Hello.
My name is Courtney,
And if you're here right now,
It probably means that you're feeling anxious,
Or like a wave of panic you might be building.
I just want to remind you,
My friend,
You are not alone.
You are safe in this moment,
And this feeling,
No matter how big,
Will pass.
You don't have to make it go away,
You only have to stay with me for just a little bit,
Breath by breath.
If you can,
Gently place your feet flat on the floor,
And notice the ground beneath you,
Steady and solid.
You might even press your toes and feet into the floor just a little.
Now,
Become aware of the seat beneath you,
The support beneath your body.
Try to let your shoulders drop slightly,
Let your hands rest wherever they fall.
You don't have to hold anything right now,
Let the ground hold you,
Let the chair hold you.
Now,
Bring your attention to your breath.
You don't have to breathe a certain way,
Just notice the breath as it is.
And if it's fast,
That's okay.
And if it's shallow,
That's okay too.
You're still breathing,
You're still here,
My friend.
Now gently,
If it feels safe,
Begin to slow down the exhale.
Breathe in softly through your nose,
And breathe out just a little longer through your mouth,
Like you're softly blowing out a candle.
Let's try that again.
Inhale,
And a soft,
Long exhale.
Very good,
My friend.
That's enough,
There's no need to force anything.
I know that anxiety can feel like something bad is about to happen,
But in this moment,
Right here,
With me,
You are safe.
Look around you.
Can you name three things that you can see for me?
Can you name two things that you feel?
Maybe the ground beneath you,
Your clothes.
How about one sound that you can hear?
Maybe my voice,
Or the birds in the background.
Come back to this moment,
To your breath,
Your body,
The space around you.
And if you'd like,
And if it feels comfortable,
You can say to yourself,
This feeling is temporary.
I am breathing through it.
I am okay.
I am safe.
Take one more easy breath in,
And exhale slowly.
There's nothing you need to fix or to change.
You've already done something kind for yourself just by being here.
The wave is passing,
And you are still here,
My friend.
You're stronger than you think.
When you're ready,
Return to your day.
Take your time.
You can always come back to this.
And just remember,
My breath is my anchor.
My body is safe.
This moment is mine.
I'm wishing you a wonderful day,
My friend.
Take care.
