{"id":97,"date":"2017-04-10T18:27:14","date_gmt":"2017-04-10T18:27:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wcsu.wpengine.com\/counseling\/?page_id=97"},"modified":"2025-07-11T17:14:48","modified_gmt":"2025-07-11T17:14:48","slug":"ten-tips-coping-with-crisis-and-loss","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/counseling\/ten-tips-coping-with-crisis-and-loss\/","title":{"rendered":"Ten Tips:\u00a0Coping With Crisis and Loss"},"content":{"rendered":"

On rare occasions, individuals, families and even communities go through crises that affect them deeply.\u00a0 Whether it\u2019s the loss of a loved one after a longstanding illness or the realization that a shocking tragedy has struck, as human beings we are all touched and try to cope in different ways.\u00a0 Here are some coping strategies that are universally helpful in times of great sadness or loss.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. REACH OUT.\u00a0 <\/strong>In times of crisis it\u2019s important to seek out and embrace the support of others.\u00a0 Some people are comfortable doing this and can accept support easily.\u00a0 Others who are more reserved and self-reliant are not used to doing this and may even be concerned about \u201cburdening\u201d others.\u00a0 Know that it is precisely in times of crisis that we should reach out to family, friends, co-workers and neighbors.\u00a0 They are, more often than not, honored and happy to help.<\/li>\n
  2. SUPPORT OTHERS.<\/strong>\u00a0 Just as receiving support is important to healing and well-being, so is offering emotional support to others who need it.\u00a0 If you have a friend, neighbor, family member or colleague who is struggling and you are in a place to provide support, know that this may be as beneficial to you as it is to them.\u00a0 Listening and being supportive allows us to develop perspective and to feel useful in times of challenge.<\/li>\n
  3. VOLUNTEER.<\/strong>\u00a0 Similarly, because crisis can leave us feeling confused, helpless and overwhelmed, a truly meaningful way to cope with these emotions is to give back in practical ways.\u00a0 Whether this means volunteering your time at a local food bank, offering to help with your college\u2019s efforts to support individuals affected by the trauma, simply donating money to relevant charity, volunteering can help you feel directed and purposeful in a way that benefits all.<\/li>\n
  4. MAKE A SPIRITUAL CONNECTION.<\/strong>\u00a0 For those people who belong to a faith community, reaching out to a spiritual leader or congregation for counsel and support can be both meaningful and reassuring.\u00a0 For those who are not religious, turning to meditation, time spent in nature or other forms of quiet contemplation can be healing, as well.\u00a0 Insight Timer <\/strong>is an app with many free excellent visualizations and meditations, including ones for sleep.<\/li>\n
  5. EXERCISE.<\/strong>\u00a0 The value of consistent, moderate exercise for tension release, mood enhancement and morale-building cannot be underestimated.\u00a0 Again and again, research exploring the benefits of exercise on mood, sleep and overall health and well-being points to its longstanding beneficial effects.\u00a0 This is true at times of particular stress and grief, as well.<\/li>\n
  6. LIMIT EXPOSURE.<\/strong>\u00a0 In times of crisis, and especially when a tragedy has made headlines, your instinct may be to stay informed and up-to-date with recent developments.\u00a0 This is fine\u2014so long as you are comfortable handling all the information available.
    \nIf, however, you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, stressed and unable to sleep, it\u2019s okay to give yourself a break from the news and perhaps limit your intake to a degree that you can handle, for instance, one<\/strong> check-in a day on-line with a credible news source<\/strong>.Be honest with yourself about what is and what isn\u2019t helping you in this regard.<\/li>\n
  7. GET THE FACTS<\/strong>.\u00a0 At times of tragedy or great loss it is natural for our world views to be affected by the events at hand.\u00a0 Not only are we stressed and saddened \u2013 we may also feel like the world and the world may actually be a more dangerous place than it used to be.\u00a0 If you have this concern, it is important to keep in mind that most of the tragedies we hear about on the news are extremely rare.\u00a0 That is, in fact, what makes them newsworthy.\u00a0 Keep this in mind as you go about your life and daily business and work on moving forward as best as you can.\u00a0 Reach out for support if you are feeling too afraid to function as you would like.<\/li>\n
  8. GET YOUR SLEEP<\/strong>.\u00a0 Aside from breathing, eating and drinking, there is likely no more important function to our survival and well-being than sleep.\u00a0 The vast majority of us need approximately eight hours of sleep a night to feel rested, relaxed and capable of meeting the next day\u2019s challenges.\u00a0 At times of stress, quality sleep is even more important.\u00a0 So make sure to take care of yourself simply by going to sleep in good time and giving yourself permission to get your zzzz\u2019s.\u00a0 For helpful sleep tips, check out these links:\u00a0 http:\/\/www.sleepfoundation.org\/article\/sleep-topics\/healthy-sleep-tips<\/a><\/li>\n
  9. BE PATIENT.\u00a0 <\/strong>Some people go through a crisis and think that they should be \u201cover it\u201d within a week or two.\u00a0 The truth is, big events can take time to process, and feeling better can take a while, as well.\u00a0 Know that, if, you\u2019re not feeling back to yourself quickly, that is likely normal.\u00a0 On the other hand\u2026\u2026<\/li>\n
  10. \u00a0SEEK COUNSELING.<\/strong>\u00a0 Should you find that the event that distresses you is impacting you in an ongoing way and that it affects your ability to function at work, at home of just day-to-day, feel free to consult with one of the therapists at the Counseling Center.\u00a0 We are here to help you explore your concerns, develop positive coping strategies and get back to yourself again.\u00a0 Our services are confidential and free of charge.\u00a0 Learn more by visiting our website:\u00a0 www.wcsu.edu\/counseling<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Adapted from a handout written by Martha Coulter, Director Scripps Research Institute<\/p>\n

    \n

    WCSU Counseling Services
    \nStudent Health & Wellness Center
    \n(Connected to Newbury Hall)
    \n181 White Street, Danbury, CT 06810<\/p>\n

    Phone: (203) 837.8690
    \nEmail:\u00a0    CounselingServices@wcsu.edu<\/a>
    \nInstagram:\u00a0    wcsu_counselingservices<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    On rare occasions, individuals, families and even communities go through crises that affect them deeply.\u00a0 Whether it\u2019s the loss of a loved one after a longstanding illness or the realization that a shocking tragedy has struck, as human beings we …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":273,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-97","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/counseling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/97","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/counseling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/counseling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/counseling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/273"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/counseling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=97"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/counseling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/97\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/counseling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=97"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}