When life throws you a challenging or stressful situation, it can be very difficult to navigate.
Whether you’ve had a rough day at work or a disagreement with your partner,
healthy coping skills are key to getting through tough times. ♡
Life is filled with ups and downs. No matter how healthy and resilient you are, we all face challenges we need to cope with. How we react to adverse events impacts our physical health and emotional well-being. Learning to cope with challenges is an invaluable skill, and luckily, it’s something that can be learned and practiced.
Coping skills help you tolerate and deal with difficult situations, thoughts, or feelings.
When you encounter an unfavorable event, it’s not uncommon to experience stress and depression, often leading to physical & emotional responses that are hard to manage.
Without proper coping mechanisms, you may feel stuck, overwhelmed, or even hopeless.
Positive coping builds resilience and results in an improved mood & better physical health.
Our therapists at Heal Talk Therapy know the importance of learning effective coping skills to help you thrive and build resilience. Let us teach you how to strengthen your coping skills and improve your life.
Healthy Coping Starts with Self-Care
Many believe self-care is a luxury rather than a priority. This cannot be further from the truth. Get in the routine of practicing self-care to promote your mental and physical health. Self-care practices can reduce negative feelings, improve your life, and enhance the benefits of therapy.
Identifying Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms
In times of stress, it’s easy to get wrapped up in many different emotions. When this happens, you may attempt to cope with your distress in unhealthy ways. Some people turn to drugs or alcohol, become aggressive, eat too much or too little, become avoidant, or even sleep more. Each of these coping mechanisms can lead to unhealthy physical and mental changes, so it’s important to replace these behaviors with healthier alternatives.
For example, learning “assertive” communication is a coping skill that can help you navigate stressful interactions with others, get your needs met, and build self-esteem.
The Importance of Coping Skills
When faced with a stressful situation, your body undergoes many physiological changes in response to a perceived threat. Stress hormones change the physical state of your body by altering how your body functions. This constant state of stress has unhealthy side effects, such as chronic headaches, digestive issues, memory changes, and insomnia. Being aware of how you react to stress is essential to finding coping mechanisms that work best for you.
People often resort to unhealthy coping mechanisms in an attempt to manage complicated emotions and feelings they may struggle to articulate. Those mechanisms can be destructive and result in further physical and emotional harm. By developing healthy coping mechanisms, a person can learn to cope in a more positive way.
For example, understanding the types of boundaries you set can help you determine the need to strengthen this skillset. Having boundaries that are too rigid or weak, will leave you feeling more stressed and less able to cope. Ensuring you set healthy boundaries is a very powerful coping skill that leads to a healthier you.
Coping skills Strengthening Techniques
If you want to strengthen your coping skills, one of the best ways to do so is by seeking therapy. Your therapist can help you identify unhealthy ways of coping. They can also teach you more effective ways to deal with difficult circumstances and improve resilience.
Benefit from being more assertive, setting healthy boundaries, improving time management, or identifying hobbies.
Develop positive tools such as deep breathing techniques, progressive muscle relaxation, and self-monitoring.
What works best for you may be entirely different than what works for someone else. That’s why we will focus on your unique needs to explore more effective coping methods.
Establishing Healthy Boundaries to Cope
A very effective coping skill to learn is how to establish and maintain healthy boundaries. Boundaries let other people know the limits and rules we set for ourselves in our relationships. Defining boundaries is a very important step in your healing journey.
Get Control of Your Coping Skills.
HEAL TALK THERAPY CAN HELP you:
Manage Life’s Stressors
Strengthen Emotion Regulation
Learn Effective Problem-Solving
Build Resilience & Overcome Hardship
Support Your Personal Growth
Improve Interpersonal Communication
Promote Self-Care
Set Healthy Boundaries
Manage Conflict Resolution
Work With a Therapist Today
Your mental and physical health are priceless! Understanding the different types of coping skills can help you determine which coping strategy will help you most. The right coping skill will depend on your particular situation or what you feel you need at that time. There is no right or wrong answer or no one size fits all. It’s totally up to you to decide what you need in the moment. At Heal Talk Therapy, we will help you develop and strengthen the coping skills you need for continued growth! Contact us today to get started.
FAQs About Building Coping Skills Through Therapy in Illinois
Chronic stress often happens when challenges pile up, boundaries aren’t clear, or the coping skills you have just aren’t enough for what life is throwing at you. Without healthy ways to work through things, your body stays on high alert, which can leave you feeling tense, drained, and overwhelmed. Understanding what triggers your stress and building coping strategies that actually fit your life can help you finally break that cycle.
Healthy coping skills include grounding techniques, boundary setting, deep breathing, journaling, and setting small, manageable goals to help you feel more centered throughout the day. These strategies support your nervous system and give you practical ways to navigate stress without becoming overwhelmed. In therapy, you can learn which coping skills fit your personality and lifestyle so you can use them consistently and confidently.
Frequent anger outbursts can be a sign of built-up stress, unmet needs, or feeling unsure how to express emotions in a healthy way. When you haven’t had the chance to learn solid emotional regulation skills, anger can easily become your go-to reaction when you’re frustrated or not feeling heard. Building tools like deep breathing, clear communication, and recognizing your triggers can help you pause, stay grounded, and respond in a way that feels more in control.
Overwhelm occurs when your emotional capacity is exceeded by life’s demands, but several techniques can help restore your sense of control. Progressive muscle relaxation, grounding exercises (like naming five things you can see, four you can hear, three you can touch) and focused breathing can provide immediate relief. Creating healthy boundaries and practicing regular self-care also prevents overwhelm from building up in the first place.
Frequent crying can indicate heightened emotional sensitivity, accumulated stress or difficulty processing feelings before they become overwhelming. Rather than trying to suppress tears, which is a natural emotional release, focus on understanding what triggers your emotional responses. Learning to identify and address your emotions earlier in the process can help you feel more in control of your reactions.
Testimonials
Real ClientResults.
Highly recommended by therapists.
If you’re looking for therapy in Oak Brook, I highly recommend Heal Talk Therapy. You’ll find not only skilled counselors, but also a warm space that truly prioritizes your well-being. I’ve known Dr. Eleni Malamis for many years, and she has always stood out for her hard work, kindness, and...
Ilene K.
Jill Vogel was my amazing therapist for the last few years who helped me turn my life around. She provided support in navigating a difficult situation in my own family and also helped my husband and I through incredibly difficult years with our family. She helped us navigate substance abuse,...
Sharon L.
I can’t articulate enough how life changing working with Jill V has been for me. I came to her after being diagnosed with a serious, high-risk neuromuscular disease that changed every facet of my life. I was struggling to remain employed in a high-pressure corporate setting and navigate this illness...
Virginia M.
Katie is an amazing therapist. Very professional and caters to your needs during your therapy session. She offers good advice and a listening ear. Highly recommend her!
Kashifa A.
This is a truly outstanding mental health practice. The therapists are not only highly skilled but also deeply compassionate and committed to their clients' well-being. The environment is welcoming, supportive, and thoughtfully run, making it a great place for anyone seeking quality care.
Karen G.
Katie is an amazing therapist! I have been seeing her for a few years now and will continue to.
Taylor S.
I worked with Jill Vogel for almost 3 years. She is fantastic! She met me exactly where I was and led me to grow in many ways over our time together. She was an engaged, caring listener and wise therapist somehow knowing how to ask the exact right question at...
Bonnie A.
I've had the pleasure of working alongside Dr. Malamis for many years and would highly recommend Heal Talk Therapy as this clinic possesses a team of highly competent, caring, and empathetic therapists. The clinicians do a phenomenal job utilizing evidence-based approaches as they tailor counseling goals with each client's individual...
Athena N.
Dr Eiliana Silva was the first female therapist I've ever had, and I look forward to seeing her whenever I can! She has helped me so much in learning how to cope with depression, anxiety, grieving, and so much more! She tells you straight forward what you need to do...
Chris S.
I’ve been a patient for Dr.Silva for almost a year now, and with her help she’s really changed me for the good. I was at a place where I felt I was at my breaking point but she brought me to steady grounds. Dr.Silva gives a lot of guidance, sympathy,...
Sydney T.
Dr Silva has surpassed my expectations for therapy. She’s amazing, empathetic, and to the point. She’s definitely changed my opinion on therapy and highly recommend her to anyone on the fence about therapy.
Lorena Z.
Jill is an amazing therapist. She is warm and understanding and she truly listens and tries to find options that work best for you. My personal improvement would not have been as successful and manageable without her!
Rachel H.
I highly recommend Jill Vogel, LCSW for anyone seeking therapy and support. Having been fortunate enough to work with her professionally the last few years, I’ve been able to witness how dedicated she is to her clients and how passionate she is about the mental health field. Therapy looks very...
Natalia C.
Natalia Cisowski has been my colleague for several years now, and it's been an absolute pleasure working with her in both inpatient and outpatient settings. What sets Natalia apart is her exceptional warmth and genuine care for her clients. She brings an unparalleled level of sincerity and compassion to her...
Jillane X.
I highly recommend Jill Vogel to partner with you on your therapy journey! Jill has helped me gain so much insight both professionally in my own practice and on a personal level. She brings to the table years of diverse experience, knowledge and skills. Jill provides an emotionally safe environment...
Loree K.
Meet the Team
Our Therapists
We are a team of highly-skilled mental health therapists and counselors.
We strive to create a warm + welcoming environment for our clients.