coping tools

Blog Posts

• While waiting... What can we do when it seems like there is nothing we can do?

• Can stress cause my hair to fall out? Most of us have experienced stressful seasons when it feels like everything is coming undone — including our hair. It’s not uncommon to notice more strands in the shower drain or on your hairbrush after a particularly difficult period. But can stress actually cause your hair to fall out? And what can be done about it?

• Why do I feel anxious for "no reason?" Feeling anxious without knowing why? Learn 7 surprising reasons for unexplained anxiety and discover practical, calming strategies that can bring relief.

• The hidden impact of stress on your body - and how to reverse it. Long-term stress can quietly change your biology. Learn how stress affects your body—from hormones and hair thinning to digestion and immunity—and discover ways to reverse its impact and restore balance.

• Breaking Free: How to Unhook from Unhelpful Thoughts. Does anxiety keep you from enjoying life to the fullest? Acceptance and Commitment Therapy offers helpful skills for managing  those anxious thoughts.

• The Hidden Costs of Running on Empty: How Lack of Sleep Impacts Mental Health. To cope with busy schedules, we often don't prioritize sleep, sacrificing it for a few more hours of productivity or entertainment. By skimping on sleep, we end up less productive, more stressed, and feeling worse. Sleep isn't a waste a of time or something we can "speed up" the way we speed up the rest of life. It's a necessary time of productivity in the body. ere are some tips on improving your sleep.

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​Podcasts

• Your Anxiety Toolkit - Anxiety & OCD Strategies by Kimberley Quinlan, LMFT [podcast]

• Therapy in a Nutshell. This mental health podcast features many episodes devoted to dealing with anxiety and OCD. [podcast]

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Breathing and Meditation

Visit the YouTube channel for Anchor of Hope Counseling LLC to find playlists of calming meditative music and images, guided relaxation videos, and easy guided movement to calm your brain and body.

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How mindfulness changes the emotional life of our brains by Richard J. Davidson [YouTube TED talk]

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10 Breathing Techniques for Stress Relief and More

[article]

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Joanne D'Amico publishes a variety of guided meditations, progressive muscle relaxations, and even bedtime stories on her YouTube channel, Spotify, and podcast websites. Some of my favorites are:

• Panic Attack Talk Down (start at 4:28) [YouTube video]

• 10 min Relaxation Guided Meditation [YouTube video]

• Rainy Day Relaxation (start at 0:37) [YouTube video]

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20 Minute Guided Meditation: Full-body Relaxation and Active Body Scan (start at 0:29) [YouTube video]

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Exercise is a helpful way to cleanse your body of stress.

When your heart rate goes up and moves your blood through your body, it’s going to filter out stress hormones, cortisol in particular. That’s going to help you feel more relaxed, sleep better, and calm down the anxiety in your brain so that the parts of your brain that think more clearly are back online. Exercise also in general helps us better tolerate levels of cortisol. This doesn't mean you have to go run a 5K tonight. Take small, manageable steps toward making exercise a regular part of your routine. Pick a time when you will commit to some physical movements and put it on your calendar. Then follow through. It could be a promise to walk around the block or perhaps follow a short exercise video. 

• 5-Minute Break [YouTube video]

• Seated exercise routine for those with limited mobility [YouTube video]

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Other Resources

Resources about stress and coping skills [American Psychological Association website]

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Support Groups

Peer support groups are often run by those who have personal experience with the subject of the group. There are often local and online groups that you can attend for free. HeyPeers.com is a great place to start your search for support groups. This site also helps connect you with local resources and chat rooms. Sign up on the website, or access the service through its app.

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Support groups for Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors (BFRBs).

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Faith-Based Resources

Attacking Anxiety by Pastor Shawn Johnson. [YouTube video]

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How to Manage Overwhelm + Reduce Stress by Renewing Your Thoughts [podcast]

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Freedom to Feel on the You've Heard It Said Podcast by Life.Church [podcast]

• Naming your emotions helps your brain calm down by connecting the amygdala to the thinking centers.