WHY A SYDNEY PSYCHOTHERAPIST WANTS GROWN-UPS TO REACH FOR A CALMING LOLLIPOP

Remember the simple joy of a lollipop after a trip to the doctor or the hairdresser?

A Sydney psychotherapist thinks grown-ups deserve that little moment of comfort too, and she has created a calming lollipop to prove it.

Hope Rosenberg is behind One-5 Pop, which she describes as an Australian first: a lollipop made with ingredients chosen for stressful and anxious moments.

Her bigger mission, though, is to take the embarrassment out of looking after yourself in public.

Why adults feel silly about small comforts

Somewhere along the way, many of us decided that grown-ups should deal with stress in a more serious way.

Hope doesn't agree.

"The part of you that is wound up before a presentation or a first date doesn't care how old you are," she says.

She wants Australians to feel comfortable pulling out a lollipop in the car park before a big meeting, in the car before a first date, or while getting ready for a big night out.

In her view, it is a small signal to yourself that your mental health matters.

"Pulling out a lollipop in public isn't childish, it's a small, visible way of saying your mental health matters enough to look after in the moment," she says.

If a morning coffee can be a ritual, she reasons, a lollipop can be one too.

The 60-second reset

The idea behind the calming lollipop is a quick reset built on the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique, which is widely used by mental health professionals to settle a racing mind.

It works by gently pulling your attention back to the present through your senses.

First, name five things you can see.

Then name four things you can feel, three things you can hear and two things you can smell.

Finally, name one thing you can taste.

According to Hope, the taste step is the one most people skip, simply because there is nothing in front of them to taste.

That is where the lollipop comes in.

She is clear that it is a prompt to slow down and come back to the moment, not a cure.

What's in it?

One-5 Pop contains lemon balm and passionflower, two botanicals traditionally used to promote relaxation.

It also includes magnesium, zinc and vitamin B6, nutrients that contribute to normal nervous system function.

Each pack comes with an instruction guide, and the recommended use is once or twice a day.

Hope says people are already using it to steady their nerves before important meetings and social events.

You can find out more at One-5 Pop.

Who is Hope Rosenberg?

Hope is a trained psychotherapist with a Master of Science in Counselling and Psychotherapy and a Bachelor of Health Science.

She works with people from all walks of life, and says nerves and anxiety can cloud everything from a family event to a first date.

She also believes that "just get on with it" is not a plan.

"Noticing you're getting wound up and doing something about it before it takes over is a skill," she says.

Try the reset yourself, lollipop or not

You don't need anything special to give the 5-4-3-2-1 technique a go.

Next time you feel your heart racing before a job interview, a flight or a tricky conversation, stop for a minute and work through your senses one by one.

A mint, a sip of tea or a square of chocolate can fill in for the taste step.

Slow, steady breathing alongside it can help too.

The point is simply to notice that you're getting wound up, and to give yourself a moment before it takes over.

When to get extra support

A grounding technique can help in a stressful moment, but it is not a replacement for proper care.

If worry or anxiety is affecting your sleep, work or relationships, or has been hanging around for weeks, it is worth talking to your GP.

You can also contact Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 for support at any time of the day or night.

As Hope says, the more of us who look after ourselves without apologising, the easier it gets for everyone else.