What Is A Panic Attack? A Burlington Therapist Explains
As a therapist located in Burlington, Ontario, this is how I hear my clients describe a panic attack: “My heart starts pounding. The room feels far away, or too close. I can’t get a full breath in, and some part of my brain is informing me that I might be dying or having a heart failure.” If you’ve ever had a panic attack, you know this isn’t dramatic; it’s just what it feels like.
Panic attacks are one of the most common reasons people reach out for anxiety and therapy support, and one of the most misunderstood experiences a nervous system can produce. The good news: they’re also one of the most researched and treatable forms of anxiety. Here’s what’s actually happening in your body, why it happens, and what real tools drawn from Mindfulness, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Internal Family Systems (IFS) can offer.
What Is a Panic Attack, Really?
A panic attack is a sudden wave of intense fear that peaks within minutes and brings on strong physical symptoms, according to the Mayo Clinic.
When I invite my clients to describe what they feel and experience when having a panic attack, they describe it as having a racing heart, shortness of breath, dizziness, chest tightness, nausea, tingling, or a sense that something terrible is about to happen, even when there’s no actual danger present.
The experience is intensely uncomfortable and can mimic a heart attack closely enough that many people end up in an emergency room before they ever hear the word “panic.” Panic attacks themselves aren’t dangerous, but the Cleveland Clinic notes they can happen in response to entirely ordinary, non-threatening situations, which is often the most confusing part.
What Causes Panic Attacks?
Panic attacks are, at their core, your body’s alarm system firing when there’s no fire. Researchers point to the fight-or-flight response. The same system that would kick in if you were being chased by a bear (one of my worst fears!) is central to what happens during a panic attack: heart rate and breathing speed up, blood shifts toward the muscles, and the body braces for a threat that isn’t actually there.
What sets that alarm off? Often it’s a feedback loop rather than a single cause: a stressful period builds tension in the body, an unexpected physical sensation shows up (a racing heart, a tight chest), the mind interprets that sensation as dangerous, and that fear itself triggers the full emergency response. A cycle described clearly in some of the therapy sessions in my office.
Genetics, major life transitions, chronic stress, trauma history, and even caffeine or sleep deprivation can all lower the threshold for an attack. This is why panic attacks so often show up during periods that otherwise look “fine” from the outside. Why then? The body has simply been carrying more than it can metabolize.
The Mindfulness Lens: Meeting Panic Instead of Fighting It
The instinct during a panic attack is to fight it, escape it, or figure out what’s wrong. Ironically, that struggle is often what keeps the wave building. Let’s consider something radically different:
Psychologist and meditation teacher Tara Brach teaches a practice called RAIN — Recognize, Allow, Investigate, Nurture — as a way to meet fear rather than resist it. As she puts it, “the mindfulness and compassion of RAIN can free us from the grip of fear.”
The RAIN technique is in practice, naming what’s happening (“this is panic, not danger”), letting the sensations be there without immediately trying to shut them down, getting curious about where you feel it in your body, and finally offering yourself some warmth — a hand on your chest, a gentle internal voice — rather than more alarm.
This is also where self-compassion research from psychologist Kristin Neff fits in. Neff’s work names mindfulness, common humanity, and self-kindness as the three ingredients of self-compassion — and notes that “at the most basic level, self-compassion simply requires being a good friend to ourselves.” That’s often the exact opposite of how people treat themselves mid-panic attack: “what is wrong with me,” “why can’t I control this”.
Learning to speak to yourself the way you’d speak to a frightened friend is a skill, and it tends to shorten how long an attack lasts.
You Don’t Have to Win the Argument With Anxiety
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) offers a slightly different angle: instead of trying to eliminate panic, the goal is to change your relationship to it.
Psychologist Russ Harris, a leading ACT trainer, describes what he calls the “struggle switch”.
The “struggle switch” is the moment your mind flips into trying to fight, argue with, or eliminate an uncomfortable feeling, which often amplifies it rather than resolving it. His work distinguishes between two almost automatic responses to anxiety: obeying what it tells you to do, or wrestling with it. Both, over time, can shrink your life around avoidance.
In therapy, we don’t ask you to like panic or pretend it’s not happening. We work on making room for the anxiety in all its intensities while still doing what matters to you; going to the grocery store, staying at the dinner party, getting on the plane. Rather than organizing your life around avoiding the next attack, you remain engaged with your life and routine. Over time, this willingness, paired with real skills, not gritted teeth, is what tends to loosen panic’s grip.
You can read more about ACT-based approaches to anxiety on Russ Harris’s training site.
Getting Curious About the Part That Panics
Internal Family Systems (IFS), developed by psychologist Richard Schwartz, offers a compassionate reframe that many clients find genuinely relieving: the part of you that panics isn’t broken, and it isn’t the enemy.
During a therapy session, your therapist might offer you to consider that panic is often the work of a “protector” part, one that learned, at some point, that hypervigilance kept you safe. As Schwartz writes, “there are no bad parts, only parts needing healing.”
Rather than trying to silence or override the panicked part, there is an invitation to curiosity: What is this part afraid will happen if it stops sounding the alarm? What is it trying to protect?
Often underneath the protector is a much younger version of yourself, a more vulnerable part carrying old fear, shame, or overwhelm. Most times, the work in the therapy sessions is to develop tools to offer care, attention and comfort to that younger and more vulnerable part of you.
A Few Tools You Can Use in the Moment
- Name it. Silently or out loud: “This is a panic attack. It’s uncomfortable, but it’s not dangerous, and it will pass.”
- Slow the exhale. Breathe out longer than you breathe in — this signals safety to your nervous system.
- Orient to the room. Name five things you can see, four you can touch, three you can hear. This pulls you out of the spiral and back into your body.
- Soften instead of fight. Unclench your jaw and shoulders. You’re not trying to stop the wave — just ride it without adding more tension.
- Talk to the part, not just the panic. Try: “I know you’re trying to protect me. I’ve got this. You can ease up a little.”
You can also read our post on persistent anxiety and when to seek professional help.
When to Look for Mental Health Support
One or two panic attacks during an unusually stressful stretch don’t necessarily mean something is wrong; sometimes the body is simply responding to real pressure. But it may be time to reach out for support if:
- Panic attacks are recurring and unexpected, not tied to an obvious stressor
- You’ve started avoiding places, situations, or activities out of fear of having another attack
- You’re spending a lot of mental energy worrying about when the next one will hit
- The attacks are affecting your work, relationships, sleep, or day-to-day functioning
- You’re using alcohol, substances, or other coping strategies that worry you
This pattern is sometimes diagnosed as panic disorder, and it responds well to treatment — particularly approaches like ACT, mindfulness-based therapy, and IFS, often alongside cognitive behavioural strategies. You don’t need to wait until things feel unmanageable to reach out. Earlier support often means a shorter road back to feeling like yourself.
If panic attacks have been showing up in your life, we offer in-person support in Burlington and virtual sessions across Ontario, in English and Spanish.
Contact us for a free consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions About Panic Attacks
How long does a panic attack usually last? Most panic attacks peak within about 10 minutes and ease off within 20 to 30 minutes, though some physical after-effects. Feeling shaky, drained, or foggy can linger for a while longer.
Can panic attacks happen for no reason? Yes. Panic attacks often feel like they come “out of the blue,” even when there’s no obvious trigger in the moment. Underlying stress, poor sleep, or an unprocessed buildup of tension can set the stage well before the attack itself.
Are panic attacks the same as anxiety attacks? Not quite. “Anxiety attack” isn’t a clinical term, but people often use it to describe a slower build of worry and tension. A panic attack is more sudden and intense, typically peaking within minutes.
Is it possible to stop a panic attack once it starts? You can’t always stop it outright, but you can shorten and soften it — through slow exhales, grounding techniques, and not fighting the sensations. Trying to forcefully suppress it often prolongs it instead.
When should I see a therapist for panic attacks? If attacks are recurring, you’re avoiding places or situations because of them, or they’re affecting your daily life, it’s a good time to reach out. You don’t need to wait for things to feel like a crisis; our team of seasoned therapists offers panic and anxiety support both in-person in Burlington and virtually across Ontario.
Do I need medication for panic attacks? Some people benefit from medication alongside therapy; that’s a conversation to have with your doctor or psychiatrist based on your specific situation. Many people manage panic attacks and panic disorder effectively through therapy alone, particularly ACT, CBT, mindfulness-based approaches, and IFS.
If you’re in crisis or having thoughts of harming yourself, please contact a crisis line or go to your nearest emergency department. This post is educational and isn’t a substitute for individualized care. Follow this link for support in the Halton Region.