3 EMDR-Informed Tools from a Therapist for Managing Stress and Anxiety
The world has felt especially heavy lately. The news cycle brings a steady stream of distressing events—conflict, loss, uncertainty. If you’re feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or just exhausted by it all, you are not alone. Stress isn’t just a passing feeling; it can settle into the body, making it hard to think clearly, rest deeply, or feel safe. When everything feels unmanageable, sometimes what we need most are simple tools to help regulate our nervous system.
As EMDR therapists, we understand how the body stores distress. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a therapy approach that helps people process difficult experiences and regulate emotions. These three EMDR-informed techniques can help you find a sense of stability when the world feels unsteady and provide relief from stress and anxiety.
1. The Calm Place: A Mental Refuge
Stress can make it feel like there is no escape from worry, but your mind has the capacity to create safe spaces—even in the middle of chaos. The Calm Place exercise, often used in EMDR therapy, helps you do just that.
How to do it:
Close your eyes and take a deep breath.
Imagine a place where you feel completely at peace. It could be real or imagined—a quiet beach, a childhood bedroom, a sunlit forest.
Notice the details. What do you see, hear, and feel? Maybe the sound of waves, the scent of pine, or the warmth of sunlight on your skin.
As you immerse yourself in this space, let your body respond. Can you feel your shoulders relax, your breathing slow?
When you feel ready, gently return to the present, carrying this sense of calm with you.
This exercise is a way to access inner safety, a reminder that even in difficult times, there is a part of you that can hold peace.
2. The Container: Holding Stress Without Being Consumed by It
When stress becomes overwhelming, it can feel like it’s spilling into every part of your life. The Container technique, a tool frequently used in EMDR therapy, allows you to hold distress without letting it take over.
How to do it:
Picture a container in your mind—something strong and secure. It could be a wooden box, a safe, a locked chest.
Imagine placing whatever is overwhelming you inside of it. Name the things going in: anxious thoughts, news headlines, fears about the future.
Close the container. Notice that you are not throwing these things away; you are simply setting them aside so they don’t consume you in this moment.
Remind yourself: “I can return to this when I choose. Right now, I am creating space for myself.”
This isn’t about avoidance; it’s about giving yourself permission to take a break from carrying everything all at once. This is a key skill for working through anxiety in a manageable way.
3. Polyvagal Breath Exercise: A Science-Backed Way to Regulate Stress and Anxiety
Your nervous system is wired for survival. When you’re stressed, your body shifts into fight-or-flight mode—your heart races, your muscles tense, your thoughts speed up. The Polyvagal Breath Exercise engages your vagus nerve, helping to shift your body into a calmer, more regulated state.
How to do it:
Breathe in through your nose for a count of four.
Hold your breath for a count of four.
Exhale slowly through your mouth for a count of six.
Repeat for at least one minute, noticing the shift in your body.
This type of breathwork signals safety to your nervous system, helping you move from a state of anxiety to one of rest and regulation. This is an essential tool for working through anxiety, as it helps bring the body out of fight-or-flight mode and into a space where healing can happen.
Finding Stability in the Chaos
If the world feels overwhelming right now, it makes sense that your body and mind are responding with stress. These EMDR-informed tools won’t change the world overnight, but they can help you find small moments of relief—space to breathe, rest, and reset.
If you’re struggling to manage stress and anxiety on your own, therapy can offer a place to process, heal, and develop additional coping strategies. You don’t have to carry it all by yourself.
We offer in-person therapy sessions at our Eastlake Seattle office and telehealth therapy sessions throughout the state of Washington. If you’re ready for support, we’re here to help.
