7 quick techniques I (actually) use to help clients reduce anxiety — fast: 1/ Box Breathing (4-4-4-4) ☑ Replaces: Panic, shallow breathing, fight-or-flight ☑ Instantly resets the nervous system ☑ Use: Inhale 4 – hold 4 – exhale 4 – hold 4 2/ Cognitive Defusion (ACT) ☑ Replaces: Cognitive overload, stuck thoughts ☑ Helps clients detach from their anxious mind ☑ Use: “I’m having the thought that…” technique 3/ 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Technique ☑ Replaces: Dissociation, anxiety spirals ☑ Brings focus to the present moment ☑ Use: Engage 5 senses to reduce mental chaos 4/ Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) ☑ Replaces: Physical tension, restlessness ☑ Releases body anxiety and promotes calm ☑ Use: Tense/relax muscle groups consciously 5/ Cognitive Restructuring (CBT) ☑ Replaces: Irrational thinking, catastrophizing ☑ Reframes unhelpful thoughts logically ☑ Use: “What’s the evidence for and against this belief?” 6/ Self-Soothing Mantras ☑ Replaces: Inner critic, overwhelm ☑ Anchors clients in self-compassion ☑ Use: “This moment is temporary. I am safe.” 7/ Anchoring Objects or Visualization ☑ Replaces: Feeling lost, helplessness ☑ Uses tactile/mental cues to calm the brain ☑ Use: Keep a calming item or safe image handy I use these regularly in therapy to help clients: → Regain control → Breathe better → Think clearer → Feel safer They’re small shifts, but powerful when practiced.
