How do I support my child to use the coping strategy of S.T.O.P?

Speaker: Liana Zannis, Clinical Social Worker, CHC's Catherine T. Harvey Center for Clinical Services

Liana Zannis: Hi, I'm Liana Zannis, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker at Children's Health Council (CHC). The question today is, "How do I support my child to use the coping strategy of S.T.O.P.?" This skill can be an effective way to slow down when you're feeling overwhelmed. way to slow down when you're feeling overwhelmed. First, stop what you are doing. Sometimes it's helpful to use the words freeze or pause with younger kiddos. Next, take a step back, physically or in your mind. Then, observe or notice what is going on internally, like your thoughts and emotions and what's going on externally in the environment around you, like the room you're in or the people that you're with. Finally, proceed. You can make the choice of how to re-engage based on what you noticed. You can make the choice of how to re-engage based on what you noticed. It's really important to practice this skill when you're calm so that it's easier to access when you're feeling overwhelmed. easier to access when you're feeling overwhelmed.