Build a coping skill toolkit!




What is a coping skill toolkit and why do I need one?

Coping skills are techniques that help you tolerate, reduce, and better manage stressful situations in life.  Learning to manage your stress will help you to feel better physically and psychologically, thereby, helping you with your mental health and wellness. 

A coping skills toolkit is a place for you to keep things that calm you down during times of distress.  If you have everything gathered in one place, it’s easier to remember to use your coping skills rather than using destructive or unhelpful behaviors.  Once you have identified some of your coping skills, put them together in a box or other container. It can be an old shoe-box, tissue box, basket, or whatever you can find around the house.  For added fun, decorate it to your hearts content. Make sure to put it in a place where you will remember to use it.

Need some help identifying what your coping skill may be?  Start by thinking about activities or objects that you find calming or make you feel good after doing them.  There are countless lists you can obtain by doing a quick google search for “coping skill lists”, these can help give you some ideas if you are unsure of what to try.

Remember, not all coping skills are created equal.  It can be tempting to utilize strategies that will give quick relief, like acting in anger or avoiding emotions. These types of strategies only provide temporary relief and may even create bigger problems for you down the road.  It is important to establish healthy coping skills that will help you reduce your emotional distress.

The coping strategies that work for someone else might not work for you.  It is important to develop your own toolkit of coping skills that you find useful.  It may take some experimentation to figure out coping strategies that will work best for you.  Remember to enjoy the process and have fun finding what works for you.  

Check out the link below for a more details on a coping skill toolkit.  It has many coping skills lists and walk you through the process of crating a toolkit. 


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