Managing Anxiety cards

60 science-based exercises to give you something to hold on to when anxiety floods over you
✔ 60 exercises for different moments of anxiety
For panic, rumination, physical tension, worrying and emotional overwhelm.
✔ Not just exercises, but explanations too
Each card helps you understand why the technique works.
✔ A portable mental survival kit
Keep the ones that work for you with you, put them on your desk or nightstand, or give them as a gift to someone you want to support.
When anxiety intensifies, your mind narrows. Your body switches into alert mode. Your thoughts speed up. And often the very techniques that would help at other times just don't come to mind. The Managing Anxiety cards offer tangible help in exactly that moment.

Managing Anxiety cards, with a recommendation by Kembe Sorel

Take a look inside the cards!

Your anxiety does not define you

Anxiety can easily make you believe that something is wrong with you.

• That you are too sensitive.

• That you are not strong enough.

• That others cope better.

• That something about you isn't right.

But anxiety is not a weakness.

Your body and mind are trying to protect you — they just sometimes switch on too loudly, too strongly and too often.

The Managing Anxiety cards help ensure that fear doesn't dictate your next step.

When your body revs up, your thoughts narrow and you feel you're losing control, the cards give you something tangible to hold on to: an exercise, a calming direction, a small step back to yourself.

Because the goal is not to never feel anxious again.

It's to know that you have a tool even when anxiety shows up.

Take it with you anywhere

Anxiety doesn't always arrive at a convenient time.

• It can appear while you're working.

• Before an exam.

• During an important conversation.

• In social situations.

• Before falling asleep.

• Alone at home.

• Or when everything seems fine from the outside.

That's why it's good not only to know what can help, but also to have something at hand to hold on to, which you can reach for even when your thoughts sweep you away.

The cards are portable, easy to pull out and can be used discreetly. You can put them on your desk, slip them into your bag, take them to school, work or on a trip, or keep them by your bed.

It's for you if…

• you often overthink situations,

• you find it hard to stop worrying,

• you're familiar with chest tightness, stomach cramps, trembling or shortness of breath,

• you've had a panic attack or a panic-like experience,

• you often feel tense in social situations,

• you avoid things because of anxiety,

• you find it hard to quiet your mind,

• you want concrete, easy-to-follow techniques,

• you're in therapy and want to practice what you've learned in everyday life,

• or you simply want more inner security, calm and something to hold on to.

This card deck doesn't promise that you'll never feel anxious again.

Instead, it puts in your hands what matters most in a moment of anxiety:

• a step you can follow.

• a sentence that holds you.

• an exercise you can return to.

It's also for you if you want to support someone else

It's hard to watch someone you love struggle with anxiety.

Often you don't know what to say.

You don't want to trivialize it.

You don't want to say "Just calm down," because you know it isn't that simple.

But you'd like to give them something that can really help.

The Managing Anxiety cards can be a gentle yet practical gift for someone going through a difficult time.

You can give it to:

• your partner,

• your child or teenager,

• a friend,

• a sibling,

• a parent,

• a client,

• a student,

• a group member,

• or anyone who could use something tangible to hold on to.

You don't have to solve their anxiety for them.

But you can give them a tool that may help them not feel completely alone in difficult moments.

What's in the pack

The gift-boxed card deck contains:

• 60 anxiety management cards

• instructions for use

• an emergency affirmation card

• reflection questions for self-discovery work

• practical techniques for panic, overthinking, physical tension and emotional overwhelm

The cards also make a great gift and are easy to use at home, at work, at school, or in therapeutic or group settings.

About the author

Bella Bagdi is a psychologist, author, counselor, speaker and researcher. She is a member of the Positive Psychology Research Group at ELTE (Eötvös Loránd University), and combines her experience as a mindfulness practitioner and teacher with her scientific work.

She is passionate about researching how the human mind works and how this knowledge can be used to help people develop deeper self-knowledge, more lasting inner resources and more compassionate relationships – with the ultimate goal of reducing human suffering.

She has published numerous books and card decks on mindfulness, self-compassion, stress management and resilience, including:

• Harness Stress Instead of Reducing It

• A Way Out of Depression cards

• Managing Anxiety cards

• Mindfulness cards

• Mindfulness playing cards for children

• Moment Captain emotion regulation and attention control program for ages 3–10

The Managing Anxiety cards fit into this practice-oriented, science-based and deeply human work: their aim is to make psychological knowledge available not only in books but right in your hands in the difficult moments of everyday life.

Frequently asked questions

Do these cards replace therapy?

No. The cards are self-help tools grounded in psychology, but they do not replace the support of a psychologist or psychiatrist. If your anxiety persistently limits your everyday functioning, it is worth seeking professional help.

Can I use them if I'm in therapy?

Yes. The cards can complement the therapeutic process well. They can help you recall and practice the coping strategies learned in therapy more easily in everyday life.

Can they be used during a panic attack?

Yes, several cards specifically offer support in cases of panic, physical overwhelm or intense fear. Examples include the counting game, the 5–4–3–2–1 grounding exercise, using cold water, breathing exercises and the emergency affirmation card.

Can children or teenagers use them?

The cards can be especially useful for older children, teenagers and young adults, particularly if they have a supportive adult, teacher or professional by their side to help them understand and practice the methods.

Is it a good gift?

Yes. This card deck can be a thoughtful, useful and genuinely supportive gift for someone struggling with anxiety, stress, overthinking or emotional overload.

How should I choose a card?

You don't have to go in order. You can choose based on what you need at the moment: breathing, grounding, movement, calming sentences, a shift in perspective or a self-reflection question.

Over time, you can build your own "survival kit" of 3–5 cards that you always keep with you.

Product details:

Box contents:

• 60 large cards
• Guide to using the cards

Card size: 105×140 mm
In a quality box with a magnetic closure.