Life as a teenager can feel like an emotional rollercoaster 🎢
You are experiencing a wide range of feelings, from happiness and excitement to stress and anxiety.
With the power of coping skills, you can handle anything life throws your way.
Keep reading to find out how… :)
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The CDC recently released its 2021 report, which found that mental health challenges for teenagers are rising at even more alarming rates than before. While some of these challenges may be out of your control, there are ways to deal with the residual effects, and that's where coping skills come in.
Source: CDC
As a mental health therapist, I always start with coping skills with all the people I work with because if you cannot tolerate your intense emotional experiences, there's no way we're going to get to the root of deeper healing.
You need to be able to hang in there because it's going to get uncomfortable.
You're going to need good, healthy coping skills to get you through.
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Coping skills are all the things we intentionally and meaningfully do to control and manage our emotional experience so that it's not so intense and overwhelming that it's creating other problems that we have to solve.
Coping skills allow us to tolerate and feel our feelings. They help us hang in there through the intensity of an uncomfortable emotional experience so it doesn't grow into a larger issue, like panic attacks, self-harm, or even suicidal thinking.
However, coping skills are not a magical solution to your problems.
You are going to Solve the Problem.
But in order to do that, you need coping skills to get there.
Here are some common issues that teenagers face that coping skills can help with:
📚💥🏫 Academic pressure: School can be super stressful! Grades and getting into college can feel like a ton of pressure.
👨👩👧👦💬 Family conflicts and relationships: Sometimes it can be tough to talk to your family, especially your parents. But learning how to communicate with them can make a huge difference.
💻📱📲 Social media: Social media can be a lot to handle. There's so much pressure to always be online, respond to messages, and be cute about it too. Plus, dealing with bullying and digital abuse can be really tough.
To help you cope with these issues and others, I want to share with you the three secrets that I wish I had known as a teenager to manage and control my feelings. Make sure to attend the live digital hangout "Control Your Feelings Like a Therapist: 3 Secrets I Wish I Had When I Was a Teenager" next week on Friday, April 14, 2023.
*You can get all the details and RSVP here: mallorygrimste.com/live
Building healthy coping skills takes practice, but it's worth the effort. Developing coping skills can be a powerful way to take control of your life and handle the challenges you face.
🧰🔨 Build your Coping Skills toolkit with these tips:
💖 Start with what's already working for you.
Maybe you have a hobby that helps you relax or a friend you can always turn to for support. Identify the things that are already helping you cope and build on them.
🤝 Consider working with a therapist.
Therapy can help you develop new coping strategies and learn how to apply them in your life. It's not a quick fix, but it can be an incredibly valuable investment in yourself.
👨👩👧👦 Talk to your friends.
You don't have to go through tough times alone. Friends can provide a listening ear, help you brainstorm solutions, or just make you laugh when you need it most.
🔍 Reflect on whether your coping strategies are actually helping or hurting you.
Be honest with yourself about what's working and what isn't. Even healthy coping skills can become harmful if they're overused or have a different effect than we intended.
🚫 Don't give up if one strategy doesn't work.
It can take about 6-8 different coping skills to get the relief you need, so keep trying and don't give up.
⏰ Coping skills don't have to take up a lot of time unless you want them to.
You can take 30 seconds to use your coping skills or 30 minutes. Every little bit helps you make a big difference in controlling your emotions.
🛠️ Remember to change what coping skills can change based on the situation.
You need to use the right tools for the job. You’d never show up to a tennis match with a hammer. The same is true for Coping Skills. In the Coping Skills Crash Course we have a whole lesson on how to select the right type of coping skills for the problem you’re facing.
📚 Coping skills are useful for everyone, not just teenagers.
The skills you learn now can help you throughout your life. Review and adjust your coping skills based on what’s working and not working.
💪 Don't forget that you already have coping skills within you.
Reflect on past experiences and draw on those skills as you face new challenges.
❤️ Don't forget to talk to your parents about your Coping Skills.
They can be a really helpful source of support and advice. Plus they can’t help if they don’t know what you’re doing to help yourself.
Building coping skills takes time and effort, but it's a valuable investment in your well-being. Don't be afraid to ask for help and keep an open mind as you explore different strategies.
If you're interested in learning more about coping skills and how they can help you control your life as a teen, I encourage you to sign up for my live digital hangout "Control Your Feelings Like a Therapist: 3 Secrets I Wish I Had When I Was a Teenager" Click here to RSVP: mallorygrimste.com/live
And if you want to dive deeper, sign up for the Coping Skills Crash Course. This is a guided self-help program I created to help busy teens like you learn and use these strategies so you can focus more on enjoying your life, rather than controlling your feelings.
Coping skills can make a big difference in your life
Take the time to find what works for you, and don't be afraid to try new things.
You Got This!
It’s happening on Friday, April 14th and you can get all the details when you click this button:
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