A Scarsdale, NY Therapist Shares Mindfulness Tips to Manage Anxiety in a Crisis

The dangers that the coronavirus poses to all of us are very real. But, the fear and anxiety that we are experiencing as a response to this is spreading faster than the actual virus. Anxiety tells us that we’re in danger and we need to do something in order to survive. We either get ready to fight, run as far away as we can from our stressor, or do nothing. This “fight, flight, or freeze” response is not a conscious one, rather something that happens automatically. This fear response, which is absolutely beneficial when we’re facing imminent danger is now in complete overdrive for many of us. Nonstop alarming information comes into our awareness through news sources and social media. So, it might be very difficult for most people to find some sense of peace and calm that we all are searching for during these challenging times.

Mindfulness is the state of consciousness and bringing awareness to something. It helps us stay focused on the present moment without getting too caught up in all the unforeseeable aspects of the future. 

Here are 3 key areas to be mindful of during a crisis:

1.    ​​Be mindful of how much time you’re spending watching the news.

I know most of us are home right now. And, it’s pretty easy to have the tv on most of the day, even if it’s just for background noise. But, I highly suggest limiting your news coverage intake. It’s important to stay informed of COVID 19 updates. Yet, overdoing it is going to interfere with you establishing some type of normalcy in your home and life in the middle of a crisis. I recommend sticking to one credible news source and setting a limited amount of time to watch or listen to stay updated in current life events. At most, 30 minutes to an hour. It may help if, throughout the day, you pause and ask yourself, “Is what I am engaging with contributing to fear or peace?”

 2. Explore and acknowledge any new opportunities this time may be presented to you.

Many of us are not used to working from home and our schedules have completely changed. So, are there any opportunities this time is offering you? Some people are happy to be spending more time with their children or having more time to cook a home-cooked meal. Others are appreciating the extra hour or two in the morning from not having to get dressed up and commute to work. I’ve now gotten to expand my skill-set as I’ve been navigating doing solely virtual teaching, virtual learning, and virtual therapy. I didn’t ask for this, but I have learned a lot in the past few weeks that is only adding to my professional set of skills.

3. Notice how social distancing and isolation are affecting you.

Social distancing is not meant to be social isolation. Yes, we must be physically distant from those we love. Still, we need to be creative with ideas of how to stay connected with other people to cope with the loneliness. Some coping tips I’ve offered relate to virtual strategies. I’ve reminded everyone that virtual chats don’t have to be just for work and this has been helpful for many people. You could check out your favorite DJ’s website or social media page and see if they’re hosting a dance party online. Or, start looking for some new online classes to take. Some people have been taking virtual cooking classes, gym classes, and even dance classes. This may be a good time to learn how to salsa! If you’re used to going out with friends for Sunday brunch, host a virtual brunch and enjoy talking to your friends while drinking a mimosa!

3 mindfulness meditation techniques to practice being calm during stressful times

1. Deep Muscle Relaxation

   Find a comfortable position and close your eyes.

   Tighten each of the following muscle groups for 6-7 seconds and then relax them:

   1. Hands and arms

   2. Head, face, and throat

   3. Neck and shoulders

   4. Chest, shoulders, and upper back

   5. Lower back, stomach, and hips

   6. HIps, legs, and feet

   After relaxing each muscle group, exhale and relax fully and completely for about 20 seconds.

   Scan your body to see if there are any remaining areas of tension and attend to them.

2. Body Scan

   A body scan is very similar to deep muscle relaxation except you’re not actually tensing or relaxing separate muscle groups. You are actually just noticing and being mindful of what your body feels like. A typical Body Scan runs through each part of the body, paying special attention to the way each area feels, starting from the feet and moving upwards. You start by bringing awareness to your breath, by noticing the rhythm of you breathing and out. Then, you focus your awareness on different parts of the body that feel sore or heavy and also those parts where you feel absolutely nothing. You can practice this on your own or you can search for a guided meditation that will lead you into this.

3. Guided Meditations

   Some people like using guided meditations so that they can follow along with someone else’s instructions. You can easily Youtube “guided meditations” and find one that you like and plan to do it at least 5-10 minutes a day. I highly recommend using the Headspace app for guided meditations. For New Yorkers, Headspace as offered free guided meditations and other mental health resources at headspace.com/ny. If you’re not in New York, you can still enjoy some of these meditations and resources as Headspace has recently made them accessible for free during this current pandemic. You can get that at https://www.headspace.com/covid-19.

GET STARTED WITH ANXIETY THERAPY IN NEW YORK

If you are interested in getting started with a therapist who specializes in anxiety, I’m located in the Scarsdale area of Westchester and offer online therapy to anyone interested in the state of New York! To learn more about me and all the counseling services that I offer, explore my therapy website and feel free to send me an email at mguerrero@mindmattersmhc.com.

I want to be sure you are comfortable with this process from start to finish. If you have any insurance and procedural questions after reading this website, I am happy to schedule a free, 15-minute consultation first. To begin counseling in my Westchester counseling office, follow these simple steps:

1. Click the button below to schedule our first session.

2. Meet with me, Dr. Minerva Guerrero, a professional trauama & anxiety therapist.

3. Face your anxiety & begin to feel more peace and less worry about your life!

MORE THERAPY SERVICES IN WESTCHESTER, NY

In my Scarsdale therapy practice, I try to help each individual as fully as possible. In addition to counseling for anxiety, I offer teen counseling, therapy for adults, trauma therapy, and herapy for anxiety. Because I want to see you feel better quickly and retain that progress for years to come, I use effective counseling techniques such as EMDR, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Cognitive Processing Therapy. I also support anyone in the state of New York through online therapy If you want to explore these options further, let’s connect!