Anxiety & Panic Attacks At Work. 2 Therapist-Approved Tools

Practical grounding tools for acute panic – She offers listeners two simple, repeatable practices to interrupt spirals of panic in high-stakes moments:

Naming the external disruption (“It is okay if the mad one disengages or leaves”).

Asking, “Who is doing my job right now?” to anchor in the adult self.

Parts work meets somatic awareness – Ana bridges inner child work and somatic experiencing. She teaches how to identify when a younger, scared part of the self has “taken over” and how to step back into the adult self.

Reframing the trigger – Instead of personalizing someone else’s anger or chaos, she normalizes seeing them as “the mad one.” This creates emotional distance and protects self-worth in the moment.

Embodiment through concrete cues – She suggests writing your age on your palm or sticky note. This somatic anchor interrupts regression and reminds you: I’m an adult now. I have wisdom and capacity.

Transcript

Welcome,

I'm Anna Myles,

Somatic Experiencing Therapist for PTSD and Trauma Recovery.

One advice I always share with my clients when they're about to face important meeting,

If they need to deliver something and they feel overwhelming panic or anxiety attack,

If they feel triggered,

If they feel they're in the place of power over and someone just took their place when they were running a meeting,

When they were sharing something,

And when you feel in your body this rising panic attack,

Two things,

Two things you will do.

Number one,

If someone is getting mad at you or someone is taking over,

Over that space,

That you don't feel safe or comfortable anymore,

Is to say,

It is okay that mad one,

Mad person,

Angry person,

Unsatisfied person,

Frustrated person you are dealing with,

To disengage or leave.

Let me repeat this.

This is what you will say between you and you.

It is okay if mad one.

It is okay if angry one disengage or leaves.

Witness your panic.

Witness your panicked part.

It's almost like you can put this panic attack outside of your body,

That part.

And second,

Remind yourself with these words,

Who is doing my job right now?

So,

If you ever did inner parts work,

If you know the work around inner child,

This is what we are addressing right now.

We are removing activated parts from ourselves,

Because in this moment,

You need to deliver,

You're in the meeting,

You're at a date,

You need to deliver something very important,

And anxiety is flooding your system.

You will remind yourself with this statement and with this inquiry,

Who is doing my job right now?

Is this my activated five-year-old?

Is this my memory from three years ago?

Is this my inner child,

Who is 13,

And who is scared to the bones,

Because a father or a mother got angry?

Okay,

So two things,

Two things.

When someone gets activated in your presence,

And you need to deliver the speech,

You need to deliver your thing as adult,

As a professional,

Or if you're on date,

And that someone is making you feel threatened,

Unsafe,

Panic is coming up,

Anxiety is coming up,

You will say,

It is okay,

If mad one disengaged or leaves,

It's okay,

You're not little one anymore,

You're not little one,

And if it helps,

Write on palm of your hand or on a sticky note,

Write down your age,

So when you see your age,

35,

55,

65,

29,

You will remind yourself that your adult and inner part,

Child part is safe.

Second line,

Always,

Always keep this in your mind,

And ask yourself,

Hmm,

Who is doing my job right now?

And look at that number and remind yourself,

Your 48 year old is doing your job right now,

And it has wisdom,

And it has a knowledge,

And whoever mad person is next to you,

Yeah,

They can leave,

They can disengage,

They can blob,

They can be in their angry 5 year old tantrum,

But your job right now is to do your job as an adult.

Before we close today,

I know there is so many people who are waking up every single morning with horrible anxiety,

And if you ever felt anxious in meetings,

Overpowered at work,

Where you cannot fully show your potentials,

Your authority,

Because panic was taking the driver's seats in very important moments,

Or throughout your whole working experience,

You are not alone,

You are not alone,

This is all for today,

And as always,

Be gentle with yourself,

I am Annamarie,

This is Exiled and Rising,

Until next time,

Much care,

Much care.