Coping Strategies for Mental Wellbeing: A Practical Guide

A coping strategy is an intentional action we take to manage stress and navigate life’s challenges. Whether facing a difficult situation or adapting to change—positive or negative—having a toolkit of strategies can help us maintain our mental health, self-image, and emotional balance.

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In my therapeutic practice, when clients struggle to cope with life’s stressors, I assess two key areas:

1. 1. Do You Have the Basics of Mental Wellbeing in Place?

   
   

   Let’s be honest: as adults, if we don’t take care of our mental wellbeing, no one else will do it for us. Prioritising self-care is essential for maintaining a strong foundation, especially during challenging times.

   
   

   If you’re unsure where to start, I recommend checking out the NHS guide on 5 Steps to Mental Wellbeing. This guide provides essential self-care practices with detailed benefits and inspiration.

   
   

   To summarise, here are the five fundamental areas of self-care:

   • Physical Wellbeing: Prioritize sleep, eat nourishing foods, exercise regularly, and spend time outdoors.

   • Social Connections: Engage with family and friends who uplift and support you.

   • Mindfulness & Presence: Practice mindfulness techniques to stay in the moment.

   • Giving to Others: Acts of kindness can enhance your sense of purpose and connection.

   • Personal Growth: Invest in learning and self-improvement to build resilience.

   You may feel that there’s never enough time for self-care, but the truth is, time doesn’t appear spontaneously—we have to make it a priority.

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2. Have You Developed a Variety of Coping Strategies?

Once the basics are in place, it’s important to have different coping strategies to handle life’s inevitable challenges. Relying on just one approach can be limiting, especially if it’s unavailable or no longer effective.

Below, I’ve compiled a range of coping techniques, categorised to match different needs and personality styles. Use this as inspiration to build your personalized toolkit.

I. Self-Regulation Through Energy Release

These strategies help manage anxiety, frustration, and excess energy by channeling it in a healthy way:

• Go for a run or brisk walk—bonus points for nature walks!

• Go to the gym for an individual workout or join a fitness class: yoga, pilates, boxing, aqua aerobics - the options are endless!

• Engage in a sport — possibly a team sports like tennis, football, or netball enhance social connection

• Release energy through 5 minutes of star jumps, skipping rope, trampoline

• Spend 10 minutes stretching

• Dance to your favorite song

• Do household chores like tidying up or organizing a space

• Play with children or pets

• Prioritize rest—sometimes, a nap or early bedtime is the best reset

II. Co-Regulation Through Social Connection & Support

Those strategies can be very effective for any type of overwhelming feeling. Connecting with others makes us feel safe, accepted, part of a community and can also help us getting a more realistic perspective on things

• Connect with others:

  • spend quality time with friends and family

  • have open conversations with a trusted person

  • engage in eye-to-eye interactions, or if that feels overwhelming, opt for side-by-side activities like walking

  • be around calming individuals or visit a public space like a park or café

  • join a group, club, or community with shared interests

  • volunteer—helping others can bring a sense of fulfilment

    
    

• When direct social connection isn’t possible, consider:

  • Co-regulating with nature.

  • Spending time with a furry friend.

  • Seeking professional support from a therapist or counsellor

III. Problem-Solving & Reframing

For those who feel empowered by actionable solutions, these techniques shift focus from problems to solutions:

• Psycho-education: Learn about your stressors and how to manage them

• Problem-Solving: Break challenges into smaller, manageable steps

• Cognitive Reframing: Challenge negative thoughts and replace them with balanced perspectives

• Set Realistic Goals: Adjust expectations to reduce pressure

• Prioritise Time & Energy: Focus on what truly matters

• Boundaries & Saying No: Protect your time, energy and wellbeing

• Delegation: Share responsibilities to lighten your load

• Humor & Perspective: Find lightness where possible

• Practice Acceptance: When change isn’t possible, focus on coping

• Talk to Others: Gain external perspectives to avoid tunnel vision

• Positive Self-Talk: Replace self-criticism with encouragement

• Zoom Out: Remind yourself that tough times are temporary

• Take time and space away from the source of stress

IV. Relaxation & Mindfulness Techniques

Many of us struggle to permit ourselves to slow down, but relaxation is crucial for mental balance.

• Take time to relax - this can be a big resistance as we can have an internalised message that we don't deserve decompress and relax

  
  

• Breathing exercises:

  This is a beautiful and effective way to re-write the messages from our brain. Deep breathing will deliver the signal that we are safe and in control:

  • Square Breathing: Trace a square with your finger—inhale on one side, exhale on the next

  • 4-7-8 Breathing: Inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 7, exhale for 8

  • Belly Breathing: Deepen breath into the diaphragm for full relaxation - you can hold a hand on your tummy to feel the air going down into your lungs

    
    

• Mindful practices: Mindfulness is behavioural skill that can help you be present in the moment and acknowledge your feelings without judgment.

  • Mindful Breathing: Pay attention to the sensation of your breath, whether it's the rise and fall of your chest or the air entering and leaving your nostrils

  • Body Scan: Systematically bring awareness to different parts of your body, noticing any sensations without judgment

  • Mindful Eating: pay attention to the taste, texture, flavours and smell of your food, without rushing or multitasking

  • Walking Meditation: Pay attention to the sensations of walking, such as the feeling of your feet on the ground and the movement of your body

  • Nature Walks: Explore the green spaces around you to connect and co-regulate with nature

  • Mindful Listening: Pay attention to the sounds around you, whether it's the hum of a refrigerator or the chirping of birds

  • Guided Meditation: Follow the instructions of a guided meditation, which can help you focus your attention and relax

  
  

• Grounding techniques: connect with your 5 senses to ground yourself in the present. You can try several exercises:

  • 5-4-3-2-1: IIdentify 5 things you see, 4 you touch, 3 you hear, 2 you smell, and 1 you taste

  • Sensory exploration: explore your 5 senses in your day to day life: what do you feel, see, smell, taste etc while enjoying a nice cup of tea in your favourite mug?

  • Mindful observation: Pay close attention to your surroundings, noticing details and textures. 

  • Physical sensations: Dig your heels into the floor, or press your palms together, focusing on the sensation. 

  • Progressive Muscle Relaxation: Systematically tense and release different muscle groups to promote relaxation

  • Water: Splash cold water on your face or put your hands in water. 

  • Visualisation: Visualise a safe and calming place. 

  • Alphabet Game: Name something for every letter of the alphabet within a chosen category. 

  • Self-Kindness: Practice self-compassion and self-care. 

  
  

• Journaling: Writing in a journal can help you process your thoughts and emotions.

  It can also help you identify patterns and triggers that may be contributing to your symptoms. Write down your thoughts and feelings to process emotions and gain clarity. There are numerous ways you can practice journaling: reflective, gratitude, stream of consciousness, bullet journal, etc

  
  

• Creative Outlets: this is a beautiful way to focus on the present and get lost in a hands-on task or creative activity like:

  • painting

  • drawing

  • playing a musical instrument

  • gardening

  • cooking

  • jigsaw puzzles

  • pottery

    
    

• Other Relaxation Techniques:

  • Movement: Stretch your arms and legs, or wiggle your toes. 

  • Warm Bath or Shower: Take a warm bath or shower to soothe your muscles and calm your mind. 

  • Adequate Sleep and Rest: Prioritise getting enough sleep, as it's crucial for both physical and mental recovery. 

  • Aromatherapy, massage, or reflexology

  
  

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Conclusion:

Coping with life’s challenges is an ongoing process, and what works for one person may not work for another. Experiment with different strategies to find what best supports your wellbeing.

By incorporating some of those strategies into your daily routine, you can improve your overall well-being and navigate life's ups and downs with greater resilience.

Remember to be kind to yourself and celebrate your successes, no matter how small