Creating Your "Emergency" Self-Care Box

An “emergency” self-care box is a great resource to have on hand when you’re feeling overwhelmed by negative emotions. Creating a dedicated box to store self-care items can help you cultivate a safe space and regulate your nervous system. This box will become your “go-to” resource when you’re feeling triggered and want to fight, flee, or freeze.

Here’s how to build an “emergency” self-care box. First, purchase or repurpose a box that you can label as your self-care box (something larger than a shoebox is a good size to start with). Customize your box with items that help you cope with your emotions. Here are a few ideas from different categorizes to get you started:

• Taste: A selection of tea bags, coffee, and hot chocolate mix, plus accoutrements so you can make yourself a warm beverage. Prepackaged nuts, crackers, chocolates, and other non-perishable snacks.

• Touch: A selection of scented lotions, a soft blanket, a weighted blanket, stuffed animal, squeezable stress ball, and therapy clay.

• Smell: A candle, essential oils, scented bath “bombs” or soaks.

• Temperature: A heating or cooling pad, a wash cloth to use as a cool compress.

• Art supplies & activities- A journal, art pad, coloring book, pencils/markers, stickers, a puzzle, crossword puzzles, a deck of cards.

Re-stock your box as needed and replace/add items as you go along!!

Photo by Uby Yames @ubyyames via Unsplash)