Elizabeth here are the two most powerful techniques I know for handling fear and anxiety.
BREATHING OUT
The first one is utterly simple. You'll often have heard deep breathing mentioned as a stress release but the trouble is it gets taught wrong. People say "Take a deep breath." So you do and up go the shoulders and chest and gut feel forced and stretched. The opposite of softened n relaxed.
Instead - breathe out as deeply as you can. Just that. Out as far as it'll go.
Nature will automatically make you breathe in deeply deeply to fill all that lovely empty space you created.
In comes strength, fresh energy, peace.
THE BOWL
The second one is not quite so simple. You can call it psych or you can call it magic.
Learn to do it using Salt and Water and a Bowl. (You can do without iof you need to like just before surgery, later but always use the tools unless you absolutely have to do without.)
The Bowl is best as plain, no pictures on it to grab your attention, iideally metal or shiny buit plain is good enough.
Salt and Water are our oldest cleansers.
--- Hold the Bowl in both hands.
--- Drop some Salt in the Water and swish it (formal style is anti-clockwise but not vastly important) Just feel it on your fingers.
--- Say "I put into the Bowl ... " then describe the fear, stress, pain, distress, or distraction.
--- Speak slowly and carefully. Keep going till it's all spoken.
--- If you;re tired and want to focus on work this may include pleasures you don't want to distract you like going out later.
---- Occasionally people not used to this get tearful - salt water is nature's cleanser.
--- When all is done - and it's a good idea to end with silence in case you missed something .... you can say if you wish "May I be free from all doubt and anxiety."
--- Chuck the water away into running water outside or a toilet for recycling.
Once you've done the Bowl a few times you'll get used to its pattern. After that if you're on public transport, on a hospital trolley etc where the Bowl cannot be used physically - simply cup your hand or hands. They carry a microscopic film of sweat that provides your salt and water in their cupped shape.
It's always better to speak out loud as it slows you down so you don't skip over the top of what you're doing. But obviously in some situations that's not possible. In that case just try to slow the thoughts so you stay with each thing as if you're speaking it.
Since I learned this many many years ago I also learned to use salt and water as the main family first aid - for cuts and grazes, as a mouthwash, to soak tired feet, cold water alone for bangs, bruises and burns.
From your own Celtic priestess.
I had never heard of this until you linked it in the food thread, reading it sounds quite scary, but then I am a wimp about surgical stuff.
It's not said in a rude way.. more a strong appreciation for the female form way 