Mental Reps
Perfectionism to Self-Compassion
“Just Think Positive”
Slow is Smooth, Smooth is Fast
Externalize Anxiety
Perfecting Anxiety
Thought Defusion
Acceptance vs White Knuckling it
Shifting to the Present and the External
Keeping Anxiety on its Leash
Intrusive Thoughts
Safety Behaviors
Rumination is Active
Reassurance Seeking
Challenging Thoughts Too Much
Out of Control
Catastrophizing
Insight and Anxiety
Anxiety is Normal
Short-Term Comfort
Anxiety Loves to Stay Vague
No Fear
The Child Brain, The Parent Brain, & The Grandparent Brain
Insight and Anxiety
Contrary to the depiction of therapy in movies and TV, gaining insight into our past doesn’t necessarily resolve our present challenges.
Imagine seeing a small child run into the road. It’s not very helpful to first try to figure out where the child’s parents are and convince them to be more attentive. Instead, it’s best to quickly stop traffic and grab the child!
Often, intervening with anxiety is the same.
Anxiety is often the result of the brain misfiring. Though the misfiring is likely happening because of an unhelpful lesson from the past, we still have to intervene in the present.
And often, the best intervention is action that is based on facts and our values instead of action that is based on the emotional misfiring of the brain.
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Weekly thoughts on anxiety + articles/video updates
Insight and Anxiety
Contrary to the depiction of therapy in movies and TV, gaining insight into our past doesn’t necessarily resolve our present challenges.
Imagine seeing a small child run into the road. It’s not very helpful to first try to figure out where the child’s parents are and convince them to be more attentive. Instead, it’s best to quickly stop traffic and grab the child!
Often, intervening with anxiety is the same.
Anxiety is often the result of the brain misfiring. Though the misfiring is likely happening because of an unhelpful lesson from the past, we still have to intervene in the present.
And often, the best intervention is action that is based on facts and our values instead of action that is based on the emotional misfiring of the brain.
Subscribe
Weekly thoughts on anxiety + articles/video updates