Next in self-soothing with the senses is hearing. Some studies have shown that birdsong may help us feel safe. Your favorite music can promote relaxation. There are tons of options available for finding a mix of sounds that can help you self-soothe. Thanks to today’s technology, we can take soothing sounds with us nearly everywhere […]
Archives for May 2020
Relationships and the Pandemic
How has your relationship been holding up during the pandemic? These things can help. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/more-chemistry/202004/5-tips-couples-during-covid-19
Self Soothing and Senses
Self-Soothing and Sight Self-soothing is another great skill for stressful times. We can use our senses to reduce the intensity of negative emotions. We’ll start with sight. You can count the number of places you see a certain color in the room. You can look at some of your favorite photos on your phone or […]
At the end of IMPROVE is Encouragement
Today we have made it to the last letter of the IMPROVE acronym, E for encouragement. Encouragement is being a cheerleader for yourself. You remind yourself that you have faced tough challenges and hard times before, and you can do so again. Give yourself specific examples of when you have overcome obstacles or made it […]
Got Stress? The V in IMPROVE
Got Stress? The V in the IMPROVE acronym stands for vacation. When dealing with a stressful ongoing situation, taking a break is essential. Most of us can’t afford to take a real vacation during a crisis. We can, however, find ways to take a break that doesn’t involve leaving the situation. We can declare some […]
The O in IMPROVE
The next letter in our distress tolerance acronym IMPROVE is O, which stands for “One thing in the moment.” If you bring old emotional issues into a already distressing situation, you can make things worse. Focus on the present moment, on the issue of this moment. Do your best to leave old problems where […]