Skills & Strategies
Evidence-based tools for managing urges, emotions, and building a life worth protecting.
0
In My Toolkit
0
Practiced Today
29
Total Skills
Build My Recovery Strategy
Add skills to your toolkit to build your personal recovery strategy
Urge Surfing
Ride the wave โ don't fight it
DEADS Technique
Five exit ramps from a craving
HALT Check
Four hidden craving triggers to catch first
Urge Tracking Journal
Decode your patterns, defuse their power
5-4-3-2-1 Grounding
Anchor yourself to the present moment in under 2 minutes
Box Breathing
Reset your nervous system in 4 equal counts
TIPP Skills
Change your body chemistry to change your emotional state
Self-Compassion Break
Treat yourself like you'd treat a good friend
Thought Record
Examine the story your mind tells you
Catch Your Cognitive Distortions
Name the thinking trap โ shrink its power
Values Clarification
Recovery built on your values is built to last
Cost-Benefit Reframe
See the full ledger, not just the short side
Pleasant Events Scheduling
Build joy deliberately โ it's not optional in recovery
Opposite Action
Act against the emotion's command โ change how you feel from the outside in
Behavioral Experiment
Test your assumptions instead of assuming them
Change Plan Worksheet
From intention to action โ your personal change roadmap
The Reaching Out Protocol
Connection is the opposite of addiction
Recovery Support Network Map
Know exactly who you can call before you need them
Daily Accountability Check-In
A 5-minute daily anchor that changes everything
Gratitude & Growth Practice
Train your brain to notice what's working
The Habit Loop
Every habit runs on the same three-part circuit
Choose a Keystone Habit
One habit that ripples into everything else
Start Ridiculously Small
So easy it feels almost embarrassing โ that's exactly the point
Implementation Intentions
When X happens, I will do Y โ the most powerful habit trigger known
Habit Stacking
Attach a new habit to an existing one โ and let momentum do the work
Design Your Environment
Make good habits easy. Make bad habits hard. Do this once, benefit forever.
Build the Chain & Never Miss Twice
Don't break the chain. And when you do โ never miss twice.
Catch Your Mental Loopholes
Your brain has 9 built-in excuses โ know them before they outsmart you
Commit, Account & Plan for Failure
Make it public. Make the stakes real. Plan your comeback before you need it.
Skills get stronger with practice.
You don't have to master every skill โ find 3โ5 that work for you and use them consistently. That's your recovery strategy.
In crisis? Call SAMHSA: 1-800-662-4357 ยท 24/7 Free Confidential