Physical Coping Skills For Anger Management
Sometimes students just really want to punch something! Help students manage these feelings in a positive way by teaching them to use physical coping skills.
As a school based counselor, I have worked with my fair share of angry students. Of course, one of my main responsibilities when working with these students is to help them learn positive ways to cope with and express their anger. I always teach students many different coping skills options. However, I have found that the angry students I work with much prefer to use coping skills that are physical in nature.
What are physical coping skills?
Physical coping skills are strategies that we can use to express our feelings in a physical way. By using these coping skills, students will replace hitting, shoving, kicking, etc. with less destructive behaviors. There are many different ways that students can release their anger in a physical way. Some of my students’ favorites include: ripping up paper into a trash can, punching a pillow, pressing down on their seat, squeezing a stress ball and bouncing on a ball.
Why are physical coping skills helpful?
I was talking to an 8th grade boy once about yet another physical altercation he was involved in. I’ll never forget the words he shared during our conversation: “I just wanted to punch something.” Unfortunately, he chose another person to be the object of that aggression. However, this doesn’t have to be the case.
Teaching our students other ways to release their physical aggression gives them the skills they need to keep themselves and others safe. Instead of directing their physical aggression towards others, the students can channel that energy into something that helps them feel calm and collected. Physical coping skills can help students meet the need they have to release anger in a physical way, while allowing them to do it without being harmful or destructive.
How do I teach students to use these coping skills?
Thankfully, teaching students to use physical coping skills can be pretty simple. Just like when teaching any other type of coping skill, students need to know what to do and when to do it. The first step is to help students recognize when they are starting to feel angry. When they can recognize their anger before it gets too intense, they will be more likely to use the coping skill. Once students know when to use their coping skills, they can begin to express their feelings in a healthy way instead of in a way that causes harm.
After students know when to use their coping strategies, help them decide which physical coping skills will work best for them. Talk about different options and ask them which ideas they prefer. Then, make a plan. Talk with the student and teachers to answer these questions:
If the student gets angry during class, what will he/she do?
Where will he/she go?
How will the student get the materials he/she needs to calm down (paper, stress ball, etc.)?
When students learn to use physical coping skills, they can express their physical energy and frustration in a healthy and safe way. To help students further understand this idea, and to give them practical ideas of how to use them, sign up below to get the free poster! Display the poster in your classroom or office to remind students of the physical coping skills they can use.
