Consent Preferences

coping skills for anxiety

When It Comes To Coping Skills, Perception Matters

When It Comes To Coping Skills, Perception Matters

As therapists, an important part of what we provide to our clients is coaching and education on coping skills. This term is used a lot to describe a growing set of cognitive, behavioral, and/or emotional tools that allow for mood management and overall increasing quality of life by building new habits and responses to one’s environment. When people hear the term coping skills they may envision someone taking slow deep breaths or going for a walk outside. These are examples of fantastic skills to use and regularly help many people. However, some people, including some of those who seek therapeutic services, can perceive the idea of coping skills as a waste of time or “not real therapy”. These are sometimes folks who struggle with buying into their own influence over their daily lives or simply struggle profoundly with motivation. No matter what the reason, if one sees new and effective ways of coping with daily life stressors as valuable, then this can make treatment very difficult.

Coping with Social Anxiety: Techniques for Support

Coping with Social Anxiety: Techniques for Support

It is common to feel nervous during social situations, but if you have social anxiety, everyday activities can be challenging. You may feel self-conscious and struggle with self-esteem. There are several ways to cope with social anxiety. Here are some tips to help you feel better and manage the day.

Grounding Oneself: Coping Strategies to Reduce Anxiety

Grounding Oneself: Coping Strategies to Reduce Anxiety

Symptoms of anxiety consist of both physical and mental symptoms, which oftentimes can feel incredibly overwhelming and difficult to manage in the moment. While there are many different techniques and tricks to combat these symptoms, a helpful group of skills fall under grounding techniques. Grounding techniques work to bring awareness to the present moment and what is happening in the world around you. These help to distract from anxious thoughts and symptoms. In bringing awareness to the present moment, it can provide feelings of safety and create a space between you and your feelings of anxiety. Grounding techniques can include both physical and mental techniques to provide distractions. The following are examples of grounding techniques that you can begin to use and practice.

G.L.A.D. Technique: An Engaging and Effective Grounding Skill for Depression and Anxiety.

G.L.A.D. Technique: An Engaging and Effective Grounding Skill for Depression and Anxiety.

When one is feeling depressed and anxious, the G.L.A.D. technique is a grounding skill one can use to be more mindful in the moment and to experience positive distraction until strong negative emotions pass, as to reduce the possibility of impulsive reactions as impulsive reactions may not be an effective response in the moment. Try this practice out daily in order to notice positive shifts daily.