Send in a question or comment via text. How my friend Raven went from homebound agoraphobic, crippled with panic and intrusive thoughts and fears, to living her life, not being afraid of anxiety, and making plans for her future. If there was every an uplifting story from a lovely human being, it would be this one. If you think you can't, here's 30 minutes that will show you that you CAN! Thank you Raven, for taking the time to share with us! My Links https://theanxioustruth.com/links Intro/Outro...
Sep 20, 2019•34 min
Send in a question or comment via text. One of the most common issues that seems to pop up for people doing the work to overcome an anxiety disorder is emotions and how to deal with them while in the recovery. What do I do when I feel sad, or angry, or generally upset? Is that wrong? Is this a setback in my recovery? Its it OK to cry or otherwise express my emotions when they come up? My friend Joe Ryan and I talk about how its perfectly OK and normal to experience emotions, and how its healthy ...
Sep 16, 2019•24 min
Send in a question or comment via text. Recorded from YouTube Live August 19, 2019 What do you do when you “fail” at an exposure, or when you have a particularly difficult anxiety day and wind up escaping back to your “safe zone”? I can tell you what you should NOT do. You should NOT just sit home and recount the story of how horrible it was and how you failed and how upset you are. That is sending the wrong story and signals to you brain. Think objectively. Realize what you did wrong. Think abo...
Aug 19, 2019•48 min
Send in a question or comment via text. Today I'm joined by my friend Holly to talk about common misconceptions and mistakes surrounding exposure. Many people are unaware of the true nature of exposure and how it actually works as part of the anxiety recovery process. Lets clear up a few things. My Links https://theanxioustruth.com/links Intro/Outro Music: "Afterglow" by The Ben Drake Collective. Used with permission. Find Ben Drake on Facebook or at bendrakemusic.com . Support The Anxious Truth...
Aug 15, 2019•33 min
Send in a question or comment via text. You've been doing the work. You've been working the process. You're facing your fears and learning not to be afraid of how you feel. You're no longer crippled by panic, fear and anxiety. One day you find that that familiar fear and anxiety is missing. Is this what it feels like to feel OK? What am I supposed to do with this? Where's the anxiety? Should I be happy now? What if it comes back and puts me back to square one? These are questions I hear all the ...
Aug 06, 2019•32 min
Send in a question or comment via text. Often, issues of self-esteem, confidence and competence can get in the way when recovering from anxiety and panic issues. If you've ever been made to feel like you're not good enough, not capable, or not competent, my old friend Joe Ryan shares how he has dealt with this on his own journey. Thanks to Joe for spending more time with us today! My Links https://theanxioustruth.com/links Intro/Outro Music: "Afterglow" by The Ben Drake Collective. Used with per...
Aug 05, 2019•25 min
Send in a question or comment via text. Its possible to work through anxiety, panic, trauma and pain without having it ruin every day. Today I'm joined by my old friend Joe Ryan. Joe has spent years working this process and offers some great insight on how to deal with anxiety, panic and even past trauma without being crushed by every memory, thought or sensation. Thanks to Joe for spending time with us today! My Links https://theanxioustruth.com/links Intro/Outro Music: "Afterglow" by The Ben D...
Jul 31, 2019•28 min
Send in a question or comment via text. Q&A from my Facebook group including questions about dizziness, driving, doctor visits, airports, neck spasms, anticipatory anxiety and exposure mechanics. Thanks to Jay, Connie, Charli, Julie, Clay and Marie-Anne for calling in! My Links https://theanxioustruth.com/links Intro/Outro Music: "Afterglow" by The Ben Drake Collective. Used with permission. Find Ben Drake on Facebook or at bendrakemusic.com . Support The Anxious Truth: If you find the podca...
Jul 08, 2019•20 min
Send in a question or comment via text. Anticipatory anxiety isn't a special or different kind of anxiety. It's not a mysterious external force over which you have no control. Let's define it, break it down, and look at ways of moving through anticipatory anxiety so you can get to the work that really needs to be done. My Links https://theanxioustruth.com/links Intro/Outro Music: "Afterglow" by The Ben Drake Collective. Used with permission. Find Ben Drake on Facebook or at bendrakemusic.com . S...
Jul 05, 2019•14 min
Send in a question or comment via text. Many people are under the false impression that they must honor, follow and engage deeply with every thought they have. This is simply not true. When dealing with both anxiety and trauma issues, your thoughts can often be your enemy. Listening to everything you think and acting as if every thought is correct and valid can lead you deeper in the anxiety maze. Monique has some excellent ways to frame this and some outstanding ways to approach this problem. W...
Jun 25, 2019•28 min
Send in a question or comment via text. If you're in the grips of anxiety, panic, agoraphobia or PTSD you may feel powerless and incapable of doing what needs to be done to change things. This isn't true. Monique and I talk about how you have power and control even in the darkest moments. You are not stuck. You are capable of making the changes you need. You might just need to change direction, and you can! My Links https://theanxioustruth.com/links Intro/Outro Music: "Afterglow" by The Ben Drak...
Jun 18, 2019•25 min
Send in a question or comment via text. Do you worry that your anxiety problems are going to “ruin everything” for your friends and family? Being worried about letting people down or ruining things can seriously stand in the way of taking the steps you need to take to build a better life. I’ve found this to be a common theme among anxiety sufferers, so lets talk about how the happiness of others is NOT your responsibility. You are not responsible for making people happy or sad, and you are not r...
Jun 05, 2019•25 min
Send in a question or comment via text. Today I had a chat with Kimberley Quinlan (LMFT) about OCD, obsessive/intrusive thoughts, and how to deal with them effectively. Lots of good information and resources in this one, along with a bunch of concepts you'll find very familiar if you've been following me for any length of time. Thanks to Kim for sharing her time with us! Find Kim on Instagram: @kimberleyquinlan or on her website http://cbtschool.com Find the International OCD Foundation at https...
Apr 05, 2019•36 min
Send in a question or comment via text. The way you talk about your anxiety matters. More than you think. Are you always speaking passively and just describing how you feel? Are you worried about what people will think about your anxiety? Do you fear that you are boring them, alienating them, or pushing them away when you discuss your anxiety? Are you ready to adopt a more constructive active voice that reflects ongoing recovery? This is a great question that came up in the Facebook group a few ...
Apr 04, 2019•16 min
Send in a question or comment via text. If you’re suffering with health anxiety – no matter how severe – Sarah’s story will inspire you and give you hope. Join me as we look at Sarah’s journey into completely out of control health anxiety, then back out to a place of calm and peace when it comes to her health and her state of being. Thank you so much to Sarah for taking the time to share her story! My Links https://theanxioustruth.com/links Intro/Outro Music: "Afterglow" by The Ben Drake Collect...
Feb 05, 2019•40 min
Send in a question or comment via text. My friend Andrew has gone from "contented agoraphobic" to well down the path to full recovery and was nice enough to take some time to share his story. We talk about how he got to where he is today, what the future holds, and we we answer some questions asked in our Facebook discussion group. Thank you Andrew! My Links https://theanxioustruth.com/links Intro/Outro Music: "Afterglow" by The Ben Drake Collective. Used with permission. Find Ben Drake on Faceb...
Jan 31, 2019•54 min
Send in a question or comment via text. "Drew, are you cured? Do you ever have panic attacks?" I get this question all the time. The answer is ... I can still experience a panic attack now and then. So come listen to me experience near panic on-air in this episode. Then Billy and I answer more questions from the Facebook forum. My Links https://theanxioustruth.com/links Intro/Outro Music: "Afterglow" by The Ben Drake Collective. Used with permission. Find Ben Drake on Facebook or at bendrakemusi...
Jan 27, 2019•1 hr 36 min
Send in a question or comment via text. Billy and I discuss the relationship between stress and anxiety and why stress doesn’t have to automatically become anxiety and fear. Afterward we answer a slew of great questions from the Facebook discussion group. This is a long one so grab your favorite beverage and make some time to listen. :-) My Links https://theanxioustruth.com/links Intro/Outro Music: "Afterglow" by The Ben Drake Collective. Used with permission. Find Ben Drake on Facebook or at be...
Jan 26, 2019•1 hr 30 min
Send in a question or comment via text. If you have someone in your life that you care about that’s dealing with serious anxiety issues to the point where they can’t leave home, or be alone, or work, or attend school, etc … then this episode is aimed at you. Holly and I talk about the nature of anxiety disorders like panic disorder and agoraphobia, what they are and are not, and the general course of action required to overcome these problems.A good primer if you have a friend, partner or family...
Jan 16, 2019•51 min
Send in a question or comment via text. If you have someone in your life that you care about that’s dealing with serious anxiety issues to the point where they can’t leave home, or be alone, or work, or attend school, etc … then this episode is aimed at you. Holly and I talk about the nature of anxiety disorders like panic disorder and agoraphobia, what they are and are not, and the general course of action required to overcome these problems. A good primer if you have a friend, partner or famil...
Jan 15, 2019•29 min
Send in a question or comment via text. Overcoming anxiety problems means making a good recovery plan and executing it. In this episode I'm joined by my friend Billy from Anxiety United. We discuss the basics of a good recovery plan including breaking things into small steps, the importance of repetition, and changing how you think and talk about your anxiety problems. We also answer questions from the Facebook group. Comments and questions always welcomed. My Links https://theanxioustruth.com/l...
Jan 05, 2019•1 hr 14 min
Send in a question or comment via text. A discussion of how anxiety disorders can impact sex, intimacy and relationships in general with licensed therapist and certified sex therapist Leslie Gustafson. Leslie and I talk about the general approach to this problem, some of the nuances, and – surprise – we talk about how action oriented behavioral therapies are so effective in addressing not only the sex problem, but the anxiety disorders themselves. Thanks to Leslie for taking the time to help out...
Jan 04, 2019•24 min
Send in a question or comment via text. At some point in this process, you MUST take a leap of faith. All the talking and questioning and reading and learning must give way to actually leaping off that cliff - fully surrendering to and accepting your anxiety symptoms. Its terrifying, we know, but in this episode Holly and I talk about how we MUST leap to finally learn that we will be OK. Without the leap of faith, real progress will be hard to come by. Comments and questions welcomed as always! ...
Dec 18, 2018•36 min
Send in a question or comment via text. Often there is overlap between anxiety disorders like panic disorder and agoraphobia, past trauma and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Monique and I discuss her path to overcoming trauma and generalized anxiety disorder and how the path is remarkably similar when dealing with all of these issues. Comments and questions welcomed as always! My Links https://theanxioustruth.com/links Intro/Outro Music: "Afterglow" by The Ben Drake Collective. Used with ...
Dec 06, 2018•35 min
Send in a question or comment via text. Billy and I discuss anxiety and panic related to dining out, restaurants, bars, pubs and social situations. We talk about how to approach it, steps that can be taken to overcome this problem, and how learning cognitive techniques for thought changing can be so helpful with this problem. Comments, questions and topic suggestions are always welcomed! My Links https://theanxioustruth.com/links Intro/Outro Music: "Afterglow" by The Ben Drake Collective. Used w...
Nov 26, 2018•37 min
Send in a question or comment via text. In this episode Billy and I discuss driving anxiety, the fear of having a panic attack while driving, and what to do about it. We talk about specific steps that can be taken to address this fear and overcome it through exposure and cognitive restructuring. Comments and questions welcomed as always! My Links https://theanxioustruth.com/links Intro/Outro Music: "Afterglow" by The Ben Drake Collective. Used with permission. Find Ben Drake on Facebook or at be...
Nov 24, 2018•46 min
Send in a question or comment via text. Lets to clarify the focus of my content on anxiety disorders as opposed to just being anxious about things. A quick chat about the difference and why my approach is what it is. I briefly discuss different classes of therapies and how they apply to each situation. My Links https://theanxioustruth.com/links Intro/Outro Music: "Afterglow" by The Ben Drake Collective. Used with permission. Find Ben Drake on Facebook or at bendrakemusic.com . Support The Anxiou...
Nov 11, 2018•9 min
Send in a question or comment via text. One of the tools I hear people talk about often is “positive self talk”. Let me tell you why this is not a good thing when you’re dealing with high anxiety and panic. As usual, there’s no sugar coating in this one. :-) My Links https://theanxioustruth.com/links Intro/Outro Music: "Afterglow" by The Ben Drake Collective. Used with permission. Find Ben Drake on Facebook or at bendrakemusic.com . Support The Anxious Truth: If you find the podcast helpful and ...
Oct 21, 2018•13 min
Send in a question or comment via text. Jackie suffered from panic attacks and anxiety for years until she had a “lightbulb moment” and turned the corner. Join me as I chat with Jackie about how she went from the depths of anxiety to a normal life. Thanks for sharing, Jackie! My Links https://theanxioustruth.com/links Intro/Outro Music: "Afterglow" by The Ben Drake Collective. Used with permission. Find Ben Drake on Facebook or at bendrakemusic.com . Support The Anxious Truth: If you find the po...
Aug 20, 2018•31 min
Send in a question or comment via text. This is what nobody wants to hear when it comes to overcoming anxiety and panic related problems, because its the hard part. There’s a large scale commitment/decision you MUST make before you can start making real lasting forward progress. If you can’t make this choice at the macro level, you’ll struggle with consistently making good choices day-by-day as you handle your anxiety problems. My Links https://theanxioustruth.com/links Intro/Outro Music: "After...
Aug 03, 2018•16 min
