5 Practical Ways to Manage Anxiety Between Therapy Sessions

1. Practice Measured Breathing

Try the 4-7-8 technique: inhale for four seconds, hold for seven, and exhale for eight. This simple rhythm helps slow your heart rate and reduce the physical tension that fuels anxious thoughts.

2. Name What’s Happening

Instead of pushing anxiety away, try saying, “I’m noticing my anxiety showing up right now.”
Labeling emotions engages your brain’s rational centers and decreases reactivity. Awareness is often the first step toward calm.

3. Use a Grounding Technique

When anxiety spikes, focus on your senses.
Name 5 things you can see, 4 you can touch, 3 you can hear, 2 you can smell, and 1 you can taste.
This “5-4-3-2-1” grounding exercise anchors you to the present moment.

4. Schedule “Worry Time”

Set aside 10–15 minutes a day to intentionally think through your worries. When anxious thoughts appear outside that window, remind yourself: “I’ll handle that during worry time.”
This limits rumination and trains your brain to postpone intrusive thinking.

5. Practice Gentle Exposure

If you’ve been avoiding certain tasks or places that trigger anxiety, take small steps toward them.
Gradual exposure teaches your mind and body that discomfort isn’t danger—and helps you reclaim confidence over time.

Moving Forward

Managing anxiety between sessions strengthens the work you do in therapy.
If anxiety still feels overwhelming, or you’d like guidance applying these tools, consider reaching out.
At Daniel Edwards Therapy in Westmont, IL, I help clients use evidence-based strategies to reduce anxiety, regain control, and live more peacefully—both in and out of the therapy room.