Coping Skills

We all want to feel like we belong, whether it’s with friends, family, or coworkers. But since everyone’s brain, personality, and quirks are unique, there’s no single “right” way to fit in. But sometimes we find ourselves toning down or hiding parts of who we are to blend in more…

For decades, therapy has been synonymous with the classic image of a client lying on a couch while a therapist scribbles notes. Fast forward to today, and this image is rapidly changing. Imagine instead opening an app and confiding in an AI chatbot—a scenario that’s becoming increasingly common as artificial…

Everyone faces a range of emotions in life, including stress, grief, and anger, and finding ways to cope is a universal experience. While coping strategies are essential for dealing with life’s challenges, some can ultimately do more harm than good. Learn about unhealthy coping strategies that can harm your mental…

An inferiority complex refers to someone’s unrealistic perceptions of their inadequacy. While it can be a symptom of certain mental health conditions, inferiority complexes aren’t recognized in the DSM-5 but are still a mental health concern for many everyday people.  Learn the truth about inferiority complexes below, including the signs,…

Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) uses mindfulness and cognitive strategies in harmony to tackle various mental health disorders. This therapeutic approach, inspired by the pioneering work of Aaron Beck in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), combines the strengths of CBT with the enriching power of mindfulness.  MBCT seeks to enhance healthy self-reflection,…

EMDR stands for eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, and it is a psychotherapy approach that is primarily used to treat trauma-related disorders and emotional distress. Developed by Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s, EMDR has gained recognition as an effective treatment for various mental health issues, particularly post-traumatic stress disorder…

A self-harm relapse occurs when someone engages in self-harming behavior after a period of approximately 3-4 weeks of abstaining. A self-harm relapse can happen via the same mechanism of self-harm or a different behavior. During a relapse period and the hours or days afterward, the individual may face additional temptation…

The bargaining stage of grief is a process in which an individual who has suffered a loss might seek to regain control of their inner narrative, as they slowly process what has happened to them or someone they care about. Bargaining involves psychological negotiating with oneself, other people, or even…

We all experience days when we’re just not in the mood to mince words; which means some conversations may get a little heated under the right circumstances. And often, we tend to snap at the people who are closest to us; the friends and family we care about.  Those arguments…

Q: If your week has already been immensely tumultuous added with an accumulation of a triggering session for the day, what are other ways to deescalate failed attempts of coping skills that were previously working? A: Thank you so much for reaching out! Sorry to hear you’re having a rough…

Coping strategies (referred to interchangeably as coping mechanisms or coping skills) are behaviors that are designed to help us reduce the negative emotions associated with difficult events, situations, relationships, and more. Coping mechanisms may be learned both consciously or unconsciously.  Learning and implementing healthy coping strategies is a routine part…

Anxiety is a human response to stressful stimuli. In other words, it’s normal. Whether we’re late for work, have ruined our favorite shirt, or totally failed a first date, life certainly offers us a lot to be anxious about.  However, when anxiety stops becoming an intermittent experience and becomes more…