A
Anticipatory anxiety can come when you start to think about a phobia (flying, spiders, heights) or can come as butterflies in your stomach before you speak at a meeting, make a presentation or before a difficult conversation
N
Nervous system responses: your sympathetic nervous system is stimulated when you are anxious—fight, flight, freeze responses. This leads to physical symptoms such as heart palpitations, whooshing in your ears, sweaty palms, tightness at the throat or a churning or heaviness in your stomach.
X
Fragile X syndrome, the most common inherited form of intellectual disability, is associated with anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, impulsivity, autism, mood instability, and aggression
I
I used to experience a jolt of anxiety every time I heard a siren. My body would jump back to the feeling of ambulances arriving when mum was psychotic. A well-meaning friend suggested that I could reframe this: “The siren was me being rescued.” But it didn’t feel like that at the time. The sirens’ meant Mum was in danger, I had failed her by not keeping her well by calling the doctor; sirens meant a peak was being reached followed by the sadness, darkness of depression.
Anxiety can come up as a response to an immediate situation or as a trigger from something that happened in your past (when your response in the moment is way above what is happening.) Rather than reframing–and in effect telling myself I was wrong to feel how I was feeling–I chose to meet the feelings of vulnerability, sadness and lack of control. Over time this has allowed my body to come to terms and update my response to be relevant to the actual moment
E
Emotions associated with anxiety include fear, nervousness, worry, restlessness, panic, feeling overwhelmed, a sense of dread or unease.
T
Take a breath if you experience anxiety. Take some even breaths, count 4 in and 4 out, and again and again and again.
Y
You can use your breath to support you when you START to feel anxious; WHILE you are feeling anxious and AFTER you have had a period of anxiety. Regular, conscious breathing literally stimulates your vagus nerve which tells your body you are OK.
Anxiety isn’t something to be ignored, reframed, or pushed away—it’s something to be met with compassion and presence. Our minds and bodies are constantly communicating, and when we start to listen rather than resist, we create space for healing. Through mindfulness and breathwork, we can gently shift our nervous system, allowing ourselves to move from fear and overwhelm to calm and clarity.
If anxiety feels like a constant weight, know that you are not alone, and you are not broken—your body is simply seeking safety. With regular mindfulness practice, small but powerful shifts can happen.
Emma Grant – Therapist & Mindfulness Practitioner
Emma Grant helps chronic worriers find calm, clarity, and connection through a unique blend of talking therapy, mindfulness, and breathwork. Having navigated her own journey of healing—from childhood trauma to self-discovery—she offers a compassionate, heart-led approach to therapy.
Qualified in counselling, mindfulness, breathwork, and stress management, Emma combines Gestalt, CBT, and person-centred approaches to help clients breathe more easily, stop overthinking, and build healthier relationships.
