February 2020

Mental Health Challenge: Planning Ahead! 

Sometimes situations arise out of no where and we are blindsided by a crisis, other times we know when something stressful may be coming up. Some of the coping strategies that people rely on are reactive coping strategies, things we put in place AFTER something has happened. These can be incredibly helpful but they are not the only tools you need to have in your repertoire.

Proactive coping skills can be just as, if not more beneficial in working through high stress situations. If you know that your are going to be dealing with a difficult circumstance that may be triggering, it would be beneficial to plan ahead so that you have a game plan of how you are going to work through any potential issues. 

Think ahead by taking a moment to think of a potentially emotionally stressful situation you may be faced with (e.g. A performance evaluation at work, an up-coming midterm, attending a social event) and create a plan of what you will need to effectively work through that situation. That may mean you book time for yourself for self-care or reach out to a friend, letting them know you will reach out to them for support. Take some time this month to create a plan for yourself so that you feel more prepared as you take on the challenges that life presents. 

Mental Health Tips: Cope Ahead!

One of my favourite skills from Dialectical Behavioural Therapy is Cope Ahead. This can be helpful when trying to implement the Mental Health Challenge for this month of proactive coping! Here is how this skill works.  
1. Describe the situation or problem that you are worried about.
2. Determine what skills you will need in order to best cope with the situation.
3. Imagine the situation that you are worried about.
4. Imagine in your mind coping effectively with the situation.
5. Practice a relaxation exercise after you have imagined yourself coping effectively with the situation.

This skill allows you to determine what could happen and how you would best cope with it.  We hope that you find this skill helpful.