Sometimes the toughest opponent we have in anxiety recovery is the belief we can't outrun. This episode challenges you to question the certainties that have defined your battle with anxiety. Is the intensity of our emotions a reliable compass? Is our self-knowledge as accurate as we believe? We'll explore the potential for a fleeting moment of power even amidst the storm of fear, and how reassessing our core beliefs can unlock new possibilities. The thought that what was once unthinkable can become thinkable, what felt impossible can indeed become possible. Reflect on the resilience hidden in ..read more

DO I HAVE TO STOP BEING AFRAID TO TRULY ACCEPT ANXIETY (AND TO GET BETTER)? Good question.  But this is a backwards interpretation of acceptance so let’s clarify. Acceptance is not finding a way to turn off your fear Acceptance is not figuring out some method for hating your anxiety less Acceptance is not about creating a new state of being or feeling from an emotional or mental standpoint Acceptance is an ACTION, not a feeling. Acceptance is a precursor to less fear, acceptance is not the result of less fear.   This is critical because it keeps quite a number of people stuck, so ..read more

Anxiety Triggers: When The List Is Growing Many members of our community will find that over time their list of anxiety triggers or panic attack triggers is growing. More and more things become triggers, which starts to get frustrating and disheartening.  Let's talk about why that happens, and what it means in the recovery process. Important Timestamps: 02:17 - Everything becomes an anxiety trigger when you're in an anxious state 08:08 - If you feel like everything is a possible anxiety trigger, remember this 13:15 - Learning to face fear requires courage and it requires repetition Ful ..read more

Let's do an old fashioned anxiety questions and answers session, shall we?  Today we're answering questions from our friends on Facebook. 02:24 How do I face a scary exposure? 05:58 Is it normal to still have symptoms or scary thoughts in recovery? 08:48 What do I do when I'm not anxious and have no symptoms or thoughts to deal with? 10:40 Which comes first, scary sensations or scary thoughts? 12:37 How can I be sure if it's just anxiety or my intuition? 15:01 The selfish nature of anxiety and anxiety disorders For full show notes on this episode or to access more anxiety recovery res ..read more

Struggling with constant anxiety, recurring panic attacks, or a full blown anxiety disorder? Avoiding anxiety and panic triggers might seem like the safest path, but let's look at why this understandable and common response can be more foe than friend. In this episode we'll look at some of the mechanics of panic attacks and panic disorder, shedding light on why evading anxiety can inadvertently feed the beast, intensifying and fueling the cycle of fear. Prudent prudent avoidance in the face of true danger is a helpful survival tool, but avoidance can become problematic when we use it to sides ..read more

LIVING WITH ANXIETY ... I HAVE TO RECOVER SO I CAN LIVE MY LIFE AGAIN! But really, do you?  Or is it better to do your best to re-engage in life so that you can recover? This week we're examining the concept of life AS recovery rather than life as something you get to do only after you've reached some magic state of "recovered".  Yes, at times recovery from an anxiety disorder involves manufactured exposures and doing things that don't look all that much like a regular life, but recovery can be so much more.  We can also intermix life - as best we can - into the recovery pro ..read more

HOW TO CALM DOWN FROM A PANIC ATTACK? This is one of the million dollar question in our community, so let's take a look at how to calm down from a panic attack. I know you likely want tips and tricks for how to stop a panic attack and calm down, but could the act of embracing, rather than fighting off a panic attack, be the hidden doorway to "calm"?  Let's look at true acceptance, and unpack the idea that true calmness emerges not from a frantic search for escape but through allowing and riding out the panic storm. This isn't about finding a quick fix. It's about redefining your relati ..read more

WHAT DOES A PANIC ATTACK FEEL LIKE? Let's unpack the harrowing reality of a panic attack, peeling back the layers to expose the heart-thumping, breath-stealing beast it can be. My journey as a therapist in training, fused with raw personal encounters, brings a unique perspective to the forefront. We dissect those suffocating episodes, where your own body feels like an unwieldy adversary, and thoughts of impending doom loom over you like a dark cloud. In this episode we can work together to comprehend the true gravity of those moments and the relentless quest for an escape hatch. Links from t ..read more

Ever wondered how to recognize a panic attack? Want to understand the physical and mental symptoms that hint towards an oncoming episode? Not sure if what you're experiencing are panic attacks or something else? This episode of The Anxious Truth is for you. Tune in as we delve into panic and panic attacks, demystifying the sensations, the thoughts, the fear,  and the need to escape that often accompany these episodes. This is the first in my "Foundations of Panic" series so come back in the next 4-5 episodes for a deep dive into the mechanics of panic and panic attacks, how to best appro ..read more

Struggling to find the right anxiety therapist? Are you curious about how a therapist becomes a therapist? Let's take a look  through the maze of credentials - from Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) to Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), and Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). Let's shed some light on the demanding journey of training and education, from undergraduate studies to intensive graduate training and clinical experience. Understanding how a therapist becomes a therapist, and what that means to you, can go a long way ..read more