50 Ideas for Coping
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Call the SACHA's 24 Hour Support Line 905.525.4162.
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Breathe.
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Have an old-fashioned temper tantrum. Lie on a bed and punch and kick the bed.
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Watch a funny movie that helps you laugh.
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Watch a sad movie that helps you cry.
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Read a fluffy book.
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Sing.
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Go for a walk.
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Write a letter to the child that you were. Tell that child the things an adult should have said when the abuse was happening.
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Colour with crayons.
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Dance.
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Meditate.
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Do something fun for the season. Make snow angels. Play in leaves. Make a dandelion bouquet.
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Scream.
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Bake chocolate chip cookies.
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Take a bubble bath.
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Snuggle with your pet.
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Cry.
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Slow down.
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Go to the library.
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Listen to music.
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Talk to someone you trust who supports you as a survivor.
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Write down all the successes on your healing journey so far.
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Journal.
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Play with children.
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Listen to a relaxation tape.
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Look through a coffee table book with pictures of a country that you would love to travel to one day.
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Wrap yourself in a soft warm blanket.
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Do something kind for yourself. Even if it’s uncomfortable. Especially if it’s uncomfortable.
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Go to a park and people watch.
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Make a craft.
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Hug a tree.
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Put post-it notes around your home with self-affirmations.
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Create a comfort box. In the box, put things that give you comfort through each of your 5 senses. Something you can smell, taste, see, hear and feel. For example: favourite essential oil, chocolate, a picture of your pet, a CD of whale songs, a piece of velvet. Experience the feeling of each item in your comfort box.
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Do a crossword puzzle.
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Rock in a rocking chair.
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Do yoga.
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If your abuser is dead, write an obituary that tells the truth about that person.
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Ask someone who treats you with respect and who you trust what they like about you. Truly hear what they are telling you without rejecting it.
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Do some gardening.
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Read the comics.
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Go to the gym.
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Pop bubble wrap.
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Feed ducks by the water.
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Play with play-doh.
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Take a nap.
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Invite a neighbour over for coffee.
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Watch videos on You Tube.
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Hold a seashell to your ear and listen to the “ocean”.
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Light a candle and watch the flame flicker and sway.
Click here to download SACHA's 50 Ideas fo Coping