Building Resilience
TUSD Mental Health Services Newsletter, 1:3
Greetings These Holidays!
This holiday season will be unique, memorable, happy, and potentially stressful. As your district mental health support, we wanted to dedicate this issue to providing helpful tips during these times of uncertainty. We have included not just coping skills, but activity ideas and resources. We hope you'll find these helpful and that you and your loved ones remain safe, healthy, and in a cheerful spirit this holiday season.
How to Deal with Holiday Stress
The holiday season has always been a stressful time of year, and this year with the Covid-19 pandemic, it might be even more stressful if you are still planning to have family and friends over to celebrate the holidays. Or perhaps because of the pandemic you and your family have decided to cancel holiday gatherings all together, which is less stressful, but can cause loneliness, depression and isolation. Therefore, as people anticipate the holiday season this year, it is important to equip ourselves with good coping skills, which will not only help us make it through the season, but hopefully enjoy it as well.
What are Coping Skills?
Coping skills are strategies that help people deal with mental health challenges in order to achieve positive mental health and wellbeing. Coping skills take many forms. People can use their own personal coping skills to take charge of their thoughts, feelings, and actions, and when they do, they find that they experience mental health and even begin to thrive (Peterson, 2015).
The picture below are examples of healthy coping skills:
As the picture above shows, there are two types of coping skills: emotion-focused and problem focused. Emotion-based coping is helpful when you need to take care of your feelings when you either do not want to change your situation or when circumstances are out of your control. For example, if you are grieving the loss of not being able to see your loved ones this holiday season due to the pandemic, it is important to take care of your feelings in a healthy way given that you cannot change the circumstances (Morin, 2020). For example, you can use the extra free time not having to prepare a large meal by doing something fun like going on a bike ride, or going for a walk, or even taking up a new hobby such as painting or playing a new instrument. Just make sure the activity you choose makes you feel better so that you can think more clearly about the situation.
Problem-based coping is helpful when you need to change your situation, perhaps by removing a stressful thing from your life. For example, if you hate your job, your anxiety and sadness might be best resolved by finding another job as opposed to soothing your emotions (Morin, 2020).
The purpose of healthy coping strategies is to soothe you, temporarily distract you, or help you tolerate your distress. However, it is important to note that coping strategies should not be used to constantly distract you from reality (Morin, 2020).
Unhealthy Coping Skills to Avoid
Just because a strategy helps you endure emotional distress does not mean it is good for you. Some coping skills come with consequences, which could create bigger problems in your life. Here are some examples of unhealthy coping skills (Morin, 2020).
Drinking alcohol or using drugs
Overeating
Sleeping too much
Overspending
Avoiding things
Venting to others*
*Venting to others so that you can gain support, develop a solution, or see a problem in a different way can be healthy. But studies show repeatedly talking to people about how bad your situation is or how terrible you feel is more likely to keep you stuck in a place of pain (Byrd-craven, Geary, Rose & Ponzi, 2007).
Find What Works for You
We are all unique individuals, therefore a coping strategy that works for your partner might not work that well for you. For example, your spouse might like to go on strenuous hikes to help him calm down and think clearly, but you find it difficult and exhausting, which only fuels your emotional distress, and would much rather sit in a nice warm bubble bath. The important thing is to find out what works best for you so that you can have it in your toolkit for those moments when you feel like pulling your hair out.
Mei Pauw, LMFT
Mental Health Specialist
Guin Foss, Tustin Ranch, and Myford
Activities to Strengthen the Family Unit this Holiday Season
Arts and Crafts
Psychologically, arts and crafts help express thoughts and emotions.
- They provide a safe environment where the parent or the child can share feelings and ideas through their art with or without words, which is helpful when coping with difficult situations.
- Strengthens the bond between participants.
- These activities also encourage the development of social skills. When these activities are done with the family together, it opens the door to communication, provides opportunity for positive feedback and reinforcement.
One of my favorite crafts during the holiday season is making ornaments from Shrinky Dinks. I have used this idea in sessions with students as a means of processing emotions and self expression, but also with my own family for good old bonding; and I'd like to share it with you.
Click on the following images from left to right to learn how to make these wonderful ornaments:
You can find Shrinky Dinks at almost any craft store
A Metaphor for Growth
Lesson During the Holidays
Yenyfer Bullock, LMFT
Mental Health Specialist
Tustin Connect, Hillview HS, Benson Elementary
Family Yoga
Yoga is an excellent activity for family members of all ages to do together. Yoga combines stretching, focused breathing, relaxation in a variety of poses that help to strengthen the body, mind and immune system. There are many types and levels of yoga. For families who are new to yoga, I recommend starting with Restorative Yoga.
Restorative Yoga often referred to as Gentle Yoga, focuses on breathing techniques, mindfulness, and stress reducing poses. Restorative Yoga can be practiced for just a few minutes or up to an hour. I would recommend starting with a 15-30 minute Restorative Yoga class. Restorative Yoga classes can be accessed on the internet through sites such as YouTube. Yoga is a great family bonding activity that requires little or no equipment and provides an opportunity to escape technology and the stresses in our daily lives. Keep an open mind and give yoga a try. You will be on your way to a healthier body and mind.
For more information on yoga, please contact Jessica Erickson, LPCC, 500 RYT
Mental Health Specialist
Columbus Tustin MS, Estock Elementary
Meditation
The holidays are an excellent time to practice love and kindness. Kindness begins with practicing self-love, compassion and self-care. Meditation exercises are a great way to improve and practice empathy and compassion towards ourselves and then others. Holidays may look different this year due to the global pandemic but rest assured that you are not alone. Practice self-care through meditation exercises this holiday season. Click HERE for more.
Jennifer Caballero, LMFT
Mental Health Specialist
Utt MS, Tustin Memorial Academy, Ladera Elementary
Crisis During the Holidays
Building Resilience is brought to you by the TUSD Mental Health Services Team
The Mental Health Services (MHS) team is made up of clinically trained therapists. Our MHS team has grown significantly over the past six years to meet the mental health needs of general education students. We provide individual and group counseling to TUSD's general education students. Additionally, we facilitate workshops, offer consultation, and collaborate with local community agencies. Students are referred for therapeutic services by their principal and school counselor.
As a team, we aim to be recognized as an entity of support to general education students affected by social-emotional hindrances which prevent them from achieving their educational goals. Moreover, the Mental Health Services Team seeks to project a broad psychoeducational impact by normalizing mental health services throughout the district.
If you have any questions regarding the MHS team or the Building Resilience Newsletter, send us a message.