Anxiety can be a tricky condition to quell. Because it’s so common, researchers have spent decades trying to better understand it and find the right combination of medication and therapy to treat it. People who experience anxiety, especially at high levels, are often willing to try just about any life hack that might help keep it at bay.

Harvard University-trained sociologist and author Martha Beck developed her own approach to tackling intense anxiety. She calls it the “CAT” method, which she explains in her book Beyond Anxiety.

In an interview on Today, Beck broke down the acronym and explained how to put it into practice. If you’re beginning to feel anxious, she says to start with the “C,” which stands for “Calm.” But this isn’t about telling yourself to simply calm down—that approach rarely works.

Instead, Beck suggests imagining yourself as a tiny, innocent baby or puppy and speaking to yourself the way you would to a vulnerable, beloved creature. “Your anxiety is always a little baby. A little animal,” she said.

She also stresses the importance of speaking to yourself with kindness. “I think when you’re anxious, what you’re saying isn’t always kind,” she said. “‘I am going to fail. What’s going to happen?’”

Beck reiterates that imagining........

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