How Therapists Use These 5 Techniques to Treat Anxiety

Breathing. It’s something we all do, yet it often goes unnoticed—until it doesn’t. For me, breathwork didn’t become “a thing” until anxiety started interfering with everything: my focus, my sleep, my sense of control. At first, I thought the whole “just breathe through it” advice was too simplistic. But after years of trial and error (and some amazing guidance from a therapist), I realized that breath isn’t just a survival mechanism—it’s a wellness tool hiding in plain sight.

In this article, I’m walking you through five therapist-backed breathwork techniques that helped me regulate anxiety and reclaim calm. Whether you’re new to this or looking to build consistency, think of this as a field guide—complete with real talk, real tips, and encouragement from someone who’s been there.

Understanding Breathwork: The Basics

Let’s get grounded before we get breathing. What exactly is breathwork, and why does it work so well for anxiety?

1. What Is Breathwork?

Breathwork refers to any intentional breathing practice that influences your physical and emotional state. It spans ancient yogic rituals to clinical therapeutic strategies. While the styles vary, the common goal is the same: to reset the nervous system, ease tension, and reconnect you to your body. Science backs it up, too. According to the American Psychological Association, slow, deep breathing taps into the parasympathetic nervous system, shifting us from “fight or flight” to “rest and digest.”

2. My Breathwork Wake-Up Call

The first time I tried breathwork, I was in full-on anxiety mode—heart racing, chest tight, mind spinning. I remember thinking, *How is breathing going to fix this? But five minutes later, I felt calmer. Not “cured,” but more grounded, more capable. It was like someone handed me a remote control to my nervous system. That moment stuck with me, and over time, breathwork became one of my most trusted mental health tools.

3. Breathwork Isn’t a Trend—It’s Timeless

What’s cool is that breathwork isn’t just trendy wellness fluff. It’s rooted in traditions like pranayama, practiced for thousands of years, and increasingly used in modern therapy for anxiety, PTSD, and panic disorders. When something bridges ancient wisdom and modern science, it’s worth paying attention to.

Why Breathwork Works for Anxiety

Here’s the magic: breathwork works with your biology. It’s not about escaping your anxiety—it’s about rewiring how your body reacts to it.

1. It Regulates Your Nervous System

When anxiety hits, your sympathetic nervous system kicks in—hello, racing heart and tight chest. Breathwork flips the switch. Techniques like deep belly breathing send a signal to your brain that it’s safe to relax, lowering your cortisol levels and calming your heart rate. This isn’t a theory—it’s measurable physiology.

2. It Interrupts the Anxiety Loop

For me, breathwork became a powerful pause button. During spirals—when my thoughts ran wild or my body tensed up—I’d use structured breathing to interrupt the loop. Even just 30 seconds of focused breathing could give me space to respond instead of react. That little gap? It changed everything.

3. It Rebuilds a Sense of Control

Anxiety often makes you feel powerless. Breathwork gives that power back. You don’t need expensive tools or a perfect setup—just your breath and a few minutes. In moments when the world felt too loud, breathing gave me something to hold onto. It reminded me that I could influence how I feel, one breath at a time.

Five Therapist-Recommended Breathwork Techniques

Here’s where the rubber meets the road. These five techniques have been recommended by therapists and personally tested in the heat of anxious moments. Pick one or try them all—what matters is consistency and finding what feels right for you.

1. Diaphragmatic Breathing (aka Belly Breathing)

This one’s all about breathing deep—not just into your chest but into your belly.

• How-to: Sit or lie down comfortably. Place one hand on your chest and one on your stomach. Inhale deeply through your nose, feeling your belly expand. Exhale slowly through your mouth. Repeat for 2–5 minutes.
• Why It Helps: This technique calms the vagus nerve, which plays a major role in stress regulation.
• My Take: This was my entry point. I’d use it in traffic, in long lines, or before bed. It’s simple but powerful—and always accessible.

2. Box Breathing (4-4-4-4)

Box breathing adds structure to your breath. It’s used by Navy SEALs and therapists alike.

• How-to: Inhale for 4 counts, hold for 4, exhale for 4, and pause for 4. Repeat for several rounds.
• Why It Helps: The equal counts create rhythm and balance in the nervous system.
• My Take: Before presentations or tough conversations, this is my go-to. It’s discreet and steady—like giving your brain a metronome.

3. 4-7-8 Breathing

This one’s all about slowing things way down—especially helpful when you’re stuck in anxious overthinking.

• How-to: Inhale for 4 counts, hold for 7, exhale for 8. Repeat 4 times.
• Why It Helps: The extended exhale stimulates relaxation and slows heart rate.
• My Take: This is my nighttime ritual. On restless evenings, it’s the gentle push I need to drift into sleep.

4. Alternate Nostril Breathing (Nadi Shodhana)

This yogic practice sounds a little weird at first—but it’s deeply grounding.

• How-to: Use your thumb to close one nostril. Inhale through the open side, switch nostrils, and exhale through the other. Repeat, alternating.
• Why It Helps: It balances the brain’s hemispheres and fosters mental clarity.
• My Take: I use this when I feel mentally scattered. It’s weirdly meditative, like hitting reset on my brain’s energy.

5. Resonant or Coherent Breathing

Slow and steady wins the calm. This technique helps regulate heart rhythms.

• How-to: Inhale for 6 counts, exhale for 6. Aim for five breaths per minute.
• Why It Helps: It improves heart rate variability (HRV), a marker for stress resilience.
• My Take: This is my mid-day reset. During work slumps or decision fatigue, I do 2–3 minutes and come back sharper.

How Therapists Customize Breathwork for Different Needs

No two anxiety experiences are alike—and therapists know that. That’s why they personalize breathwork depending on what kind of anxiety you're facing.

1. For Social Anxiety: Box Breathing + Grounding

Therapists often pair structured breathing (like box breathing) with physical grounding techniques—like touching the table or naming things in the room. This duo helps you stay present in social settings instead of spiraling into over-analysis. I’ve used it before networking events and even during casual get-togethers that felt overwhelming.

2. For Panic Attacks: Diaphragmatic + Rescue Pacing

In high-intensity moments like a panic attack, therapists recommend combining belly breathing with gentle movement—like pacing slowly or tapping your fingers to the breath rhythm. It gives the body an outlet while guiding it back to balance.

3. For Sleep Anxiety: 4-7-8 + Visualization

When anxious thoughts keep you from sleeping, therapists often combine 4-7-8 breathing with mental imagery—like visualizing a peaceful place. I used this after a stretch of sleepless nights. Imagining ocean waves in sync with my breathing gave me something peaceful to focus on instead of the spinning thoughts.

Making Breathwork Part of Your Life

It’s not about doing it perfectly. It’s about doing it regularly. Here’s how to make breathwork stick.

1. Habit Stack It

Link breathwork to an existing habit. I added 2 minutes of belly breathing right after brushing my teeth. It helped make it automatic—and less like “one more thing” on my plate.

2. Start Tiny

You don’t need a 30-minute practice. Start with just one minute. I once used a breathwork app for 60 seconds between meetings—it made a surprising difference.

3. Make It Enjoyable

Light a candle. Play calming music. Use a soft cushion. The more pleasant the experience, the more likely you’ll stick with it. I even named my evening breathwork routine “The Wind Down,” and that small bit of ritual made it feel special, not clinical.

Busting the Breathwork Myths

Let’s clear the air on some common misunderstandings.

1. "It’s woo-woo."

Hard pass. Breathwork has clinical research, neurological backing, and a strong therapeutic track record. It’s science, not snake oil.

2. "I don’t have time."

You breathe all day—why not make 60 seconds intentional? Breathwork doesn’t take time—it gives you time by improving focus and resilience.

3. "It doesn’t work for me."

There are dozens of breath techniques. If one doesn’t click, try another. It took me three tries to find one that felt right. Keep exploring—you’ll find your fit.

Top of the Rank!

Boost your wellness game with these five go-to breathwork insights:

1. Perfect the Pause: Diaphragmatic breathing offers an oasis amidst chaos.
2. Count On Calm: Box breathing simplifies stress relief, anytime, anywhere.
3. Dream Better: The 4-7-8 technique lulls both body and mind into rest.
4. Balance Beam: Alternate nostril breathing aligns and energizes your day.
5. Steady Wins: Coherent breathing promotes resilience with each counted breath.

Breathe In. Breathe Out. Show Up.

You don’t need to overhaul your life to feel better. Sometimes, all it takes is a single breath—a mindful inhale, a conscious exhale—to shift your entire day. Breathwork helped me turn panic into peace, distraction into presence, and exhaustion into renewal.

If you’re dealing with anxiety, know this: you’re not alone, and healing doesn’t have to be hard. With a little practice and a lot of compassion, your breath can become your biggest ally. Here’s to showing up for yourself—one inhale at a time.

Arielle Cho, Mind-Body Wellness Educator & Everyday Balance Seeker

Arielle’s passion lies in demystifying mental wellness, gut health, and self-regulation techniques that actually fit into real life. With roots in integrative nutrition and a warm, relatable tone, she helps readers discover small lifestyle shifts that lead to lasting well-being.