50 Coping Skills for Teens

Coping skills help teens work through challenging emotions, feelings, or situations. Sometimes, when you are in the moment,  it can be difficult to think of coping skills. Here is a list of 50 coping skills that I often share with my teen clients. Enjoy! 

1. Exercise (running, walking, etc.).
2. Put on temporary tattoos.
3. Create a blog or write a story! 
4. Draw/scribble/doodle on a piece of paper. 
5. Call a friend
6. Watch your favorite show.
7. Seek out the company of others
8. Do your homework. 
9. Play an instrument
10. Sing and dance around your room.
11. Paint your nails or do a makeup tutorial on YouTube. 
12. Lay in the grass and look up at the sky.
13. Punch a pillow. 
14. Watch a silly tv show. 
15. Talk to your family. 
16. Organize your closet.
17. Look for fun recipes online. 
18. Listen to great music. 
19. Cry it out. 
20. Go for a run. 
21. Read a poem or a book.
22. Teach yourself to knit.
23. Watch a YouTube video of cute puppies. 
24. Go shopping for fuzzy socks. 
25. Put on the fuzzy socks and dance around your house. 
26. Take a bubble bath. 
27. Snuggle with your animals. 
28. Try some aromatherapy (candle, lotion, room spray).
29. Blow bubbles
30. Try progressive muscle relaxation. 
31. Go somewhere very public.
32. Bake something yummy. 
33. Organize your shoes. 
34. Finger paint. 
35. Rip paper into itty-bitty pieces.
36. Go outside and play sport. 
37. Write a letter and send it snail mail. 
38. Plan your dream room house. 
39. Hug a pillow or stuffed animal.
40. Dance.
41. Design the world's best smoothie. 
42. Play with a bounce ball. 
43. Build a fort in your living room. 
44. Ask your parents to take a drive to the beach. 
45. Walk on the beach. 
46. Paint rocks. 
47. Make a long list of things you are grateful for. 
48. Jump on a trampoline. 
49. Watch family movies. 
50. Do a random act of kindness for a stranger.