Day 20: Coping Ahead:
Coping Ahead is a DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) skill that falls under the Emotion Regulation module. It can be used to prepare for everything from a work meeting to a legal session to a doctor’s visit.
With this skill, you use your imagination to vividly think about the situation you are anticipating. Do a guided muscle tension and relaxation meditation so that you can feel relaxed both physically and mentally, then start thinking about the experience in advance. Imagine all your senses coming alive and truly experience the upcoming situation in the way you would like for it to be.
When you cope ahead with potentially difficult situations, you provide your mind and nervous system with a way to desensitize the upcoming event. You also prepare yourself for what to expect and lessen your anxiety regarding the situation.
Source(s):
Stop Sabotaging: A 31 Day DBT Challenge to Change Your Life
by Debbie Corso