Hurricane season is right upon us. As the hours and days draw closer and closer so does your fears. You have physically prepared as much as possible by putting up shutters, buying water and food supplies, and filling up your gas tanks. But, are you emotionally prepared?

It is important to not only care for you and your family’s physical well-being but their emotional well-being too. Emotional injuries and damages take a lot longer to recover and are much more complicated to fix. Therefore it is important to not only create an emergency toolbox to prevent physical injuries but for emotional ones too.

Below are 3 types of tools to keep in your emotional toolbox in preparation/use for the hurricane season.

• Distraction tools:these objects will take your mind off the problem to prevent increasing anxiety and panic.

  • Examples include puzzles, books, crafts, knitting, Sudoku, or board games.

• Self-soothing tools: these objects will give comfort through the five senses if fear or sadness sets in.

  • Touch: stuffed animals, stress ball, a fuzzy blanket or socks
  • Hear: calming or upbeat playlist, meditation guides, or comedian stand up
  • See: snow globe, happy pictures,
  • Taste: mins, warm tea, sour candy
  • Smell: lotions, candles, or perfumes

• Emotional Awareness tools: these objects are used to help express and release pent up tension or emotions that can be consuming or troubling.

  • Examples include journal, writing utensil, art or drawing supplies

Collect all these items and put them in a box or a bag close by for easy access. You and your family are prepared instead of scrambling to fix a situation if panic or hurricane anxiety arise.

Often times, people only consider the physical damage a storm can do and neglect or forget about the emotional damage. People are not only made up of their physical selves. A person’s mental and emotional selves are a huge part of who they are as a person too. Take time to protect a very large part of you and your family’s well-being.

For more tips on how to cope during this hurricane season visit my article “Hurricane Anxiety: 3 Tips to Calm Down.”

If you are frequently experiencing worry and anxiousness and this is just another trigger for you then it might be time to seek professional assistance. Call Life Counseling Solutions at 407.622.1770 to set up an appointment or a free 15-minute consultation with me. Connect with me on Facebook or Instagram for more tips, encouragement, and posts.

About Colleen: Colleen values the importance of a safe space for people to be open and honest while working through tough situations.Her specialty is working with women and adolescents struggling with anxiety, trauma or past pain, and life transitions. She also enjoys assisting those facing multicultural or race-related issues. Colleen is dedicated to equipping clients with practical skills, so they can better manage and reduce symptoms to live a happier and healthier life. See Colleen’s full bio here.

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