Page 155 - Advance Copy: Todd Kaufman, Author

HOW TO MANAGE ANXIETY & END PANIC ATTACKS
calmed her enough to get her sobbing frame belted back into her seat, no doubt only moments before the restraints would have been pulled out.
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The aircraft banked hard. The Captain had quickly decided that poor Madeline might best be served by cooling off in the lovely, frozen town of Winnipeg. (Don’t get me wrong: I love my country, and even Winnipeg. In fact it has a stunning Human Rights Museum I would love to visit, just not in that moment, and certainly not in February!)
I was watching all of this unfold, and like you, I knew exactly what was happening. Our poor Madeline was having a massive panic attack.
I am not a doctor. And although a doctor carrying a syringe full of horse tranquilizer would have solved the cabin crew’s problem, I felt called to help out poor Madeline before she got drugged or had to have one more round with Purser Mark.
The flight attendant walked towards the back of the plane and I flagged her down. “Hi, my name’s Todd. I’m a therapist and specialist in panic attacks. I saw this all unfold. I’ve got this, just give me a few minutes.” I didn’t really wait for a response and headed up to first class.
Mark was still looming over little Madeline. She was sobbing. Her seat companion was being of no help and Purser Mark, likely an experienced parent of a difficult toddler (or at least a lover of feral cats), was doing his best to both soothe Madeline while making it clear he was not going to tolerate another escape attempt.
Purser Mark was trying his best, but as you and I well know, no one in the history of calming down has ever calmed down by being told to calm down.
“Hey Mark,” I said, tapping on his shoulder, “give me a
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