YOU'VE GOT THIS
✦
YOU'VE GOT THIS ✦
Coping Skills & Ground Techniques
Online therapy in Minneapolis, MN &
throughout Minnesota.
Do you notice you’re constantly…
worried and anxious about what others are thinking about you. Maybe you’re having a hard time telling that inner critic to shut the fuck up. It’s feels like your emotions are all over the place without any rhyme or reason. Somedays you are doing great and other days you have a difficult time getting out of bed.
Coping skills and ground techniques are going to help you feel a little bit better. They will make your anxiety not feel so overwhelming, it will make your depression feel like you can get out of bed and do thing and it will make your trauma feel like it’s manageable and something you can work through in therapy.
You’re not alone, you can get through this.
Types of Grounding Techniques
01 Physical
Physical skills are those we can do with our physical body to help clam us down.
Splash cold water on your face
Feel something soft or rough
Play with silly putty
Eat sour candy
Stretch
02 Mental
Mental skills are those we use our brain to help calm us down.
Count backwards from 100 by 3s
Find a color/shape and name everything that color/shape in the room
Describe in great detail, your favorite or calm place to be
Use the 5,4,3,2,1 technique
03 Soothing
Soothing skills are things you say about yourself or to yourself that are kind or soothing to you.
You’ve got this
You’re a good person, going through a difficult time
I can handle this
This too shall pass
Picture someone or a pet you care about
Types of Coping Skills
01 Physical
Physical skills are those we can do with our physical body to help clam us down.
Do some jumping jacks
Go for a run
Dance
Knit, sew or crochet something
02 Mental
Mental skills are those we use our brain to help calm us down.
Listen to a Guided stress reliever
reframe you negative thoughts into kinder thoughts
Distract yourself by gaming, watching tv or reading a book.
03 Soothing
Soothing skills are things you say about yourself or to yourself that are kind or soothing to you.
Repeat a postive qutoe you like
Listen to a guided imager about relaxation
watch a kaleidoscope video
Listen to your favorite music
Frequently Asked Questions
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Grounding techniques are only going to take about about 30-45 seconds to do. You will also see small changes in your stress and anxiety but they will help overall. They are used when your brain is going haywire and doesn’t want to listen to you. AKA: your higher level of cognitive function goes offline.
Coping skills are going. to take more time to complete and typically have a higher impact on your overall anxiety and depression. However, in order to do these coping skills, you need to make sure your brain is working the right way. That higher level of cognitive functioning needs to be back online. This is why you will typically start with your grounding techniques, until your brain comes back online. When this happens, then you can use your coping skills.
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Even if it feels like they are not working, they are working. Just the fact that you are trying them is making some sort of change, instead of doing the same things over and ocer again.
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Set small, achievable goals. For example, if you are having a difficult time getting out of bed, then set the goal of moving from the bed to the couch/chair 1-2 times a week. Don’t over do it, you want to feel good about meeting your goal you set.
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There are many benefits of ground techniques including the following…
Lowers overall anxiety
Lower heart rate
Stops overthinking
Helps bring your brain back online
Cultivate Your Calm