Counting to 10 is an effective crisis intervention technique...

Does counting to 10 really work? Yes!

But you may need to count to 20. Richard Carlson, author of "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff," says counting to 10 can actually be a very effective strategy for dealing with a crisis. No speed counting though. You’ll need to take a full, deep, cleansing breath between each number. Resist the urge to speed up as you go.

If the situation involves anger, Dr. Carlton suggests you count to at LEAST 20. This is a type of mini meditation that will really diminish that surge of anger and adrenaline that might trigger an irrational response.