Coping With Anxiety: 5 Proven Therapist Techniques

If you deal with anxiety, you know it’s not just “in your head.” It shows up in your body — racing heart, tight chest, trouble sleeping — and in your thoughts, which might spiral even when things seem okay.

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health concern in the United States. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), an estimated 31.1% of U.S. adults experience an anxiety disorder at some point in their lives.

The good news? You're not stuck with it. Whether you’re managing general anxiety, panic attacks, or specific fears, there are tools that can help. As a therapist, I teach these five strategies to clients all the time — because they’re simple, effective, and grounded in science.

Let’s walk through them together.

1. Name the Feeling

Anxiety can feel overwhelming because it sneaks up and takes over. The first step in regaining control is noticing it — and naming it.

Try saying to yourself:

“I’m feeling anxious right now. That doesn’t mean something’s wrong — it just means my nervous system is activated.”

Labeling the emotion helps your brain move from panic to awareness. It can soften the fear and remind you that you’re not in danger, even if your body feels like it.

2. Use the 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Tool

When your thoughts are racing, your senses can help you come back to the present.

This is one of the most effective grounding exercises I teach:

• 5 things you can see

• 4 things you can touch

• 3 things you can hear

• 2 things you can smell

• 1 thing you can taste

This exercise gently pulls you out of your mind and into your body. It can be especially helpful during anxious moments at work, in social situations, or right before sleep.

3. Try Box Breathing

Breath-based practices like box breathing can have real physiological benefits. A 2017 review in Frontiers in Psychology found that slow, controlled breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system — the part of your body responsible for rest and calm — helping reduce anxiety and improve emotional regulation.

Your breath is a built-in anxiety relief tool — and you don’t need fancy techniques to use it.

Box breathing is simple and calming. Here's how to do it:

• Inhale slowly through your nose for 4 seconds

• Hold the breath for 4 seconds

• Exhale slowly through your mouth for 4 seconds

• Hold again for 4 seconds. Repeat for 2–4 minutes

This pattern helps regulate your nervous system and reduce physical symptoms of anxiety like a racing heart or shallow breathing.

4. Journal to Make Space for Your Thoughts

When anxiety builds up, journaling can be a powerful release valve.

Research shows that expressive writing — even just 15–20 minutes a few times a week — can significantly reduce anxiety symptoms and improve emotional processing. Journaling may also help reduce rumination and promote clarity.

Write down whatever’s on your mind without censoring it. You don’t have to solve anything — just give your thoughts a place to land.

You can also try prompts like:

• “What am I most afraid of right now?”

• “What’s in my control today?”

• “What would I tell a friend who felt this way?”

As an online therapist, I can help guide you through the process to help you slow down, process your feelings, and gain perspective.

5. Reach Out — You Don’t Have to Do This Alone

While coping tools are helpful, therapy can get to the root of anxiety — not just manage the symptoms.

Anxiety often stems from deeper patterns: past trauma, perfectionism, self-doubt, or fear of failure. Working with a therapist gives you the space to explore those layers and learn how to respond with compassion instead of judgment.

It also helps you build emotional resilience and feel more connected to your own needs — not just pushed around by worry.

You’re Not Broken — You’re Human

If you’re struggling with anxiety, please know this: nothing about you is broken. Anxiety isn’t a character flaw — it’s your nervous system doing its best to protect you, even if it doesn’t always feel helpful.

The tools I shared above can be a good starting point. They can bring comfort, clarity, and calm in moments when things feel hard. But sometimes anxiety runs deeper. It can feel constant, confusing, or like it’s taking up too much space in your life.

If that’s where you are right now, I want you to know you don’t have to figure it out alone.

Let’s Work Through It Together

In therapy, we create a safe space to explore what’s underneath your anxiety — the patterns, the past experiences, the beliefs that may be keeping you stuck. Together, we’ll work toward more ease, self-trust, and a way of being that feels more like you.

If you’re ready to take the next step, I’d love to connect. Schedule a free consultation, and let’s talk about how I can support you.