On the 1st of November my Anxiety Relief Toolkit was published. However, I have been so busy this month that I haven't had a chance to post about it until now. This was one of those commissioned projects that made me think "Yes! My editor just gets me and she knows the direction I'm heading with my writing!" This is my very first full length project that is pure psychology - so no witchery! As such it is being published under my first name of Jacqueline Bruce, which is my second author brand for all my psychology work.
When my editor first asked me to write a book on overcoming anxiety, I was very excited. Then when she asked if we could possibly make it a card deck, I jumped at the chance and couldn't wait to get writing the book and creating the cards! I had so many ideas, not just in terms of content, but in terms of the overall look of the kit, so I quickly fired an email right back to her, suggesting colours, imagery, themes etc., which she then passed on to the design team.
Anxiety is so debilitating to those who suffer from it, so I wanted my kit to be a safe space for them to turn to. I wanted soft, pastel shades of pink, baby blue, lemon, peach, lilac and pistachio green. I wanted beautiful watercolour artwork and imagery such as butterflies, gliding swans, flying birds, clouds, mountains, trees, leaves, lions and soft beachy waves. So basically, I wanted pretty Laduree colours and soft watercolour images inspired by nature!
My main goal was to make the kit visually soothing, calming the reader from the moment they opened up the box. I wanted it to be a pretty little toolkit of psychological medicine - I am a psychotherapist after all, so calming and soothing people is just what I do. I'm delighted to say that the team have done everything I asked for and the final book and card deck is so soft and dreamy, with imagery that blossoms across the page and blooms on the cards. It's simply beautiful and I'm so happy with how it turned out.
The 50 cards are flashcards that act as little prompts and reminders, and which can be used singularly or in conjunction with one another to build up a calming ritual. I have split the deck into five categories: Affirmations, Self-Soothing, Trigger-Calming, Journal Prompts and Self-Nurturing, making it easier for readers to access the kind of cards they need most at any given moment of crisis, overwhelm or anxiety. Each card describes a psychotherapy based technique and is designed to help readers overcome anxious feelings or bring someone down from the psychological ledge!
The book is packed with psychological techniques and information, based on my experience of working with clients in practice as a psychotherapist. Like the cards, it is beautifully illustrated with soft watercolour themes inspired by nature, but which also speak of freedom, flight, transformation, strength, grace, gentleness, rebirth and resilience. I put so much thought into how this kit would make readers feel - I wanted it to be like a warm hug from a good friend, a soft space they can land on when life is rough, a soothing experience when the road gets a little bumpy, as roads are wont to do at times.
In addition, I felt that the cards should be a meditative experience in and of themselves, a beautiful antidote to doom scrolling! I wrote this project so that the cards are their own tool, one you can carry in your bag or pocket if you want to. They don't simply repeat the information I share in the book - that would be pointless. Instead, they each hold a kernel of psychotherapy wisdom, with tips that can help you to feel better immediately. This meant that I managed to carve out greater word space to tackle more complex issues in the book, by offering more psychology techniques in the flashcards. It also means that when you're not in the mood for reading a book, say because you are feeling overwhelmed, you can pick out a couple of the flashcards and engage with this short form content instead. So simple. So soothing. So easy. And sooo pretty!!
I was writing this book and card deck back in December/January time and it was a lovely writing experience. I was curled up by the Christmas tree writing away in the glow of the fairy lights, wishing only that the published work would find its way to those people who need it most. I feel such a strong sense of achievement when I am writing my psychotherapy projects. I spent years training, volunteering and working with clients, so to be able to share what I know through my published writing is an honour and a privilege. But then, that was the plan all along.
I genuinely believe that The Anxiety Relief Toolkit is one of the most important projects I have ever written, because it will help people in a very practical way, and much like my book, The Wiccan Guide to Self-Care, this book and card deck will guide people through hard times in a very soft and gentle way. It would also work well alongside my I Am Grateful Journal that was published earlier this year.
Life can be tough, we all have challenges and difficulties to face, and everyone is struggling with something. This kit encourages softness as well as growth, surrender as well as strength, calm as well as courage and dreams as well as determination.
It was a joy to write and to create these cards for you. I hope that it will prove helpful to all those who might be struggling, now and in the future. And watch this space, because I have already written a second psychotherapy card deck too, as a companion to this one, so that will be out some time in 2026! Exciting times!
Serene Blessings
Marie x
AD: This post promotes my own work, which is published as Jacqueline Bruce.
The Anxiety Relief Toolkit by Jacqueline Bruce is out now in the UK. It is published on 3rd March 2026 in the USA.
I Am Grateful: A Workbook to Beat Anxiety & Stress by Jacqueline Bruce is available now.
A Wiccan Guide to Self-Care by Marie Bruce is also available now.
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