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5 Tips to Help Families Cope During a Crisis

These are tough times, especially for families in crisis who also may be dealing with uncertainty around the opening of schools. We asked our Family Centered Treatment Team (FCT) for some tips to share on helping families cope during a crisis.

1. Allow yourself to acknowledge your feelings and emotions

• Consider the emotional needs of your family members
• Try to understand and honor the emotions of others
• Allow yourself to feel any emotions that come out of the crisis, remember feelings are normal

2. Develop or use a support system

• Your support system should consist of people that are willing to support you through a rough time, are compassionate, loyal, and nonjudgmental
• Take the time to identify those who are in your support network
• Seek outside support through therapy or a support group

3. Develop coping strategies as a family

• Reflect on past strategies that have worked in the past
• Take a time out and step back away from the crisis
• Learn to use relaxation techniques to help

4. Balance the time of focusing on the crisis

• Take time out to do things you enjoy
• Try to maintain some routines
• Come together as a family 

5. Talk about it

• Have a family meeting to discuss the crisis
• Allow each family member to express themselves
• Create a safe environment for difficult conversation
• Remember that each member has their own truth and you must respect that