Finding Your Anchor in the September Shift

September has a very unique energy, doesn’t it? As the soft warmth of summer begins to fade and that familiar, crisp autumn air creeps into York, life can suddenly feel like it’s speeding up. Calendars fill back up, routines reset, and the pressure of a "second new year" can easily leave us feeling overwhelmed, burnt out, or swept away by our thoughts.

If you are noticing your anxiety or stress levels rising with the changing season, please know you are not alone. Transition periods are naturally heavy, especially if you are a caregiver, a young person, or a neurodivergent adult navigating shifting routines. This month, I want to explore how mindfulness can help us stay grounded, focusing on a wonderfully simple, practical tool I love to share called "Dropping the Anchor."

What is Mindfulness, Really?

There is a common misconception that mindfulness means forcing yourself to feel perfectly calm, or completely clearing your mind of all thoughts. (If you’ve ever tried that, you’ll know it usually just makes your mind race faster!)

In my practice, I view mindfulness simply as presence and self-compassion. It is the gentle practice of bringing your attention back to the right here, right now, without judging yourself for what you are thinking or feeling.

I often ask my clients to think of their mind like the ocean. The surface will always have waves—sometimes they are gentle ripples, and other times they are raging storms of worry, endless to-do lists, and difficult emotions. Mindfulness isn’t about stopping those waves from happening; it’s about learning how to steady your boat so you don't get capsized by them.

Dropping the Anchor: A Tool for the Storm

When an emotional storm hits, our instinct is often to fight the thoughts or get completely lost in them. A brilliant grounding sequence developed in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps us do the exact opposite: it teaches us how to drop an anchor.

This technique uses the simple acronym A-C-E to help you anchor yourself in the present moment, even while the emotional storm rages around you. You can use it anywhere—whether you are sitting at your desk, stuck in traffic, or feeling overwhelmed at home:

A – Acknowledge your inner experience

Gently and silently notice what is showing up inside you. Name the thoughts or feelings without trying to fix or change them. You might think to yourself: “I am noticing feelings of anxiety right now,” “Here is my mind racing about tomorrow,” or “I can feel a tightness in my chest.”

C – Connect with your body

Briefly bring your awareness back to your physical form. The difficult thoughts are still there, but you are expanding your focus to include your physical body, reminding yourself that you are in control. Try a small action:

Push your feet firmly down into the floor.
Sit up a little straighter and gently press your fingertips together.
Take a slow, deep breath, noticing the rise and fall of your shoulders.

E – Engage with the world

Expand your awareness even further to notice the physical space around you. Look up and open your senses to your environment:

Notice three things you can see in the room.
Listen for two distinct sounds around you.
Touch an object near you (like your clothing or a desk) and notice its texture.

Steadying Yourself This Month

Dropping the anchor does not make the storm disappear. The difficult thoughts or seasonal stress might still be there, but the anchor holds you steady. It gives you a safe point of stability so that you can choose how to respond to your day, rather than being swept away by anxiety.

As we move deeper into autumn, try practicing this once or twice a day when things feel calm, so the tool feels natural and ready for you when the winds pick up.

Let’s Navigate It Together

If you are finding it difficult to manage life's transitions, or if the changing season is bringing deeper anxieties to the surface, please remember that you don’t have to navigate it in isolation.

At Jorvik Talking Therapies, I provide a gentle, supportive, and confidential space where we can release the pressure and build practical coping skills at your own pace. In my work, I combine person-centred counselling and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) with creative therapies to suit your unique nervous system.

We can work together in whatever way feels safest, most accessible, and most comfortable for you:

Face-to-face sessions at my practice room in York.
Home visits within the York area, if getting out of the house feels like a barrier right now.
Online or telephone sessions from the comfort of your own home.
Walk-and-talk Eco Therapy, taking our sessions outdoors into the calming spaces around York.

Get in Touch:
If you are ready to find a bit more clarity this autumn, I am here for you. Feel free to call me on 07984 878404, email me, or visit the Jorvik Talking Therapies Contact Page to book a free 15-minute consultation. Let's take things one step at a time.

Warmly,