Jul. 01, 2025

Currents

Jun. 24, 2025

Doubt’s Never Ending Meeting

Jun. 17, 2025

Not the Enemy

Jun. 10, 2025

Leaving the “Fire”

Jun. 03, 2025

Facing the Storm

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


Out of Control

When we have weird or scary thoughts or body sensations, it’s common to believe, “I’m out of control.” In a sense, “I’m out of control” is accurate, but not in the usual way we understand this phrase. It’s accurate in the sense that we don’t have control over our automatic thoughts, emotions, and body sensations. It’s nice to believe we can gain full control over these things, but it’s not possible. “I’m out of control” is inaccurate in the sense that weird, bizarre, scary thoughts and emotions are NOT signs that you’re “going crazy.” It’s a sign that you’re human. What we DO NOT have control over: automatic thoughts automatic emotions automatic body sensations automatic behaviors (e.g., when the brain mistakes a twig for a snake and you jump back) What we DO have control over: non-automatic behaviors choosing to engage with automatic thoughts or not choosing the meaning behind the automatic thoughts, emotions, body sensations choosing how to react to the aspects of us we don’t have control over The trick is to accept and ride the wave of the parts of us we don’t have control over. The more we try to gain full control, the more we will feel out of control. The less we try to gain full control, the more we will feel and actually be in control. The paradox of anxiety.

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Weekly thoughts on anxiety + Event updates


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Out of Control

When we have weird or scary thoughts or body sensations, it’s common to believe, “I’m out of control.” In a sense, “I’m out of control” is accurate, but not in the usual way we understand this phrase. It’s accurate in the sense that we don’t have control over our automatic thoughts, emotions, and body sensations. It’s nice to believe we can gain full control over these things, but it’s not possible. “I’m out of control” is inaccurate in the sense that weird, bizarre, scary thoughts and emotions are NOT signs that you’re “going crazy.” It’s a sign that you’re human. What we DO NOT have control over: automatic thoughts automatic emotions automatic body sensations automatic behaviors (e.g., when the brain mistakes a twig for a snake and you jump back) What we DO have control over: non-automatic behaviors choosing to engage with automatic thoughts or not choosing the meaning behind the automatic thoughts, emotions, body sensations choosing how to react to the aspects of us we don’t have control over The trick is to accept and ride the wave of the parts of us we don’t have control over. The more we try to gain full control, the more we will feel out of control. The less we try to gain full control, the more we will feel and actually be in control. The paradox of anxiety.

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
Jul. 01, 2025

Currents

Jun. 24, 2025

Doubt’s Never Ending Meeting

Jun. 17, 2025

Not the Enemy

Jun. 10, 2025

Leaving the “Fire”

Jun. 03, 2025

Facing the Storm

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