Calm Cards Clip-Set
Therapeutic Tool
Calm Cards
Tactile Anxiety-Coping Clip Cards • Print, Cut, and Laminate
Page 1 of 3
Name: __________________________________________
Date: ____________________
How to Use Your Interactive Clip Cards:
1. Read the coping exercise on the card. 2. Clip a clothespin on your Before Anxiety Level (1 is calm, 5 is high worry). 3. Practice the strategy. 4. Clip your After Level and reflect on the bottom bar!
Grounding
The 5-4-3-2-1 Reset
Slowly scan the room. Quietly name or point to:
- 👁️ 5 Things you can see
- 🖐️ 4 Things you can touch
- 👂 3 Things you can hear
- 👃 2 Things you can smell
- 👅 1 Thing you can taste
Easiest Sense to Find:
Sight
Touch
Sound
B
1
2
3
4
5
A
1
2
3
4
5
Breathing
Box Breathing
Follow the square below. Trace it with your finger as you breathe:
Inhale 4s →
← Hold 4s Hold 4s →
← Exhale 4s
My Focus Was on:
Counting
Chest
Airflow
B
1
2
3
4
5
A
1
2
3
4
5
CBT Reframing
Thought Detective
Investigate your worry. Find out if it is fact or drama:
CATCH IT What is the scary thought?
CHECK IT Is this 100% true? Is it a guess?
CHANGE IT What's a kinder, safer truth?
My Thought Was A:
Fact
Feeling
Guess
B
1
2
3
4
5
A
1
2
3
4
5
Relaxation
The Lemon Squeeze
Squeeze out physical stress hiding in your muscles:
- 1. Imagine you have a juicy, fresh lemon in each hand.
- 2. Squeeze both hands tight to get all the juice out! Hold for 5 seconds.
- 3. Open your hands, drop the lemons, and feel the warm release of ease.
Where Tension Melted:
Hands
Shoulders
Arms
B
1
2
3
4
5
A
1
2
3
4
5
Cut along dashed lines • Laminate for repeated dry-erase use Calm Oasis Toolset
Therapeutic Tool
Calm Cards
Tactile Anxiety-Coping Clip Cards • Part 2
Page 2 of 3
Diving Deeper into Coping Skills:
These cards focus on bilateral stimulation, distress tolerance, cognitive reframing, and mental focus. Try to hold each strategy for at least 1-2 minutes!
Bilateral Tap
Butterfly Hug
A gentle physical reset using bilateral stimulation:
- 🦋 Cross your wrists over your chest, hooking thumbs like butterfly wings.
- 🖐️ Rest your fingers flat on your collarbone or upper arms.
- ⏱️ Alternate tapping left, then right, slowly and softly. Breathe in deep.
How Bilateral Tapping Felt:
Soothing
Warm
Safe
B
1
2
3
4
5
A
1
2
3
4
5
Distress Tolerance
The Ice Shift
An instant nervous system reset using safe cold therapy:
STEP 1 Hold an ice cube in your hands, or splash very cold water on your face.
STEP 2 Focus entirely on the intense cold. Watch the feeling shift as it begins to melt.
My Response:
Shiver
Deep Exhale
Alert
B
1
2
3
4
5
A
1
2
3
4
5
Perspective
5-Year Time Machine
Put your current anxious worry in perspective. Ask:
Will this matter in 5 minutes? ⏱️ Yes/No
Will this matter in 5 weeks? 📅 Yes/No
Will this matter in 5 years? 🚀 Yes/No
Worry Size Now:
Tiny
Medium
Shrinking
B
1
2
3
4
5
A
1
2
3
4
5
Distraction
The Color Hunt
Interrupt worry loop cycles by hunting for safe colors in the room:
Name 5 Green items nearby
Name 5 Blue items nearby
Name 5 Yellow items nearby
Best Hunt Color:
Green
Blue
Yellow
B
1
2
3
4
5
A
1
2
3
4
5
Cut along dashed lines • Laminate for repeated dry-erase use Calm Oasis Toolset
Companion Page
My Toolkit & Pocket
Practice Tracker & DIY Printable Storage Sleeve
Page 3 of 3
Calm Cards Tracker
Record your sessions to find your super-skills.
| Coping Strategy | B (1-5) | A (1-5) | Did it help? |
|---|
| 1. 5-4-3-2-1 Reset | ____ | ____ | Yes • Sm • No |
| 2. Box Breathing | ____ | ____ | Yes • Sm • No |
| 3. Thought Detective | ____ | ____ | Yes • Sm • No |
| 4. Lemon Squeeze | ____ | ____ | Yes • Sm • No |
| 5. Butterfly Hug | ____ | ____ | Yes • Sm • No |
| 6. Ice Shift | ____ | ____ | Yes • Sm • No |
| 7. Time Machine | ____ | ____ | Yes • Sm • No |
| 8. Color Hunt | ____ | ____ | Yes • Sm • No |
Toolkit Insights
My absolute favorite card is:
I will use these cards when I feel:
Card Storage Pocket
Cut along outer solid lines, fold dashed flaps backward, and glue or tape to a notebook!
BACK FOLD FLAP A
FOLD FLAP B
FOLD FLAP C
My Calm Oasis
Coping Strategy Card Set
“I have the power to calm my mind, soothe my body, and handle tough moments one breath at a time.”
8 Coping Strategies Therapeutic Grade
FOLD FLAP D
Tip: Laminate the pocket too for extra durability!
Cut and build your storage toolkit Calm Oasis Toolset