How do I keep a client safe when I panic?

When a client is in crisis, panic rises because you care and because the stakes are real. That reaction does not mean you are unfit for this. It means your body is trying to meet a serious moment. The skill is not to stop the panic but to keep working underneath it. Your panic and your client's safety are separate things. The client does not need you to be fearless; they need you to be present and to follow the steps that keep them safe. When you focus on the next concrete action, the panic has less room to run the show. Competence is something you do, not something you feel. Learn your safety steps so well that your hands know them when your mind is racing: assess risk, stay present, remove immediate danger, get support. Practice them when it is calm so they are there when it is not. You do not have to feel steady to act steady. Act, and let the feeling catch up.