When it comes to coping with stress, depression, anxiety and so much more it is important to have a variety of tools and strategies available to help. 
 
Dialectic Behavioral Therapy (DBT) is an entire therapeutic approach that is made of coping skills and strategies to help life feel like it’s worth living. Coping strategies help us get through difficult times, manage stress, intense emotions and feelings. At times these strategies can be the difference between a crisis and handling a situation more effectively. 
 
A few coping ideas to share today are in the categories of “grounding” and “distractions”. 
 
Distraction skills will absorb your mind into something else. Ideas here can include: conversation, reading, puzzles, phone scrolling, service, cleaning, games, TV, arts & crafts. These are all great resources however the biggest con is that the problem or emotions you were distracting from are still there and nothing was solved. 
 
Grounding skills help you get out of your head and into your body as well as the world around you. Some ideas here can include using your 5 senses, walking in grass barefoot, holding cold ice, meditating, yoga, squeezing putty, and noticing things around you. These strategies are extremely effective. It’s important to remember sometimes it is better to stay a bit disconnected because emotions and feelings might be too much. 
 
Check back in with us next week and you will find a blog entry about specific DBT strategies with linked videos and resources. 
Written by Katie Walter