They are not the same thing.
Coping strategies are used to escape, numb and disconnect. They attempt to cover up one's dysregulation. They are unproductive and don't do anything to support states of safety and therefore better regulation.
A neurosensory or nervous system tool/exercise is used to be engaged, present. It is productive and releases stress. It discharges and resolves the dysregulation or activation caused by the perceive threat. Using such tools over time increases one's capacity for life's ups and downs. In other words, they expand the window of tolerance. They do this by signalling safety to the body and brain, and therefore lead one to spending more time in ventral vagal (aka social engagement, safe and engaged) and less time in fight-flight-freeze-shutdown.
The main difference is being present and embodied. The same activity can be either, depending on whether you are present and in your body or disengaged and disassociated. For example, running and being present in the body, feeling your muscles and breath, taking in the sun, air and enviroment is a nervous system tool to discharge sympathetic charge. Running can also be used to numb or escape emotions or stress which is unproductive and a coping strategy.
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