How Individual Therapy Helps Contain Anxiety — And What You Can Do On Your Own

Anxiety can make everyday challenges feel overwhelming. Your heart races, your thoughts spiral, and suddenly a manageable concern feels like a crisis. One of the most effective ways to manage anxiety is through containment — learning to acknowledge and hold your feelings safely rather than suppressing or avoiding them. Individual therapy offers a structured way to develop this skill, while self-help strategies can support you between sessions.

How Individual Therapy Provides Containment

When you engage in individual therapy, a therapist becomes a supportive “container” for your distress. They provide a safe, non-judgmental space to explore confusing emotions, organize your thoughts, and gradually manage anxiety. Over time, you internalize this containment, gaining the ability to face difficult feelings without becoming overwhelmed.

Therapy works because anxiety often worsens when we try to avoid it or control it through worry. By learning to face anxious thoughts in manageable doses, with the guidance of a therapist, you gradually build resilience and tolerance for uncertainty.

Self-Help Techniques to Support Anxiety Management

Even without a therapist present, there are evidence-based strategies you can practice on your own:

1. Grounding exercises

Interrupt the anxiety spiral by bringing your attention to the present. Try the 5-4-3-2-1 method: notice five things you can see, four you can touch, three you can hear, two you can smell, and one you can taste. This activates your senses and reminds your nervous system that you’re safe in the moment.

2. Controlled breathing

Breathing techniques can calm your nervous system. Try inhaling for four counts, holding for four, and exhaling for six. The longer exhale helps activate your parasympathetic nervous system, reducing the fight-or-flight response.

3. Writing down worries

Externalize anxious thoughts by dedicating ten minutes each day to write freely about what’s bothering you. This “worry time” gives anxiety a contained space instead of letting it dominate your day.

4. Progressive muscle relaxation

Tense and release different muscle groups to release physical tension. Start with your toes and work up to your head, holding each tension for five seconds before releasing.

5. Self-compassion practices

Anxiety often brings harsh self-criticism. When you notice spiraling thoughts, speak to yourself as you would a supportive friend. This reduces shame and makes anxious feelings easier to manage.

When Self-Help Isn’t Enough

Sometimes, anxiety remains intense despite consistent self-help strategies. It may interfere with work, relationships, or daily functioning. At this stage, individual therapy can provide specialized support — not because you’ve failed, but because some challenges benefit from professional guidance.

How a Therapist Can Help

Individual therapy offers targeted, evidence-based approaches for anxiety. Two effective methods include:

1. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT helps you identify thought patterns that fuel anxiety, such as catastrophizing or overestimating danger. Your therapist guides you to challenge these thoughts, test predictions in real-life situations, and gradually develop balanced perspectives. Behavioral experiments in CBT allow you to face feared situations safely, proving you can handle more than your anxiety suggests.

2. Mindfulness-Based Approaches

Mindfulness-based interventions teach you to observe anxious thoughts without judgment. Rather than trying to stop or fight anxiety, you learn to notice it and let it pass naturally. Therapists help you apply mindfulness to real-life anxiety triggers, creating psychological distance and reducing anxiety’s impact.

Beyond CBT and mindfulness-based approaches, therapists at Inside Out Counselling & Wellness are trained in a range of modalities to support individuals experiencing anxiety, stress, and other emotional challenges. These may include acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), solution-focused therapy, emotion-focused therapy, and trauma-informed approaches, all tailored to the unique needs of each client. This breadth of training allows therapists to provide individual therapy that is flexible, evidence-based, and responsive, helping clients build coping skills, resilience, and a stronger sense of control over their mental well-being.

Building a New Relationship with Anxiety

The goal of therapy isn’t to eliminate anxiety entirely — that’s unrealistic. Instead, it’s about:

• Recognizing when anxiety is protective versus overreactive

• Learning to tolerate uncomfortable feelings

• Developing skills to move forward despite anxious thoughts

Whether you start with self-help strategies or engage in individual therapy, the key is taking steps toward feeling grounded, supported, and more in control of your life.