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…