An Offensive Strategy Against Anxiety and Panic

I’m a counselor. I’m a Christian. And I struggle with anxiety.

That sentence used to embarrass me. Now I say it openly, because anxiety thrives in secrecy—and healing grows in the light.

Over the years, I’ve learned that anxiety and panic don’t just need to be managed; sometimes they need to be confronted. Not with shame. Not with willpower. But with truth, presence, and intentional spiritual action.

When anxiety shows up in my body—tight chest, racing thoughts, that familiar sense of doom—I don’t wait for it to passively fade. I go on the offense.

Here are some of the practices I use, both personally and in counseling, to respond to anxiety and panic in a way that engages faith, body, and mind.

1. Speak It Out Loud—and Invite Prayer Immediately

Anxiety loves isolation. One of the fastest ways I disrupt it is by naming it out loud.

I’ll say something as simple as: “I’m feeling anxious right now.”

Often, I’ll immediately ask my husband, Vince, to pray for me—right then, not later. There is something powerful about not fighting alone. Anxiety loses ground when it’s exposed and covered in prayer.

2. Give It to Jesus

When my thoughts are spiraling, logic alone doesn’t always reach them. Visualization helps bridge that gap.

I imagine placing my anxiety—sometimes as a heavy object, sometimes as words written on paper—into Jesus’ hands. I picture Him receiving it without urgency or alarm.

“Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).

This isn’t denial. It’s surrender.

3. Sit With Jesus

Sometimes I don’t need to do anything with the anxiety. I just need to be with Jesus in it.

I imagine sitting beside Him—on a bench, on the floor, somewhere calm. I don’t rush the moment. I let my nervous system settle in His presence. Anxiety often decreases not because circumstances change, but because I’m no longer alone.

4. Destroy the Stronghold

When anxiety becomes repetitive or rooted—when it feels like a lie I keep returning to—I visualize it as a stronghold.

I imagine Jesus tearing it down completely. Not patching it. Not renovating it. Destroying it.

“The weapons we fight with… have divine power to demolish strongholds” (2 Corinthians 10:4).

This reminds me that anxiety is not my identity—it’s something that can be confronted and undone.

5. Keep Scripture Memorized and Ready

When panic hits, my brain doesn’t go searching for verses. That’s why I keep a few memorized and ready.

Some of my go-to verses:

• “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1)
• “Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)
• “I don’t know what to do, but my eyes are on you.” (2 Chronicles 20:12)

Truth spoken in the moment can interrupt fear’s narrative.

6. Journal God’s Faithfulness

I keep a journal specifically for remembering what God has done. I use tabs so I can quickly flip to moments of provision, answered prayer, or survival when I thought I wouldn’t make it.

Anxiety tells me, “This time is different.”
My journal reminds me, “God has been faithful every time.”

7. Move Your Body: Walk or Run

Anxiety lives in the body, not just the mind. Movement helps release what words can’t.

A walk or run often helps regulate my nervous system and creates space for prayer without pressure. Jesus walked everywhere—sometimes the most spiritual thing we can do is move.

8. Create “Stones of Remembrance”

In the Old Testament, God’s people built physical markers to remember His faithfulness (Joshua 4).

I’ve done this in small, personal ways—objects, notes, projects that mark moments where God carried me through. These become tangible reminders when anxiety tries to rewrite history.

9. Remember the Battle—but Don’t Fear It

Here’s something I remind myself gently, not dramatically: The enemy hates what God is doing in you.

That doesn’t mean we live in fear—but it does mean anxiety is not always random.

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life.” (John 10:10)

Anxiety often targets those who are growing, healing, and stepping into calling. Remembering this reframes panic—not as weakness, but as resistance.

If you struggle with anxiety, you are not broken. You are not failing spiritually. And you are not alone.

Healing often looks less like a single breakthrough and more like daily, intentional resistance paired with deep compassion for yourself.

At the Renewing Life Center, we believe faith and mental health belong together. If anxiety is part of your story, we would be honored to walk with you toward peace—one grounded, grace-filled step at a time. Call 702-434-7290 today!

Jennifer Antonucci, M.A., LMFT, LCADC