Basic Counseling Skills
  • Home
  • A. TECHNIQUES
  • Pattern of Sessions
  • Active Listening
  • Body Language
  • Asking Questions
  • Paraphrasing/Tone
  • Summary
  • Note Taking
  • Homework
  • Goodie Bag/Fun Stuff
  • Technique References
  • B. THEORIES
  • Client Centered
  • Holistic/Biopsychosocial
  • Strengths Based
  • Cognitive/Behavioral
  • Solution Focused
  • Existential Therapy
  • Letting Go
  • Theory References
  • C. SAMPLE SESSIONS
  • 1. Client Centered Counseling
  • 2.&3. No Show/Cancellation
  • 4. Strengths Based
  • 5. Cognitive Beh. Counseling
  • 6. Holistic Health Counseling
  • 7. Solution Focused
  • 8. Existential Counseling
  • 9. Becoming Unnecessary
  • D. SELF HELP
  • Journaling
  • Mood Mapping
  • Whole Health Check In
  • Community Resources
  • Ten Things I Like About Me
  • Common Lies We Tell
  • Goal-Setting
  • A Why to Bear a How
  • Happy People
  • Self-Help References
  • E. CONTINUING EDUCATION
  • F. SITE MAP
  • G. CONTACT ME!
  • H. READERS' CONTRIBUTIONS
    • Addiction and Sleep - Jessica S
    • Alcohol Counseling - Carol G.
    • Depression and Addiction Rehab - Katherine C
    • Quit Smoking and Alcohol Rehab
    • Reducing Stigma - Patricia S.
    • Suicidal Thoughts and Alcohol Abuse - Julia W
    • Recovery Village - William B.
    • Bereavement Counseling - Sally W
    • Personality Traits - Sally W
    • 3 Solutions to Worst Fears - Paige M
    • 30 Min Reduce Anxiety - Paige M
    • Restorative Power of Arts & Crafts - Sally W
    • 3 Ways - Rid of Sunday Scaries
    • Conquer Fear of Flying - Sally W.
    • Document Anxiety through Journaling - Sally W
    • Career Options - Sally W
    • School Counselor ToolKit - Serena K.
    • Psychology Degrees - Lindsay F
    • Depression and Addiction Rehab - Katherine C
    • Diagnosing Depression - Melissa M
    • PostPartum Depression - Tracey F
    • Assisted Living Options for People with Disabilities
    • Wheelchair Home Safety - Michael M
    • Cerebral Palsy Resources
    • Counseling and Persistent Pain - Sally W
    • Mesothelioma Guide - Corine F.
    • Mesothelioma Resources
    • Finding Start Up Success - Eva B
    • Cleaning House for Better Health - Cheryl C.
    • Destress/Clean Home - Cheryl C
    • Financial Stress - Sally W.
    • Financial Debt - Sally W
    • Be Happy - Hazel G.
    • Gut Health & Mental Health - Sally W
    • How Having a Skincare Routine
    • Counseling the Impoverished - Sally W
    • Conquering Interviews - Eva B
    • Daily Journal Routine - Paige M
    • 4 Journaling Tips for Beginners - Shristi Patni
    • Drug Dangers - Rebecca P.
    • Recall Report - Laura P.
    • Living Mindfully - Mollie Wilson
    • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy - Sally W.
    • Couns. Resources - Tim C.
    • Practical Financial SKills - Johanne H
    • Nutrition to Help Anxiety - Sally W
    • Retirement Career Change - Sally W
    • Managing Phobias - Sally W
    • Healing Power of Pets - Sally W
    • Geriatric Counseling - Sally W
    • Counseling Seniors with Anxiety - Sally W
    • Senior Resources - Claire S.
    • Addiction and Sleep - Jessica S
    • Better Sleep - Better Health - Cheryl C
    • Treating Insomnia - Sally W
    • Tuck Sleep - Kellen S
    • De-Fogging Brain - Sally W
    • Recovery from Sports Injury
    • Improving Mental Clarity - Sally W
    • Indoor Air Quality Can Affect Mental Health - Sally W
    • Stress on Health - Sally W.
    • Stress Management - Sally W
    • Suicidal Thoughts and Alcohol Abuse - Julia W
    • Summer Side Gigs for Teachers - Joyce W
    • Tobacco in 2017 - Mary G.
    • Take Control of Your Life - Dorothy Watson
    • No More Winter Blues - Rufus Carter
    • How I Put Anxiety Attacks on Pause
    • 8 Effective Tips for Improving Mental Health - Camille Johnson
    • Manage And Reduce Stress For Your Employees With These Tips - Rufus Carters
    • Moving Forward When Grief Intrudes in Your Life - Camille J
    • Working Remotely - Emma Grace Brown
    • Unlock Greater Confidence - Rufus Carter
    • Coping With a Mid-Life Crisis - Rufus Carter
    • 6 Self-Care Tips - Laurie Abner
    • Help a Loved One After the Loss of a Spouse - Rufus CarterNew Page
    • Relocating After a Tragic Loss - Lucille Rosetti
    • Guidelines for Teens Who Want to Thrive as Entrepreneurs - Lucille Rosetti
    • 5 Common Lifestyle Habits That Can Cause Skin Damage - Andrew Mark

30 Minutes to Reducing Anxiety by Paige M.

Anxiety can seemingly appear out of thin air to make our days more difficult. It’s not always rational fear that keeps us up at night, either. Sometimes you can be anxious about something that genuinely isn’t an important issue that will impact your life in any major way. That doesn’t mean that you can’t do your best to control the anxiety and move on with your life as worry-free as possible, of course. Here are a few tips to help you reduce anxiety in 30 minutes or less.

1. Write in a journal
Keeping a daily log of your feelings and stressors is a great way to gain a better understanding of how anxiety affects you. Sometimes the act of writing itself can be incredibly cathartic and lead to reduced stress levels. Journal entries don’t have to be long—they just need to be honest. Try to find a few minutes in your day to focus on writing down how you’re feeling. Maybe you’ll record a few words or an entire page—the important thing is to acknowledge your feelings in hopes of reducing their impact on your well-being.

2. Practice a breathing exercise
When you become especially anxious, your body begins to react in physical ways. That includes breathing faster than normal, which can actually increase your anxiety levels and keep the cycle going. The solution? Take a moment and focus on your breathing. You can do this anywhere you happen to be when the anxiety hits. Just turn your attention inward and focus on breathing in and out slowly and deeply. Before long, you should find your anxiety level decreasing.

3. Follow a guided meditation
Along the lines of focusing on your breathing, you might consider trying a guided meditation app or two. You can find these on just about any platform imaginable, including online to be used on your computer and in the app stores for both Android and iOS devices.
 
Meditation can help bring anxiety levels down and find peace to go about the rest of your day. The best part is that it doesn’t take long to see results. Most guided meditations are between two and ten minutes long, and they can make a big difference in your mood.

4. Make a quick to-do list
If you find that your anxiety tends to rise when you don’t clearly understand exactly what to expect from your day, consider taking some time to make a to-do list. This doesn’t have to take long—just making sure you jot down the priorities of the day. Include things like going to the grocery store, visiting the gym, or replacing your air filter to help keep your life and home fresh.

5. Do something you enjoy
What do you find relaxing and fun? Spend 20–30 minutes on something you enjoy every day. Periods of relaxation lower anxiety, help you feel better, and allow you to get back to your life as quickly as possible. Your schedule can spare you for that length of time and your day will be better for the time spent focusing on something you love.

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