53: Just Cope!

Welcome to this bonus episode! For the next few weeks I’ll be putting out some bonus content, and today we will explore coping skills. It’s a phrase that’s become a buzzword in the psychology world right now, along with emotional regulation, feelings, and trauma. Let’s clarify these concepts that may have gotten watered down with a closer look.

Show Highlights:

●      “Emotional regulation” defined and explained: what it is and what it is not

●      The definition, Part 1: “Emotional regulation is the ability to respond to the ongoing demands of experience with a range of emotions and in a manner that is socially tolerable . . .” It is OK to have your feelings!

●      The definition, Part 2: “ . . . and sufficiently flexible to permit spontaneous reactions, as well as the ability to delay spontaneous reactions as needed.” Being emotionally regulated doesn’t mean you are a robot!

●      What it means to operate within your “window of tolerance,” the optimal zone of arousal (not in a sexual sense, but nervous system activation) for a person to function in everyday life

●      How your window of tolerance has red zones at the top and bottom of hyper- and hypo-arousal

●      The learning zone vs. the comfort zone

●      How coping skills help us bring ourselves back to the window of tolerance in the comfort zone

●      Why we should morally neutralize ALL coping skills

●      Examples of coping skills that help you stay out of the red zones and regulate well

●      Why self-compassion is THE most important coping skill

Resources and Links:

Connect with KC: Website, TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook

Get KC’s book, How to Keep House While Drowning

We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: www.strugglecare.com/promo-codes