“In the Moment” Coping Skills
Try these tips when you’re stressed, anxious, mad, hurt, upset, or need a break.
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- Practice 4-7-8 breathing
- Breath in for a count of 4, hold for a count of 7, and breathe out for a count of 8
- Alternately tense and relax your body
- Rest your head on a table or desk briefly
- Grounding
- Name 5 things you can see, hear, feel, smell
- Practice positive self-talk
- “I can handle this. I am okay.”
- Think of a place you’ve felt safe in the past
- Take a moment to close your eyes, take a few deep breaths, and visualize the place.
- Hold a stuffed animal or blanket or pillow
- Count slowly backward from 100
- Give yourself a tight hug
- Squeeze a squishy ball
- Tell yourself thoughts are just thoughts
- Touch an object close to you and focus on the sensations
- Concentrate on a smell or a taste
- Your favorite candle or a mint