When you are having big emotions.....use Coping Skills!

  Wow, things have been really tough this year! How are you doing?...... Well, it's okay to not be okay! But, you still need to take care of yourself, even when you aren't okay. But how do you do this?

   Coping skills! When you are having a hard day, how do you react? How do you handle it? What are your emotions? Well, it's okay to feel angry, sad, scared, or frustrated. It's okay to have big emotions about things. However, we have to learn HEALTHY ways to react to things that are out of our control. It takes a lot of practice, but you can learn healthy ways to react to the tough stuff. 

   Example: When you are angry, you have a choice. You can yell and scream or throw something. But, that isn't the best way to deal with your anger. There is another choice. A healthy choice would be to "take a break." You can walk away when you are angry and take some deep breaths. Is this a healthy way to handle anger? YES! Is it easy to do? No, it takes time to learn this strategy, but it is a better choice than hurting yourself or someone else and possibly getting into trouble!

 Coping skills! Below, there are some images of coping skills that are a healthy choice. Many of them include things that you might like to do--play music, dance, read, spend time with friends, eat good food, etc. Coping skills are often activities that bring you joy. When you get to do things you like doing, it helps you feel better. It will help you feel more calm. Then, you might want to talk to a trusted adult about how you were feeling (anxious, angry, sad, frustrated, etc.) Now that you are calm, it will be easier to talk about your emotions and work on a plan to help you feel better!

Grounding Technique: Try this method to calm down!