Five Effective Tips to Manage an Anxiety Attack

Grounding & Relaxation Techniques from a Houston Anxiety Therapist

If you've ever experienced an anxiety or panic attack, you know how overwhelming and terrifying it can feel. The good news? With the right tools and coping strategies, anxiety attacks can become more manageable. As a Houston therapist who specializes in anxiety, I’m sharing five proven techniques you can use to calm your mind and body during an anxiety or panic attack.

These techniques help regulate your nervous system, reduce the severity of symptoms, and improve your sense of control during moments of distress.

Anxiety vs. Panic Attacks: What’s the Difference?

While the terms are often used interchangeably, anxiety and panic attacks have slight differences:

• Anxiety attacks usually have an identifiable trigger or stressor.

• Panic attacks can feel more sudden and may occur without a clear cause.

Whether you're facing anxiety or panic, the strategies below are helpful in both cases. Symptoms often include:

• Rapid heartbeat or chest pain

• Shortness of breath

• Dizziness or nausea

• Hot flashes or trembling

• Overwhelming fear or sense of doom

• Depersonalization (feeling disconnected from reality or your body)

  1. Grounding Techniques for Anxiety and Panic

  Grounding helps you reconnect with the present moment and shift your brain out of fight-or-flight mode. One of the most effective tools I teach in therapy for anxiety in Houston is the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding method:

  • 5 things you can see

  • 4 things you can touch

  • 3 things you can hear

  • 2 things you can smell (keep essential oils nearby if helpful)

  • 1 thing you can taste

  You can also use guided imagery to visualize a safe, relaxing place like a beach or forest. As you picture this environment, engage all five senses to help your body feel grounded and calm.

2. Breathing Techniques to Calm the Nervous System

When anxiety strikes, your breathing often becomes shallow and fast, sending signals to your brain that you’re in danger—even if you’re not. The goal is to slow your breathing to activate your parasympathetic nervous system, which tells your brain that you're safe.

Box breathing is a simple yet powerful technique:

• Inhale for 4 seconds

• Hold for 4 seconds

• Exhale for 4 seconds

• Hold for 4 seconds

• Repeat until your heart rate slows and your body begins to relax

Breathing techniques are foundational in CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) for anxiety and are easy to practice daily—even when you’re not anxious.

3. Use Soothing Self-Talk to Reduce Anxiety

Anxiety often brings a flood of negative thoughts. One of the most overlooked techniques in Houston anxiety therapy is learning how to speak to yourself with calm and compassion.

Try saying:

• “I am safe.”

• “This will pass.”

• “I can handle this.”

Place your hand over your heart while saying these phrases. This physical gesture activates self-soothing responses in your nervous system and creates a nurturing internal dialogue. Think of it as the rational part of your mind calming the emotional part—just like a caregiver would calm a distressed child.

4. Shock Your Nervous System to Interrupt Panic

If anxiety is spiraling and you feel stuck in your body, you can interrupt the panic response by shocking your nervous system. This sends your brain a new signal to break the cycle.

Try one of the following:

• Hold ice cubes in your hand

• Splash cold water on your face

• Take a cold shower

These methods shift your brain’s attention away from fear and toward the sensation of cold, helping to reset your stress response.

5. Change the Narrative Around Anxiety

Many people fear anxiety itself—believing it’s unbearable or dangerous. But the truth is: anxiety is uncomfortable, not harmful. If you shift your mindset, you can change how your body responds.

Instead of saying:

“I can’t handle this.”

Try reframing it as:

“This is hard, and I can tolerate it.”
“This feeling will pass.”
“This is an opportunity to calm my nervous system.”

This approach is key in CBT for anxiety, and it's something I regularly help clients practice in online therapy across Texas. Changing the way you relate to anxiety transforms how your body responds to it.

When to Seek Professional Help for Anxiety Attacks

If you’ve tried managing anxiety on your own but still find yourself overwhelmed or fearful, it may be time to work with a licensed therapist. Therapy provides support, tools, and deeper insight into the root of your anxiety.

As a Houston therapist specializing in anxiety and panic disorders, I offer evidence-based approaches like CBT, mindfulness, and somatic strategies to help you feel more calm, grounded, and in control.

Ready to Feel More in Control of Your Anxiety?

If you're seeking therapy in Houston or anywhere in Texas, I offer modern online therapy for women and professionals navigating anxiety, perfectionism, and life transitions.

Let’s work together to find relief.