Present fictional scenarios of change, to teach coping skills to young people. Read a short story or book about a protagonist that experiences a major life change, only to emerge stronger and wiser. Help students to appreciate the utility of change by explaining how a person can use adversity to his advantage, treating change as an opportunity for personal growth.
Teach people to cope with change by listing its positive potential. Cite instances of change that can trigger stress or anxiety but that offer promise and hope. For instance, having a baby, changing child-care providers, starting a new job or moving to a new town or school can be daunting experiences. But these changes can improve lives and offer new experiences and opportunities. Train students to cope with a certain change by contemplating the change's value and making a list of potential benefits.
Teach students to acquire good coping skills by being frank and direct about imminent change. Avoid confusing or misleading people by downplaying change or minimizing the emotional or psychological impact of change. Be honest and straightforward about the inevitability of change, but remind students that they can control its influence on their well-being.
Teach students to acknowledge and confront their feelings in response to change. Advise them that discomfort, anxiety, fear, depression and emotional distress are normal reactions to change. However, emphasize that coping with change requires people to effectively manage their emotions and distress.
Teach students the difference between external forces and internal forces by role playing scenarios of change. External forces, such as change, are beyond a person's control. However, internal forces, such as a person's emotional responses and mental processes, can be managed and controlled. Divide students into groups and assign each group a scenario that involves a major change, such as a new baby or a new school. Ask each group to prepare and perform two skits, one in which the change impacts the characters negatively and one in which characters respond to the change positively and make the most of it.