Positive coping skills worksheet

Describe the situation that made you feel upset

Describe what external events caused the situation.

Describe what you did that contributed to the situation.

How did the situation make you feel emotionally and physically?

What did you want to do because of how you felt?

What did you finally do in that situation?

What did you want to say in that situation?

What did you actually say in that situation?

How did your emotions and behaviors affect you later? Did you still feel upset about the situation?

Did you do anything at that time to feel better?

See some positive coping behaviors that might you in a similar sort of situation in the future:

●          I can talk about how I feel.

●          I can accept the feelings for what they really are - simply feelings.

●          I can calm down my body with deep breathing and muscle relaxation.

●          I can engage the person (or persons) I’m with in order to work out through these difficult feelings.

●          I can seek support either before or after this situation.

●          I can adjust my expectations to be more realistic about what “should” happen in that situation.

●          I can find some humor in the situation.

●          I can be more positive about myself instead of blaming myself for what happened.

●          I can be more assertive about my rights and needs.

●          I can do something to calm myself down when I realize I’m anxious or afraid.

Can you think of any other positive coping skills? Note them below:

References

Gross, J. J. (2012). The Emerging Field of Emotion Regulation: An Integrative Review - James J. Gross, 1998. Review of General Psychology. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1037/1089-2680.2.3.271

‌Lazarus, R. S., & Folkman, S. (1984). Stress, appraisal, and coping. Springer publishing company.

You can download more Mental Health worksheets here.

Please note: There may be a more up-to-date and editable version of this worksheet available here which may be more suitable to present to clients if you are a therapist or to use in a classroom as a teacher or guidance counsellor.