Simple Coping Strategies from 5 Baltimore Area Counselors
If you’re looking for different coping strategies to add to your tool box, we’ve got options you can try. Read below for 5 quick and easy coping strategies offered by our counselors. You can try them all out, or simply make use of the ones that resonate with you the most. Here it goes!
5 Minute Journal Sprint*
Melissa Wesner, LCPC, LifeSpring Therapist
Many people report not having time for additional self-care activities. With this specific journaling exercise, 5 minutes is all you need. Find a quiet place where you can write, and set the timer on your phone. Start writing as much as you can as fast as you can. It doesn’t matter if the first line of your journal entry starts with, “I don’t know what to write about…” Just keep going. This exercise can be used when you don’t have a lot of time but need a quick outlet to release the thoughts or feelings that you are experiencing. It can be used to quickly process a specific emotion that you are experiencing. When we write things on paper, it forces us to slow down our thoughts, so we can see them all the way through. In doing so, we can gain greater insight and understanding.
Use this particular coping strategy when you want to reflect on a particular topic or emotion such as stress, anxiety, or depression.
*Originated from The Way of the Journal: A Journal Therapy Workbook for Healing
Mindful Exploring
Alice Zhao, LCPC, LifeSpring Therapist
Sometimes we just need to take a break and get away. Walk or drive to a scenic location in nature and use your 5 senses to take in the experience. Notice how your body feels when you are in this new environment and when you use your 5 senses to take it all in.
Use this coping strategy when you are feeling stressed, anxious, bored, or overwhelmed.
The “Be Your Own Best Friend” Technique
Sara Secada-Lovio, LCPC, LifeSpring Therapist
Sometimes it is easy to get overrun and distracted by the thoughts running inside our minds and even believe that they are true. The "Be Your Own Best Friend" technique is something that helps you pause and make sure you are being kind and loving to yourself when your thoughts may not. It works exactly as it sounds: have a dialogue with yourself and let the "best friend" side of yourself respond to those troublesome thoughts. This technique can be used in many situations, such as when we feel overwhelmed about something or even when we judge ourselves. Anecdotally, we tend to be hard on ourselves, yet find it much easier to be kind to others, so this is a chance to direct some of that compassion to ourselves.
I used this technique recently when the coronavirus was getting me down and I was judging myself for relaxing instead of working. The "best friend" side of me reminded me that I still need to be kind to myself and relax because (1) you can't pour from an empty cup and (2) the pandemic is still happening and the world is still a stressful place.
Use this coping strategy when you are feeling stressed, anxious, or self-critical.
Name & Tame Your Emotion
Rebecca Lencz, LCPC, LifeSpring Therapist
I find it helpful to "name to tame" the emotion(s) I am feeling when stressed and anxious. Basically, I take a few minutes alone, sitting comfortably on a chair or bed, and take a few deep breaths. I then quietly take a moment to name whatever emotion I'm feeling, adding whatever reason might be causing the feeling. After identifying the emotion and what's going on, I then add a sentence allowing myself to nevertheless stay calm. So I might say something like, "I'm feeling anxious...I'm feeling anxious because there's so much to do....I don't know how it will all get done...I'm feeling anxious, but I'm going to allow myself to relax for now....I'm letting go of that anxiety for now", then I'll take some more deep breaths, and go on with my day. I find this helpful when I start feeling really "frazzled" and especially when I need to take care of something but am pushing it off. I find that mindfully naming and accepting the emotion then calming myself allows me to feel better, slow down and start tackling whatever it is that needs to be tackled.
Use this coping strategy when you are feeling stressed, anxious, or overwhelmed with a particular emotion.
The Dive Reflex
Cathy Kioi, LCPC, Therapist
It is a reflex of humans, other mammals, reptiles, and birds, triggered by immersion in cold water that slows the heart rate and diverts blood flow to the brain, heart, and lungs: It serves to conserve oxygen until breathing resumes and to delay potential brain damage.
This is something I often recommend to people who struggle with panic attacks, because their heart rate is high and their breathing is rapid and short.
Method:
Fill a bowl with cold water and ice cubes.
Take a deep breath and dip your face into the bowl for 15 - 30 seconds. Hold your breath for as long as you feel comfortable.
This will shock your body and slow your heart rate down significantly, allowing you to resume normal breathing when complete
Use this coping strategy when you are feeling anxious or panicky.
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Interested in Counseling for Anxiety, Stress, and Worry?
If you’re a Marylander who knows that counseling is the direction you need to take, the therapists at LifeSpring Counseling Services are here to help. We offer online counseling services for mindfulness, depression, anxiety, trauma, and grief and loss. We also offer Brainspotting as a specialized service, and Brainspotting can be done online, too!
Here’s how you can get started! Online counseling for anxiety, stress, and worry aren’t the only services offered at our Maryland office
The counselors and social workers at our Maryland office also offer counseling services for trauma, grief and loss, boundary setting, communication skills, and difficult life transitions. We also offer specialized counseling services including Brainspotting and spiritually-integrated counseling. Because we are located next to several local universities, we also work with college students and international students.
Date of Download: 7/15/2020
