From Fear To Here (Shift Panic)

Feeling overwhelmed by panic right now? Take a deep breath and press "play". Let this guided practice be your shift out of the intensity of anxiety. These moments can feel scary, and I thank you for picking up this app and looking for relief. I'll guide you through some well-researched emotion regulation techniques, so you can find relief and reconnect with the present.

Let's navigate through this together.

Transcript

Hi,

Thanks for pressing play on this track.

Chances are if you did,

You might be experiencing anxiety or panic right now.

So first of all,

Thank you for using this as an option of relief.

My name is Susan,

I'm a counselor with experience helping individuals just like you work through symptoms of panic and anxiety.

Before we jump in,

I'd like you to give the level of emotion you're feeling a number.

Think of a rating scale from 1 to 10,

Where 1 is neutral,

And 10 is the most distressed you've ever felt.

Now check in with how your body is holding emotion.

All those sensations might be intense right now,

But just have a look.

And what's your number?

Okay,

Now if you're sitting,

Laying down,

Or standing,

Notice the points of contact between your body and the surface you are on.

So if sitting,

That would be your sit bones on the chair seat.

If lying down,

Notice the connection between your body and the bed.

If standing,

Notice the bottoms of your feet on the floor.

Just anchoring into those places of comfortable connection,

Where your body is supported in the environment.

Breathing together with me,

We're going to draw the air in through the nose,

And exhale through the mouth.

You can place a hand on your abdomen to help you focus on noticing the movement there.

The expansion as your breath comes in.

It might feel a bit shaky at first,

But that's okay.

That's why you're here.

As you inhale through your nose,

Say to yourself,

I am breathing in.

And as you exhale out,

Say to yourself,

I am breathing out.

Breathe together with me now.

Inhaling in.

I am breathing in.

Exhaling out.

I am breathing out.

Inhaling in.

I am breathing in.

Exhaling out.

I am breathing out.

Good.

Just like that.

When we're in the grip of panic,

Pairing words,

Or for other people,

Counting,

Can feel like a lifeline.

Kind of like a life jacket,

Keeping us afloat,

Bringing us towards safety.

When you say to yourself,

I am breathing in on the inhale.

And I am breathing out on the exhale.

You are shifting your focus away from the overwhelming feelings and intense sensations.

This helps you regain control and find some order in the chaos.

It's a way of gently telling your mind,

I'm here right now.

I can manage this.

So let's practice together and you'll see how it can make a real difference in calming down those intense emotions.

Inhaling in through your nose,

Saying to yourself,

I am breathing in.

Exhaling out through your mouth,

Saying to yourself,

I am breathing out.

Know that there is no wrong way to breathe.

You are alive.

Air is coming in and flowing out,

And therefore you are breathing right.

And start to notice with curiosity the gentle rise and fall of your abdomen with each breath.

Almost imagining your breath like a soothing wave,

Drawing in calm,

Washing away distress with each exhale.

Breathing in,

I am breathing in.

Breathing out,

I am breathing out.

Panic is a powerful and visceral sensation that often tightens its grip when we attempt to push it away.

The more we resist and indulge in negative self-talk,

The more overwhelming it can become.

However,

By acknowledging and accepting that it's panic that's there,

We initiate a transformative process.

Embracing what we're feeling serves as a foundation for calming the storm within and regaining a bit of control.

That's what this guided practice is all about.

Exploring some techniques to help you dial down emotional intensity.

With your breath starting to deepen,

Let's connect with our anchor points again.

Shift your feet on the floor.

Notice the volume of your breath.

Notice the vibration there between the floor against your feet.

If sitting,

Notice the connection between your body and the chair,

Where your sit bones or your back feels most supported.

Notice where it feels comfortable,

Where your body feels that support and connection.

Shift your shoulders slightly back and down,

Allowing your airway to open ever so slightly more.

Inhaling in and exhaling out.

Panic attacks can be frightening and overwhelming.

By choosing to listen to this,

You're taking a courageous step.

In the midst of anxiety or panic,

It's entirely normal to feel overwhelmed by a flood of emotions and intense physiological sensations.

It can be terrifying,

Can leave a person feeling trapped and disconnected from the present.

I'd like you to know that you're not alone in this,

And that there's a way to navigate through it.

You are here,

Working with me,

Reducing emotional activation,

Returning to the present moment.

With your breath flowing in and out,

And your body anchored,

Let's connect with some positive,

Affirming truths.

Repeat to yourself,

I am safe in this moment.

I have the inner strength to navigate through this.

I choose to release the grip of fear and just be here.

My breath is my anchor.

With each breath,

I release anxiety and foster calm.

It can be hard to extend self-compassion to yourself,

Especially if this is not something you've ever done before.

I'm going to ask you to trust me when I say you are worth your compassion.

Remember,

Panic is a natural response,

And you are not alone in this.

It's okay to offer yourself words of kindness and understanding.

Just as you would offer the same words to a close friend if that person were experiencing what you are experiencing right now.

With acceptance and love in your heart,

Take those words that you would say to a dear friend and now say them to yourself.

Just letting your breath be there as you inhale in and exhale out.

Let's connect one more time with those five affirming truths,

Because despite what the voice of anxiety may be saying,

You are worth it.

Repeat to yourself,

I am safe in this moment.

I have the inner strength to navigate through this.

I choose to release the grip of fear and just be here.

My breath is my anchor.

With each breath,

I release anxiety and foster calm.

Just allowing those positive statements to sink into your mind,

To come to life in your body,

Bringing you even just 1% more closer to calm.

Positive affirming truths can serve as a powerful tool to ground yourself and shift out of anxiety.

It can help us break free from the cycle of fixation on negative thoughts and emotions,

Or on that felt sense of emotion that can feel so frightening.

Now with your breath slow and deep,

With affirmations like seeds planted in your mind where they may begin to grow,

Let's turn towards your body to further release the holding of emotion.

Please follow my voice as I lead you through a simple progressive muscle relaxation,

Where you'll tense and release muscles.

You know yourself best and you're in control here,

So just tighten those muscles in a way that feels right for your body.

Your feet are planted on the floor,

So let's start there.

Shift your attention to your toes.

Curl them in tightly.

Hold for a moment.

Feel that sensation of tension in your toes as they are curled.

And now release,

Let go completely.

Feel the tension melting away.

Take a deep breath in.

Exhaling,

Letting go any remaining tension in your toes.

Shifting focus to your feet and ankles.

Tense the muscles in your feet,

Holding that tension briefly.

And exhale,

Release,

Letting the tension go.

Feel the relaxation spreading throughout your feet as you breathe in.

This is the pattern we'll use as we work our way up through your body,

Tensing and releasing each muscle group.

Always remembering to keep your breath slow and deep.

With attention at your calf muscles,

Tense.

Exhaling out,

Release.

Shifting awareness up to your thighs,

Tense those muscles and release.

Shifting awareness upwards to your stomach muscles.

Tense your stomach muscles.

And as you exhale out,

Release the tension.

With awareness at your chest and shoulders,

Tense those muscles.

Exhale out,

Release.

Bringing your attention down your arms into your hands to curl them into fists.

Tense the muscles there and release.

Tense the muscles in your arms and release.

Shifting your awareness upwards towards your neck.

Tense the muscles there in your neck and shoulders and release.

With awareness at your face,

Scrunch up your muscles,

Tense your face and release.

Inhale in.

As you exhale out,

Letting go of any remaining tension in your entire body.

Imagine it just shifting out into the earth below you.

Dissipating,

Disappearing.

Allow the calm and relaxation to wash over you,

Even just 1% more.

As you connect with this one moment,

The sensation of air at your nostrils as you breathe in.

The brush of air at your lips as you exhale out.

Know that we are here together,

Settling emotion.

When we release the need to control the situation or even panic,

Then we can truly begin to shift it.

As you connect with this one moment,

Trust that within you is the strength to navigate through it.

Within you are the resources.

After all,

You did choose to listen to this.

You're already embracing the idea that it's okay to ask for help,

To turn toward others for support.

As we near the end of our time together,

Let's connect with the room around you.

To do so,

Bring your attention to your immediate surroundings,

Shifting your feet from side to side on the floor for that grounded connection.

And let's use your senses to connect to the present moment around you.

Look around the room you are in and notice three different colors that you can see.

Now notice three things you can touch.

If possible,

Move around so that you can actually touch the items to further anchor into your felt sense.

With each item you touch,

Pause and notice the details,

Like temperature or texture.

And now notice three things you can hear.

Good.

Engaging in your senses this way helps anchor you in the present,

Grounding you in reality,

Reducing panic.

What you've learned here,

These techniques are yours now.

You have the tools to reduce panic whenever it arises.

It will take a bit of practice,

But that's no different than all things in this life.

Reducing anxiety and panic takes practice and it takes a bit of self-compassion.

Be patient with yourself.

This is hard work,

But here you are doing it.

You have the power to navigate through these moments.

Please trust your ability to find calm and peace within.

Thinking of that 1 to 10 rating scale we used at the beginning of our time together today,

Where 1 is neutral and 10 is the most distressed you've ever felt.

What's your number now?

If it's still a bit high,

Can you make a plan for what you'd like to do next?

If you're not sure what,

Here's some suggestions.

Let your body move by going for a walk,

Doing some exercises,

Or even simple house cleaning chores can be useful.

If you have a pet,

Take some time to cuddle or play with it.

Use a journaling technique of writing a letter to yourself or to anxiety.

Talk with a trusted friend or family member.

Please take the next bit of time to do what you can to best support and care for yourself.

I really appreciate you being here today,

Listening to this and letting this practice guide you through a tough moment.

I hope it's provided you with a bit of a roadmap for navigating through the storm that is anxiety,

Shifting your compass to point back towards your strengths,

Resiliency,

And resources,

And helping you to reconnect with a place of calm.

Thank you so much for being here today.

Reviews

This meditation helped greatly. Susan's calm voice was full of empathy and gentleness. The background music was at the perfect level and after going through the steps I did have an improvement in my level of anxiety. Thank you

Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you.