Coping Ahead#
Emotional RegulationWeek 6If it doesn’t feel possible in the moment to “Cope Ahead”, use the STOPP Skill first!
Many things can make it difficult to cope with challenging situations, however being aware and planning ahead can help us to cope with difficult situations.
How to cope ahead#
- Describe the situation
- Imagine all the things that could go wrong.
- Pre-plan how to cope with those things (e.g. distress tolerance skills or opposite action).
- Practice by imagining things or speaking it out loud.
- Rehearse the situation/problem in your head & imagine yourself solving it.
- Practice relaxation after rehearsing. Rehearsing a solution is still activating the same part of the brain, so you still need to relax it afterwards (i.e. take a mindful moment)!
Remember:
- You can’t control other people’s thoughts and actions
- Plan soothing skills for when difficult thoughts come