Anxiety Skills

Pack a Calm-Down Kit

Packing a calm-down kit involves assembling a personalized set of tools and resources ahead of time to quickly and effectively manage moments of high stress, anxiety, or emotional overwhelm. This preparation helps reduce panic and facilitates rapid grounding and emotional regulation through sensory engagement and coping techniques.

Overview

  • Difficulty:
  • Best Use:
    Prepared ahead of time to have tools ready for high-stress moments
  • Time:
    15-20 min
  • Tools:

What to do

  1. Select a small, portable container (e.g., pouch or small box) that's easy to access during moments of anxiety or stress.
  2. Include sensory grounding items such as fidget tools, stress balls, textured fabrics, or calming scents like lavender essential oil.
  3. Add comforting visual elements, such as inspirational quotes, calming images, or photos of loved ones or safe places.
  4. Include clearly written instructions for quick grounding techniques, mindfulness exercises, or breathing methods.
  5. Incorporate comforting items like headphones for music, a favorite tea, or a soft blanket.
  6. Write down a personalized list of emergency coping strategies and contacts for support.
  7. Regularly revisit your kit, refreshing contents to ensure ongoing effectiveness.

When to use

Why it works

When you're overwhelmed by stress or anxiety, your body's "fight or flight" response can cloud your thinking, making it difficult to remember helpful coping strategies. Having a calm-down kit readily accessible enables you to immediately engage grounding and sensory experiences, rapidly soothing your nervous system. Sensory engagement through tactile objects, comforting scents, and visual reminders can effectively reduce physiological stress responses, helping you quickly transition from heightened anxiety to a calmer, grounded emotional state. Additionally, familiar, comforting items and clearly outlined coping instructions lower cognitive load, allowing you to efficiently utilize emotional-regulation skills precisely when you need them most.

Benefits

  • Reduces acute anxiety
  • Promotes rapid emotional grounding
  • Fosters confidence in managing high-stress or crisis situations
  • Enhances self-awareness of coping skills
  • Improves overall emotional resilience
  • Supports consistent practice of grounding techniques

Tips

  • Regularly update and personalize your kit to match evolving needs.
  • Store it in a convenient, accessible location.
  • Practice using items during calm moments to build familiarity.
  • Involve trusted individuals to help you create your kit for added emotional comfort and support.

What to expect

Variations

Troubleshooting

Frequently asked questions

Skill Categories
Grounding
Sensory
Planning
Issues Addressed by Skill
Anxiety
Trauma
Stress
Emotional Regulation
Jump to Section
OverviewWhat to doWhen to useWhy it worksBenefitsTipsWhat to expectVariationsTroubleshootingFrequently asked questions
Other Related Skills
Butterfly Hug (Bilateral Stimulation)
Gamified Skill Practice Challenge
Walking Meditation
Create Coping Cards
Expand Awareness with Mindful Eating