Building Coping Skills Video Series

Folake Afolayan introduces the 54321 grounding exercise, a brief technique intended to help us get grounded during difficult moments by turning our attention away from negative thoughts, worries, and past trauma, and focusing on the here and now.

Keyse Angelo introduces Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs to help you ensure that the basic foundations of the pyramid are supported and considered for you. If they aren’t, please reach out to us. We have several resources to help you get to your self-actualization level. Take this as an important time to be kind to yourself and exercise patience. 

Daniel Goldberg introduces the diaphragmatic breathing skill. This technique uses your belly instead of your chest to breathe deeply, which is ideal when you're feeling stressed or overwhelmed, or tight in your body, or when you're having racing thoughts, excessive worrying, or a rapid heartbeat. This technique sends a signal to your nervous system to relax. Don't forget to practice this skill before you need it.

Kathleen Irving introduces the ice diving skill, which can be used while in distress to help bring blood flow to the brain and heart. Try it out and see how it works for you before using it in a stressful moment.

Kate Richey introduces the emotion labeling skill. When we identify emotions, we are sometimes better able to then identify what our needs are or what is going to be helpful to us. Try this technique and use this Emotional Word Wheel by Geoffrey Roberts.

Kathleen Irving addresses numbness.

Ruby Stardrum introduces the internal family systems meditation skill. This is a short guided meditation that will help you get to know an internal experience that you’ve been having (a thought or feeling) that has been causing you some distress or discomfort.

Kate Richey introduces the butterfly hug grounding skill, a simple way to slowly and intentionally pace your body through a series of gentle taps across the shoulders and collarbone.