Coping Strategies
There's Always somebody to talk to...
Part 1: Sensory Coping strategies:
There are two main sensory ways to help: one is via a sensory box and the other is creating a space that appeals to your sensory needs.
To create a sensory box you need to find items that appeal to your senses, this could be any of the senses you have. One way is to use something called a sensory hand. This is where you grab a piece of paper and draw around your own hand and each finger can be a sense. Write down next to each finger what you like with each sense for example: for your sense of smell it could be coffee, perfume, item of clothing or even a new item that has that classic “new item smell”.
A space that appeals to your sensory needs means items that help you relax can be put in a certain room (a snug, bedroom, living room) where you can go to relax. This could include LED lights, noise boxes, incense, candles, blankets.
Part 2: distractions
Distractions are for when you don’t feel like you can face the emotion, there are many different ways to distract yourself. Some examples are:
playing games
playing with or having your pet around you (if it wants to snuggle or play)
playing music that allows you to think differently or move your mind to a different thought
watching films or tv shows that will also distract you can be brilliant
going on walks can help due to focusing on the outside, try to recognise what’s around you and the beauty of it all;
photography can distract you because you are looking for the right angles, lighting, background etc.
Part 3: Facing the emotion head-on
- The best way to deal with emotions is to deal with them as they come up so they don’t build up subconsciously and return. Here, we will share six steps for dealing with a specific situation – my friend didn’t come to meet me and didn’t apologise.
- Be aware of how you feel and the emotion you are feeling. Trying to know what the emotion is and why it is there will best help you on a way to deal with it. For example “I’m so angry that my friend didn’t come to meet me and didn’t apologise.” Here, the dominant emotion is anger.
- Remember not to start blaming when recognising an emotion. What we are trying to do is understand it, your friend isn’t trying to hurt you by not coming to see you. There are a variety of reasons why we may feel we need to blame, but at the moment we are trying to recognise and understand the emotion.
- Understand that it is okay to feel that way about a situation. Everyone copes with emotions differently and it’s okay to feel the way you feel in whatever situation.
- Think of the most positive way to deal with this emotion. For this there are ways to do so, such as communicating calmly with your friend that you feel hurt by their actions.
- Remember to talk to someone about it, even if you feel it has been dealt with. This allows you to discuss different options for the future and evaluate what to do if a similar situation occurs again. This could be your parent or guardian, trusted adult, friend, or a healthcare professional. Sometimes even talking to your pet can help, just to get it out.
- Finally, it’s okay to cry.
Part 4: Exercise for different emotional states
If you feel a certain emotion you may feel that a certain exercise can help, here are a few which we could recommend:
- Angry: High impact exercises like boxing, sprints, interval training with a bike or other cardio tools
- Sad: Low impact like walking, casual cycling or anything that isn’t strenuous
- Anxious: Calming exercises like yoga, Tai Chi or swimming
Part 5: Find a creative outlet
Sometimes finding a creative outlet to funnel your emotions is useful, but it can also be a good distraction technique. There are many ways you can be creative, such as:
Painting, drawing or crafts
Creating or producing music
Writing lyrics, poems or stories
Writing how you feel in a journal
In this current climate many of us have struggled at times with stress and the impact of social isolation and having to do many things from a remote situation. Often it’s the simple things that we cant do that has caused us stress and a feeling like we cant cope and we often ask what can we do to overcome this, how do I reduce my stress, how do I cope with the children being at home all time, and many more questions.
One of the things you can look at is the stress bucket model.
Imagine there’s a bucket you carry with you which slowly fills up when you experience different types of stress.
Sometimes you feel strong enough to carry a lot of stress, but it’s important to find activities which help you lighten the load.
What helps you reduce stress?
How can you keep those activities going when other pressures build up?
Thinking about the “Stress Bucket” together to prompt you and your friends and family and colleagues to take action to build your resilience.
The Stress Bucket
We all experience stress to some degree. Some stress can be good, it can push us to work hard. But too much stress can make us feel overwhelmed, and prolonged stress can eventually lead to problems. The stress bucket is a way to visualise this. Above the bucket are clouds – the things that cause you stress. These rain into the bucket and gradually fill it up. You release the stress by doing things you enjoy or that help you to stress less.
Complete your own stress bucket below. Identify the things that cause you stress (the clouds) and the things you do to manage them (your taps).
Also consider:
What size and shape is your stress bucket?
How full is it?
What are the signs that your bucket is getting too full? Are all of your taps working? Do you turn to unhealthy ways to release stress and what does this look like?
Simple tips
For example if you enjoy football, then try and develop your keepy ups, set yourself daily targets 3-4-5 and see if you can get up to 20-30, maybe put some jumpers in garden and dribble in and out of them practise skills.
If you play cricket try keep ups with a bat and ball, practise catching a ball of a wall, hit a ball against the wall with bat practise hand eye co-ordination.
Do you like English at school, try reading a book form an inspirational person to make you feel positive, maybe write a poem about the situation, set up a book swap and exchange books and ideas do an online book club.
Do you like music at school, listen to your favourite groups and set up a music quiz with friends and relatives.
Do you like History, set yourself a target of finding out something interesting, maybe search a family tree so everyone can share and enjoy.
Do you miss walks or going out with friends, take a picture of somewhere and make it into a picture puzzle from a different angle and get your friends to guess, or set a challenge to take a picture of different things like a red telephone box, a heron, a duck,
Do you enjoy baking , make some buns and see if you can give them to a relative or someone on their own to enjoy, make someone smile.
Think of anything that helps you to relax and add it to your bucket to reduce it overflowing, try simple relaxation for 5 mins a day or do it 2-3 times a day.
In a Pandemic and National lockdown there are many problems that we all face and we all struggle at this time but here are some useful tips to help children during lockdown.
Dealing with Emotions
Children’s emotions can seem big and unpredictable at times. Although these can be natural parts of a developing mind, it’s easy for us to be drawn into a “fixer” role and want to make the crying stop.
Here are 10 different ways to acknowledge and validate their emotions, while also giving them the words to make sense of what they are feeling
The Emotional Cup
So much of what we do in our daily interactions can fill a child’s “emotional cup” – greeting them warmly, sharing a funny story, giving them time to talk about their interests, appreciating their efforts & conveying empathy for their feelings
The emotional cup is a helpful way to explain to your child why it’s important for them to identify how they’re feeling, to come to you if they’re running on empty, and what they can do to ensure their cup is always full. Emphasise the importance of always taking care of themselves and their mental health
Children and Anxiety
Often when we picture anxiety, we picture the “typical” symptoms — worrying, overthinking, panic attacks etc. However, anxiety can present itself in a lot of different ways.
It’s important for us to recognise that anxiety is often more than just worrying. A child who appears to be oppositional or aggressive may be reacting to anxiety – anxiety they may not be able to articulate effectively, or not even fully recognise their feelings.
The Stress Relief Giraffe
With their busy schedules and pressure to perform at school during a time of COVID-19 uncertainty, children face a lot of stress, making stress management for kids a hot topic for parents.
The Stress Relief Giraffe offers a clear visual for young people to describe their level of stress as well as some tips for coping.
Depression
Its difficult in this time to offer a hug or physical contact but we can still give comfort at a distance, some useful tips to help, the small things make a difference.
Helping your Child back to School
When it comes to going back to school many children will feel anxious and worried, try and reduce that by using some of the tips above, plan ahead together, it won’t all be changed , many of the staff and routines will be similar, open up don’t be afraid to talk, its ok to feel worried about change, that’s a normal thing.
Structure and Routine
Those children with speech and language difficulties need more structure to help them feel more secure, here are some examples of how this can help children to feel more secure
Top Tips to support your child’s well being while schools are closed
With schools being closed and lots of people working from home, we know that during this period it’s really important that you look after your mental and emotional wellbeing as well as your physical health.
Children and young people especially will now be spending their days at home away from their usual routine, friends and activities.
This can create worry about the effect this may have on your child’s development, physical and mental health, as well as your family’s wellbeing.
