May. 27, 2025

Acceptance is Not Complacency

Aug. 20, 2024

I am Thinking…

Jul. 30, 2024

Eliminating Thoughts

Jul. 23, 2024

Car Alarms

Jul. 02, 2024

Helpful Worry vs Unhelpful Worry

Jun. 25, 2024

Storytelling

Jun. 18, 2024

Approach

May. 28, 2024

What Is

May. 21, 2024

YouTube Feed

Mar. 12, 2024

Welcoming Anxiety

Mar. 05, 2024

Overthinking

Feb. 27, 2024

Outcome Focused

Feb. 20, 2024

Beliefs About Thoughts

Feb. 13, 2024

Worry vs Planning

Feb. 08, 2024

Growth & Perfection

Jan. 30, 2024

Anticipatory Anxiety & Decisions

Jan. 23, 2024

Self-Care

Jan. 16, 2024

Core Fears

Jan. 09, 2024

Psychological Flexibility

Jan. 04, 2024

Intentions

Dec. 12, 2023

Beliefs About Worry

Nov. 21, 2023

Unhelpful Assumptions

Nov. 14, 2023

Selective Attention

Nov. 07, 2023

Anxiety vs Suffering

Nov. 02, 2023

Thought-Action Fusion

Oct. 23, 2023

Imperfect Friend

Oct. 17, 2023

Automatic Thoughts

Oct. 10, 2023

The Anxiety Cycle

Oct. 03, 2023

Process Over Outcome

Sep. 29, 2023

Mental Reps

Sep. 26, 2023

Productive vs Unproductive Worry

Aug. 22, 2023

Perfectionism to Self-Compassion

Aug. 15, 2023

“Just Think Positive”

Aug. 08, 2023

Slow is Smooth, Smooth is Fast

Aug. 01, 2023

Externalize Anxiety

Jul. 25, 2023

Perfecting Anxiety

Jul. 18, 2023

Thought Defusion

Jul. 11, 2023

Acceptance vs White Knuckling it

Jul. 04, 2023

Shifting to the Present and the External

Jun. 27, 2023

Keeping Anxiety on its Leash

Jun. 20, 2023

Intrusive Thoughts

Jun. 13, 2023

Safety Behaviors

May. 16, 2023

Rumination is Active

May. 09, 2023

Reassurance Seeking

May. 02, 2023

Challenging Thoughts Too Much

Apr. 18, 2023

Out of Control

Apr. 11, 2023

Catastrophizing

Mar. 07, 2023

Insight and Anxiety

Feb. 28, 2023

Anxiety is Normal

Feb. 21, 2023

Short-Term Comfort

Feb. 14, 2023

Anxiety Loves to Stay Vague

Feb. 07, 2023

No Fear

Jan. 27, 2023

The Child Brain, The Parent Brain, & The Grandparent Brain


Intrusive Thoughts

Having a weird, concerning, frightening thought doesn’t automatically make it an intrusive thought. It only becomes intrusive when it starts interfering with our lives somehow. The key factor that pushes a thought into the intrusive category is when we give it power. For example: Trying to get rid the thought (the more we concentrate on eliminating it, the more power we give it) Believing that having a thought increases the likelihood of acting in a way consistent with that thought Believing that our thoughts define who we are and what we value The reality is: thoughts are just thoughts. That’s all. Imagine sitting at a cafe, trying to enjoy a conversation with a friend while background music is playing (i.e., your thoughts).  If you start analyzing the music, you can’t fully listen to your friend. If you ask the owner of the cafe to turn down the music, they just turn up the volume. The goal is to simply focus on your friend despite the background music. That’s it. Sometimes this is easy when the music isn’t very loud or the music isn’t interesting. Other times it’s more challenging. The paradox: By focusing on reducing the music, we increase our focus on it, which makes it more intrusive. By simply focusing on our goals and our values, despite the annoying background music, what we find is that the music tends to fade away automatically. This takes practice and repetition.

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Weekly thoughts on anxiety + Event updates


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Intrusive Thoughts

Having a weird, concerning, frightening thought doesn’t automatically make it an intrusive thought. It only becomes intrusive when it starts interfering with our lives somehow. The key factor that pushes a thought into the intrusive category is when we give it power. For example: Trying to get rid the thought (the more we concentrate on eliminating it, the more power we give it) Believing that having a thought increases the likelihood of acting in a way consistent with that thought Believing that our thoughts define who we are and what we value The reality is: thoughts are just thoughts. That’s all. Imagine sitting at a cafe, trying to enjoy a conversation with a friend while background music is playing (i.e., your thoughts).  If you start analyzing the music, you can’t fully listen to your friend. If you ask the owner of the cafe to turn down the music, they just turn up the volume. The goal is to simply focus on your friend despite the background music. That’s it. Sometimes this is easy when the music isn’t very loud or the music isn’t interesting. Other times it’s more challenging. The paradox: By focusing on reducing the music, we increase our focus on it, which makes it more intrusive. By simply focusing on our goals and our values, despite the annoying background music, what we find is that the music tends to fade away automatically. This takes practice and repetition.

Subscribe

Weekly thoughts on anxiety + Event updates


By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: . You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact
May. 27, 2025

Acceptance is Not Complacency

Aug. 20, 2024

I am Thinking…

Jul. 30, 2024

Eliminating Thoughts

Jul. 23, 2024

Car Alarms

Jul. 02, 2024

Helpful Worry vs Unhelpful Worry

Jun. 25, 2024

Storytelling

Jun. 18, 2024

Approach

May. 28, 2024

What Is

May. 21, 2024

YouTube Feed

Mar. 12, 2024

Welcoming Anxiety

Mar. 05, 2024

Overthinking

Feb. 27, 2024

Outcome Focused

Feb. 20, 2024

Beliefs About Thoughts

Feb. 13, 2024

Worry vs Planning

Feb. 08, 2024

Growth & Perfection

Jan. 30, 2024

Anticipatory Anxiety & Decisions

Jan. 23, 2024

Self-Care

Jan. 16, 2024

Core Fears

Jan. 09, 2024

Psychological Flexibility

Jan. 04, 2024

Intentions

Dec. 12, 2023

Beliefs About Worry

Nov. 21, 2023

Unhelpful Assumptions

Nov. 14, 2023

Selective Attention

Nov. 07, 2023

Anxiety vs Suffering

Nov. 02, 2023

Thought-Action Fusion

Oct. 23, 2023

Imperfect Friend

Oct. 17, 2023

Automatic Thoughts

Oct. 10, 2023

The Anxiety Cycle

Oct. 03, 2023

Process Over Outcome

Sep. 29, 2023

Mental Reps

Sep. 26, 2023

Productive vs Unproductive Worry

Aug. 22, 2023

Perfectionism to Self-Compassion

Aug. 15, 2023

“Just Think Positive”

Aug. 08, 2023

Slow is Smooth, Smooth is Fast

Aug. 01, 2023

Externalize Anxiety

Jul. 25, 2023

Perfecting Anxiety

Jul. 18, 2023

Thought Defusion

Jul. 11, 2023

Acceptance vs White Knuckling it

Jul. 04, 2023

Shifting to the Present and the External

Jun. 27, 2023

Keeping Anxiety on its Leash

Jun. 20, 2023

Intrusive Thoughts

Jun. 13, 2023

Safety Behaviors

May. 16, 2023

Rumination is Active

May. 09, 2023

Reassurance Seeking

May. 02, 2023

Challenging Thoughts Too Much

Apr. 18, 2023

Out of Control

Apr. 11, 2023

Catastrophizing

Mar. 07, 2023

Insight and Anxiety

Feb. 28, 2023

Anxiety is Normal

Feb. 21, 2023

Short-Term Comfort

Feb. 14, 2023

Anxiety Loves to Stay Vague

Feb. 07, 2023

No Fear

Jan. 27, 2023

The Child Brain, The Parent Brain, & The Grandparent Brain