Tammy Stoner, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, provides presentations, coaching and counseling services. As the developer of the Teddy Bear Technique® Toolkit she demonstrates fast and fun ways to engage in storytelling for adults and children, and quickly reach the hard to reach. As author, presenter and coach, services are guaranteed to create breakthrough results!
Ten Simple Secrets the Experts
Don't Want You To Know About
Let's face it... there's a shortage of treatment tools. That's right, there's a shortage of tools to help us grow, to help us face life's unexpected changes and obstacles. The experts don't really want you to know this because it makes them look incompetant and after all you get professional help when you feel incompetant not the expert!
Life can be complex. Curve balls come at you from out of nowhere knocking the wind out of your sails and you are expected to know how to cope, in spite of nobody teaching you how to manage all of life's unexpected events.
What can you do when you face the unexpected? Here are Tammy's Top 10 coping methods for managing the unexpected.
1. Stop and take a deep breath. That's right. Breathing is so simple. It's a God given gift of life and sometimes we forget to slow down and inhale a deep breath. Smokers report that cigarrettes relax them. I think what is actually happening is that they stop and inhale. Too bad it's smoke and not fresh air. So the next time you face a challenge that you weren't prepared for, stop what you are doing and take a deep breath of fresh air!
2. Drink a glass of water. I told you this was simple. Water is free and it's basic to life support. Without water we just can't survive. It's only natural that when you are stressed, water would help. Stop and drink a glass or two or three...
3. Go outside. Breath fresh air and drink a glass of water while there. As a therapist, I am amazed at how simple this one is in theory and how difficult in practice. When people face depression or an unexpected life event, they often curl up in the bedroom and confine themselves to the indoors. Walk outside and experience the air around you.
4. Find a friend. It is essential to create a support system. A support system is a network of people who can help you make it through tough times. Nobody has all of the answers themselves for creating change. Get a coach to help you through these life changes.
5. Write a list of what you can do when feeling overwhelmed. Write this list when you are not feeling overwhelmed and then turn to it when you are. Make a list of 10 things you can do and then turn to the list when needed.
6. Simplify your life. If you are faced with complicated descisions sometimes it helps to get rid of things. Get rid of the clutter in your life and vow to keep it simple.
7. Focus on Solutions. When faced with problems we focus on the problem and the problem gets bigger. Focus on the solution and the solution will get bigger.
8. Focus on Success. Think about how you have solved past problems. You will find clues on how to solve present ones. Experience is the best teacher.
9. Set goals. Identify how you want things to be and then set a plan for how to achieve these goals. Make the goals realistic and establish a time frame for accomplishing the goals.
10. Hire a personal coach. A coach is trained to help you establish goals and keeps you on track for meeting your goals and objectives.
Reprint permission granted in part or whole when the following credit appears: Reprinted with permission from Tammy Stoner LCSW at
http://www.TeddyBearTherapy.com 1-770 639-7719
© Tammy Stoner @ The Teddy Bear Technique® All rights reserved.
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