Strategies to Support Positive Coping Strategies Related to Anxiety

When children and youth either experience anxiety or depression they may need to learn emotional regulation strategies and positive/healthy coping skills.

Listed below are some strategies your client may benefit from incorporating in their daily life.

Strategies for Positive Coping in Daily Life

  • If your client experiences anxiety, especially socially anxiety it may be the case that when they do not know the answer to a question they may tend to “freeze.”
  • It will be important for your client  to learn to identify when they are “stuck” or feeling overwhelmed, and the steps that they can take to get “unstuck.”  For example:

Notice that I”m feeling overwhelmed

Take 5 deep breaths (or other relaxation strategy)

Positive statement (e.g., “I can do this!“)

Start with what I know. Ask myself: “what do I know?”, “what is the first step?”, or “what category of concepts could this be related to?”

  • Practice mindful breathing. Breathe normally and count how many seconds it takes to completely exhale.
    • Keep breathing and see for how many seconds you can extend your exhale. Repeat until your exhale is as long as it can possibly be.
  • Try playing the “5 Things Game.”
    • Sit comfortably where ever you are and think of five things you can feel, hear, see, smell, and taste.
    • This can be done at any point throughout the day (on the bus, in class, before bed etc.).
  • You may want to encourage your client to try the 3Cs:

The 3Cs

Catch your thoughts: Identify an anxious or catastrophic thought (e.g., I am stupid).

Collect evidence: Think of evidence that supports or negates the thought. Remember: feelings are not facts. Focus on the facts (Supporting evidence: I struggled with that last assignment; Negating evidence: I’ve done well at everything else.)

Challenge your thoughts: Have a debate with yourself. Did the evidence support that thought? 

  • It may be helpful for your client to engage in purposeful journaling. Anxious children and adolescents have a tendency to journal primarily about negative events. It is okay to do this, as journaling is a good outlet.
    • However, ensure that the journal entry is balanced: for every negative topic, there must be at least one positive.
    • In addition, encourage your client to question the thoughts and feelings that she writes in her journal.
      • Good questions to ask include:
        • “Why do I feel that way?”,
        • “What is the evidence for and against that fear?”,
        • “Is that the most likely thing that could happen”
        • is that the worst case scenario?”

Handouts for Clients and Parents.

The following strategy specific handouts could be given to your clients or their parents to help in relaxation: