5 Therapist Approved Coping Skills for Teenagers who struggle with ANXIETY 😣

Anxiety is like that tag on the back of your shirt that just itches the heck out of you.

You don't always notice it right away but it is IRRITATING.

Ignoring it doesn't make the pain go away, you have to actually DO something if you want to change the way it makes you feel.

As a teen therapist who specializes in helping teens who struggle with anxiety- I know which coping skills typically work best.

That’s why in this video I'm sharing 5 Therapist Approved coping skills for teens who struggle with anxiety.

If you prefer to watch the video, click this image here:

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If you prefer to read, here’s what you need to know about these 5 therapist approved coping skills for teenagers who struggle with anxiety:

GRATITUDE

Anxiety is just doing its job letting you know that something new or different is going on and that it might be a little uncomfortable, or potentially dangerous.

So when you express gratitude and say thank you to anxiety for doing its job, it knows that it can chill out. It doesn't have to keep shouting at you to try to get your attention.

👀 You've seen it.

👍 You've acknowledged it.

🙏 And you've expressed thanks for it doing a good job.

MOVE

It's easy to forget that you can actually change or leave the situation. If you notice the cause of your irritability or anxiety, you can then consider your options.

You can physically move to a new location if it's environmental, or move your focus to something else. There are lots of possibilities here.

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CONNECT

You are a social creature and you are not meant to go through this alone. So when you're feeling anxious, sometimes talking about it with other people, who you trust and respect, can help you think about it in new or different ways. You may even come up with solutions that you might not have thought of before.

It's one of the reasons that I love my Teen Growth Therapy Groups. It is so cool seeing how everybody shares what worked for them, and what was challenging about that, and what they learned from those experiences.

You just never know how sharing what you've learned could help somebody else.

Plus, it's always nice to know that you're not alone and that you're not crazy about having that experience.

ACCEPT

Radical acceptance is a mindfulness skill. You practice radical acceptance when you acknowledge the reality of the situation so that you can roll with the punches.

When you can identify and realize the reality of the situation, then you can make informed choices and decisions about what you want to do about it.

Just to be clear, practicing radical acceptance doesn't mean that you don't strive for change…

but you need to accept and acknowledge the current circumstances to make sure you make the choice that's best for you.

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CHANGE

When it comes to anxiety, we all have physical responses to anxiety. This is totally normal. It's your body's and mind's way of informing your experience.

But sometimes our bodies like to shout at us. And so changing the way we physically or emotionally feel, requires you to engage in some sort of self-soothing activity.

DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) actually dedicates a whole module to the skillset of self-soothing using your five senses plus movement. I've personally added creative expression to this category as well (that's my own spin on it.)

If you're looking for inspiration or ideas on how to use this to alleviate your own anxiety, I have a great video about how to use these self-soothing skills right here: https://youtu.be/tu6F6QIL6ww

I hope that you've found the information in this video post useful and helpful. And if you did, please share it.

You never know who you could be helping when you do!!

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