when i'm in full blown panic mode i cant make my mind go anywhere but where i am. no escape.
sometimes, when the panic is creeping on kind of slow, i chase it away with my counting place. might not be quite the answer you were looking for, but it seems to help. i start with a number and double it, and double again and again and keep going until i cant go any higher or until i feel myself relax (so 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, etc.) not very imaginative but it keeps my mind from racing.