Test safe coping tools
Want more background?
The idea in everyday life
Match calming, grounding, problem-solving, expression, connection, and recovery tools to different situations.
A tool is useful when it is safe, available, and helps with the next healthy action—not only when distress disappears.
One step at a time.
Use the sample or information you have permission to use. Keep your work as you go. You can pause between steps.
- 1
Build a menu across paced breathing or grounding, brief movement, sensory regulation, writing, task breakdown, problem-solving, support contact, and restorative activity.
- 2
Choose three low-risk tools, define when each fits, and test them in manageable situations while observing effect and burden.
- 3
Flag coping through self-harm, dangerous behavior, substance misuse, aggression, or total avoidance for qualified support rather than normalizing it.
See how it works.
Casey uses grounding before class, a task list for workload stress, and a trusted call when isolation is the main problem.
Did you cover these?
- Your work includes a tested coping menu with trigger, chosen tool, before-and-after function, limits, and safer escalation option.
- Check this common mistake: Using one technique for every problem or assuming a tool failed because it did not remove all distress immediately.
- You can choose among tools by situation and know when coping practice should give way to professional or crisis support.
What to finish
A tested coping menu with trigger, chosen tool, before-and-after function, limits, and safer escalation option.
Watch for this
Using one technique for every problem or assuming a tool failed because it did not remove all distress immediately.
How can I tell I understand it?
You can choose among tools by situation and know when coping practice should give way to professional or crisis support.
Quick knowledge check
Answer all 3 questions. Get at least 2 right and the lesson completes automatically.
You’ll get an explanation for each answer. Signed in? Your results save to your account.
Pass the check. We’ll save the progress.
Answer all 3 questions above and get at least 2 right. You can review the explanations and try again.
Go to the knowledge checkOptional course overview video · same video as Lesson 1
Mental Health Minute: Stress and Anxiety in Adolescents
From National Institute of Mental Health. Watch here or open it on YouTube .
Watch for an idea you can use in the practice below. You can pause or skip this optional overview.Tools, templates, and lesson sources
Tools and templates
Tools open in a new tab so you can keep your place here.
Sources and further reading
Explore the references behind this lesson.
Report a problem with this lesson
Tell us what went wrong. Please leave out personal information and private project contents.