Coping strategies in Spanish are “Estrategias de afrontamiento”.
This week, as I was preparing to have a coping strategies talk with one of my daughters who was having a rough time at school, I searched for any previous video viernes lessons I had done on the topic; but I came up empty! So, today’s lesson is a variation of a conversation I had at the dinner table the other night :). Hope you enjoy it!
In this lesson, you’ll learn:
- Common Spanish vocabulary around coping strategies
- How to describe the concept of coping strategies in Spanish
- Spanish examples of coping strategies that fit common categories like: Active coping strategies, Creative coping strategies, Social coping strategies, Relaxing coping strategies, Cognitive coping strategies, and unhealthy coping strategies.
Here is the coping strategies in Spanish video lesson I taught this week:
Coping Strategies vocabulary:
- Abrumado / agobiado = overwhelmed
- Afrontar = face, confront
- Altibajos de la vida = highs and lows of life
- Estar estresado = be stressed
- Estar molesto = be annoyed, bothered
- Estrategias de afrontamiento = coping strategies
- Estrés = stress
- Herramientas = tools
- Manejar = manage
- Manejar las emociones = manage emotions
- Manejo del estrés = stress management
- Mantenerse conectado = stay connected
- Niveles de estrés = stress levels
- Reducir = reduce
- Retos = challenges
- Rutinas = routines
- Saludable = healthy
- Tácticas = tactics
- Técnicas = techniques
- Una crisis = a crisis
Some questions to begin with:
¿Qué le gusta hacer para distraerse? = What do you like to do to distract yourself?
¿Cómo le gusta aliviar el estrés? = How do you like to alleviate stress?
- ¿Hacer algo creativo? = do something creative?
- ¿Actividad física? = physical activity?
- ¿Relajarse? = relax?
- ¿Pasar tiempo con familia / amigos? = spend time with family / friends?
¿Cómo se siente cuando… estrategia? = How do you feel when you strategy?
¿Alguna vez ha intentado… estrategia cuando se siente agobiado / abrumado? = Have you ever tried strategy when you’re feeling overwhelmed?
A brief description of coping strategies in Spanish
- Las estrategias de afrontamiento nos ayudan a manejar los sentimientos y los estreses de la vida.
- El afrontamiento es algo que tenemos que aprender con la práctica.
- Es importante conocer estrategias saludables para afrontar los retos en la vida.
Active coping strategies:
- Apretar una pelota antiestrés
- Dar un paseo en bicicleta
- Hacer una caminata
- Hacer yoga o estiramientos
- Jugar bola, patear una pelota
- Poner música y bailar
- Rebotar una pelota
- Salir a caminar o correr
- Salir a jugar
- Saltar la cuerda
Relaxing coping strategies:
- Abrazar a un animal de peluche
- Beber un trago de agua fría
- Cerrar los ojos y contar
hasta 10 o atrás desde
cien (100) - Escuchar música
relajante - Leer un libro
- Pasar tiempo al aire libre
- Pensar en un lugar tranquilo y feliz
- Respirar profundamente
- Soplar burbujas
- Tensar y relajar los músculos
- Tomar un baño o una ducha
- Tomar un descanso
Creative coping strategies:
- Colorear, dibujar o pintar
- Escribir una historia
- Escribir un poema
- Inventar una canción
- Jugar con plastilina
- Llevar un diario para expresar los pensamientos y las emociones
- Tocar un instrumento
Social coping strategies:
- Abrazar o jugar con la mascota
- Compartir los sentimientos con alguien en quien confía
- Facetime / whatsapp con los familiares o amigos
- Jugar un juego con la familia o amigos
- Llamar a un amigo
Cognitive coping strategies:
- Cerrar los ojos y pensar en algo que está esperando
- Concentrarse en lo que pueda controlar
- Concentrarse en una cosa por la que está agradecido
- Mirar fotos y pensar en recuerdos felices
- Pensar en algo positivo
- Pensar en algo que le haga reírse
- Practicar reencuadres. En lugar de “El estrés de mi trabajo es insoportable”, intente pensar “Tengo suerte de tener un trabajo estable”
Unhealthy coping strategies:
- Evitar o negar los problemas; no afrontarlos
- Dormir demasiado – otra manera de evitar la situación actual
- El uso excesivo de alcohol o drogas – es un escape mental por un tiempo pero tiene sus consecuencias negativas
- Hacer compras impulsivas
- Comer mucho o no comer lo suficiente
Learn the lesson vocabulary with this Quizlet set:
Now it’s time to practice with your conversation partner!
- Identify a common patient profile that you end up talking to about coping strategies for frequent life stressors.
- Role play asking your patient (compañero) how they tend to deal with difficulties & make some additional suggestions.
If you don’t have a practice partner, join the Learning Medical Spanish Facebook Group and put yourself out there!
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Excellent, as usual. Thank you.