Healthy Mindful Coping Mechanisms

Grounding/Mindfulness:

1. The 5-4-3-2-1 Method
   1. Name five things you can see
   2. Name four things you can touch
   3. Name three things you can hear
   4. Name two things you can smell
   5. Name one thing you taste
2. activate the dive reflex
   1. Splashing cold water on your face is a way to activate the “dive reflex,” your body’s natural way of focusing blood and oxygen to your vital organs when you’re submerged in water. This can calm your autonomic nervous system, decreasing your heart rate and slowing your breathing.
3. box breathing
   1. “…breathing in for a count of four, then holding that breath in for a count of four, exhaling for another count of four, and holding your breath out for four more counts.” (Kathryn Watson, These Stress-Relief Activities Actually Work, According to Therapists)
4. Take three slow, deep, mindful breaths:
   1. As Thich Nhat Hanh says, “It needs only one conscious breath to be back in contact with yourself and everything around you, and three conscious breaths to maintain the contact.”

Centering:

1. Look in a mirror
   1. As Thich Nhat Hanh says, “Whenever anger comes up, take out a mirror and look at yourself.”
2. Do a mental hygiene routine.

Meditation:

1. Loving-kindness
   1. Loving-kindness meditations on Insight Timer.
2. Gratitude
   1. Gratitude meditations on Insight Timer.
3. Body-scan
   1. Body-scan meditations on Insight Timer.

Movement

1. Walking
2. Stretching