The Creating Opportunities for Personal Empowerment Program

DATES TBD

Dear Parent(s),

Welcome to the COPE (Creating Opportunities for Personal Empowerment) Program. COPE is a 7-session evidence-based program, based on cognitive-behavioral therapy and created by Dr. Bernadette Melnyk, which teaches children/teens how to turn automatic negative thoughts that we all have to positive and cope in healthy ways so that they feel less stress, experience less anxiety and depressive symptoms, and make healthier lifestyle choices. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is a gold standard evidence-based treatment for anxiety and depression. Findings from over 20 studies using COPE show that the program decreases stress, anxiety and depression as well as improves healthy lifestyle behaviors. By being aware of what is in the COPE program, you can help keep your child/teen healthy by talking with him or her about what he or she is learning as well as doing some of the COPE activities together.  

The COPE program will teach your child/teen that how he or she thinks affects how he or she behaves and feels. This is called the thinking, feeling, behaving connection or triangle.

Thinking, feeling and behaving are all connected and each affects the other.  For example, if a child/teen believes he or she cannot do anything right (negative or unhelpful thinking), like get good grades, he or she will probably feel depressed (negative emotion), and not try to do well with schoolwork (negative behavior).  In the COPE program, your child/teen will learn how to think more positively by turning negative or unhelpful thoughts into positive ones. Please ask your child/teen to share some examples of the thinking, feeling, behaving triangle from the COPE program with you.

Help your child/teen to think positive and to feel good about him- or herself by saying at least one positive thing to him or her every day and helping him or her to practice gratitude (talking about one person or thing he or she is grateful for each day)!

When children/teens do not feel good about themselves, they often:

•             Worry about what others think about them

•             Give in to peer pressure

•             Do not try new things for fear of failure

•             Use nicotine, drugs and alcohol

•             Have sexual relationships

•             Feel depressed

•             Get jealous

•             Argue and/or lose their temper easily

COPE will also teach your child/teen how to be mindful or to be in the present moment. When people stay in the present moment, they worry less. One activity that can help to stay in the present moment is to turn your head to the far left and then slowly turn to the right, focusing on five things you can see, four things you can hear, three things that you can feel, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste.

Ask your child/teen to share with you some other examples that they are learning to help them to stay in the present moment.    

Stress and Coping in Healthy Ways

Your child/teen will be learning about stress, anxiety and depression and how to cope in healthy, not unhealthy, ways. They will learn the following common signs of stress and depression and how to use skills that will help him or her to feel emotionally better.

Responses to stress include:

•             Sweating

•             Anger/irritability

•             Headaches

•             Fast heart and breathing rate

•             Stomach aches

•             Feeling overwhelmed

•             Unhappiness

•             Nervousness

•             Anxiousness

•             Sleeping too much or too little

•             Difficulty concentrating or doing schoolwork

•             Depression

If your child/teen shows any of these signs and they are interfering with his or her functioning or concentration, he or she should be evaluated and get help. There is nothing to be ashamed of if your child/teen is having mental health struggles. Most people need help to cope with things in their lives at one time or another. The important thing is to be aware of it and get help. It is important that your child/teen is learning the skills taught in the COPE program. Encourage him/her to share those skills with you, and remind him or her to practice the skills every day as consistent practice is key to form healthy habits.

Leading a Healthy Lifestyle

Your child/teen also will learn how to lead a healthy lifestyle, achieve goals and problem solve in COPE. This includes making healthy choices, like exercising on a regular basis.

and eating healthy. He or she will also learn how to cope with stress and anxiety in healthy ways. 

Solving Problems

In the COPE program, your child/teen also will learn how to solve problems by asking:

1)            What is the problem?

2)            What is the cause of the problem?

3)            What are the possible solutions with consequences

4)            What is the best solution? Now, ACT on it!

Staying Active

Exercise is not only good for physical health, but mental health as well. A good goal would be for your child/teen to take a walk or engage in a favorite physical activity at least 20 to 30 minutes after school or in the evening each day. It would be great if you could take walks or do some other fun activity together on a regular basis.  

Becoming your Child’s COPE Coach

You can help your child/teen by being his or her COPE coach and helping him or her to cope in healthy ways and to make healthy choices.  

 Encourage your child/teen to talk to you about what they are learning in the COPE program and remind them to do the skills building activities they are learning at home each week and to share them with you. 

For more information about COPE and other versions of the evidence-based program, see www.cope2thrive.com     

After the class is complete, outcomes will be shared with you.  

Edie Myers-Power, Youth & Education Programs Coordinator
NAMI Eastside
www.nami-eastside.org
edie@nami-eastside.org