Weekly Thoughts on Anxiety
Sep. 26, 2023
Productive vs Unproductive Worry
Signs of productive worry: It addresses something likely or foreseeable The worry leads to action and planning The worry has…
Aug. 29, 2023
Mental Reps
Observing thoughts (rather than participating in them) is easier said than done. It takes consistent practice. Just as we would…
Aug. 22, 2023
Perfectionism to Self-Compassion
Anxiety demands certainty from “danger.” One way this can play out is through perfectionism. Like certainty, perfectionism is often a…
Aug. 15, 2023
“Just Think Positive”
Positive thoughts aren’t the antidote to negative thoughts. Positive and negative thoughts are equally problematic when they don’t reflect reality.…
Aug. 08, 2023
Slow is Smooth, Smooth is Fast
Anxiety so often urges quick action. We rush, focused on the future and a particular outcome. The result is more…
Aug. 01, 2023
Externalize Anxiety
Anxiety can feel as though it is who we are. It also tends to dominate and overshadow all the different…
Jul. 25, 2023
Perfecting Anxiety
Learning about anxiety and noticing progress makes room for a new type: Anxiety about making progress with anxiety. “Is this…
Jul. 18, 2023
Thought Defusion
We’re fused with the majority of our worry thoughts. An automatic thought appears, and we assume it to be valid…
Jul. 11, 2023
Acceptance vs White Knuckling it
Acceptance is one of the best ways to respond to anxiety. This is different than white knuckling it though. White…
Jul. 04, 2023
Shifting to the Present and the External
Overfocusing on the future and on your internal state (thoughts and feelings) is the perfect recipe for anxiety. Doing the…
Jun. 27, 2023
Keeping Anxiety on its Leash
Anxiety, just like the average guard dog, is extremely effective at alerting us to real danger. At the same time,…
Jun. 20, 2023
Intrusive Thoughts
Having a weird, concerning, frightening thought doesn’t automatically make it an intrusive thought. It only becomes intrusive when it starts…
Jun. 13, 2023
Safety Behaviors
Safety behaviors are subtle actions we take to protect ourselves from perceived threats. Take, for instance, the glass of water…
May. 16, 2023
Rumination is Active
Rumination isn’t something that happens to us. Instead, rumination is a choice we make to actively engage with a thought.…
May. 09, 2023
Reassurance Seeking
On the surface, reassurance seeking seems harmless. In reality, it’s anxiety’s fuel. Getting reassurance that a fear won’t come true…
May. 02, 2023
Challenging Thoughts Too Much
When automatic worry thoughts appear, it can be helpful to challenge them. Most of the time the thoughts are distorting…
Apr. 18, 2023
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…
Apr. 11, 2023
Catastrophizing
Anticipating likely future events is crucial for our survival. Without it our lives would be a mess. “What if” thinking…
Mar. 07, 2023
Insight and Anxiety
Contrary to the depiction of therapy in movies and TV, gaining insight into our past doesn’t necessarily resolve our present…
Feb. 28, 2023
Anxiety is Normal
It’s easy to feel trapped when anxious: “I know this isn’t dangerous, why do I keep feeling this way then?”…
Feb. 21, 2023
Short-Term Comfort
Short-term comfort is hard to resist. We’re naturally drawn toward it. Add anxiety screaming “danger!!” and it becomes even harder…
Feb. 14, 2023
Anxiety Loves to Stay Vague
Anxiety loves to keep us distracted by keeping our focus on the external “threat.” It thrives here. It also thrives…
Feb. 07, 2023
No Fear
It’s tempting to pursue the goal of having no fear. “I’ll start giving presentations once I feel confident” “I’ll ask…
Jan. 27, 2023
The Child Brain, The Parent Brain, & The Grandparent Brain
In many ways, we all have three brains: The Child Brain – highly reactive, automatic, not conscious, not logical, doesn’t…