Resources

It’s normal and common to experience anxiety and panic. With the right tools and with practice, you can learn to regulate yourself and your nervous system. Here are a few simple tools I’ve found most helpful when experiencing anxiety, stress, or panic.

Important Disclaimer:
These tools are meant for general support, not emergency situations. If you are in crisis, feeling unsafe, or in a severe mental health emergency, please call 911, go to your nearest emergency room, or contact a crisis hotline such as the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (call or text 988).

Deep Breathing: Breathe in slowly through your nose for a count of 4, hold for a count of 4, and exhale for a count of 4. Continue to do this for up to five to ten minutes, until you start to feel very sleepy. This will help calm down your nervous system.

Breathing video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-2wsA38FE4&t=5s

5-4-3-2-1 Technique: Identify 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste. This helps shift your focus away from the panic and grounds you in the present

Engage with Your Environment: Describe your surroundings out loud to yourself or in your mind. This can help bring your focus back to the present and away from the panic.

Reality Check: Remind yourself that what you’re experiencing, although frightening, is not life-threatening. It’s a temporary state that will pass.

Ice Packs: Applying ice to your wrists or chest during a panic attack can help ground you and provide a physical distraction, which may interrupt the panic cycle and assist in calming your body's stress response.

Be Kind to Yourself: Acknowledge that panic attacks and anxiety are difficult and that you are doing your best. Be gentle with yourself and avoid self-criticism.

Self-Compassion Meditation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-z4HqdTQFw

Emergency Phone Numbers

• Police: 911

• S.F.  Suicide Prevention (24-hour Suicide/Crisis Line): 415.781.0500

• Child Protective Services (CPS): 415.558.2650

• Mobile Assistance: 415.255.3610

• Alameda Crisis Support Services: 800.309.2131

Crisis Clinics

• Westside Crisis Clinic and Outpatient: 415.355.0311

• S.F. General Emergency: 415.821.8125

• Mission Mental Health: 415.401.2700

• Sausal Creek Outpatient Stabilization Clinic (East Bay): 510.437.2363

Shelters for Women

• La Casa de las Madres: 415.387.5100

• Asian Women's Center: 415.751.7110

• S.F. Dept of Social Services: 415.557.5251

• W.O.M.A.N., Inc.: 415.864.4722

Youth and Family

• The Parental Stress Line (24-hour crisis intervention and referrals for parents): 800.632.8188

• Child Protective Services (CPS): 800.856.5553; www.sfhsa.org/174.htm

• S.F. Child Abuse Prevention Center’s Parental Stress/TALK Line: 415.441.KIDS 

• Friendship Line for the Elderly: 415.752.3778

• Drug Line: 415.752.3400

• Youth Line: 800.943.5200

Support for Addiction and Recovery

• Alcoholics Anonymous

            For meeting times and locations, visit www.aasf.org or call 415.621.1326

• Ohlhoff Recovery Programs and Eating Disorders Clinic

            601 Steiner Street, San Francisco, CA 94117
            www.ohlhoff.org
            415.621.4388

• Father Alfrid 

            121 Golden Gate Avenue San Francisco, CA 94102
            www.stanthonysf.org/?q=services/addiction-program
            415.241.8338

• CPMC

            3555 Cesar Chavez
            San Francisco, California 94110
            www.cpmc.org
            415.600.6000

Psychiatric Medical Evaluations and Psychotherapy

• CPMC Psych Clinic: 415.600.3247

• CPMC Outpatient Mental Health Clinic: 415.923.3247

• Richmond Area Multi Services Center (RAMS): 415.668.5955

If you’re ready to begin or would like to see if we might be a good fit, I offer a complimentary 20-minute consultation. You can schedule a time here or send me a message — I’d love to connect.