On Thursday Jan 17th, Bea, Karen, and I were all able to attend a de-escalation training hosted by Christian Milovich from Oaklawn. It was overall very helpful and we learned a lot! One of the main things we learned was how to regulate your own emotions and actions during moments of conflict. You won’t always be able to control the other person’s actions, but you can always control how you respond. Here are some tips for calming down someone who is angry:
#1: Be aware of your own triggers and your emotions. What sets me off? How is this interaction making me feel? By noticing our own emotions we are better able to keep them in check and stay calm.
#2: Keep in mind that they are a human being and no one is perfect. You never know the full story of what someone is going through.
#3: What you say and how you say it matters! Remember to keep your body language calm and to control your tone, volume, and cadence.
#4: Know when to step away! It’s ok to tap out and ask someone for help. If you feel unsafe be sure to remove yourself from the situation.
#5: Remember to take time to reflect and find closure after the encounter. Being in an intense situation can take a toll on you. Make sure you find an outlet to think through what happened, how you reacted, what you could have done differently, and how you are feeling. Some outlets include talking to a friend or other support, journaling, talking aloud, etc.
- Lydia
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