Expressive Coping Skills: The Coping Box Series Part 1

A coping box is a great thing to have when you need it. They’re great for when you find yourself overwhelmed by anxiety or depression. Today, I will be introducing expressive coping skills you can keep in your coping box.

What is a coping box?

A coping box is what you would expect. It’s a box that has different coping skills ready for you to use.

It doesn’t really need to be a box. I have also used a bag in the past.

The coping skills may be expressive, sensory, or distraction-focused. It would be good to have a mix of all three. This post will be focused on the expressive skills.

Making a coping box

Making a coping box can be part of the fun! It’s nice to go back to something that you made and are proud of when you are struggling.

When I made mine (pictured above), I was given the box as part of a group therapy that I participated in. I then took it home and decorated it to bring back to our next meeting.

You should be able to find a box similar to mine at most craft stores. I painted it a happy color and then collaged it with magazine cut outs when the paint was dry. As a finishing touching, I added glitter Mod Podge.

Of course, you can decorate yours however you like. Just make sure the decorations are positive and conducive to recovery.

Expressive skills for a coping box

There are so many things you can put in your coping box! It’s a great way to have many materials you need for coping in one place.

Here are some examples of expressive coping skills/items you can have in your coping box:

1. Journal and a pen: This is a great way to be able to express your feelings by writing them down in something that you get to put away at the end.
2. Sketch pad and pencils: If you’re into art, this may be a great coping skill for you. Even if you aren’t, you’d be surprised at what can come out when you allow yourself to let go and try.
3. Collaging supplies: If you have some old magazines, you can cut out pictures and words that catch your eye. Then, you can store it in your box to collage with.
4. Journal prompts in a jar: If you can find a small jar, you can use it to collect journal prompts that you find online and print out or write down. This way, if you feel stuck when you want to try journaling, you have something to go off of. There are lots of great ideas on Pinterest.
5. Stationery: Stationery is one of my favorite things! I love to write letters to people. If you’re interested in writing letters to someone else or your future self, stationery is a great idea!
6. Paint: Try to find some small paints that will be easy to store in your box. I prefer acrylics because they dry quickly, but whatever paint you like will be a good choice. You can store small canvases or paper that can be painted on in your box.
7. Photography scavenger hunt: This one could be a lot of fun! Make a list of open-ended prompts for a photography scavenger hunt and put the list in your box. This could be as simple as taking a photo of something with a certain color or shape. It’s up to you how you get creative with the photos afterwards.

Some final thoughts on expressive coping skills

Most likely, all of these items will not fit in your box, especially once you start adding items from the next two categories.

That’s okay. Pick your favorites. Take what works for you and leave the rest.

I hope you enjoyed the first installment of my series on making a coping box. As always, please leave a comment or share a link on social media if you enjoyed this post. If you want to contact me, you can find my information here.

Until next time,

Danna