Cope Ahead

Cope Ahead is an emotion regulation skill from Marsha Linehan's Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), set out in her DBT Skills Training Manual as a five-step sequence. It involves deciding in advance which coping skills you will use, then rehearsing that coping in imagination before the situation occurs. This proactive approach helps you prepare effective coping strategies, reduce anxiety about upcoming difficulties, and increase your confidence in your ability to handle whatever comes your way.

When You Use Cope Ahead

Anticipated Challenges

You can use Cope Ahead when you know you'll be facing a difficult situation, such as a challenging conversation, a stressful event, a triggering environment, or any situation that typically causes you emotional distress.

Recurring Difficult Situations

This skill is particularly helpful for situations you face repeatedly, such as family gatherings, work meetings, medical appointments, or other regular events that tend to be emotionally challenging for you.

Building Confidence

Cope Ahead helps when you want to feel more prepared and confident about handling difficult situations, when you tend to worry excessively about upcoming events, or when you want to break patterns of avoiding challenging but important situations.

The Cope Ahead Process

Linehan sets the skill out in five steps: describe the situation likely to prompt problem behaviour, decide which coping skills you will use, imagine the situation vividly, rehearse coping effectively, and practise relaxation afterwards. The seven steps below follow that sequence, with additions drawn from how the skill is used in practice. In DBT this skill is usually learned with a therapist's support; if rehearsing a difficult situation stirs up more distress than you can settle, treat that as a sign to practise it alongside a professional rather than alone.

Step 1: Identify the Situation

Clearly describe the challenging situation you want to prepare for. Be as specific as possible about what will happen, who will be involved, where it will take place, and when it will occur.

Step 2: Decide on Your Goals

Determine what you want to accomplish in this situation. What would success look like? What are your priorities? Having clear goals helps you choose appropriate coping strategies.

Step 3: Identify Potential Challenges

Think about what specific aspects of the situation might be difficult for you. What emotions might arise? What obstacles might you encounter? What has been challenging about similar situations in the past?

Step 4: Choose Your Coping Strategies

Select specific DBT skills and other coping strategies that would be helpful in this situation. Consider which skills work best for the types of challenges you anticipate.

Step 5: Mentally Rehearse

Visualisation: Imagine the situation in your mind as vividly as you can. Linehan's instruction is to imagine yourself in the situation now, rather than watching it from the outside.

Step-by-Step Rehearsal: Walk through the situation from beginning to end, imagining how you’ll handle each part and respond to challenges.

Coping, Not Success: Rehearse coping effectively rather than picturing things going smoothly. Linehan is explicit that this includes rehearsing how you would cope with new problems that arise during the situation, and with the outcome you most fear.

Multiple Scenarios: Consider different ways the situation might unfold and mentally practice how you would cope in each case.

Step 6: Practice and Prepare

Practice Skills: Rehearse the coping strategies you plan to use so they feel more natural and accessible.

Gathering Resources: Prepare any materials or supports you might need, such as notes, comfort items, or contact information for supportive people.

Environmental Preparation: Arrange your environment when possible (e.g., seating, timing, transportation) to reduce stress and support coping.

Support System Activation: Let trusted people know about the situation and how they can support you, such as check-ins or encouragement.

Self-Care Planning: Plan how you’ll care for yourself before, during, and after the situation, including rest, nourishment, and recovery activities.

Relaxation After Rehearsing: Linehan's final step. Practise a relaxation exercise after each rehearsal, so that imagining a difficult situation ends with your body settling rather than staying aroused.

Relaxation After Rehearsing: Linehan's final step. Practise a relaxation exercise after each rehearsal, so that imagining a difficult situation ends with your body settling rather than staying aroused.

Step 7: Review and Adjust

After the situation occurs, review how your coping strategies worked and adjust your plan for similar future situations.

Research and Evidence

What Studies Show

Research demonstrates that Cope Ahead and similar preparation strategies effectively reduce anxiety about upcoming challenges, improve actual performance in difficult situations, increase confidence and self-efficacy, and support better emotional regulation during stress.

Choosing Effective Coping Strategies

Emotion Regulation Skills

You might plan to use skills like Check the Facts, Opposite Action, PLEASE skills, or mindfulness of emotions, depending on what emotions you anticipate experiencing.

Distress Tolerance Skills

For very challenging situations, you might prepare distress tolerance skills like TIPP, distraction techniques, self-soothing, or radical acceptance.

Interpersonal Effectiveness Skills

If the situation involves other people, you might plan to use DEAR MAN, GIVE, or FAST skills to communicate effectively while maintaining relationships and self-respect.

Mindfulness Skills

Present-moment awareness skills can help you stay grounded and focused during challenging situations, making other coping strategies more effective.

Common Challenges and Solutions

Overthinking and Worry

If Cope Ahead turns into excessive worry or rumination, set limits on planning time, focus on actionable strategies rather than all possible problems, and use mindfulness to stay present.

Perfectionism

Remember that the goal is to be prepared, not to control every aspect of the situation. Focus on having good strategies available rather than trying to plan for every possible scenario.

Avoidance

Sometimes people use Cope Ahead as a way to avoid actually facing challenging situations. Make sure your planning supports engagement rather than avoidance.

Inflexibility

While planning is helpful, be prepared to adapt your strategies if the situation unfolds differently than expected. Flexibility is an important part of effective coping.

Your Cope Ahead Practice

Situation Assessment

Identify upcoming situations that would benefit from Cope Ahead planning, consider both one-time events and recurring challenges, and prioritise situations based on importance and difficulty level.

Planning and Preparation

Work through the Cope Ahead process for important situations, practice mental rehearsal regularly, gather necessary resources and support, and remain flexible in your planning.

Moving Forward

Building Confidence

As you practice Cope Ahead and experience success in challenging situations, you'll likely feel more confident in your ability to handle whatever life brings your way.

Long-term Benefits

Regular use of Cope Ahead often leads to reduced anxiety about challenging situations, improved performance during difficult events, increased confidence and self-efficacy, and better overall emotional regulation.

Conclusion

Cope Ahead provides you with a proactive approach to handling life's challenges by preparing effective coping strategies in advance. This skill helps you feel more confident and capable when facing difficult situations, leading to better outcomes and reduced emotional distress.