Pick Me Up Tuesday: Animal Assisted Counseling of Indiana
🧘 Coping Skills for Anxiety: Tools to Help You Regain Calm
Anxiety can sneak up on us. Whether it’s a racing heart, a cluttered mind, or a feeling that something is just off, it can make daily life feel overwhelming. But the good news? There are powerful, research-backed coping skills for anxiety that can help you manage your emotions, reset your nervous system, and feel more grounded—even during the toughest moments.
At Animal Assisted Counseling of Indiana, we see how tools like breathwork, movement, mindfulness, and yes, even therapy dogs, can offer real relief for anxiety. Let’s explore how you can build your own calming toolbox today.
💡 What Is Anxiety?
Anxiety is your body’s natural response to stress. It’s the signal that tells you something needs your attention. But when anxiety becomes chronic or overwhelming, it can interfere with sleep, relationships, work, and overall quality of life.
Common signs of anxiety include:
Racing thoughts
Trouble sleeping
Tension or tightness in the body
Irritability or restlessness
Avoidance of situations or people
🔗 Learn more about anxiety disorders – National Institute of Mental Health
🧠 Why Coping Skills Matter
Many people feel like anxiety is something they just have to “get through.” But there are skills that can actually reduce anxiety in the moment and help prevent it from taking over.
Coping skills for anxiety teach you to:
Regulate your nervous system
Interrupt anxious thought loops
Stay present instead of spiraling into “what-ifs”
Feel more in control of your mind and body
Even a few minutes a day can make a difference.
🧺 Coping Skills for Anxiety to Try Today
Here are 8 go-to coping strategies that we recommend for our clients—teens, adults, families, and caregivers alike.
🫁 1. Box Breathing
Box breathing (also known as four-square breathing) helps regulate your breath, slow your heart rate, and send a message to your brain that you’re safe.
How to do it:
Inhale for 4 counts
Hold for 4 counts
Exhale for 4 counts
Hold for 4 counts
Repeat for 3–5 rounds
Use this before a meeting, during a moment of overwhelm, or as a daily reset.
🐾 2. Animal-Assisted Grounding
One of our most effective coping skills for anxiety is animal-assisted therapy. Therapy dogs help clients:
Stay in the moment
Lower blood pressure and heart rate
Feel emotionally safe
Regulate without words
At AACI, clients often sit with one of our therapy dogs during sessions, using the animal’s presence as a grounding tool when emotions become overwhelming.
🎧 3. Use a Sensory Anchor
Anxiety can pull us into the future. A sensory anchor helps pull us back into the now.
Try this:
Hold something cold (ice pack, cold water bottle)
Light a calming scented candle
Listen to a grounding playlist
Take a mindful sip of tea
Focus on the physical sensations and let them calm your system.
📓 4. Journal Your "What-Ifs"
When anxiety is thought-based, journaling can help separate fear from fact. Try this:
Prompt:
What’s the worry?
What’s the worst-case scenario?
What’s most likely to happen?
What can I do about it right now?
Writing helps reduce mental clutter and promote clarity.
🧍 5. Move Your Body (Even a Little)
Physical movement can discharge pent-up energy and help clear anxious thoughts. You don’t need an intense workout—just a shift.
Try:
5-minute stretch
Walk around the block
Dance to one song
💬 6. Talk to a Safe Person
Naming your anxiety out loud can take away its power. This could be:
A friend
A therapist
A partner or family member
Even saying “I feel anxious right now” is a powerful step.
📵 7. Create Boundaries with Technology
Social media, texts, and emails can make anxiety worse. Set healthy limits like:
30-minute social media caps
Turning off notifications
Charging your phone outside the bedroom
🌳 8. Get Outside—Even Briefly
Nature is scientifically proven to reduce anxiety and improve mood. Even 10 minutes outside can make a difference.
Bring your dog. Sit in the sun. Touch grass. Let yourself pause.
🧭 Task for the Day: Choose One Coping Skill
Pick one of the coping skills for anxiety above and commit to practicing it for the next 3 days. Write it down, add it to your phone reminders, or invite someone to try it with you.
Bonus: Pet your dog while doing it if you can. 🐶
💬 You Don’t Have to Manage Anxiety Alone
If anxiety is interfering with your day-to-day life, it might be time for added support. At Animal Assisted Counseling of Indiana, we walk alongside you—with warmth, compassion, and the calming presence of our therapy dogs.
You deserve to feel more in control of your emotions and more at peace with yourself.
📅 Ready to learn more or schedule a session?
👉 https://animalassistedcounseling.net/contact