Coping Exercises
Episode Description
Many people find themselves dealing with high levels of stress and anxiety in their daily lives. However, there are plenty of simple strategies to help regulate these emotions. In this episode of Mind Your Mind, host Tim Unsinn talks with therapist Sandy Richter about various coping exercises to help you regulate and calm yourself, including breathing and movement exercises for both children and adults.What to Expect
- Breathing exercises
- Movement exercises
- Coping exercises for kids vs adults
Resources: Learn More
- “A Little SPOT of Feelings” series by Diane Alber
- “Breathing Exercises: 4-7-8 Breath” by Dr. Weil
Things to Think About
- There are many creative ways to make coping exercises fun for children.
- What coping exercises work best for you?
Transcript
Coping Exercises
Featuring Sandy Richter, LCSW, Therapist
Host Tim Unsinn:
Welcome to Mind Your Mind, a podcast presented by Dakota Family Services, an outpatient behavioral health clinic, located in Minot, Bismarck, and Fargo, North Dakota. In this podcast, I will talk with our experts about understanding and nurturing our mental health and wellness. I'm your host, Tim Unsinn. Join me each episode as we explore the intricacies of our minds, decrease the stigma of mental illness, learn practical tips for managing our mental health and wellbeing, and recognize when it's time to ask for help. Join me now to Mind Your Mind.
Tim Unsinn:
Welcome to this episode of Mind Your Mind. Our guest is Sandy Richter. Sandy is a therapist in Minot. Sandy, it is great to have you on Mind Your Mind. Our topic is coping exercises. However, before we get to that awesome topic, there's a question I ask all of our guests, and that is, why do you do what you do?
Sandy Richter:
I just love helping people in general. I'm just very passionate about anyone that is struggling with mental health, life changes. Sometimes we all just need a little helping hand.
Tim Unsinn:
Thanks, Sandy that's great. So our topic is coping exercises, and it seems like we've got a few things to cover, a few bases, if you will, to cover on this topic. First, deep breathing for children.
Sandy Richter:
So a lot of people don't know that children do not automatically know how to calm and self-regulate. So deep breathing exercises are things that you can teach your children, and they learn through having fun. So oftentimes we call it animal breathing. When we're teaching them how to breathe like an animal, they get to select an animal of their choice. So if they are selecting perhaps a lion, we're teaching them to take a deep breath in through their nose, hold it. We will count to three or four, and then we will have them exhale with a big loud roar. And we'll practice that several times. And they are having fun and they are also learning a very important skill to help regulate their emotions.
Tim Unsinn:
And it seems like kids have wide and varied emotions, but maybe not, like you say, know how to deal with that.
Sandy Richter:
Yeah, and so there's very creative ways, maybe if they're not interested in roaring like animals. Blowing bubbles, taking a deep breath in through your nose, and then encouraging them to make that bubble as big as possible and blowing out really slow to grow that bubble. And so another way that you could teach them is pinwheel breathing, or you could also call it cupcake breathing. You just take a deep breath in through your nose and then you were blowing either a pinwheel or you were blowing out like a candle.
Tim Unsinn:
So of all the, all the fun deep breathing exercises for kids, which, which of those is the most favorite?
Sandy Richter:
It depends on the child, really. Some of them really get into playing animals. Some of them just really enjoy blowing the bubbles.
Tim Unsinn:
I can just see the lion one. I can just see that being a hit, you know, breathing and then roaring out and, and not get in trouble for it. I love that one.
Sandy Richter:
And believe it or not, with the Jurassic Park movies that have just been coming out recently, dinosaur breathing is another really popular one. It's done the same way as an animal. But in that particular one we combine putting your hands out in front of you and then opening your hands, your palms, apart as you breathe in, and then snapping them down as they are exhaling and roaring.
Tim Unsinn:
Love that one too. Fun, fun stuff. Okay. So deep breathing for kids. What about deep breathing for adolescence and adults?
Sandy Richter:
Yeah, so with them, they really understand the process pretty easily. So we have what we call square or box breathing, and that is where you can either trace a square or imagine a square. You breathe in counting to four on one side. On the second side, you're holding counting to four. On the bottom of the box you are exhaling counting to four. And the last side is really just a rest of four. And then you can complete that box several times until you start to feel yourself calm.
Tim Unsinn:
What about word breathing?
Sandy Richter:
Yeah. Word breathing is another very simple type of breathing. They can pick a word of their choice. This type of breathing, word breathing, is common. It comes from what we call an illness management and recovery model. And an example would be, you could use the word calm. You would breathe in through your nose, quietly spelling the word in your mind, c a l m, and then as you breathe out, you are going to exhale that word out as long as possible.
Tim Unsinn:
I love that one too. These are all fun. These are all really, really good. Our guest on Mind Your Mind is Sandy Richter. Sandy is a therapist on our Minot campus, and our topic is coping exercises: breathing, and movement. We've talked about breathing. Now let's talk about movement exercises for children and adolescents.
Sandy Richter:
So with children just giving them a way to exert that energy that comes maybe with anxiety and where they're having trouble regulating emotions. Plus also, if you distract them and get them doing something, then they start to let their worried thoughts, they let them go. We do animal walking, pretending we're an animal and, you know, walking like an elephant walking like a crab. Different things like that just to get movement. Remember when we were children and we were in kindergarten, perhaps first grade, and we played hokey pokey. Getting those, you know, muscles moving, that is really a favorite one. It's helpful when kids can't sit still. Maybe they have some adhd, maybe they just are moving a lot because they're very anxious. So we will dance and play and do hokey pokey.
Tim Unsinn:
Lot of fun, fun ones for the kids. How about movement exercises for adolescents and adults? And as, as I kind of look at that, I'm thinking I'm jealous of the kids ones.
Sandy Richter:
You know, really any kind of movement that you can do to exert that energy that you're feeling internally, can be therapeutic. Teenagers, you know, shooting hoops. Or just going for a walk and talk, you know, as part of a therapy session. Or if you're a parent, you know, walking and hit the mall with your teenager that might want to shop and pick up maybe an item at one of their favorite novelty stores. Dancing is another really popular one. I encourage clients all the time to put some music on at home and just move. Others like yoga, some other kinds of mindfulness, meditation, tai chi, that just kind of helps give them some movement, as well as centering.
Tim Unsinn:
Seems like the key is just movement.
Sandy Richter:
Yep.
Tim Unsinn:
I guess that's why it's a movement exercise, right?
Sandy Richter:
Right.
Tim Unsinn:
And sitting is not a movement. All right. Awesome. Thank you, Sandy. I appreciate you being on Mind Your Mind. Before we wrap up and finish, I do have a final question for you, and that is, what do you do personally to mind your mind?
Sandy Richter:
When I'm at work and the day is busy and things like that, I'm very mindful just to take a few minutes for myself to breathe between appointments. I will also just get up and take a short little walk down the hallway and walk back before I go out to see the next person that is coming to visit with me. When I'm at home, I'm another one. I like movement and our daily tasks can be movement as well, but I also make sure that I have time to spend with quality time with family and doing things that I enjoy, like baking or I like to relax with a hot bath or read a good book.
Tim Unsinn:
Awesome. Thank you. Thank you for your time and your talent and thank you for joining us on Mind Your Mind. Thank you.
Tim Unsinn:
Thank you for joining us for Mind Your Mind a podcast presented by Dakota Family Services. For more information, links to additional resources, contact information, and much more, go to dakotafamilyservices.org.
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While OCD is sometimes perceived as simply a desire to keep things neat and organized, it can actually have much more severe symptoms for those who experience it. In this episode of Mind Your Mind, host Tim Unsinn meets with psychologist Dr. Megan Spencer to talk about who Obsessive Compulsive Disorder affects, what its signs and symptoms are, and how to seek help if you or a loved one has been diagnosed with OCD.;
Breaking Bad Habits
Bad habits can be easy to start but sometimes very difficult to stop. In this episode of Mind Your Mind, host Tim Unsinn and therapist Falan Johnson talk about breaking bad habits, including where habits come from, how to know if a habit is bad, and steps you can take to stop it.;
Finding a Therapist
Are you looking for some help on your mental health journey? In this episode of Mind Your Mind, host Tim Unsinn and therapist Jessie Mertz talk about how to find a therapist, including what you should know when searching and what questions to ask when you meet a therapist for the first time. They also touch on what the letters after a therapist’s name mean, and how they apply to the type of services or treatment you might be looking for.;
Coping with Rejection
Whether it’s from asking someone on a date or applying for a job, we all experience rejection at some point in our lives. In this episode of Mind Your Mind, host Tim Unsinn talks with therapist April Morris about how to cope with rejection, including the common coping stages, the importance of acceptance, and how rejection can impact people differently.;
Borderline Personality Disorder
Like other personality disorders, borderline personality disorder is a commonly misunderstood and stigmatized mental illness. In this episode of Mind Your Mind, host Tim Unsinn talks with Lucas Mitzel, a therapist at Dakota Family Services, about what BPD is, how it affects someone’s behavior, and where to seek treatment if your child has been diagnosed with BPD.;
Psychological Assessments: What to Expect
Do you think you might be suffering from an undiagnosed mental disorder? If so, a psychological assessment might be able to help. In this episode of Mind Your Mind, psychologist Dr. Hannah Baczynski and host Tim Unsinn talk about what to expect from a psychological assessment, including what an assessment might include, what information you might receive from the psychologist, and what you should communicate with your psychologist before and after receiving an assessment.;
Supplements in Psychiatry
In this episode of Mind Your Mind, host Tim Unsinn and Amanda Daggett explore the topic of using supplements for mental health. In addition to talking about some of the most commonly used supplements like melatonin and St. John’s Wort, they also discuss the benefits, the risks, and the research surrounding various supplements.;
Seasonal Affective Disorder (Community Chat Series)
Feeling like you’ve got the winter blues? If you’re noticing symptoms of depression with the change of seasons, it may be a sign that you’re suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD. In this special Community Chat episode of Mind Your Mind, therapists Christy Wilkie and Lucas Mitzel discuss the common symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder, how it can affect other mental health disorders, and some useful tips, tricks, and resources for managing symptoms of SAD.;
Trying New Things With Confidence
Join Christy and Lucas, therapists at Dakota Family Services, as they share practical tips for building confidence when trying new things. From managing self-doubt to building resilience, this episode will empower you to approach new experiences with a positive mindset.;
Relationships are Hard
In this episode, Christy and Lucas explore why relationships can be so hard. Join them as they discuss the characteristics of both healthy and toxic relationships, talk about the difference between normal conflict and abuse, and help you discover your love languages so you and your partner can best express your love to each other.;
Is Everybody Anxious?
In this episode, Christy and Lucas explore anxiety. Join them as they discuss the signs and symptoms of an anxiety disorder, what you can do to decrease your anxiety, and how to best help loved ones struggling with anxiety.;
Is Everyone Feeling Sad
In this episode, Christy and Lucas explore depression. Join them as they discuss the signs and symptoms of Major Depressive Disorder, what you can do to help yourself feel better, and what you can do to help your loved ones. They will talk about coping strategies, therapy interventions, and ways to help you identify when your child might need extra help.;
Change is Hard
Change is inevitable. Join Christy and Lucas as they explore big and small changes and how they impact you. Learn why change can be so hard, even good change, and discover ways to manage it effectively.;
We Need to Talk About Suicide
In this episode of "Is It Just Me," Christy and Lucas discuss the very important topic of suicide. Listen to learn about risk factors, warning signs, and what you can do to help a loved one who is struggling. Remember, you are not alone. If you need immediate assistance, call 911. If you need to talk to someone, call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.;
Do We Need to Get Outside?
Join Lucas and Christy as they explore the power of spending time outdoors on mental and emotional well-being. Discover practical tips, personal anecdotes, and expert insights on the benefits of getting outside and reconnecting with nature.;
Exploring ADHD
In this episode of "Is It Just Me?" Lucas and Christy discuss ADHD, shedding light on its prevalence and impact on daily life. Learn practical strategies for managing symptoms and understand why your friend or loved one with ADHD does the things they do.;
Internet Safety and Mental Health
In this episode of "Is It Just Me?", join our hosts Christy and Lucas as they delve into the complex relationship between the internet and mental health. With the digital age bringing information and social connections to our fingertips, it also presents unique challenges and opportunities for our safety and psychological well-being.;
Boosting Self-Esteem: From Marathons to Daily Triumphs
In this episode of "Is It Just Me?", Christy and Lucas discuss how common it is for people to see themselves differently from others. Using their own personal triumphs and challenges as examples, they outline the things that shape our self-esteem. Additionally, they share simple daily practices to help listeners recognize and celebrate their own personal victories. This episode is filled with tips and engaging stories aimed at encouraging listeners to undertake challenges that foster self-growth and personal confidence.;
Therapy Unveiled: What to Know Before You Go
In this episode of "Is It Just Me," Lucas and Christy talk about what it's like to begin therapy. Feeling apprehensive about starting therapy is normal, but surmountable. Together, Lucas and Christy unravel common myths about therapy and emphasize the role of therapy in disrupting negative life patterns and routines that are no longer serving you.;
Coping with the Back-to-School Blues
In the latest episode of “Is It Just Me?” Christy and Lucas tackle the transition from leisurely summer days to structured school schedules with warmth and wisdom. This episode is a must-listen for parents seeking guidance and strategies to help navigate the shift with confidence. Learn how to handle changes in routine, the importance of communication, and strategies to help the entire family adjust to and embrace the new normal. Listening to this episode can be your first step toward making back-to-school a season of growth and positive change for all.;
The Art of Overcoming Trauma
In this month’s episode of the "Is It Just Me?" podcast, Lucas Mitzel and Christy Wilkie, Dakota Family Services, dive into the complexities of trauma and its therapy. The episode sheds light on Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) and the importance of creating a trauma narrative as a cornerstone of healing. The thoughtful discussions aim to educate listeners on the intricacies of trauma, the innovative methods used in therapy, and the role of caregivers in the recovery process. Through expert insights and compassionate storytelling, Lucas and Christy provide practical advice and real-world examples for individuals who have experienced trauma.;
Navigating Life Through Mindfulness
In this episode of “Is It Just Me?”, Lucas and Christy delve into the world of mindfulness and relaxation techniques. From body scans to mindfulness exercises, they provide a soothing experience to help you unwind and distress. Discover practical tips and advice on incorporating mindfulness into your daily routine and learn how to prioritize mental well-being in today's fast-paced world.;
Mindfulness: Body Scan
In this special additional episode of “Is It Just Me” join therapist Lucas Mitzel as he gives listeners a transformative journey within their own body and mind. In this episode, Lucas guides listeners through a soothing body scan to promote calm, mindfulness, and inner peace. This episode offers a unique mixdown of gentle narration, and relaxation techniques, leaving you feeling refreshed, rejuvenated, and more connected to yourself.;
Beyond the Labels: Dismantling Myths About Mental Health
In this podcast episode of “Is It Just Me?” Lucas Mitzel and Christy Wilkie delve deep into the prevalent stigma and myths surrounding mental health. Through personal stories and insightful discussions, they aim to challenge misconceptions, break down barriers, and promote greater understanding and empathy towards people dealing with mental health challenges.;