Notice of Privacy Practices
  • No Surprise Act
  • Employment/Training Opportunities
Parent and Child Psychological Services PLLC 
941.357.4090 (Office)/ 727.304.3619 (Fax)
​Instagram: @childtherapysrq

Tools for Your Toolbelt: Coping Strategies By Tara Motzenbecker, MS, NCSP

4/27/2021

1 Comment

 
Picture
Everyone has stress, worries, fears, and sadness.  As I tell my clients, it’s normal and good to have all of these feelings.  These feelings only become a problem when they start impacting one’s ability to function or to enjoy life. For the times when the feelings start interfering with life, it’s incredibly important to have a toolbelt full of tools, otherwise known as coping strategies.  

Here are some easy tools to try out for your belt:

  1. Deep breathing: You can make it fun by imagining smelling your favorite cookies fresh out of the oven (breathe the smell in through your nose) and imagine blowing on those cookies to cool them off (breathe out through your mouth until all the air is exhaled). 
  2. Talk to yourself like you would talk a friend: If a friend just got a bad grade, would you tell them that they are dumb and will probably fail the entire class?  No, but we often tell ourselves these things.  Imagine what you would say to a friend in that situation and try saying it to yourself.  
  3. Have a good cry.  My clients all know not to call it a “breakdown”.  Humans cry.  It’s what we do.  A good cry can be a great release.  There is nothing broken about it and sometimes it is incredibly freeing to let it all out.  
  4. Tear paper. Smash cardboard boxes. Stomp on air pillows.  
  5. Drink a glass of water.  This actually tricks the brain into thinking things are okay.  
  6. EXERCISE.  EXERCISE. EXERCISE.  Even a brisk walk for 20 minutes gets the happy hormones flowing.  Do 100 jumping jacks. Anything that gets your body moving and your heart rate up.  
  7. Be creative: Draw, write, create art.
  8. Engage in gratitude: When you’re feeling low, find three things to be thankful for, in that very moment. The items can be as big as the sunshine or as small as being grateful that you have a box of the soft tissues in the house. 
  9. Counting: This engages both sides of your brain and calms it. Make it semi-challenging, but not stressful.  Count to 99 by 3’s. Count how many items of each color of the rainbow you can find around you.  Count how many steps it is to walk the perimeter of your house. 
  10. EXERCISE. EXERCISE. EXERCISE.  Yes, do it again.  

Challenge yourself to pick one or two to try for at least one week.  Whenever those strong feelings arise in the week, try your pick and see if it’s a good one to keep in your belt. 

​

1 Comment
kodi.software link
3/14/2022 06:23:41 am

s for sharing the article, and more importantly, your personal experie sdcnce dxc mindfully using our emotions as data about our inner state and knowing when it’s better to de-escalate by taking a time out are great tools. Appreciate you reading and sharing your story since I can certainly relate and I think others can to

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Parent and Child Psychological Services is a private practice serving children and families in the Sarasota, Florida area. The practice is owned and operated by Dr. Gibson, a Licensed Psychologist who is Board Certified in Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology. ​

    Archives

    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    August 2014
    July 2014
    May 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Parent and Child Psychological Services PLLC 
info@childtherapysrq.com
941.357.4090 (Office)
727.304.3619 (Fax)                                                                                                                                                               
4071 Bee Ridge Road, Suite 204                                                                                                              
Sarasota, FL 34233                                                                                                                                   
Proudly powered by Weebly