Signs of productive worry: It addresses something likely or foreseeable The worry leads to action and planning The worry has…

Observing thoughts (rather than participating in them) is easier said than done. It takes consistent practice. Just as we would…

Anxiety demands certainty from “danger.” One way this can play out is through perfectionism. Like certainty, perfectionism is often a…

Positive thoughts aren’t the antidote to negative thoughts. Positive and negative thoughts are equally problematic when they don’t reflect reality.…

Anxiety so often urges quick action. We rush, focused on the future and a particular outcome. The result is more…

Anxiety can feel as though it is who we are. It also tends to dominate and overshadow all the different…

Learning about anxiety and noticing progress makes room for a new type: Anxiety about making progress with anxiety. “Is this…

We’re fused with the majority of our worry thoughts. An automatic thought appears, and we assume it to be valid…

Acceptance is one of the best ways to respond to anxiety. This is different than white knuckling it though. White…

Overfocusing on the future and on your internal state (thoughts and feelings) is the perfect recipe for anxiety. Doing the…

Anxiety, just like the average guard dog, is extremely effective at alerting us to real danger. At the same time,…

Having a weird, concerning, frightening thought doesn’t automatically make it an intrusive thought. It only becomes intrusive when it starts…

Safety behaviors are subtle actions we take to protect ourselves from perceived threats. Take, for instance, the glass of water…

Rumination isn’t something that happens to us. Instead, rumination is a choice we make to actively engage with a thought.…

On the surface, reassurance seeking seems harmless. In reality, it’s anxiety’s fuel. Getting reassurance that a fear won’t come true…

When automatic worry thoughts appear, it can be helpful to challenge them. Most of the time the thoughts are distorting…

When we have weird or scary thoughts or body sensations, it’s common to believe, “I’m out of control.” In a…

Anticipating likely future events is crucial for our survival. Without it our lives would be a mess. “What if” thinking…

Contrary to the depiction of therapy in movies and TV, gaining insight into our past doesn’t necessarily resolve our present…

It’s easy to feel trapped when anxious: “I know this isn’t dangerous, why do I keep feeling this way then?”…

Short-term comfort is hard to resist. We’re naturally drawn toward it. Add anxiety screaming “danger!!” and it becomes even harder…

Anxiety loves to keep us distracted by keeping our focus on the external “threat.” It thrives here. It also thrives…

It’s tempting to pursue the goal of having no fear. “I’ll start giving presentations once I feel confident” “I’ll ask…

In many ways, we all have three brains: The Child Brain – highly reactive, automatic, not conscious, not logical, doesn’t…