Mans builds his stressed fiancee an 'anxiety chair' and sweetly puts her in time-out
"Caring and a lil bossy ⭐⭐⭐⭐"

May we all have a better half like this.
Supporting a partner with anxiety involves understanding, validation, encouragement, and sometimes…building them their own special timeout spot where they can actually relax.
That was certainly the case for one man who wanted to help his fiancée feel a bit better while dealing with the final week of wedding planning. (Let’s be honest, weddings are stressful for just about any bride, but for those of us with anxiety, it can be a mental health nightmare.)
In a TikTok that's since reached almost 1 million views, we see Ryan Erkins give said bride, Debra Reisinger, the rundown on her gift—an "anxiety chair” inspired by Inside Out 2.
As any Disneyphile would know, this Pixar sequel featured Anxiety as a new character, and at one pivotal part of the movie, the other emotions have to calm her panic attack by sitting her down in a chair with a cup of soothing tea.
Using an Inside Out poster as a reference, Erkins tells Reisinger, “Whenever you start to feel here, it's becoming too much.”
“I need you to come sit in here, light the candle with a drink, it’s your favorite color rose, and just relax for like 10 minutes…You aren’t allowed to leave until the timer’s up,” he continues, using the right amount of bossiness that’s honestly so needed during a time of chaos. Even when Reisinger asks, “Can I have my phone?” Erkins firmly says, “Nope, cause all you’re gonna do on your phone is look at stuff. You can turn the TV on.”
@debrareisinger He reminds me often why he’s my better half. Entering our final week of wedding planning, he pulls this out. ❤️🥲 @Coach Ryan Erkins #anxiety #insideout #fiance #weddingplanning #ringcamera #cincinnati #bestpartnerever ♬ original sound - Debra Leann
Seriously, the Disneyness, the wholehearted support, the sass—what’s not to love about this?
Down in the comments, people agreed this "polite timeout” was peak "green flag behaviour," especially by those who also deal with anxiety.
“To be loved, is to been seen.”
“As a woman with panic attack, this is the SWEETEST gesture 🥺.”
“Respectfully, also in love with your husband now.”
"Caring and a lil bossy ⭐⭐⭐⭐"
“Set a timer for 8 minutes. He said imma regular you if you can’t do it yourself love this!!!"
Many also noted the similarities of this approach to gentle parenting, which still provides firm boundaries while ultimately prioritizing compassion. Basically, it works for adults too.
“I’m all for gentle marriage," one viewer quipped.
Of course, everyone is ultimately responsible for their own emotional regulation, but having a partner, a friend, or a family member to help us through the more challenging times can really make all the difference. Sounds like Erkins easily understands this concept.
By the way, it looks like all that wedding stress didn’t mar the big day:
@debrareisinger I married my best friend ❤️💍🍾 8.31.24 #justmarried #glenviewgolfcourse #cincinnati #alwaysandforever #mrandmrserkins #erkinseverafter @Coach Ryan Erkins ♬ original sound - Debra Leann
Here’s to a life full of love, laughter, and timeouts in the anxiety chair for these two.