Coping techniques

Feeling anxious or stressed?😫 

Try this simple, effective breathing technique, relaxed breathing. Also called belly or abdominal breathing. 😌

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Step 1: Make yourself comfortable sitting, standing or lying down. If you are sitting or standing, ground your feet to the floor. If you are lying down, soften and relax your body. You may wish to close your eyes.🧘‍♂️

 

Step 2: Place your hands on your tummy, fingertips gently touching, elbows resting softly by your sides.

 

Step 3: Take a deep breath in through your nose, inhaling slowly as you count from 1 to 4. As you breathe in, feel your chest rise, then your tummy expand beneath your fingers, inflating like a balloon.😌

 

Step 4: Exhale slowly through your nose, counting slowly from 1 to 4. As you breathe out, feel your tummy deflate. 🫁

 

Repeat for at least 5 minutes. Practice daily. 

 

The beauty of this technique is you can do it any time, any place, anywhere.

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Why it works:✅️

Relaxed breathing works by shifting the body from a state of fight-or-flight (sympathetic nervous system) to rest-and-digest (parasympathetic nervous system).

Deep, slow, diaphragmatic breathing stimulates the vagus nerve, the main component of the parasympathetic nervous system. Using the diaphragm allows for more oxygen to get into the system. This lowers the heart rate, and reduces blood pressure, promoting a sense of calmness, and reducing the physical symptoms of stress.💜

Feeling stressed, tense or unable to relax?😫

Try this simple, effective technique to help your body and mind relax. The Progressive Muscle Relaxation Technique is a great way to de-stress and relieve tension in the body.😌🧘‍♂️

 

Benefits of this technique:✅️

Reduces stress

Reduces anxiety 

Relieves muscle tension

Promotes relaxation

Promotes mindfulness

Improves mood

Improves sleep

Increases body awareness 

 

How to do it:

Step 1: 🪑🧘‍♀️😌

Make yourself comfortable either sitting or lying down. If you are sitting, ground your feet to the floor. If you are lying down, start to soften and relax your body. You may wish to close your eyes.

 

Step 2: 🫁😌

Begin by taking a few slow, deep breaths in through your nose, and slowly out again. Allow the body to settle.

 

Step 3: 👣💜

Bring your awareness to your feet and toes and tense the muscles in this area. 

Scrunch your feet as tightly as you can for a count of 1....2....3....4....5.

Then release the tension.

Let your feet and toes soften and relax.

Notice how your feet and toes feel softer, warmer and looser as you take a slow, deep breath in and out.

 

Step 4:⬇️🦵

Bring your awareness to your lower legs and tense the muscles in this area. 

Squeeze your calves and shins as tightly as you can for a count of 1....2....3....4....5.

Then release the tension.

Let your lower legs soften and relax.

Notice how your calves and shins feel softer, warmer and looser as you take a slow, deep breath in and out.

 

Step 5:⬆️🦵

Bring your awareness to your upper legs and tense the muscles in this area. 

Squeeze your thighs as tightly as you can for a count of 1....2....3....4....5.

Then release the tension.

Let your upper legs soften and relax.

Notice how your thigh muscles feel softer, warmer and looser as you take a slow, deep breath in and out. 

Notice how your whole legs are feeling, they may feel heavier and longer as you breathe slowly in and out.

 

Step 6:😌💜

Bring your awareness to your hips, buttocks and pelvic area and tense the muscles in this area. 

Squeeze this area as tightly as you can for a count of 1....2....3....4....5.

Then release the tension.

Let your hips, buttocks and pelvis soften and relax.

Notice how your muscles in this area feel softer, warmer and looser as you take a slow, deep breath in and out. 

 

Step 7:☺️🔢

Bring your awareness to your stomach and lower back and tense the muscles in this area. 

Squeeze this area as tightly as you can for a count of 1....2....3....4....5.

Then release the tension.

Let your stomach and lower back soften and relax.

Notice how your muscles in this area feel softer, warmer and looser as you take a slow, deep breath in and out. 

 

Step 8:🫁😌

Bring your awareness to your chest and upper back and tense the muscles in this area. 

Squeeze this area as tightly as you can for a count of 1....2....3....4....5.

Then release the tension.

Let your chest and upper back soften and relax.

Notice how your muscles in this area feel softer, warmer and looser as you take a slow, deep breath in and out. 

 

Step 9:✊️💜

Bring your awareness to your fingers and hands and tense the muscles in this area. 

Scrunch your fingers into the palms of your hands, making a fist, holding this tightly as you can for a count of 1....2....3....4....5.

Then release the tension.

Let your fingers unfurl and your hands soften and relax.

Notice how your fingers and hands feel softer, warmer and looser as you take a slow, deep breath in and out.

 

Step 10:⬇️💪

Bring your awareness to your lower arms and tense the muscles in this area. 

Squeeze your lower arm muscles as tightly as you can for a count of 1....2....3....4....5.

Then release the tension.

Let your lower arms soften and relax.

Notice how they feel softer, warmer and looser as you take a slow, deep breath in and out.

 

Step 11:⬆️💪

Bring your awareness to your upper arms and tense the muscles in this area. 

Squeeze your triceps and biceps as tightly as you can for a count of 1....2....3....4....5.

Then release the tension.

Let your upper arms soften and relax.

Notice how they feel softer, warmer and looser as you take a slow, deep breath in and out.

 

Step 12:🤷‍♀️😌

Bring your awareness to your shoulders and tense the muscles in this area. 

Scrunch your shoulders, as tightly as you can, lifting them towards your ears, for a count of 1....2....3....4....5.

Then release the tension.

Let your shoulders soften and relax.

Notice how they feel softer, warmer and looser as you take a slow, deep breath in and out.

Notice how your whole arms are feeling, they may feel heavier and longer as you breathe slowly in and out.

 

Step 13:😌💜

Bring your awareness to your neck and tense the muscles in this area. 

Squeeze your neck muscles as tightly as you can for a count of 1....2....3....4....5.

Then release the tension.

Let your neck soften and relax.

Notice how your neck feels softer, warmer and looser as you take a slow, deep breath in and out.

 

Step 14:😣💜

Bring your awareness to your head and face and tense the muscles in this area. 

Scrunch your face up as tightly as you can for a count of 1....2....3....4....5.

Then release the tension.

Let your head and face soften and relax.

Notice how your head and face feels softer, warmer and looser as you take a slow, deep breath in and out.

 

Step 15:🫁😌

Take a few more slow, deep breaths in and out as you notice how your whole body is feeling.

All your muscles now feel free from tension.They feel relaxed, soft, warmer, heavier and looser. Enjoy how your body now feels and when you are ready, gently open your eyes.

Struggling with overwhelming thoughts and/or emotions? 🤯

 

Finding it hard to switch off, relax or concentrate?😳

 

Try the STOPP technique-🛑✋️

This technique encapsulates CBT in a nutshell🗣💜

 

S    Stop!✋️

      Just pause for a moment

 

T    Take a breath😌

      Take a big, deep, slow breath in           and out

 

O    Observe👀 

       Notice what's going on

       What are you thinking and   

       What are you reacting to

       What sensations do you notice         in your body

 

P     Pull back- put in some                         perspective🚁

       Try to see the bigger picture

       Take a helicopter view

       What's another's way of looking         at this 

       What advice would I give a                 friend 

       Is this thought a fact or opinion

       What is a more reasonable                 explanation

       How important is this and will I

       remember it in 6 months or a             years time

       Remember, it will pass

 

P     Proceed- practice what work💜

       Ask yourself, what is the best               thing to do right now

       What can I do that fits with my           values

       Choose a helpful way to cope

        

Benefits of this technique:

It helps create a space between a stressful trigger and your response💜

 

It helps control emotions by allowing time for the rational brain to kick in🤔

 

It reduces anxiety and stress by lessening the activation of the body's fight or flight response 😌

 

It helps reduce unhelpful behaviours which may be reactive, impulsive and habitual🧘‍♀️

 

It helps you make more logical, rational and value based decisions rather than emotionally charged ones💜