Navigating big emotions is a vital life skill for children and adolescents to learn. This coping skills handout is a powerful tool designed to help them build their emotional regulation abilities and develop a sense of self-efficacy. Multiple versions are included depending on client preferences.
A Closer Look at the Coping Skills
- Triangle Breathing: This rhythmic breathing exercise can calm the nervous system. You breathe in deeply for 5 seconds, hold for 5 seconds, and then exhale for 5 seconds. This pattern can help regulate breathing and promote a sense of calm.
- 5 Senses Grounding: This exercise helps shift focus from overwhelming thoughts to the present moment. It involves naming 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste.
- Peaceful Place Visualization: This technique involves picturing a peaceful place and imagining that you are safe and relaxing there. It helps you feel grounded and calm.
- Progressive Muscle Relaxation: This technique involves squeezing and holding each muscle group, such as fists, arms, or legs, before releasing. It can help release physical tension and calm the mind. You can pair this with breathing by tensing muscles with an inhale and releasing with an exhale.
- Rainbow Search: A simple way to shift focus is to look around and find one object for each color of the rainbow. This task engages the mind in a gentle, focused way that can distract from negative emotions.
Tips for Using This Handout
This handout is an excellent starting point for helping children build their emotional regulation skills. Encourage children to try these skills in various places and situations to discover which ones are most effective for them. You can also suggest that they keep the handout in a special spot (e.g., above their desk at home, in a locker, or by their bed) where they might need a reminder to use a skill when they feel stressed. The more they practice, the more confident they will become in handling challenging situations.