Creating Your Cope Ahead Plan
A Cope Ahead Plan helps you prepare for challenging situations by thinking through your responses and supports in advance. This structured approach can reduce anxiety and increase confidence in handling difficult moments.
Key Takeaway
Planning ahead for difficult situations activates your wise mind and helps you respond skillfully rather than reacting emotionally in the moment.
1. Describe the Situation
Write down the specific challenging situation you want to prepare for:
- What will happen?
- When and where will it occur?
- Who will be involved?
- What aspects make this situation challenging?
2. Identify Your Emotions
Anticipate and write down:
- What emotions might come up?
- How intense might these feelings be?
- Where in your body might you feel these emotions?
- What thoughts might accompany these feelings?
3. Plan Your Skills
List the DBT skills you want to use:
- Which mindfulness skills could help?
- What distress tolerance techniques might be useful?
- Which emotion regulation strategies will you employ?
- What interpersonal effectiveness skills might you need?
4. Identify Your Supports
List your support resources:
- Who can you talk to before the situation?
- Who can you reach out to during the situation?
- Who can provide support afterward?
- What professional supports are available?
5. Plan What to Avoid
Identify potential triggers and pitfalls:
- Which people might increase your stress?
- What places should you stay away from?
- What activities might make things harder?
- What thoughts or behaviors could escalate the situation?
6. Visualize Success
Describe what successful coping looks like:
- How will you feel when you cope effectively?
- What positive outcomes might result?
- How will this success build your confidence?
- What will you learn from handling this well?
Tips for Success
When to Create a Plan
- Before important events or meetings
- When facing challenging social situations
- Prior to difficult conversations
- When anticipating triggers
Best Practices
- Write your plan when calm
- Be specific and detailed
- Review and update regularly
- Practice visualizing success