How to Find Relief From Anxiety
I’ve dealt with anxiety for as long as I can remember. Even as a baby, I would cry until I threw up if separated from my parents (hello separation anxiety!). My first full-blown anxiety attack hit when I was 19, and it was a wake-up call, one that led me on a journey to find ways to process and cope with relentless feelings of anxiety, stress, and overwhelm.
Now, as a therapist working primarily with professional, millennial women dealing with anxiety and as a yoga teacher, I’m passionate about finding tools and practices that not only help me but can also support others in processing their feelings of anxiety.
When I think about anxiety, I don’t just think about what’s going on in the mind. I think of the body and how our nervous system picks up on something scary, instantly mobilizing our body into fight-or-flight mode, even before our prefrontal cortex is fully aware of what’s happening. This is why considering the body when we think about ways to cope with anxiety is essential. When we tap into movement practices that provide emotional and physical release, we can soothe the nervous system and find relief, even if just for a moment.
Sometimes our nervous systems are stuck in a sympathetic state (fight-or-flight) and our bodies are holding onto that anxiety, and we don’t want to leave ourselves spinning there. Completing the stress cycle is crucial — guiding ourselves from anxiety back to a sense of safety and ease. Movement can be such a helpful way to complete the stress cycle and help our bodies feel like it’s in a safe place again.
When big emotions like anxiety arise, there’s often a desire to squash or bury them. But what if, instead, we allowed big emotions to flow through us, crest like a wave, and then recede? Blocking these waves is often where suffering begins, but allowing these emotions to move through us opens up space for a different kind of release — a healthy, supportive one.
Anxiety isn’t just a thought or a feeling. It’s a full-body experience. In my personal experience, anxiety shows up as sensations in my body and as thoughts in my mind — often imagining worst-case scenarios. Sometimes the thoughts come first, sometimes the physical sensations, but they quickly feed off each other, reinforcing each other in a powerful loop.
This summer, I was on a flight where my anxiety showed up in full force. Airplanes tend to be a place where my anxiety loves to make itself known, so I used all the tools I know of to soothe myself. But my heart continued to pound, my mind imagined every terrifying “what if,” and the loop between bodily sensations and thoughts intensified. This experience reminded me that anxiety isn’t solely a mental process; it’s a combination of experiences in the body and in our minds.
And while we often talk about a “body-mind connection,” I’m not sure I love that phrase — it implies a separation of mind and body when, in reality, the two are deeply intertwined. The brain itself is a bodily organ, continuously sending signals to and receiving signals from the rest of the body. As a holistic therapist, I believe that all our experiences, relationships, communities, and even social structures are interconnected. That said, it can still be helpful to address the body directly in the process of moving through anxiety. So let’s dive into some types of movement that support emotional release and help the nervous system return to a place of ease.
Yoga Poses to Soothe Anxiety
Yoga offers some beautiful practices that help calm both the mind and body. One of my all-time favorite yoga poses for anxiety relief is called “legs up the wall,” or Viparita Karani in Sanskrit. As the name suggests, you lie on your back next to a wall and prop your legs up against it. Sometimes I add a pillow or bolster beneath my hips and a folded blanket under my head to add an even juicier sense of softening and relaxing. This simple pose has a grounding effect, soothing the nervous system and encouraging relaxation.
Another supportive movement is called “knocking at heaven’s door.” To do this one, spread your feet wide, soften the knees, and let your arms sway from side to side. This gentle movement allows for a calming rhythm, letting the nervous system relax with each sway. The twist through the spine also works wonders for releasing anything that no longer serves you. When I practice twisting, I imagine wringing out a rag, letting go of anything I no longer want to hold on to. With each twist, I envision letting go of tension, leaving space for a sense of calm.
Watch this video from Janice Tucker for instruction on how to do “knocking at heaven’s door.” Note: She keeps her feet closer together, whereas I like to take a really wide stance.
For both of these movement practices, tuning into the breath (just bring your attention to each of your inhalations and exhalations) and allowing any emotions to surface can create a fuller release and deeper sense of relaxation.
Dancing for Anxiety Relief
For me, dancing is a powerful way to release anxious energy and reconnect with my body. I love putting on a song I can’t help but move to — right now, it’s “Lil Boo Thang” by Paul Russell. Dancing for anxiety relief isn’t about looking cool or following a specific choreography. Instead, it’s about letting go and moving in a way that feels freeing and supportive. Ecstatic Dance principles can be helpful for this. They encourage us to be present, move freely, and release ourselves to the rhythm.
If you’re reading this, and are like, “Yeah yeah, but what do I do?” here are some ideas:
I enjoy big hip circles: planting my feet apart, I move my hips in a circular motion, releasing tension as I go.
I’ll shake, shimmy, or sway — just let everything jiggle!
You can close your eyes and focus solely on how it feels to move your body.
You can stomp your feet to the beat or jump up and down.
Really, I will move my body in any way that helps me feel grounded and fully present in my body.
Dance is liberating and energizing, and can help release physical tension and shake off the weight of worry. Sometimes we just have to give ourselves permission to move and not be concerned with doing it “right.”
Closing Thoughts
Combining movement with mindfulness (mindfulness is just being present with your experience) is so beneficial for processing anxiety holistically. It’s a reminder that relief can come through freedom of expression and gentle reconnection with the body. I encourage you to explore these practices, listen to your body, and find what feels best for you. And remember, these tools are here to support you — not to fix everything all at once, but to offer moments of grounding and connection. You may discover that your body already knows how to release what it’s been holding, and by moving in ways that feel supportive, you can invite yourself back to a state of peace and ease.
Lastly, and as always, if you are struggling with symptoms of anxiety, stress or trauma, professional help can be invaluable and I’m here to support you. My practice is based in Seattle and serves women in the state of Washington, with specialties in anxiety & perfectionism and sexuality & pleasure. I’d love to hear from you.