Explore every episode of the podcast The Anxiety Coaches Podcast

In today's episode, Gina continues her discussion of the benefits of aromatherapy and fragrance for individuals recovering from anxiety. More specifically, today the scientific research findings on scent and aromatherapy are explored. Safety considerations to remember when practicing self-care with essential oils are also included in this episode. Listen in and come to better understand the proven benefits of essential oils and how to use them for greatest effect!

Stillpoint Fridays is my once-a-week Friday note — a slower, more personal reflection that’s different from what I share on the podcast.

If you’d like a quiet place to land as the week winds down, you can join here:  http://eepurl.com/bR2F9P or on our website anxietycoachespodcast.com and sign up for the newsletter.

Please visit our Sponsor Page to find all the links and codes for our awesome sponsors! https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com/sponsors/

Website https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com

Join our community Group Coaching Join our Group Coaching Full or Mini Membership Program

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Learn more about anxiety What is anxiety?

Free Guided Meditation for Calming Your Anxious Mind 10-Minute Body-Scan Meditation for Anxiety

Quote:

Our senses connect us intimately to the past, connect us in ways that most of our cherished ideas never could.

-Diane Ackerman

Chapters

0:27 Welcome to the Anxiety Coaches Podcast

2:20 What the Research Says About Aromatherapy

4:27 Lavender and Anxiety

5:57 How Scent, Memory, and Context Interact

9:59 Pleasant Scents and the Body

11:38 Using Aromatherapy Without Pressure

14:01 Creating a Grounding Scent Ritual

15:12 Essential Oil Safety

16:26 What We Know—and What We Don’t

17:36 Let Your Senses Support You

Summary

In this episode, we examine whether aromatherapy can help with anxiety and what current research can—and cannot—tell us. Reviews of studies on inhaled essential oils report reductions in self-reported anxiety, including studies of lavender, but the research varies in quality and methods. The evidence does not establish essential oils as a treatment for anxiety disorders.We discuss why people may respond differently to the same scent. Personal memories, preferences, expectations and surroundings can shape the experience, and scents are difficult to study without participants knowing what they are smelling. 

A scent enjoyed during a quiet, repeated practice may also become associated with settling down.We consider emerging research linking personally pleasant odors with changes in breathing, heart rate and heart rate variability. This does not mean that one particular oil calms everyone. Aromatherapy may be a complementary part of a supportive routine, alongside practices such as taking comfortable breaths, sitting quietly, journaling or meditating—not a replacement for other care.We suggest approaching scent with curiosity rather than expecting it to remove anxiety. A scent could be an essential oil, tea, flower, citrus or another familiar smell; we can notice whether it feels pleasant, brings up a memory, irritates us or has no effect. 

There is no need to find a “perfect” oil or to feel that something is wrong if a scent does not help.We also cover safety. Essential oils are concentrated and can cause skin irritation, allergic reactions or other effects; some can increase sensitivity to sunlight when applied to the skin. We advise against ingesting them without appropriate medical guidance and recommend consulting a healthcare professional before therapeutic use when pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medication or managing health concerns.

#Anxiety #Aromatherapy #EssentialOils #Lavender #MentalHealth #StressRelief #Relaxation #Scent #OlfactorySystem #MindBody #Breathing #HeartRateVariability #NervousSystem #SelfCare #Mindfulness #Calm #Grounding #HolisticHealth #WellBeing #ComplementaryTherapy #Psychology #BrainBody #Presence #Rituals #SensoryExperience #PersonalWellBeing #InternalPeace #Neuroscience #WellnessPractices #EmotionalHealth #Memory #AnxietyRelief #AnxietyCoachesPodcast #GinaRyan #DianeAckerman #BeWell #Aloha #ACP

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In today's episode, Gina explores the use of realizing the sacredness of the present moment for decreasing our suffering relating to anxiety. Gina discusses the anxiety that emanates from a focus on our mortality and individuality, and the separateness and aloneness that are associated with these issues. Gina offers listeners a number of suggestions for cultivating sacred moments in which we can experience refreshing emotions such as gratitude and compassion.

Stillpoint Fridays is my once-a-week Friday note — a slower, more personal reflection that’s different from what I share on the podcast.

If you’d like a quiet place to land as the week winds down, you can join here:  http://eepurl.com/bR2F9P or on our website anxietycoachespodcast.com and sign up for the newsletter.

Please visit our Sponsor Page to find all the links and codes for our awesome sponsors! https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com/sponsors/

Website https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com

Join our community Group Coaching Join our Group Coaching Full or Mini Membership Program

1:1 Coaching Learn more about our One-on-One Coaching

If you prefer to listen AD-FREE, try our Supercast premium access membership:

Learn more about anxiety What is anxiety?

Free Guided Meditation for Calming Your Anxious Mind 10-Minute Body-Scan Meditation for Anxiety

Quote:

Your sacred space is where you can find yourself over and over again.

-Joseph Campbell

Chapters

0:27 Sacred Moments for Calm

4:11 Feeling Alone and Separate

6:33 Reconnecting Through Practice

8:47 Values and Obituary Reflection

10:55 Qualities of Sacred Moments

13:53 Finding Sacredness Daily

15:56 Joseph Campbell’s Quote

Summary

In this episode, we talk about decreasing anxiety by increasing sacred moments and giving more attention to the spiritual side of life alongside mind and body practices. We explain that anxiety treatment often focuses on thoughts and physical symptoms, but that a neglected sense of spiritual connection can also play an important role.

We describe how feelings of separateness, aloneness, and disconnection can intensify anxiety and panic. We also connect this to the idea that some anxious experiences are tied to awareness of mortality and individuality, and that sacred moments can help create a sense of connection to something larger than ourselves.We share practical ways to increase sacred moments without adding extra time or effort, including gratitude, connecting with God, creation, community, or the larger world, and living according to our highest values. We also suggest reviewing our priorities and even writing our own obituary as a way to clarify what matters most.

We outline qualities that can appear in sacred moments, such as gratitude, connection, support, bittersweet sadness, awe, compassion, inner peace, preciousness, and a sense of being blessed, cherished, or held as holy. We conclude that these moments can bring more stillness into daily life and support healing within the mind-body-spirit triad.

#AnxietyRelief #MindBodySpirit #SacredMoments #StressReduction #InnerPeace #HealingJourney #Mindfulness #EmotionalWellbeing #PersonalGrowth #SpiritualConnection #MentalHealthMatters #HolisticHealth #SelfCare #GratitudePractice #AnxietyRecovery #FindYourPeace #DailyMindfulness #WellnessJourney #CalmYourNervousSystem #MindBodyConnection #SelfDiscovery #HolisticWellness #MentalHealthRecovery #PresentMomentAwareness #GinaRyan #AnxietyCoachesPodcast #ACP

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In today's episode, Gina shares more knowledge about the importance of scent and aroma in our lives and our anxiety recovery. In particular, the connection between scent, memory, emotion (and anxiety) is discussed. The Proust phenomenon in particular is discussed: how scents can trigger intense autobiographical memories from our past and bring back past experiences to the present (and how this can aid us on our anxiety recovery and emotional stabilization journey). An exercise using scent is recommended for listeners.

Stillpoint Fridays is my once-a-week Friday note — a slower, more personal reflection that’s different from what I share on the podcast.

If you’d like a quiet place to land as the week winds down, you can join here:  http://eepurl.com/bR2F9P or on our website anxietycoachespodcast.com and sign up for the newsletter.

Please visit our Sponsor Page to find all the links and codes for our awesome sponsors! https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com/sponsors/

Website https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com

Join our community Group Coaching Join our Group Coaching Full or Mini Membership Program

1:1 Coaching Learn more about our One-on-One Coaching

If you prefer to listen AD-FREE, try our Supercast premium access membership:

Learn more about anxiety What is anxiety?

Free Guided Meditation for Calming Your Anxious Mind 10-Minute Body-Scan Meditation for Anxiety

Quote:

The smell and taste of things remain poised a long time, like souls, ready to remind us...

-Marcel Proust

Chapters

0:27 Scent and Memory

2:31 The Madeleine Effect

6:31 When Scents Hurt

8:47 Scent and Attachment

12:06 Calming Anxious Triggers

13:24 A Scent Experiment

Summary

In this episode we continue our exploration of scent and its connection to memory, emotion, and anxiety. We talk about how a smell can suddenly bring back a vivid moment from the past, sometimes with a strong sense of being there again.

We discuss the Proust phenomenon and the way odor can trigger autobiographical memories, often from early childhood. We also explain that these memories are not simply recalled on command, but can arrive spontaneously through a sensory cue.We look at how smell is linked to brain systems involved in emotion and memory, including the amygdala and hippocampus. We also note that scent can bring back difficult memories, grief, or sadness, not only pleasant nostalgia.

We then connect this to anxiety, noting that a current feeling may be tied to something in the present that reminds us of the past. We encourage curiosity about what a scent may be associated with, while also grounding ourselves in the present moment.We also discuss smell and attachment, including familiar scents connected to loved ones, babies, pets, and personal spaces. We end by inviting listeners to notice a meaningful scent during the week, observe what it brings up, and remember that a memory is something we are experiencing now, not something we are reliving exactly as it was.

#AnxietyCoachesPodcast #ScentAndMemory #ProustPhenomenon #OlfactorySystem #EmotionalWellbeing #Mindfulness #AnxietyRelief #MentalHealth #AutobiographicalMemory #NostalgiaAndGrief #EmotionalRegulation #BrainAndScent #SensoryGrounding #ChildhoodMemories #MindfulAwareness #AnxietySupport #EmotionalHealing #SelfCare #SmellAndEmotion #LimbicSystem #PersonalGrowth #HealingJourney #MentalHealthAwareness #CalmTheMind #PresentMoment #SensoryTriggers #PsychologyOfScent #InnerChildHealing #AnxietyManagement #MindBodyConnection #GinaRyan #ACP

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In today's episode, GIna discusses the miraculous benefits that aromas, including essential oils, can hold for people suffering with anxiety. In some detail, the work of Valerie Ann Worwood is discussed, especially her book: The Fragrant Mind. The point is emphasized that one is not simply looking at a list of fragrances and their corresponding effect and then smelling those fragrances. One instead tries a range of fragrances and determines a particular fragrance's effect in his or her self. Get to know yourself better through aromatherapy and discover fragrances that can help you relax and reduce your anxiety, listen in today!

Stillpoint Fridays is my once-a-week Friday note — a slower, more personal reflection that’s different from what I share on the podcast.

If you’d like a quiet place to land as the week winds down, you can join here:  http://eepurl.com/bR2F9P or on our website anxietycoachespodcast.com and sign up for the newsletter.

Please visit our Sponsor Page to find all the links and codes for our awesome sponsors! https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com/sponsors/

Website https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com

Join our community Group Coaching Join our Group Coaching Full or Mini Membership Program

1:1 Coaching Learn more about our One-on-One Coaching

If you prefer to listen AD-FREE, try our Supercast premium access membership:

Learn more about anxiety What is anxiety?

Free Guided Meditation for Calming Your Anxious Mind 10-Minute Body-Scan Meditation for Anxiety

Quote:

Smell is a potent wizard that transports us across thousands of miles and all the years we have lived.

-Helen Keller

Chapters

0:27 Smell and Memory

2:53 Odor and Emotion

5:20 Personal Scent Responses

7:23 Curiosity Over Control

9:23 Scent as Calm Cue

11:26 Senses for Anxiety

14:12 Noticing Your Scents

15:45 Helen Keller Quote

Summary

In this episode, we discuss the role of smell in anxiety, memory, and emotion, and we focus on how fragrance can affect us in highly individual ways. We look at the connection between olfaction, the brain, and autobiographical memory, including the experience of a scent suddenly bringing a person back to a vivid past moment.We also consider research on odor-associated memories and the idea that smells can become linked with emotion through personal experience and context. 

We note that the same fragrance can feel comforting to one person and unpleasant to another, and we emphasize that these differences are normal.Rather than treating aromatherapy as a fixed formula, we explore a more personal approach: noticing which scents we naturally respond to, which ones feel grounding, and which ones we associate with calm. 

We suggest pairing a chosen scent with an already calming practice, so that the smell may become part of a repeated cue for slowing down.We close by encouraging simple observation of everyday scents at home or outdoors, without trying to force a result. We invite listeners to notice bodily reactions, memories, and feelings, and to treat these responses as information.

#AnxietyRelief #Mindfulness #Aromatherapy #MentalHealthAwareness #SenseOfSmell #NervousSystemRegulation #SelfCare #EmotionalWellbeing #MindBodyConnection #AnxietySupport #GinaRyan #AnxietyCoachesPodcast #Olfaction #ProustPhenomenon #SensoryAwareness #EmotionalHealth #PsychologicalStress #ScentsAndMemory #HolisticWellness #MentalWellness #GroundingTechniques #EverydayMindfulness #PersonalGrowth #CalmYourMind #MentalHealthSupport #ACP

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In today's episode, Gina discusses the three circles of anxiety: the circle of concern, the circle of influence and the circle of control. These three principles, when understood correctly, can really help one to cool unnecessary anxiety and optimize one's thoughts and behavior. Focus your energy on what you can change, let go of the rest. Listen in for helpful insights on these powerful organizational principles for your mind and start living better today!

Stillpoint Fridays is my once-a-week Friday note — a slower, more personal reflection that’s different from what I share on the podcast.

If you’d like a quiet place to land as the week winds down, you can join here:  http://eepurl.com/bR2F9P or on our website anxietycoachespodcast.com and sign up for the newsletter.

Please visit our Sponsor Page to find all the links and codes for our awesome sponsors! https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com/sponsors/

Website https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com

Join our community Group Coaching Join our Group Coaching Full or Mini Membership Program

1:1 Coaching Learn more about our One-on-One Coaching

If you prefer to listen AD-FREE, try our Supercast premium access membership:

Learn more about anxiety What is anxiety?

Free Guided Meditation for Calming Your Anxious Mind 10-Minute Body-Scan Meditation for Anxiety

Quote:

You have power over your mind—not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.

-Marcus Aurelius

Chapters

0:27 Boundaries and Control

2:35 The Three Circles

5:48 Anxiety’s Control Trap

7:39 Sorting a Critical Comment

12:27 Caring Without Carrying

15:32 Practicing Letting Go

19:26 Returning to What’s Yours

Summary

In this episode we continue our discussion of boundaries and focus on the idea that boundaries are about more than saying no. We look at how anxious thinking often takes responsibility for too many things, including other people’s reactions, opinions, and future outcomes.

We revisit the three circles framework: circle of concern, circle of influence, and circle of control. We explain that concern includes many things we care about, but caring about something does not mean we can control it. Influence includes the ways our words, actions, and choices may affect a situation, while control is limited to what is actually in our hands, such as our responses, attention, and whether we pause before acting.

We also look at how anxiety tries to enlarge our sense of control through worry, overthinking, and replaying conversations. We use the example of receiving a critical comment and sort the situation into the three circles, showing that the other person’s opinion is concern, while our response and boundaries are within our control.

Finally, we emphasize that the goal is not to stop caring, but to care without carrying everything. We practice asking what belongs to concern, influence, or control, and return to what is ours to do in the present moment. The episode closes with encouragement to treat this as an ongoing practice and to let go of what is not ours to manage.

#AnxietyRelief #MentalHealth #Boundaries #Mindfulness #StressManagement #PersonalGrowth #SelfCare #EmotionalWellness #AnxietySupport #CopingSkills #InnerPeace #HealingJourney #AnxietyAwareness #EmotionalHealth #MentalWellness #SelfLove #HealthyBoundaries #PeoplePleasing #Overthinking #WorryFree #MindfulLiving #AnxietyReliefTips #EmotionalIntelligence #SelfAwareness #CalmMind #StressRelief #MentalClarity #EmotionalFreedom #LifeCoaching #HolisticHealth #PeaceOfMind #AnxietyManagement #NervousSystemRegulation #SelfMastery #IntentionalLiving #ACP

#GinaRyan #AnxietyCoachesPodcast

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In today's episode, Gina shares steps for adapting to any particular fears we may have and how to become more confident and comfortable by doing so. Through patience and self kindness, following these tips can lead to great changes in your life!

The S.A.F.E. Empowerment System

https://gumroad.com/a/256095347

Or

https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com/resources

Stillpoint Fridays is my once-a-week Friday note — a slower, more personal reflection that’s different from what I share on the podcast.

If you’d like a quiet place to land as the week winds down, you can join here:  http://eepurl.com/bR2F9P or on our website anxietycoachespodcast.com and sign up for the newsletter.

Please visit our Sponsor Page to find all the links and codes for our awesome sponsors! https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com/sponsors/

Website https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com

Join our community Group Coaching Join our Group Coaching Full or Mini Membership Program

1:1 Coaching Learn more about our One-on-One Coaching

If you prefer to listen AD-FREE, try our Supercast premium access membership:

Learn more about anxiety What is anxiety?

Free Guided Meditation for Calming Your Anxious Mind 10-Minute Body-Scan Meditation for Anxiety

Quote:

Without darkness nothing comes to birth, as without light nothing flowers.

-May Sarton

Chapters

0:27 Fear as Teacher

3:25 Kindness and Curiosity

4:12 Start with Small Steps

5:17 Practice at the Airport

7:55 Expand the Next Step

9:47 Put Joy on the Other Side

13:06 Closing Reflection

Summary

In this episode, we talk about letting fear be a teacher by focusing on external fears first, such as public speaking, flying, driving, grocery stores, or other places and situations that trigger anxiety. We look at how these experiences can be approached as opportunities to build confidence rather than as things to avoid.We emphasize doing this with self-kindness, non-judgment, and a curious mindset. 

The first step is to take small, manageable steps and to check in with our body and breathing so we do not overwhelm ourselves. We use the example of fear of flying, beginning with simply going to the airport in a calm, intentional way and observing what happens from a distance or in a low-pressure setting.The next step is to expand gradually by repeating the practice until it feels routine and less threatening. 

We point out that the goal is to let our mind and body experience the situation as safe through repetition, while noticing and appreciating small gains along the way.We also talk about putting something meaningful on the other side of the fear, so we have a reason to move through it. In the example of flying, this could mean taking a short flight to visit someone we care about. We close by encouraging patience, imperfection, and one small step at a time, rather than expecting immediate or perfect results.

#AnxietyCoachesPodcast #GinaRyan #AnxietyRelief #MentalHealth #FacingFears #OvercomingAnxiety #NervousSystemRegulation #Mindfulness #PersonalGrowth #PanicManagement #EmotionalWellness #HealingJourney #AnxietySupport #SelfKindness #CalmYourMind #StressManagement #HolisticWellness #CourageOverFear #AnxietyFree #AnxietyRecovery #AgoraphobiaSupport #FearAsATeacher #ExposureTherapy #MentalHealthPodcast #MindfulLiving #SelfCompassion #AnxietyHelp #CalmTheNervousSystem #OvercomingFear #AnxietyWarrior #HealingAnxiety #PeaceOfMind #MentalHealthAwareness #ACP

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In today's episode, Gina discusses social boundaries and how a variety of social cues can trigger anxiety, especially when we are not cognizant of our boundaries or how to manage them for maximum wellness. Understanding and maintaining our boundaries enables us to keep our sense of self intact and communicate this sense of self to others. Simple phrases to use while interacting with others to help you maintain healthy boundaries are provided.

Stillpoint Fridays is my once-a-week Friday note — a slower, more personal reflection that’s different from what I share on the podcast.

If you’d like a quiet place to land as the week winds down, you can join here:  http://eepurl.com/bR2F9P or on our website anxietycoachespodcast.com and sign up for the newsletter.

Please visit our Sponsor Page to find all the links and codes for our awesome sponsors! https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com/sponsors/

Website https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com

Join our community Group Coaching Join our Group Coaching Full or Mini Membership Program

1:1 Coaching Learn more about our One-on-One Coaching

If you prefer to listen AD-FREE, try our Supercast premium access membership:

Learn more about anxiety What is anxiety?

Free Guided Meditation for Calming Your Anxious Mind 10-Minute Body-Scan Meditation for Anxiety

Quote:

Daring to set boundaries is about having the courage to love ourselves, even when we risk disappointing others.

-Brené Brown

Chapters

0:27 Boundary Crossings and Self-Trust

2:18 Beyond Boundary Phrases

4:55 Stop Mind-Reading Others

7:41 Facts Versus Interpretations

10:20 Simple Boundary Phrases

12:37 Feeling Uncomfortable Is Normal

14:25 Allowed to Disappoint Others

16:28 Practice Small Boundaries

18:09 Caring Without Abandoning Yourself

19:25 Return to Yourself

Summary

In this episode we talk about boundaries and how they relate to anxiety. We focus on what happens when someone makes a comment about our clothing, food, time, or life choices, and how a brief uncomfortable moment can turn into hours or days of worry.We explain that a boundary is not a wall or a punishment. 

It is a way of saying what we are and are not comfortable with. We also look at the difference between responding because something matters to us and explaining ourselves because we cannot tolerate disapproval.A main theme is self-trust. We discuss how anxiety often comes from trying to figure out what other people think and from reacting to our own discomfort after a boundary is crossed. 

We separate facts from interpretations and note that other people’s opinions are not something we have to fix or manage.We also offer simple phrases for the moment, such as saying we are comfortable, that we would rather not discuss something, or that something works for us. We encourage saying it once, allowing silence, and noticing the urge to over-explain.Finally, we describe the practice of allowing discomfort, disappointment, and misunderstanding without abandoning ourselves. The goal is not to stop caring what others think, but to care without giving up our own comfort or self-respect.

#anxiety #boundaries #selftrust #personalgrowth #mentalhealth #emotionalwellness #selfcare #communication #relationshipadvice #peoplepleasing #overcominganxiety #mindfulness #emotionalfreedom #settinglimits #mentalpeace #personalboundaries #vulnerability #selfcompassion #brenebrown #innerpeace #emotionalregulation #anxietyrelief #emotionalboundaries #selfacceptance #emotionalintelligence #mentalresilience #personaldevelopment #assertiveness #healthyliving #selfrespect #emotionalhealing #nervoussystemregulation #copingstrategies #mindfulnesspractice #psychologicalsafety #emotionalmaturity #buildingtrust #courage #innerstrength #selfawareness #validation #emotionalindependence #stressmanagement #mindsetshift #healingjourney #mentalwellness #peaceofmind #selflove #emotionalstrength #lifeskills #ACP #anxietycoachespodcast #GinaRyan

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In today's episode, Gina discusses the affects of anxiety on the digestive system. Anxiety can cause all kinds of bodily symptoms and the stomach and lower digestive system are particularly susceptible to this. Common symptoms include nausea, bloating, urgent bowel movements and tightness in the stomach. Listen in to learn how to deal with and reduce or eliminate these digestive system related anxiety symptoms today!

Stillpoint Fridays is my once-a-week Friday note — a slower, more personal reflection that’s different from what I share on the podcast.

If you’d like a quiet place to land as the week winds down, you can join here: http://eepurl.com/bR2F9P or on our website anxietycoachespodcast.com and sign up for the newsletter.

Please visit our Sponsor Page to find all the links and codes for our awesome sponsors! https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com/sponsors/

Website https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com

Join our community Group Coaching Join our Group Coaching Full or Mini Membership Program

1:1 Coaching Learn more about our One-on-One Coaching

If you prefer to listen AD-FREE, try our Supercast premium access membership:

Learn more about anxiety What is anxiety?

Free Guided Meditation for Calming Your Anxious Mind 10-Minute Body-Scan Meditation for Anxiety

Quote:

You can't stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.

-Jon Kabat-Zinn

Chapters

0:27 Anxiety and the Stomach

5:04 Breaking the Fear Loop

9:19 Reframing Food Fears

12:51 Letting Sensations Pass

16:05 Living Beyond Symptoms

18:58 Surfing the Waves

Summary

In this episode we talk about the connection between anxiety and stomach symptoms, including nausea, butterflies, bloating, urgent bowel movements, tightness, and a feeling of a knot or pit in the stomach. We explain that anxiety is not only a thought process, but also a physical experience.We describe how the digestive system and nervous system are closely connected. 

When the nervous system senses stress or threat, digestion can change, and ordinary stomach sensations can become more noticeable. We note that a sensation can be real without meaning that something is dangerous.We also talk about the cycle that can develop when we begin watching the stomach closely. Attention can make normal digestive activity feel louder, and fear can lead to more scanning, checking, and concern. We encourage letting the stomach do its job without constant monitoring, while also seeking medical advice for new, persistent, severe, or concerning symptoms.We then discuss how anxiety can affect eating habits. People may avoid foods, eat less, or limit themselves to what feels safe, which can keep fear going. We suggest shifting from trying to guarantee certainty to accepting that sensations may come and still being able to continue with the day.

Finally, we focus on practicing a different response when stomach sensations appear: pausing, breathing, allowing the sensation to be there, and returning attention to daily life. We emphasize that a calm life does not require a perfectly calm body, and that we can learn not to panic every time the body sends a signal.

#AnxietyRelief, #GutBrainConnection, #AnxietyAndStomach, #NervousSystemRegulation, #SomaticHealing, #AnxietyCoach, #MindBodyConnection, #HealthAnxiety, #ChronicAnxiety, #CalmYourBody, #MentalHealthSupport, #PhysicalAnxiety, #AnxietyRecovery, #MindfulnessPractice, #EmotionalWellness, #AnxietyRelief, #GutBrainConnection, #StomachAnxiety, #NervousSystemRegulation, #SomaticHealing, #AnxietyCoach, #MindBodyConnection, #HealthAnxiety, #ChronicAnxiety, #CalmYourBody, #MentalHealthSupport, #PhysicalAnxiety, #AnxietyRecovery, #MindfulnessPractice, #EmotionalWellness, #DigestionAndAnxiety, #PanicSymptoms, #BodyAwareness, #SomaticSymptoms, #AnxietyHealingJourney, #NervousSystemHealing, #AnxietyCoachesPodcast, #ACP, #GinaRyan

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In today's episode, Gina discusses the anxiety of waiting, such as occurs in long lines at the market or on busy city streets or the highway where traffic is congested. Gina offers listeners three specific methods to bring mindfulness to bear on these moments when the waiting seems to last forever and help soothe the angst and discomfort that can arise.

Stillpoint Fridays is my once-a-week Friday note — a slower, more personal reflection that’s different from what I share on the podcast.

If you’d like a quiet place to land as the week winds down, you can join here:  http://eepurl.com/bR2F9P or on our website anxietycoachespodcast.com and sign up for the newsletter.

Please visit our Sponsor Page to find all the links and codes for our awesome sponsors! https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com/sponsors/

Website https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com

Join our community Group Coaching Join our Group Coaching Full or Mini Membership Program

1:1 Coaching Learn more about our One-on-One Coaching

If you prefer to listen AD-FREE, try our Supercast premium access membership:

Learn more about anxiety What is anxiety?

Free Guided Meditation for Calming Your Anxious Mind 10-Minute Body-Scan Meditation for Anxiety

Quote:

Do not let the behavior of others destroy your inner peace. 

–Dalai Lama

Chapters

0:27 Waiting Without Panic

3:44 Mindfulness Helps Waiting

7:23 Breath Through Uncertainty

8:50 Practice Little Waits

11:54 Love While Waiting

Summary

In this episode, we talk about three tips for handling anxiety that comes up while waiting. We begin by noting that common situations like standing in line, being delayed at the airport, or waiting in traffic can feel very uncomfortable, even though the discomfort itself is not dangerous.

The first tip is to be with the breath through uncertainty. We are encouraged to slow down, notice the inhale and exhale, and extend the exhale if possible. This is presented as a way to reduce stress and send the body a message that there is no immediate danger.

The second tip is to wait on purpose in small, ordinary moments. We can use brief waits, such as waiting for a computer to load, a meeting to begin, or the kettle to boil, as practice for remaining present without reaching for distraction. These small exercises are described as helping us build patience and prepare for bigger waits.

The third tip is to extend love and kindness. We can do this by smiling, laughing, connecting with others, and also being kind to ourselves when waiting makes us frustrated or late. The episode ends by emphasizing that these practices can help protect our inner peace.

#AnxietyRelief #Mindfulness #MentalHealthAwareness #StressManagement #CalmYourMind #PatienceIsAVirtue #EmotionalResilience #MindfulLiving #AnxietySupport #SelfCareEveryday #BreatheThroughIt #MentalWellness #AnxietyCoach #InnerPeace #HealthyMind #CopingWithAnxiety #MindfulBreathing #OvercomingStress #MentalHealthTips #AnxietyReliefTools #SelfCompassion #EmotionalWellbeing #StressRelief #Calmness #DailyMindfulness #MindsetShift #HealingJourney #AnxietyAwareness #PeacefulMind #MentalClarity #ACP #Gina Ryan #AnxietyCoachesPodcast

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In today's episode, Gina shares a helpful process for restoring a calm, peaceful mindset at the start of your day. This practice is framed as particularly useful for the seasonal transition from summer to autumn, but the practice can be useful at any time of year. Three key points of emphasis in this morning reset: light, breath and movement. Listen in and add another routine to your toolkit and achieve a more peaceful, balanced start to your day!

Stillpoint Fridays is my once-a-week Friday note — a slower, more personal reflection that’s different from what I share on the podcast.

If you’d like a quiet place to land as the week winds down, you can join here:  http://eepurl.com/bR2F9P or on our website anxietycoachespodcast.com and sign up for the newsletter.

Please visit our Sponsor Page to find all the links and codes for our awesome sponsors! https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com/sponsors/

Website https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com

Join our community Group Coaching Join our Group Coaching Full or Mini Membership Program

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Learn more about anxiety What is anxiety?

Free Guided Meditation for Calming Your Anxious Mind 10-Minute Body-Scan Meditation for Anxiety

Quote:

To listen is to lean in, softly, with a willingness to be changed by what we hear.

-Mark Nepo

Chapters

0:27 Summer Transition Anxiety

6:13 Morning Reset Basics

9:25 Breath and Presence

12:19 Gentle Movement Practice

15:33 No Perfect Morning

18:00 Bridging Into September

Summary

In this episode, we talk about the shift from summer routines into the busier pace of September, and how that change can bring a sense of urgency. We describe how mornings may start with mental rehearsing, checking the phone, and thinking ahead to appointments, traffic, and responsibilities before the day has even begun.We focus on a gentle morning “reboot” made up of three parts: light, breath, and movement. 

The idea is not to create a perfect routine, but to give the body time to catch up with the day and to begin without feeling like we are in emergency mode.First, we talk about getting morning light by opening curtains, standing by a window, or stepping outside. We use this moment to orient to the present by noticing the room, the time, and simple details in the environment, shifting attention away from anxious thoughts and toward what is actually happening now.Next, we discuss slow, comfortable breathing as a supportive practice. We emphasize that we are not trying to force calm or use breathing only when anxiety is high, but to let the exhale be easy and unhurried as part of everyday nervous system care.

Finally, we add simple movement such as stretching, rolling the shoulders, walking around, or stepping outside. We explain that movement can help the body wake up and can also widen attention outward instead of staying focused on internal monitoring.We close by reminding listeners not to turn the morning routine into a test. The goal is not to feel calm every day, but to begin from wherever we are and carry more flexibility into the rest of the day.

#AnxietyRelief #MorningRoutine #NervousSystemRegulation #MentalHealthSupport #MindfulLiving #SeasonalTransition #StressManagement #SelfCareEveryday #CalmMind #AnxietyCoachesPodcast #BackToSchoolAnxiety #AutumnVibes #MindfulnessPractice #GroundingTechniques #MentalHealthAwareness #SlowLiving #EmotionalWellness #StressRelief #HealthyHabits #Resilience #SomaticHealing #CircadianRhythm #HolisticHealth #DailyRhythm #WellnessJourney #GinaRyan #ACP

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In today's episode, Gina shares a most calming, soothing salve with listeners. The practice of meditation is discussed. It is emphasized that meditation does not require anything of you. Meditation is an opportunity to exist for a time in freedom, without any external demands on you. Listen in and enjoy an extended moment of peace as Gina guides you through a meditation of space and stillness. Remember your peace and calm.

Stillpoint Fridays is my once-a-week Friday note — a slower, more personal reflection that’s different from what I share on the podcast.

If you’d like a quiet place to land as the week winds down, you can join here:  http://eepurl.com/bR2F9P or on our website anxietycoachespodcast.com and sign up for the newsletter.

Please visit our Sponsor Page to find all the links and codes for our awesome sponsors! https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com/sponsors/

Website https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com

Join our community Group Coaching Join our Group Coaching Full or Mini Membership Program

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If you prefer to listen AD-FREE, try our Supercast premium access membership:

Learn more about anxiety What is anxiety?

Free Guided Meditation for Calming Your Anxious Mind 10-Minute Body-Scan Meditation for Anxiety

Chapters

0:27 Meditation Without Striving

5:03 Rest Instead of Fixing

9:49 Settling Into Stillness

11:29 Breathing and Letting Be

13:30 The Mind Wants a Job

14:22 Off Duty for a Moment

15:24 Sounds Can Come and Go

18:36 Closing With Gentle Return

In this episode, we focus on meditation as a simple way of being with ourselves, rather than another task to complete or another method for fixing anxiety. We talk about how meditation can become part of a checklist, and instead offer it as a few minutes with nothing to do and nowhere to go.We explore how anxiety pulls us into the future, constant checking, and self-monitoring. 

We note that being caught in thought is not the same as being present with ourselves, and that meditation gives us a brief break from trying to manage every feeling, sensation, or thought.The second half of the episode is a guided meditation. We settle the body, notice support beneath us, and observe the breath without trying to change it. We practice allowing thoughts, sensations, restlessness, and anxiety to be present without reacting to them.We also spend time noticing the body, sounds in the environment, and the mind’s urge to evaluate whether meditation is working. 

The practice emphasizes that nothing needs to be achieved, and that even uncomfortable feelings can be here without needing to be solved.At the end, we return attention to the room and the body, and we are encouraged to carry this into daily life by taking small moments of quiet without waiting until we feel overwhelmed.

#AnxietyCoachesPodcast #Mindfulness #MeditationPractice #AnxietyRelief #SelfSurveillance #PresentMoment #MentalHealth #OvercomingAnxiety #SomaticAwareness #Aloha #GinaRyan #GuidedMeditation #AnxietySupport #NervousSystemHealing #MindfulLiving #StressRelief #InnerPeace #MentalHealthAwareness #CalmYourMind #SelfCareFirst #GroundingExercise #EmotionalWellbeing #PeaceAndCalm #SelfCompassion #MentalWellness #LetGo #Breathwork #FindYourCalm #MindsetShift #HealingAnxiety #PresenceOverPerfection #MentalHealthMatters #WellnessJourney #MeditationCommunity #StressLess #MindfulMoments #PodcastLife #HealthAndWellness #QuietTheMind #SelfLove #GinaRyan

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In today's episode, Gina discusses morning anxiety, what it is and how to tolerate it. Our cortisol is released each morning to help us wake up and prepare physiologically for the day. This is entirely normal and expected. Many people with chronic anxiety, however, can be highly adversely affected by this process, often starting the day with high anxiety if not outright panic. Listen in to this episode to gain more insight into our physiological awakening process and how to become more accustomed to it without succumbing to substantial anxiety in the morning.

Stillpoint Fridays is my once-a-week Friday note — a slower, more personal reflection that’s different from what I share on the podcast.

If you’d like a quiet place to land as the week winds down, you can join here:  http://eepurl.com/bR2F9P or on our website anxietycoachespodcast.com and sign up for the newsletter.

Please visit our Sponsor Page to find all the links and codes for our awesome sponsors! https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com/sponsors/

Website https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com

Join our community Group Coaching Join our Group Coaching Full or Mini Membership Program

1:1 Coaching Learn more about our One-on-One Coaching

If you prefer to listen AD-FREE, try our Supercast premium access membership:

Learn more about anxiety What is anxiety?

Free Guided Meditation for Calming Your Anxious Mind 10-Minute Body-Scan Meditation for Anxiety

Quote:

An early-morning walk is a blessing for the whole day.

-Henry David Thoreau

Chapters

0:27 Morning Anxiety Explained

3:05 Cortisol and Wake-Up

6:31 Sensations Before Stories

9:03 Stop Checking Yourself

11:28 Morning Light Matters

14:35 Caffeine and Activation

17:59 Food and Sleep Rhythms

21:35 Unwinding for Better Sleep

23:18 A Simple Morning Plan

24:23 Don’t Predict the Day

Summary

In this episode we talk about morning anxiety and the way many people wake up already feeling activated, with physical sensations like a racing heart, butterflies, tension, or dread before the day has even started. We explain that this does not necessarily mean something is wrong, because the body is designed to become more alert in the morning.We look at the nervous system’s role in this process, including the cortisol awakening response. 

We describe cortisol as a normal part of metabolism, immune function, blood pressure, energy, and the sleep-wake cycle, and we note that morning activation is physiology rather than pathology.We also focus on the pattern where the body sensation comes first and the mind then creates a frightening story around it. We point out that checking in repeatedly with anxiety first thing in the morning can train the brain to expect danger, and we suggest noticing sensations without immediately investigating them.We then offer simple ways to respond, such as getting out of bed, opening curtains, letting in morning light, drinking water, stretching, taking a short walk, and doing ordinary morning tasks. 

We also discuss caffeine and sleep, encouraging people to notice how caffeine affects them, to support sleep with consistent rhythms, and to avoid turning sleep habits into another source of anxiety.Finally, we emphasize that a difficult morning does not predict the rest of the day. We suggest treating morning anxiety as a feeling rather than a prophecy, and we encourage beginning the day with small, practical steps instead of trying to solve everything from bed.

#Anxiety #MorningAnxiety #Cortisol #NervousSystem #AnxietyCoachesPodcast #GinaRyan #MentalHealth #StressManagement #Mindfulness #SecondFear #CortisolAwakeningResponse #SelfCare #SleepHygiene #CircadianRhythm #PanicRecovery #AnxietyRelief #MindBody #MentalWellness #CaffeineFree #MorningRoutine #SomaticAwareness #OvercomingAnxiety #StressRelief #Healing #MentalHealthAwareness #WellnessJourney #CalmYourMind #AnxietySupport #ACP

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In today's episode, Gina discusses why anxiety can increase with an often overlooked time of year: early September, the traditional timing for the restart of the school year. This late August, early September anxiety is suggested to be intrinsic to somatic memory established during childhood, particularly of the stress of newness, uncertainty and social pressures. A particular anxiety clearing practices is included: the September body audit. Listen in and start clearing your seasonal anxiety today!

Stillpoint Fridays is my once-a-week Friday note — a slower, more personal reflection that’s different from what I share on the podcast.

If you’d like a quiet place to land as the week winds down, you can join here:  http://eepurl.com/bR2F9P or on our website anxietycoachespodcast.com and sign up for the newsletter.

Please visit our Sponsor Page to find all the links and codes for our awesome sponsors! https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com/sponsors/

Website https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com

Join our community Group Coaching Join our Group Coaching Full or Mini Membership Program

1:1 Coaching Learn more about our One-on-One Coaching

If you prefer to listen AD-FREE, try our Supercast premium access membership:

Learn more about anxiety What is anxiety?

Free Guided Meditation for Calming Your Anxious Mind 10-Minute Body-Scan Meditation for Anxiety

Quote:

The past is never dead. It’s not even past.

-William Faulkner

Chapters

0:27 September Anxiety Begins

5:03 Old School Patterns

9:11 Social Nervous System

13:52 September Body Audit

17:52 Building a New September

Summary

In this episode, we talk about why late August and early September can trigger anxiety or dread even when there is no current reason for it. We explore how familiar seasonal cues, like school supplies, changing weather, and routines, can activate bodily sensations tied to earlier experiences.We explain somatic memory and how the nervous system can respond to patterns without conscious recall. 

We also discuss how repeated childhood experiences of school transitions, uncertainty, evaluation, and social pressure may leave the body expecting change when September returns.We look at the role of the social nervous system, including the ideas of neuroception and the body’s ongoing sensitivity to cues of safety, belonging, and threat. We note that even small environmental details can be enough to bring back a felt sense of alertness.

We then offer a simple “September body audit” practice: locate the sensation in the body, acknowledge that it is an old pattern from another time, and lengthen the exhale to help the nervous system settle. The episode ends by encouraging a new present-day September experience built through repeated, gentle awareness.

#anxiety #nervoussystem #somaticmemory #polyvagaltheory #septemberanxiety #backtoschool #stressrelief #mindfulness #grounding #neuroception #emotionalwellness #bodyaudit #mentalhealth #anxietyrecovery #seasonalchanges #innerchild #subconsciousmind #copingmechanisms #selfcompassion #stressreduction #ginaryan #anxietycoachespodcast #somatictracking #relaxation #mentalwellness #holistichealth #nervoussystemregulation #implicitmemory #psychology #wellness #ACP

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In today's episode, Gina provides comfort for listeners who are afraid they may be going crazy. The essential message is that much more likely than not, you are not going crazy, and there are many things you can do to help yourself feel better, more calm, peaceful and stable. Intrusive thoughts, depersonalization and derealization are all covered in this episode, as are brain fog, racing thoughts and hyperawareness. Listen in and find more peace and calm even in the face of the most disturbing symptoms.

Stillpoint Fridays is my once-a-week Friday note — a slower, more personal reflection that’s different from what I share on the podcast.

If you’d like a quiet place to land as the week winds down, you can join here:  http://eepurl.com/bR2F9P or on our website anxietycoachespodcast.com and sign up for the newsletter.

Please visit our Sponsor Page to find all the links and codes for our awesome sponsors! https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com/sponsors/

Website https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com

Join our community Group Coaching Join our Group Coaching Full or Mini Membership Program

1:1 Coaching Learn more about our One-on-One Coaching

If you prefer to listen AD-FREE, try our Supercast premium access membership:

Learn more about anxiety What is anxiety?

Free Guided Meditation for Calming Your Anxious Mind 10-Minute Body-Scan Meditation for Anxiety

Quote:

Nothing in life is to be feared; it is only to be understood.

-Marie Curie 

Chapters

0:27 Going Crazy or Anxiety?

5:41 The Second Fear Loop

9:37 Intrusive Thoughts and Derealization

11:32 What To Do Now

14:35 Know When to Get Help

16:57 Live Beyond Anxiety

Summary

n this episode we revisit the question “Am I going crazy?” and talk about how it often comes up when anxiety makes thoughts, sensations, or the surrounding world feel unfamiliar. We look at experiences such as intrusive thoughts, derealization, depersonalization, brain fog, racing thoughts, and hyperawareness, and how these can lead to fear that something is seriously wrong.We explain how anxiety can create a cycle in which a strange feeling leads to checking, the checking increases attention, and the increased attention makes the feeling seem even more intense. 

We also describe the difference between the first experience, such as feeling disconnected or having a disturbing thought, and the second fear, such as interpreting it as proof that we are losing control.We talk about intrusive thoughts and note that having a thought is not the same as wanting it, believing it, or acting on it. We also discuss derealization and depersonalization, and how repeatedly checking whether things feel normal can keep us focused on the discomfort instead of moving through the moment.We offer several ways to respond: naming the experience without dramatizing it, not making “feeling normal” the main goal, returning attention to ordinary activities, softening physical tension, and letting sensations come and go without demanding certainty. 

We also note that new, severe, or confusing symptoms, including hallucinations or an inability to function, should be brought to a qualified professional.We close by emphasizing that we can feel strange without being in danger, have frightening thoughts without needing to answer them, and keep living while anxiety passes.

#AnxietyCoachesPodcast #GinaRyan #AmIGoingCrazy #AnxietySupport #IntrusiveThoughts #Derealization #Depersonalization #AnxietyCycle #Overthinking #Hyperawareness #NervousSystem #Mindfulness #AcceptanceAndCommitment #ClaireWeekes #MentalHealthAwareness #PanicAttackHelp #GroundingTechniques #AnxietyRecovery #EmotionalWellbeing #SelfCare #MentalHealthMatters #AnxietyRelief #OvercomingAnxiety #BrainFog #SecondFear #InnerCalm #Aloha #ACP

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In this episode Gina offers listeners a series of questions they can ask themselves and suggestions they can implement during their experience of the discomfort associated with anxiety and panic.

Turning to face the discomfort we are presented with during high anxiety moments can offer us the opportunity we are seeking to overcome the discomfort.

Questions to ask oneself:

What if there were more beyond that?

What if distracting was keeping us in the loop and holding us back from the joy in life?

What if chasing the desire to make the discomfort stop is actually keeping the pain and discomfort alive?

What if the joy was in going through vs giving in to distraction and running away from discomfort?

What if what we are looking for is in the opening of moving through the discomfort of what we think should be different than it is?

Suggestions to implement:

1.Slow down

2.Get to neutral and be curious about the situation (take the personalization out of it ...look at it as if you were a researcher without an agenda)

3.Remind yourself why you want to get to the other side of this situation and that it is joy that is found from going through the urge to fight flee or freeze when it is discomfort that you are dealing with not true danger.

Stillpoint Fridays is my once-a-week Friday note — a slower, more personal reflection that’s different from what I share on the podcast.

If you’d like a quiet place to land as the week winds down, you can join here:  http://eepurl.com/bR2F9P or on our website anxietycoachespodcast.com and sign up for the newsletter.

Please visit our Sponsor Page to find all the links and codes for our awesome sponsors! https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com/sponsors/

Website https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com

Join our community Group Coaching Join our Group Coaching Full or Mini Membership Program

1:1 Coaching Learn more about our One-on-One Coaching

If you prefer to listen AD-FREE, try our Supercast premium access membership:

Learn more about anxiety What is anxiety?

Free Guided Meditation for Calming Your Anxious Mind 10-Minute Body-Scan Meditation for Anxiety

Quote:

A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor. 

-Franklin D. Roosevelt

Chapters

0:28 Joy Beyond Discomfort

2:58 Discomfort Isn’t Dangerous

5:50 Breaking the Anxiety Cycle

9:58 Growth Through Grief

12:26 Three Ways to Stay Aware

16:46 Reflection Questions for Healing

Summary

In this episode, we reflect on reaching episode 400 and nearing 4 million downloads, and we thank listeners for sharing the show and sending feedback. We also note that people do not need a diagnosis to benefit from the discussion, since we all experience stress and discomfort in life.We focus on the idea of finding joy beyond discomfort. 

We repeat that discomfort is not dangerous, and we discuss the importance of letting that understanding move beyond logic and into the body. We explore the idea that distraction can keep us stuck in anxiety cycles, while going through the feeling can lead to freedom, peace, and joy.We distinguish between smaller fears that are easier to avoid and larger life events that cannot be avoided, such as loss, accident, or ending. We suggest experimenting with the smaller situations by choosing the opposite of the usual avoidance response and approaching them with curiosity and a sense of adventure.

We then offer three practical suggestions: slow down, get to neutral and stay curious, and remind ourselves why we want to move through the situation. We emphasize noticing when we have gone back to old patterns without judgment, resetting, and trying again.We close by returning to the main questions about what lies beyond discomfort and how moving through it can open the way to what we are looking for.

#Anxiety #AnxietyRelief #PanicAttacks #MentalHealth #EmotionalWellness #FindingJoy #Discomfort #CopingMechanisms #SelfImprovement #PersonalGrowth #Mindfulness #JournalPrompts #SelfCare #StressManagement #Vulnerability #OvercomingFear #MindsetShift #HealingJourney #SelfAwareness #Resilience #Podcast #AnxietyCoachesPodcast #Episode400 #Milestone #4MillionDownloads #Gratitude #CommunitySupport #Awareness #Presence #Acceptance #FeelYourFeelings #EmotionalRegulation #InnerStrength #PersonalTransformation #MentalClarity #SlowDown #BeCurious #NonJudgment #EmotionalFreedom #LifeLessons #Quotes #FranklinDRoosevelt #Aloha #Peace #WellBeing #MentalHealthAwareness #StressRelief #SelfReflection #Journaling #SelfDiscovery #GinaRyan

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Today, Coach Gina takes a look at how we drop into isolation and how it can work against us as we move through the phases of clearing anxiety-panic.

Today's tip for making progress is to go on a weekly adventure: museum, zoo, train ride, etc, over time you can go to bigger things (such as a concert). A part time job, a church, a hobby, all could be useful.

Stillpoint Fridays is my once-a-week Friday note — a slower, more personal reflection that’s different from what I share on the podcast.

If you’d like a quiet place to land as the week winds down, you can join here:  http://eepurl.com/bR2F9P or on our website anxietycoachespodcast.com and sign up for the newsletter.

Please visit our Sponsor Page to find all the links and codes for our awesome sponsors! https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com/sponsors/

Website https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com

Join our community Group Coaching Join our Group Coaching Full or Mini Membership Program

1:1 Coaching Learn more about our One-on-One Coaching

If you prefer to listen AD-FREE, try our Supercast premium access membership:

Learn more about anxiety What is anxiety?

Free Guided Meditation for Calming Your Anxious Mind 10-Minute Body-Scan Meditation for Anxiety

Quote:

It is true that we are called to create a better world. But we are first of all called to a more immediate and exalted task: that of creating our own lives.

-Thomas Merton

Chapters

0:28 Start Small, Expand Slowly

4:59 Gentle Steps Outward

8:42 Rebuilding Confidence

10:38 Facing Triggers Safely

12:30 Grocery Store Practice

14:11 Fun Without Pressure

15:48 Creating Your Own Life

Summary

In this episode we talk about how fear and courage can spread through the people and environments around us, and how what we surround ourselves with can affect healing from anxiety and panic. We look at how easy it is to become more isolated over time, especially when stress, depression, trauma, or exhaustion lead us to withdraw.We discuss using the internet and daily routines more intentionally, including checking what groups, news, and media we spend time with. 

Rather than retreating further, we encourage small steps toward connection and activity, while recognizing that some people are more introverted and need solitude to recharge.We also focus on moving out of isolation slowly and mindfully. We suggest starting with very small goals, such as moving around the house, going to the porch, mailbox, driveway, or nearby street, and then expanding gradually. If a step feels too big or triggers anxiety, we talk about treating it as a sign to slow down rather than as failure.The episode extends this approach to other parts of life, including news, entertainment, music, and shopping. 

We suggest choosing calmer news sources, gentler shows, peaceful music, and using places like the grocery store as practice spaces for gradual exposure. We also encourage sitting with uncomfortable sensations, reminding ourselves that they are not dangerous, and planning small enjoyable outings with no pressure or goal beyond doing them.

#AnxietyRecovery #MentalHealthSupport #ExposureTherapy #AnxietyRelief #GentleHealing #SmallSteps #OvercomingIsolation #SelfCompassion #MindfulnessForAnxiety #EmotionalWellness #AnxietyCoachesPodcast #SelfCareJourney #StressManagement #CourageOverFear #MentalHealthAwareness #InnerPeace #BuildingResilience #SelfTrust #PacingYourself #AnxietyManagement #MindfulLiving #CalmingTools #OvercomingFear #EmotionalSafety #MentalWellbeing #HealingPath #AnxietyHelp #IsolationRecovery #AnxietyCommunity #HealingIsALearningProcess #GinaRyan #ACP

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In today's episode, Gina concludes her series on Claire Weekes' anxiety clearing process with reflections on what Dr. Weekes may have thought about the role of social media for people suffering with anxiety. The internet has held many benefits for people with anxiety, including learning about others who have a similar experience and how to remedy these aversive symptoms. It is quite clear the internet and social media can exacerbate anxiety substantially, as well. Listen in for advice on how to take the good and leave the bad with the internet and social media, as well as thoughts on what Claire Weekes might say about our situation today.

Stillpoint Fridays is my once-a-week Friday note — a slower, more personal reflection that’s different from what I share on the podcast.

If you’d like a quiet place to land as the week winds down, you can join here:  http://eepurl.com/bR2F9P or on our website anxietycoachespodcast.com and sign up for the newsletter.

Please visit our Sponsor Page to find all the links and codes for our awesome sponsors! https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com/sponsors/

Website https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com

Join our community Group Coaching Join our Group Coaching Full or Mini Membership Program

1:1 Coaching Learn more about our One-on-One Coaching

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Learn more about anxiety What is anxiety?

Free Guided Meditation for Calming Your Anxious Mind 10-Minute Body-Scan Meditation for Anxiety

Quote:

Let time pass.

-Claire Weekes

Chapters

0:27 Final Claire Weeks Insights

2:35 Social Media and Anxiety

6:27 Comparing Recoveries Online

10:02 Doomscrolling and Symptom Checks

11:59 Recovery Influencers Trap

15:10 Back to Simplicity

18:34 Don’t Perform Recovery

20:16 Recovery Means Living

Summary

In this final episode of the 12-part Claire Weeks series, we revisit her ideas through a modern lens and define her term “nervous fatigue” as the exhaustion that comes from prolonged fear and tension. We also reflect on how her approach would apply to today’s online anxiety culture, while noting that this is speculative.We discuss how the internet can be helpful for people with anxiety by reducing shame, offering community, and pointing listeners to useful resources. 

At the same time, we consider how searching, scrolling, and constant reassurance-seeking can become part of the anxiety cycle by teaching the brain that discomfort must be answered immediately.We look at how comparing our recovery to other people’s online stories can create pressure and a sense of falling behind. We also talk about doom scrolling, symptom videos, and recovery accounts, and how repeated attention to symptoms and danger can intensify fear and keep the nervous system on alert.

The episode closes by reviewing the main ideas from the series: sensitized nerves, first fear and second fear, acceptance, floating, letting time pass, and reducing symptom monitoring and reassurance seeking. The central message is to simplify, return attention to ordinary life, and avoid turning recovery into another performance.

#Anxiety #AnxietyRecovery #ClaireWeeks #DrClaireWeeks #MentalHealth #AnxietyRelief #PanicAttacks #NervousFatigue #Burnout #StressRelief #HealthAnxiety #OvercomingAnxiety #Mindfulness #MentalHealthAwareness #SocialMediaDetox #Doomscrolling #InnerPeace #SelfCare #MentalWellness #SelfHealing #AnxietySupport #NervousSystem #AnxietyManagement #StressManagement #AnxietyCoachesPodcast #GinaRyan #Aloha #HealingJourney #MentalHealthMatters #FindYourCalm #ACP

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In today's episode, Gina continues her series on Claire Weekes' anxiety clearing methods. Specifically, how to begin to embrace anxiety sensations, rather than pushing them away in fear, is covered. This important practice can result in fast progress being made in anxiety recovery. Listen in and expand your knowledge of Claire Weekes and start reducing your anxiety!

Stillpoint Fridays is my once-a-week Friday note — a slower, more personal reflection that’s different from what I share on the podcast.

If you’d like a quiet place to land as the week winds down, you can join here:  http://eepurl.com/bR2F9P or on our website anxietycoachespodcast.com and sign up for the newsletter.

Please visit our Sponsor Page to find all the links and codes for our awesome sponsors! https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com/sponsors/

Website https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com

Join our community Group Coaching Join our Group Coaching Full or Mini Membership Program

1:1 Coaching Learn more about our One-on-One Coaching

If you prefer to listen AD-FREE, try our Supercast premium access membership:

Learn more about anxiety What is anxiety?

Free Guided Meditation for Calming Your Anxious Mind 10-Minute Body-Scan Meditation for Anxiety

Quote:

Do not run away from fear. Analyze it and see it as no more than a physical feeling.

-Claire Weekes

Chapters

0:27 Panic Is Exaggerated Fear

3:38 Sensations Aren’t the Emergency

5:38 Adrenaline and the Heart

9:11 Tingling and Derealization

12:36 The Digestive Anxiety Loop

15:28 From Detective to Observer

16:46 Let It Be for a Minute

19:31 Learning Through Experience

22:30 Keep Living Anyway

Summary

In this episode we continue our 12-part series on Dr. Claire Weekes through a modern Anxiety Coaches Podcast lens. We focus on the idea that panic is only fear exaggerated, and we frame panic as a high-arousal stress response rather than something mysterious or dangerous.We look at common anxiety sensations in the body, including a racing heart, tingling, nausea, shaky legs and hands, adrenaline surges, and derealization. 

We discuss how these sensations feel very real, but how the frightened mind often adds a second layer of fear by interpreting them as emergencies.We revisit Claire Weekes’ distinction between first fear and second fear. First fear is the automatic body response, while second fear is the alarm reaction to the sensation itself. We emphasize that recovery comes less from eliminating every sensation and more from changing how we respond when they appear.We also talk about the role of monitoring, checking, and reassurance-seeking. 

Whether it is checking the pulse, investigating tingling, or repeatedly testing whether things feel real, we describe these habits as keeping attention fixed on the symptoms. Instead, we practice allowing sensations to be present for a short time without interfering.We close with a simple exercise: when a familiar anxiety sensation shows up, ask whether we can let it be here for another minute, soften the body where possible, and return attention to daily life. The episode ends by returning to Claire Weekes’ message that we do not need to run away from fear, but can see it as a physical feeling and keep living.

#anxiety #panic #panicattack #claireweeks #mentalhealth #anxietyrecovery #stressresponse #anxietyrelief #mindfulness #nervoussystem #firstfear #secondfear #adrenaline #heartpalpitations #derealization #depersonalization #anxietyawareness #anxietysupport #mentalhealthmatters #copingmechanisms #anxietysymptoms #selfcare #wellness #podcast #anxietycoachespodcast #ginaryan #healing #overcominganxiety #stressrelief #sensation acceptance #exposure #bodyawareness #observer #innerpeace #calm #mentalwellness #holistichealth #emotionalhealth #mindbody #ACP

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In today's episode, Gina continues her discussion of Claire Weekes' approach to anxiety clearing, particularly how nervous system exhaustion can manifest and how to proceed with anxiety clearing gradually. Anxiety recovery is generally a slow and uneven process, even boring. Letting go of constant monitoring and checking for anxiety can help us pivot into a general state of anxiety recovery, allowing sensations as they present themselves and continuing with our daily living activities. We grow more accustomed to adverse sensations over time and become more resilient. Listen in today.

Stillpoint Fridays is my once-a-week Friday note — a slower, more personal reflection that’s different from what I share on the podcast.

If you’d like a quiet place to land as the week winds down, you can join here:  http://eepurl.com/bR2F9P or on our website anxietycoachespodcast.com and sign up for the newsletter.

Please visit our Sponsor Page to find all the links and codes for our awesome sponsors! https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com/sponsors/

Website https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com

Join our community Group Coaching Join our Group Coaching Full or Mini Membership Program

1:1 Coaching Learn more about our One-on-One Coaching

If you prefer to listen AD-FREE, try our Supercast premium access membership:

Learn more about anxiety What is anxiety?

Free Guided Meditation for Calming Your Anxious Mind 10-Minute Body-Scan Meditation for Anxiety

Quote:

Summary

0:27 Anxiety Recovery Is Boring

1:53 Quiet Progress Counts

4:59 Claire Weekes’ Gentle Approach

8:18 Ordinary Mornings Matter

11:33 Live Before Confidence

15:05 Notice Recovery Backward

16:18 Safety Without Alarm

18:01 Living With Anxiety

19:55 Let Time Pass

21:02 Recovery Feels Like Nothing

23:17 Life Returns Slowly

Summary

In this episode we continue our series on Dr. Claire Weekes through the Anxiety Coaches Podcast lens, focusing on her approach to anxiety recovery alongside current understanding of the brain and nervous system. We explain her idea that “you are not ill, you are tired,” using it to describe nervous system exhaustion rather than disease.We explore the idea that recovery is often boring and gradual rather than dramatic. 

Instead of a sudden breakthrough, we usually notice small stretches of ordinary life where anxiety is less central, such as making breakfast, driving, or talking to someone without focusing on symptoms.We discuss how repeated checking, monitoring, and fear can keep anxiety important in the brain. By continuing with ordinary activities while allowing sensations to be present, we give the nervous system new information that these sensations are not emergencies.We also talk about the common habit of turning recovery into a performance, with rules around acceptance, floating, exposure, or meditation. 

The episode emphasizes that we do not need to do these perfectly, but rather reduce interference and let attention return to life.Another key point is that confidence often comes after action, not before it. We encourage starting small and living while still anxious, such as going to the store, taking a walk, or making plans, so that confidence can build from experience.We also explain that progress is uneven and may only become visible in hindsight.

#AnxietyCoachesPodcast #GinaRyan #ClaireWeeks #AnxietyRecovery #MentalHealth #NervousSystemHealing #AnxietyRelief #PanicAttackHelp #AcceptanceAndCommitment #FloatAndLetTimePass #Mindfulness #MentalHealthAwareness #StressRelief #OvercomingAnxiety #Overarousal #NervousSystemRegulation #MorningAnxiety #GentleExposure #HealthAnxiety #SelfHealing #InnerCalm #PeaceOfMind #MentalWellness #SelfCare #BrainNeuroplasticity #Neuroscience #EmotionalWellbeing #HealingIsBoring #OrdinaryRecovery #RecoveryJourney #ACP

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In today's episode, Gina discusses Claire Weekes' thoughts on setbacks in the anxiety recovery process. Difficult days are a part of the anxiety recovery process. Even after much progress and periods of peace and calm, we are bound to experience the return of angst and discomfort. The key is to not let such bumps in the road lead to a loss of hope or a belief that we are on the right path towards more peace and groundedness. Listen in for more thoughts about setbacks during anxiety recovery and why they do not mean you are not getting better!

Stillpoint Fridays is my once-a-week Friday note — a slower, more personal reflection that’s different from what I share on the podcast.

If you’d like a quiet place to land as the week winds down, you can join here:  http://eepurl.com/bR2F9P or on our website anxietycoachespodcast.com and sign up for the newsletter.

Please visit our Sponsor Page to find all the links and codes for our awesome sponsors! https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com/sponsors/

Website https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com

Join our community Group Coaching Join our Group Coaching Full or Mini Membership Program

1:1 Coaching Learn more about our One-on-One Coaching

If you prefer to listen AD-FREE, try our Supercast premium access membership:

Learn more about anxiety What is anxiety?

Free Guided Meditation for Calming Your Anxious Mind 10-Minute Body-Scan Meditation for Anxiety

Quote:

Let time pass. It is the great healer.

-Dr. Claire Weekes 

Chapters

0:27 Setbacks Aren’t Square One

2:30 Stop Perfecting Recovery

8:39 Homework Becomes a Trap

11:05 Techniques Can’t Guarantee Safety

12:56 Chasing Certainty Never Ends

15:01 You’re Not Back at the Start

17:17 Recovery Is a Relationship

18:48 Continue, Don’t Restart

Summary

In this episode we talk about what a setback means in anxiety recovery and why it does not mean we have lost our progress. We explain that a difficult day, a return of anxiety, or a panic attack does not send us back to square one.We use Claire Weekes’s terms “sensitized nerves” and “loosen your grip” to describe a nervous system stuck in alarm mode and the need to stop over-controlling sensations. 

We connect this to the idea that recovery is about trusting our body and mind to heal over time.We look at common patterns that make recovery feel harder, including perfectionism, making recovery into homework, collecting techniques, and chasing certainty. We note that practices like breathing, meditation, grounding, and journaling can be helpful, but they become burdensome when we treat them as required for safety.We also describe a more helpful response: continuing ordinary life while anxiety is present, rather than waiting for total calm first. 

We emphasize that recovery is rarely linear, that nervous systems react to many stressors, and that familiar fear does not mean we have forgotten how to heal.We close by returning to Claire Weekes’s approach as a relationship with fear rather than a performance. We encourage patience, allowing time to pass, and continuing without starting over, while remembering that recovery is measured by our growing willingness not to organize life around fear.

#Anxiety #AnxietyRecovery #AnxietySupport #AnxietyRelief #PanicAttacks #PanicAttackRecovery #Setbacks #RecoveryIsNotLinear #NervousSystem #NervousSystemHealing #OveractiveAmygdala #Hypervigilance #ClaireWeeks #FaceAcceptFloat #LetTimePass #SensitizedNerves #LoosenYourGrip #SelfRegulation #MindBody #MindBodyConnection #SelfTrust #HealingJourney #RecoveryJourney #Perfectionism #MentalHealth #MentalHealthAwareness #MentalHealthPodcast #AnxietyCoachesPodcast #GinaRyan #StressRelief #ChronicStress #SelfCompassion #SelfCare #Mindfulness #MindfulLiving #OvercomingAnxiety #InnerPeace #PeaceAndCalm #EmotionalWellness #MentalWellness #OvercomingFear #LiveWithoutCertainty #GentleHealing #MentalHealthMatters #YouAreNotStartingOver #ACP

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In today's episode, Gina discusses another core Claire Weekes anxiety clearing concept: facing. It is important to remember we can keep on living even when anxious feelings are present. Being able to turn towards either sensations or situations that make us uncomfortable and live through them is a key component to facing and to clearing anxiety in general. Listen in to learn more about Claire Weekes' facing and improve your anxiety clearing progress today!

Stillpoint Fridays is my once-a-week Friday note — a slower, more personal reflection that’s different from what I share on the podcast.

If you’d like a quiet place to land as the week winds down, you can join here:  http://eepurl.com/bR2F9P or on our website anxietycoachespodcast.com and sign up for the newsletter.

Please visit our Sponsor Page to find all the links and codes for our awesome sponsors! https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com/sponsors/

Website https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com

Join our community Group Coaching Join our Group Coaching Full or Mini Membership Program

1:1 Coaching Learn more about our One-on-One Coaching

If you prefer to listen AD-FREE, try our Supercast premium access membership:

Learn more about anxiety What is anxiety?

Free Guided Meditation for Calming Your Anxious Mind 10-Minute Body-Scan Meditation for Anxiety

Quote:

You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, ‘I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.’ 

-Eleanor Roosevelt

Chapters

0:27 Welcome Back to Gentle Living

2:18 Living Before Anxiety Leaves

6:48 Willingness and Values

11:35 Do Life Gently

13:08 Confidence Follows Action

16:18 Relearning Safety

18:46 Reclaiming Life Slowly

22:29 Eleanor Roosevelt’s Courage

Summary

In this episode we continue exploring Dr. Claire Weekes’ approach to anxiety recovery and focus on the idea that life cannot always wait for anxiety to disappear. We discuss willingness, values, and the importance of taking gentle action even while uncomfortable feelings are present.We look at the common habit of postponing life until we feel calmer, more confident, or more rested, and how this can gradually shrink our world. 

We explain that recovery does not require getting rid of anxiety first, but learning to participate in life with anxiety along for the ride.We discuss Claire Weekes’ term “facing,” which we describe as gently turning toward feared sensations or situations instead of avoiding them. We contrast this with forcing, white-knuckling, or fighting anxiety, and emphasize that the goal is to move forward in manageable steps.We then connect this to values, describing values as qualities such as connection, kindness, health, creativity, or service. 

We show how values can guide small actions, such as meeting a friend briefly, walking for a few minutes, or returning to a hobby, without needing perfect comfort.We also talk about confidence, explaining that it usually follows action rather than coming before it. We note that each small, willing step gives the nervous system new evidence that discomfort can be carried, and that healing and living can happen together.

#Anxiety #AnxietyCoachesPodcast #GinaRyan #DrClaireWeekes #ClaireWeekes #MentalHealth #AnxietyRecovery #FacingFear #ExposureTherapy #GentleExposure #ApproachBehavior #Willingness #ValuesBasedLiving #NervousSystemHealing #OvercomingAnxiety #PanicAttackRecovery #HealthAnxiety #Agoraphobia #IntrusiveThoughts #BuildingConfidence #SelfCompassion #Mindfulness #MentalWellness #SelfCare #EmotionalHealing #ACTTherapy #StressRelief #SelfGrowth #InnerPeace #HealingIsNotLinear #LivingWithAnxiety #MentalHealthAwareness #MentalHealthMatters #OvercomingAvoidance #SmallSteps BigChanges #GentleLiving #MindsetShift #EleanorRooseveltQuotes #AnxietyRelief #InnerCalm #ACP

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In today's episode, Gina discusses Claire Weekes' idea of "the habit of fear" and how anxiety is often largely a learned pattern of sensations, interpretation of these sensations and exaggerated emotional reactions to these sensations and interpretations. Learning to reinterpret anxiety related bodily sensations as not necessarily threatening or dangerous can go a long way to helping us in our anxiety recovery. Listen in and strengthen your ability to interpret bodily sensations and environmental factors in ways that do not signal danger to your body-mind and become more resilient and less anxious today!

Stillpoint Fridays is my once-a-week Friday note — a slower, more personal reflection that’s different from what I share on the podcast.

If you’d like a quiet place to land as the week winds down, you can join here:  http://eepurl.com/bR2F9P or on our website anxietycoachespodcast.com and sign up for the newsletter.

Please visit our Sponsor Page to find all the links and codes for our awesome sponsors! https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com/sponsors/

Website https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com

Join our community Group Coaching Join our Group Coaching Full or Mini Membership Program

1:1 Coaching Learn more about our One-on-One Coaching

If you prefer to listen AD-FREE, try our Supercast premium access membership:

Learn more about anxiety What is anxiety?

Free Guided Meditation for Calming Your Anxious Mind 10-Minute Body-Scan Meditation for Anxiety

Quote:

Do not be bluffed by your feelings.

-Claire Weekes

Chapters

0:27 Habit of Fear

6:14 Don’t Be Bluffed

7:42 Predictive Brain Explained

12:47 New Paths of Recovery

18:04 Learning, Not Just Knowing

22:12 Practical Steps to Respond

25:41 Anxiety Returning Again

Summary

In this episode we explore Claire Weekes’ idea of the “habit of fear” and how anxiety can become a learned pattern through repetition. We discuss how fear may start with a body sensation, a frightening interpretation, and then more physical alarm, until the brain begins to expect danger from similar cues.

We explain that the nervous system can become sensitized and that modern terms such as conditioned responses, neural pathways, and the predictive brain help describe the same process. We look at how the brain makes predictions from past experiences and how those predictions can trigger checking, bracing, avoidance, and reassurance seeking.

We also cover Claire Weekes’s reminder to “not be bluffed by your feelings,” meaning that sensations can feel convincing without actually signaling danger. We discuss how short-term relief can reinforce the old fear pathway, while allowing sensations, thoughts, and uncertainty without reacting helps create a new response.Finally, we emphasize that progress is not measured by never feeling fear again. We focus on returning to ordinary life, reducing monitoring, and noticing when an old alarm is active without treating it as an emergency.

#Anxiety #AnxietyCoachesPodcast #GinaRyan #ClaireWeeks #HabitOfFear #AnxietyRelief #PanicAttack #NervousSystem #NervousSystemRegulation #PredictiveBrain #NeuralPathways #ConditionedResponse #AnxietyRecovery #OvercomingAnxiety #AcceptanceAndCommitment #IntrusiveThoughts #MentalHealth #MentalHealthAwareness #StressRelief #Mindfulness #SelfCare #EmotionalWellness #AnxietySupport #InnerPeace #CalmYourMind #HealYourNervousSystem #BodyAwareness #Overthinking #MentalWellness #HolisticHealth #ACP

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In today's episode, Gina discusses the frequent anxiety related behavior of symptom monitoring and how to overcome it. This is another core aspect of Claire Weekes' anxiety recovery protocol: acceptance, and more emphatically, utter acceptance. Learning to become comfortable with any symptoms anxiety throws at us is very helpful for our anxiety recovery. Utter acceptance of the symptoms can help us do this. Listen in and let go of constant self-monitoring today!

Stillpoint Fridays is my once-a-week Friday note — a slower, more personal reflection that’s different from what I share on the podcast.

If you’d like a quiet place to land as the week winds down, you can join here:  http://eepurl.com/bR2F9P or on our website anxietycoachespodcast.com and sign up for the newsletter.

Please visit our Sponsor Page to find all the links and codes for our awesome sponsors! https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com/sponsors/

Website https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com

Join our community Group Coaching Join our Group Coaching Full or Mini Membership Program

1:1 Coaching Learn more about our One-on-One Coaching

If you prefer to listen AD-FREE, try our Supercast premium access membership:

Learn more about anxiety What is anxiety?

Free Guided Meditation for Calming Your Anxious Mind 10-Minute Body-Scan Meditation for Anxiety

Quote:

Recovery lies in the places you fear. Go to them with utter acceptance and let time pass.

-Dr. Claire Weekes

Chapters

0:27 Utter Acceptance Begins

3:48 The Monitoring Trap

10:20 Body Scans vs Scanning

15:48 Loosening the Checking Habit

20:32 Trust Over Supervision

Summary

In this episode we focus on moving from symptom monitoring toward self-trust through Claire Weekes’ idea of utter acceptance. We explain how this differs from radical acceptance, which is about accepting reality, while utter acceptance means full permission for bodily fear without bracing, checking, or resistance.We talk about how anxiety often keeps us in a cycle of monitoring the body, seeking reassurance, and searching for explanations. 

We describe how attention to sensations like heartbeat, breathing, dizziness, or fatigue can make them feel more urgent, which then increases anxiety and creates more sensations to monitor.We also distinguish anxious body checking from mindful body scanning. A mindful scan is described as curious and non-judgmental, while anxious scanning looks for danger and tries to confirm safety. 

We note that even meditation can become a checking ritual if we use it to test whether we feel better.We then outline practical steps for reducing monitoring: noticing checking habits without judgment, pausing before checking, shifting attention outward, stopping daily comparisons, choosing one checking behavior to loosen, using permission phrases, and allowing progress to be imperfect. The episode closes by emphasizing that the opposite of monitoring is trust, and that we can notice uncertainty and still continue with daily life.

#Anxiety #AnxietyRelief #PanicAttack #AnxietyRecovery #ClaireWeeks #UtterAcceptance #RadicalAcceptance #HealthAnxiety #Interoception #SymptomMonitoring #Mindfulness #NervousSystem #SelfTrust #MentalHealth #MentalHealthAwareness #AnxietySupport #OvercomingAnxiety #BodyScan #DBT #SelfCare #InnerPeace #StressRelief #DropTheStruggle #AnxietyCoachesPodcast #GinaRyan #EmotionalWellness #Mindset #HolisticHealing #Wellness #LetItBe #ACP

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In today's episode, Gina continues her Claire Weekes series with an episode devoted to the often overlooked step in her core clearing protocol: letting time pass. Letting time pass connects importantly with acceptance and floating. The differences between "letting" time pass and "waiting for" time to pass are expanded on. Listen in and come to understand the final letting time pass step in Claire Weekes' anxiety clearing protocol and further your anxiety clearing journey today!

Stillpoint Fridays is my once-a-week Friday note — a slower, more personal reflection that’s different from what I share on the podcast.

If you’d like a quiet place to land as the week winds down, you can join here:  http://eepurl.com/bR2F9P or on our website anxietycoachespodcast.com and sign up for the newsletter.

Please visit our Sponsor Page to find all the links and codes for our awesome sponsors! https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com/sponsors/

Website https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com

Join our community Group Coaching Join our Group Coaching Full or Mini Membership Program

1:1 Coaching Learn more about our One-on-One Coaching

If you prefer to listen AD-FREE, try our Supercast premium access membership:

Learn more about anxiety What is anxiety?

Free Guided Meditation for Calming Your Anxious Mind 10-Minute Body-Scan Meditation for Anxiety

Quote:

Let time pass: do not be impatient with time.

-Claire Weekes

Chapters

0:27 Welcome and Series Focus

4:13 The Meaning of Letting Time Pass

7:54 Recovery Doesn’t Move Straight

9:19 Safety Learning in the Brain

14:05 Stop Symptom Checking

15:11 Practice, Don’t Test

17:21 No Verdict Needed

19:46 Hidden Signs of Growth

22:06 A Gentle Weekly Practice

23:25 Modern Steps to Healing

Summary

In this episode we continue our series on Dr. Claire Weeks and focus on her direction to “let time pass.” We look at how this idea connects with acceptance, floating, and the difference between first fear and second fear, with an emphasis on patience as part of nervous system healing.

We explore what “letting time pass” means in practice and what it is not. It is not waiting for anxiety to disappear, putting life on hold, counting symptoms, or treating recovery as a test. Instead, we keep living ordinary life while allowing sensations and thoughts to come and go without turning each moment into a measurement.

We also discuss why checking symptoms so often can keep anxiety central. We contrast “practice” with “testing,” and we look at how measuring progress too closely can hide deeper change. Progress may show up as continuing with plans, staying in situations longer, returning to the day after a hard moment, and responding with more kindness.We connect Claire Weeks’ advice to modern ideas about threat learning and safety learning. 

Repeated experiences of surviving anxiety without catastrophe give the nervous system new information over time. We note that old alarms can still return, especially when we are tired, stressed, sick, or facing change, but this does not erase what we have learned.We close with a gentle invitation to notice checking, soften the body, and continue with what we are doing. We emphasize that healing is gradual, not linear, and that we do not need to be impatient with time.

#Anxiety #AnxietyRecovery #ClaireWeeks #NervousSystem #MentalHealth #AnxietyRelief #Mindfulness #SelfCompassion #Neuroplasticity #PanicAttack #AnxietySupport #MentalHealthAwareness #LetTimePass #Floating #Acceptance #SymptomMonitoring #OvercomingAnxiety #NervousSystemRegulation #HealingTakesTime #InnerPeace #Calm #MentalWellness #SelfCare #Psychology #AnxietyManagement #StressRelief #SelfHelp #EmotionalWellness #MindsetShift #HealingJourney #GinaRyan #ACP #AnxietyCoachesPodcast

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In today's episode, Gina discusses Claire Weekes' concept of "floating" and how to best understand this step in her anxiety clearing protocol. Floating is a natural companion to the important "acceptance" step and is an essential aspect to clearing anxiety. Being able to float and not respond to the uncomfortable symptoms anxiety throws at us ensures our best path through any anxiety provoking situation. Listen in and master Claire Weekes' "floating"!

Stillpoint Fridays is my once-a-week Friday note — a slower, more personal reflection that’s different from what I share on the podcast.

If you’d like a quiet place to land as the week winds down, you can join here:  http://eepurl.com/bR2F9P or on our website anxietycoachespodcast.com and sign up for the newsletter.

Please visit our Sponsor Page to find all the links and codes for our awesome sponsors! https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com/sponsors/

Website https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com

Join our community Group Coaching Join our Group Coaching Full or Mini Membership Program

1:1 Coaching Learn more about our One-on-One Coaching

If you prefer to listen AD-FREE, try our Supercast premium access membership:

Learn more about anxiety What is anxiety?

Free Guided Meditation for Calming Your Anxious Mind 10-Minute Body-Scan Meditation for Anxiety

Quote:

Do not resist the wave of fear. The less you fear it, the less it will frighten you.

-Dr. Claire Weekes

Chapters

0:27 Floating and Acceptance

4:00 What Floating Means

8:27 Stop Adding Friction

10:42 Nervous System Armor

12:49 Active Willingness

15:21 Move With the Wave

16:17 Floating in Daily Life

17:29 A Calm Practice

19:03 Less Resistance, More Ease

Summary

In this episode we continue our series on Dr. Claire Weeks and focus on her teaching about “floating.” We explain how this term relates to acceptance, allowing sensations, and non-resistance in modern language. We frame floating as stopping the habit of fighting anxiety rather than doing something to anxiety.We use the example of learning to float in water to show how tension and effort can make it harder to stay afloat. In the same way, we describe how anxiety often leads us to brace, clamp down, and try to control symptoms, which adds more strain. 

Floating is presented as softening into the experience instead of tightening against it.We also connect the idea to nervous system responses, describing common signs like shallow breathing, clenched muscles, narrowed attention, and racing thoughts. We suggest small acts of release, such as loosening the jaw, unclenching the hands, and easing tension by just a small amount. Floating is described as active willingness, not passivity.We compare this approach to images like Chinese finger traps, quicksand, and waves in the ocean, where struggle makes the situation worse and cooperation is more effective. 

We then offer simple language to use in difficult moments, such as noticing that sensations are present and returning attention to the next breath or next step.We close with a short practice of relaxing the face, shoulders, hands, and breathing, and imagining resting on calm water. We end by emphasizing that healing comes from changing our relationship with fear, not from winning a battle against it.

#Anxiety #AnxietyRelief #PanicAttacks #ClaireWeeks #FloatingThroughAnxiety #NervousSystem #NervousSystemRegulation #MentalHealth #Mindfulness #Acceptance #RadicalAcceptance #SomaticHealing #AnxietyRecovery #AnxietyCoachesPodcast #GinaRyan #StressRelief #SelfCare #EmotionalRegulation #FightOrFlight #MentalWellness #PeaceAndCalm #HealingJourney #OvercomingAnxiety #StressManagement #SomaticPractices #MindfulLiving #LettingGo #SelfCompassion #InnerPeace #MentalHealthAwareness #ACP

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In today's episode, Gina discusses one of Claire Weekes' most important topics in her anxiety recovery methodology: acceptance. Through liberal application of Weekes' acceptance, individuals with anxiety will improve their anxiety recovery journey. Embracing acceptance of life circumstances automatically reduces resistance. Resistance to what is in our lives is a significant source of our suffering (anxiety related and otherwise). Listen in an strengthen your acceptance practice today!

Stillpoint Fridays is my once-a-week Friday note — a slower, more personal reflection that’s different from what I share on the podcast.

If you’d like a quiet place to land as the week winds down, you can join here:  http://eepurl.com/bR2F9P or on our website anxietycoachespodcast.com and sign up for the newsletter.

Please visit our Sponsor Page to find all the links and codes for our awesome sponsors! https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com/sponsors/

Website https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com

Join our community Group Coaching Join our Group Coaching Full or Mini Membership Program

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If you prefer to listen AD-FREE, try our Supercast premium access membership:

Learn more about anxiety What is anxiety?

Free Guided Meditation for Calming Your Anxious Mind 10-Minute Body-Scan Meditation for Anxiety

Quote:

You are the sky. Everything else- it's just the weather.

-Pema Chödrön 

Chapters

0:27 Welcome to Anxiety Coaches Podcast

1:16 Understanding Acceptance

8:56 What Acceptance Is Not

10:00 Acceptance in Daily Life

13:23 Floating Through Anxiety

15:34 A Simple Acceptance Practice

18:21 Closing Reflection

Summary

In this episode, we continue our discussion of Dr. Claire Weekes’s approach to anxiety, focusing on the meaning of acceptance. We explain that acceptance does not mean giving up, approving of anxiety, or resigning ourselves to it. Instead, it means stopping the struggle with what is already happening in the present moment.

We distinguish between disliking anxiety and fighting it. We note that resistance can add another layer of fear and stress, while willingness can soften the nervous system. We describe acceptance as a posture rather than a feeling, and we use examples such as dizziness, intrusive thoughts, and a racing heart to show the difference between resistance and acceptance in daily life.

We also connect Claire Weekes’s teaching with Pema Chödrön’s ideas about staying present and not hardening against discomfort. We describe acceptance as a form of “floating” through sensations without trying to force them away. This is presented as a way to reduce the second fear and to support nervous system retraining.

We end with practical language and a brief micro-practice: pausing, relaxing the shoulders and jaw, breathing normally, and using willingness phrases such as “I’m willing to let this be here” or “I can float through this moment.” We emphasize that acceptance is a skill that becomes easier with repetition and that it allows healing without adding unnecessary suffering.

#Anxiety #AnxietyRelief #PanicAttacks #ClaireWeeks #DrClaireWeeks #AnxietyRecovery #MentalHealth #MentalHealthAwareness #NervousSystemHealing #Mindfulness #Acceptance #PemaChodron #SelfCompassion #AnxietySupport #OvercomingAnxiety #StressRelief #InnerPeace #MentalWellness #AnxietyCoachesPodcast #GinaRyan #FloatingThroughAnxiety #HealingJourney #SelfCare #MindsetShift #DropTheStruggle #PanicDisorder #HealthAnxiety #Agoraphobia #FightOrFlight #NervousSystemRegulation #VagusNerve #SomaticHealing #ACTTherapy #CognitiveBehavioralTherapy #Overthinking #IntrusiveThoughts #SelfHelp #EmotionalHealing #HolisticHealth #MentalHealthPodcast #PodcastEpisode #WellnessPodcast #MindBodyConnection #CalmYourMind #StressManagement #AnxietyTips #MentalHealthCommunity #NonResistance #InnerCalm #Empathy #ACP

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In today's episode, Gina discusses an important component of Claire Weekes' conception of anxiety: first fear and second fear. First fear is the body's initial alarm response to a threat or other aversive stimulus in the environment. We cannot control first fear. Second fear includes the thoughts and interpretations of the first fear. It is with second fear that anxiety grows into an intense, unpleasant, chronic syndrome. It is also with second fear that we can influence if not outright control our response. Listen in to learn more about this distinction and how to gain better control over second fear and start to eliminate your anxiety today!

Stillpoint Fridays is my once-a-week Friday note — a slower, more personal reflection that’s different from what I share on the podcast.

If you’d like a quiet place to land as the week winds down, you can join here:  http://eepurl.com/bR2F9P or on our website anxietycoachespodcast.com and sign up for the newsletter.

Please visit our Sponsor Page to find all the links and codes for our awesome sponsors! https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com/sponsors/

Website https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com

Join our community Group Coaching Join our Group Coaching Full or Mini Membership Program

1:1 Coaching Learn more about our One-on-One Coaching

If you prefer to listen AD-FREE, try our Supercast premium access membership:

Learn more about anxiety What is anxiety?

Free Guided Meditation for Calming Your Anxious Mind 10-Minute Body-Scan Meditation for Anxiety

Quote:

The experience is not nearly as important as your reaction to the experience. Do not add second fear

-Claire Weekes

Chapters

0:27 First and Second Fear

3:04 Two Arrows of Suffering

5:06 What First Fear Means

7:43 Understanding Second Fear

11:33 Claire Weeks' Four Steps

13:31 Riding the Anxiety Wave

15:13 How Second Fear Grows

16:41 A New Recovery Lens

18:29 Freedom Through Practice

Summary

In this episode, we explore Claire Weekes’ teaching on first fear, second fear, and recovery from anxiety. We discuss how a sudden anxious or panicky reaction is an automatic bodily response, while the added fear about that reaction is what often increases distress.

We explain first fear as the body’s immediate alarm response, with physical sensations such as racing heart, tight chest, dizziness, or shakiness. We note that this response happens before conscious thought and is part of the nervous system’s automatic protective function.

We then focus on second fear, described as the thoughts and interpretations added on top of the initial sensation, such as “what if this gets worse” or “something is wrong with me.” We compare this to the Buddhist parable of two arrows, where the first arrow is the original discomfort and the second is the added reaction that causes more suffering.

We also outline Claire Weekes’ four steps: face, accept, float, and let time pass. These steps are presented as a way to stop adding fear to fear, allow sensations to rise and fall, and give the nervous system time to settle.

Finally, we describe how this approach can apply in everyday situations such as panic in a store, intrusive thoughts, dizziness, or fear of another panic attack. The main point is that recovery comes from changing our relationship to the sensations rather than trying to eliminate them completely.

#FirstFear #SecondFear #ClaireWeeks #FearOfTheFear #ParableOfTwoArrows #TwoArrows #CatastrophicThinking #SecondaryAnxiety #AutomaticResponse #NervousSystemRegulation #FightOrFlight #AdrenalineBurnout #BrainRetraining #SomaticExperiencing #FaceAcceptFloat #LetTimePass #AnxietyRecovery #PanicAttackRecovery #AnxietyRelief #OvercomingAnxiety #PanicDisorder #AgoraphobiaRecovery #HealthAnxiety #IntrusiveThoughts #MindfulnessForAnxiety #NervousSystemHealing #AnxietySupport #PanicRelief #HealingAnxiety #AnxietyTips #NervousSystemReset #SomaticTracking #AnxietyWarrior #MindfulLiving #SelfCompassion #BeGentleWithYourself #RadicalAcceptance #NonResistance #LettingGo #MindBodyConnection #PeaceAndCalm #EmotionalResilience #BuddhistTeachings #MentalWellness #InnerPeace #MentalHealthMatters #AnxietyCoachesPodcast #GinaRyan #ACPPodcast #MentalHealthPodcast #AnxietyCoaches #WellnessPodcast #PodcastMetadata

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In today;s episode, Gina introduces a new series she is doing on the Anxiety Coaches Podcast, devoted to helping update Claire Weekes' anxiety recovery methods to our contemporary vocabulary and world. Specifically in this episode, the point that anxiety recovery is not about eliminating fear but adapting how we come to meet fear, is emphasized. Listen in for more discussion about Claire Weekes' work and what to expect in upcoming episodes!

Stillpoint Fridays is my once-a-week Friday note — a slower, more personal reflection that’s different from what I share on the podcast.

If you’d like a quiet place to land as the week winds down, you can join here:  http://eepurl.com/bR2F9P or on our website anxietycoachespodcast.com and sign up for the newsletter.

Please visit our Sponsor Page to find all the links and codes for our awesome sponsors! https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com/sponsors/

Website https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com

Join our community Group Coaching Join our Group Coaching Full or Mini Membership Program

1:1 Coaching Learn more about our One-on-One Coaching

If you prefer to listen AD-FREE, try our Supercast premium access membership:

Learn more about anxiety What is anxiety?

Free Guided Meditation for Calming Your Anxious Mind 10-Minute Body-Scan Meditation for Anxiety

Quote:

Recovery lies in the way we meet fear, not in the absence of fear.

-Claire Weekes

Chapters

0:27 Claire Weeks Rediscovered

Summary

In this episode, we begin a new series revisiting the work of Dr. Claire Weekes and her ideas about anxiety recovery. We discuss why her books have been influential over the years and how her observations continue to fit with later language about nervous system regulation, neuroplasticity, and trauma-informed care.

We focus on the idea that recovery is not about eliminating fear, but about how we meet it. We introduce some of Weekes’ terms in modern language, including “nervous illness” as a broad description for anxiety, panic, health anxiety, and chronic stress-related symptoms.

We also address a common misunderstanding of Weekes’ advice. Rather than treating “face, accept, float, and let time pass” as a checklist or technique, we frame them as a different relationship to experience. The emphasis is on stopping the fight with anxiety and learning not to treat every symptom as an emergency.

We connect this to modern neuroscience by explaining that repeated alarm teaches the nervous system to keep noticing the same sensations and thoughts. We then outline topics we will explore in future episodes, including first fear and second fear, acceptance, floating, letting time pass, and why reassurance and self-monitoring can keep anxiety going.

The episode closes with a reflection on asking, “How do I want to relate to this moment?” instead of “What technique should I use?” We return to the idea that recovery unfolds gradually as we become less afraid of our own experience.

#AnxietyRecovery #ClaireWeeks #NervousSystemRegulation #AnxietyCoachesPodcast #HopeAndHelpForYourNerves #FloatAndLetTimePass #MentalHealthMatters #Mindfulness #PanicDisorder #GeneralizedAnxiety #OvercomingAnxiety #NervousSystemHealing #Neuroplasticity #PanicAttackRelief #ChronicAnxiety #InnerPeace #StressManagement #TraumaInformedCare #HealingJourney #MentalHealthPodcast #CalmYourMind #MindBodyConnection #AnxietySupport #EmotionalWellbeing #GinaRyan

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's episode we have a listener question from the Send Voicemail Tab on our website. Kellie asks about how to deal with building anxiety when in a social setting.

Stillpoint Fridays is my once-a-week Friday note — a slower, more personal reflection that’s different from what I share on the podcast.

If you’d like a quiet place to land as the week winds down, you can join here:  http://eepurl.com/bR2F9P or on our website anxietycoachespodcast.com and sign up for the newsletter.

Please visit our Sponsor Page to find all the links and codes for our awesome sponsors! https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com/sponsors/

Website https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com

Join our community Group Coaching Join our Group Coaching Full or Mini Membership Program

1:1 Coaching Learn more about our One-on-One Coaching

If you prefer to listen AD-FREE, try our Supercast premium access membership:

Learn more about anxiety What is anxiety?

Free Guided Meditation for Calming Your Anxious Mind 10-Minute Body-Scan Meditation for Anxiety

Quote:

We don't receive wisdom; we must discover it for ourselves after a journey that no one can take for us or spare us. 

-Marcel Proust

Chapters

0:27 SpeakPipe Question

3:31 Social Anxiety Tools

7:22 Relax the Body

12:46 Stop Adding Fuel

16:20 Shake It Out

19:06 Proust’s Wisdom

Summary

In this episode, we speak about a listener question from Kelly, who describes living with long-term anxiety that has affected work, driving, being alone, and social situations. We focus on what to do when anxiety rises in the middle of everyday settings where it is not practical to step away and process it privately.

We explain that the main practice is to prepare in quieter moments, especially during meditation or other practice time, so acceptance and “floating” become more familiar. When anxiety shows up in the moment, we suggest noticing the body’s signals and using physical relaxation as a cue of safety.

We describe simple techniques such as tensing and releasing muscles, relaxing the shoulders, jaw, hands, feet, and legs, and using small movements or shaking out tension when appropriate. The point is to send the brain a message that there is no immediate danger, rather than trying to force away thoughts.

We also address the tendency to add a second layer of distress by worrying about how we look, whether others notice, or whether we can get through the situation. We encourage noticing that extra self-criticism and not feeding it, since that can intensify the anxiety.

Finally, we emphasize that repeated practice makes these responses easier to access in daily life. The episode closes with a quote about discovering wisdom through our own journey.

#Anxiety #AnxietyRelief #SocialAnxiety #AnxietyCoachesPodcast #GinaRyan #StressManagement #MentalHealth #Meditation #Mindfulness #CopingStrategies #RelaxationTechniques #ProgressiveMuscleRelaxation #PettingTheLizard #Amygdala #FightOrFlight #SelfCare #EmotionalWellness #SecondArrow #AnxiousThoughts #CopingWithAnxiety #SocialAnxietyTips #PhysicalRelaxation #Calm #Peace #NervousSystemRegulation #SomaticTracking #PublicAnxiety #GroundingTechniques #MentalHealthAwareness #AnxietySupport #CopingMechanisms #SelfCompassion

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In today's episode, Gina shares a number of affirmations designed especially for when we are feeling anxiety around time pressure, urgency and the feeling of being behind in our lives. Repeating these affirmations to ourselves throughout the day can take advantage of a shaping and adaptation process our body and mind undergo based on what we give our attention. Use these affirmations throughout the day and begin to adapt your mind and body to a better, more peaceful life today!

Stillpoint Fridays is my once-a-week Friday note — a slower, more personal reflection that’s different from what I share on the podcast.

If you’d like a quiet place to land as the week winds down, you can join here:  http://eepurl.com/bR2F9P or on our website anxietycoachespodcast.com and sign up for the newsletter.

Please visit our Sponsor Page to find all the links and codes for our awesome sponsors! https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com/sponsors/

Website https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com

Join our community Group Coaching Join our Group Coaching Full or Mini Membership Program

1:1 Coaching Learn more about our One-on-One Coaching

If you prefer to listen AD-FREE, try our Supercast premium access membership:

Learn more about anxiety What is anxiety?

Free Guided Meditation for Calming Your Anxious Mind 10-Minute Body-Scan Meditation for Anxiety

Quote:

The trouble is, you think you have time.

-Jack Kornfield 

Chapters

0:27 Affirmations and Anxiety

4:48 Bridge Thoughts for Calm

8:05 Gentle Phrases to Try

10:58 Summer Slows the Pace

14:09 Repeat to Reassure

Summary

In this episode we talk about affirmations and how we can use them in a more grounded way, especially when we feel time pressure, urgency, and a constant sense of being behind. We explain that our mind is already repeating messages all day, and that many of those messages increase tension in the body.

We discuss why affirmations are not meant to deny reality or force overly positive statements. Instead, we use them to gently shift attention toward thoughts that the nervous system can actually स्वीकार or tolerate, because repeated attention can shape perception and the body’s response.

We focus on starting with believable phrases that feel possible rather than overwhelming. Examples include taking things one moment at a time, being with a feeling and still breathing, or learning to slow down. We describe these as bridge thoughts that soften internal pressure instead of creating more resistance.

We also talk about practicing this in daily life without treating it like another task. The aim is to notice urgency when it shows up, introduce steadier thoughts, and create a little more space between reactions. We close with a set of gentle affirmations and encourage noticing how they feel in the body.

#anxiety, #mindfulness, #affirmations, #podcast, #mentalhealth, #calm, #selfcare, #personalgrowth, #stressrelief, #relaxation, #healing, #meditation, #peace, #wellness, #mentalwellness, #innerpeace, #anxietyrelief, #selflove, #gentleliving, #slowdown, #mindfulliving, #nervoussystem, #timepressure, #urgency, #breath, #practices, #support, #coaching, #aloha, #jackkornfield, #anxietycoachespodcast, #ginaryan, #bridgethoughts, #safetypatterns, #nervoussystemregulation, #stoprushing, #presentmoment, #summercalm, #mentalspace, #overcomingurgency #ACP

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In today's episode, Gina discusses the role of time in our anxiety healing journey, and specifically, our thoughts and perceptions of time. Urgency and the role of technology, constant notifications and information overload in exacerbating our anxiety are important factors discussed in this show. Listen in for tools and strategies you can use to reduce the effects of these factors that seem to rob us of our time and space. Start feeling better today!

Stillpoint Fridays is my once-a-week Friday note — a slower, more personal reflection that’s different from what I share on the podcast.

If you’d like a quiet place to land as the week winds down, you can join here:  http://eepurl.com/bR2F9P or on our website anxietycoachespodcast.com and sign up for the newsletter.

Please visit our Sponsor Page to find all the links and codes for our awesome sponsors! https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com/sponsors/

Website https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com

Join our community Group Coaching Join our Group Coaching Full or Mini Membership Program

1:1 Coaching Learn more about our One-on-One Coaching

If you prefer to listen AD-FREE, try our Supercast premium access membership:

Learn more about anxiety What is anxiety?

Free Guided Meditation for Calming Your Anxious Mind 10-Minute Body-Scan Meditation for Anxiety

Quote:

Life is available only in the present moment.

-Thích Nhat Hạnh 

Chapters

0:27 Time and Urgency

3:29 Anxiety Warps Time

8:59 Chronic Urgency Harms Body

11:32 Rhythm Over Rush

14:06 Four Doors Away From Now

15:38 A Practice for Presence

17:23 You Haven't Missed Life

Summary

In this episode we talk about urgency and how it sits beneath much of our anxiety. We reflect on how time pressure has changed over the years, with constant notifications, information overload, and the expectation of being always available making many of us feel perpetually behind.

We explore how anxiety changes our relationship to time. We describe how the mind turns ordinary time into a threat, making us feel that we are running out of time, late in life, or behind in healing. We also note how language such as “I don’t have time” or “I’m killing time” reflects a strained view of time.

We consider the impact of chronic urgency on the body. We say that long-term time stress can affect sleep, digestion, concentration, irritability, inflammation, and overall nervous system activation. We also point out that people often mistake hurry for productivity and live in constant preparation rather than participation.

We offer a different approach based on rhythm and presence. We distinguish healthy planning from rehearsing disaster or replaying regret, and we identify four ways we leave the present: regret, guilt, fear, and urgency. We close with a simple practice of pausing, taking one slow breath, and focusing on what needs attention right now, with the reminder that healing begins when we stop racing toward a future version of ourselves.

#TimeUrgency, #AnxietyCoachesPodcast, #GinaRyan, #NervousSystem, #SlowingDown, #PresentMoment, #AnxietyRelief, #MentalHealth, #Overwhelm, #AlwaysAvailable, #DigitalDetox, #SocialMediaStress, #ComparisonCulture, #HealingJourney, #TimePressure, #Mindfulness, #InnerPeace, #StressManagement, #ChronicStress, #ProductivityTrap, #NatureRhythms, #ThichNhatHanh, #Presence, #MentalWellbeing, #SelfCompassion, #NervousSystemRegulation, #PresentMomentAwareness, #MentalHealthEducation, #DigitalOverwhelm, #ACP

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In today's episode, Gina discusses how feeling stuck in our anxiety recovery journey is inevitable and that it does not mean we are not successfully on the path towards clearing our anxiety. The nervous system learns and changes through repetition and it can be particularly helpful to experience safety repeatedly. Listen in to learn how to teach your nervous system it is safe and start dialing down your anxiety today!

Stillpoint Fridays is my once-a-week Friday note — a slower, more personal reflection that’s different from what I share on the podcast.

If you’d like a quiet place to land as the week winds down, you can join here:  http://eepurl.com/bR2F9P or on our website anxietycoachespodcast.com and sign up for the newsletter.

Please visit our Sponsor Page to find all the links and codes for our awesome sponsors! https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com/sponsors/

Website https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com

Join our community Group Coaching Join our Group Coaching Full or Mini Membership Program

1:1 Coaching Learn more about our One-on-One Coaching

If you prefer to listen AD-FREE, try our Supercast premium access membership:

Learn more about anxiety What is anxiety?

Free Guided Meditation for Calming Your Anxious Mind 10-Minute Body-Scan Meditation for Anxiety

Quote:

The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change.

-Carl Rogers

Chapters

0:27 Feeling Stuck Isn’t Failure

2:48 Healing Rarely Moves Straight

6:10 Ask What Your Nervous System Needs

9:32 Gentle Ways to Shake Loose

14:38 Borrowing Hope and Measuring Growth

18:05 Remember Your Future Self

19:27 Write Your Own Prescription

Summary

In this episode we talk about feeling stuck in anxiety and why that does not mean we are not healing. We discuss how recovery from anxiety and nervous system stress often happens in uneven, non-linear ways, and how difficult days can make progress feel invisible even when change is still happening.

We look at how the nervous system learns through repetition and can also unlearn patterns through repeated experiences of safety. We explore the idea that resistance often reflects protection rather than laziness, and we consider questions such as whether there is actual danger or only familiar discomfort.

We also share practical ways to support the nervous system gently, including slow walking, stretching, humming, rocking, placing a hand over the heart, feeling the feet on the floor, and using longer exhalations. We discuss small changes like taking a different route, sitting somewhere new, or listening to unfamiliar music as ways to teach the brain that uncertainty is not automatically dangerous.

Finally, we focus on hope, perspective, and self-trust. We suggest borrowing hope from others, reviewing past journal entries, and measuring healing over seasons rather than day by day. We encourage curiosity instead of criticism, noticing signs of progress, and remembering that anxiety is familiar but not identity.

#AnxietyRecovery #AnxietyRelief #AnxietyCoachesPodcast #GinaRyan #FeelingStuck #HealingJourney #NervousSystem #NervousSystemRegulation #MentalHealth #Mindfulness #SelfCompassion #GroundingTechniques #StressManagement #Neuroplasticity #EmotionalHealing #PersonalGrowth #SelfCare #Breathwork #LongExhalations #BodyAwareness #WiseMind #AnxiousMind #JournalingForAnxiety #GentleNovelty #BorrowingHope #ProgressInHindsight #MentalWellness #OvercomingAnxiety #SomaticHealing #CopingMechanisms #CalmAndPeace #InternalSafety #CarlRogers #AcceptanceAndChange #NervousSystemSafety #Resilience #MentalHealthAwareness #EmotionalRegulation #PatienceInHealing #SomaticTracking #InnerPeace #AnxietyManagement #MentalHealthSupport #SelfAcceptance

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In today's episode, Gina discusses depression, both as a condition in its own right and in the context of anxiety. Anxiety can both accompany depression and also lead to depression. Some suggestions for how to handle depression are offered.

Stillpoint Fridays is my once-a-week Friday note — a slower, more personal reflection that’s different from what I share on the podcast.

If you’d like a quiet place to land as the week winds down, you can join here:  http://eepurl.com/bR2F9P or on our website anxietycoachespodcast.com and sign up for the newsletter.

Please visit our Sponsor Page to find all the links and codes for our awesome sponsors! https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com/sponsors/

Website https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com

Join our community Group Coaching Join our Group Coaching Full or Mini Membership Program

1:1 Coaching Learn more about our One-on-One Coaching

If you prefer to listen AD-FREE, try our Supercast premium access membership:

Learn more about anxiety What is anxiety?

Free Guided Meditation for Calming Your Anxious Mind 10-Minute Body-Scan Meditation for Anxiety

Quote:

In the middle of winter I at last discovered that there was in me an invincible summer.

-Albert Camus

Chapters

0:27 What Depression Feels Like

2:53 Physical Signs Emerge

6:02 Recognizing Depression Symptoms

8:52 Hope and Help Ahead

Summary

In this episode we talk about what depression is and how it differs from anxiety and ordinary sadness. We describe depression as a deeply personal experience that can feel overwhelming, with despair affecting thoughts, feelings, and daily functioning.

We explain that depression can reduce energy, focus, motivation, and interest in people or activities. We also note that it can become so constant that other emotions feel unfamiliar, and that it can affect both emotional and physical health.

We cover common physical signs, including changes in appetite, weight loss or overeating, insomnia, poor nutrition, aches and pains, and hygiene difficulties. We also discuss that long-term anxiety can lead to exhaustion and overlapping depression symptoms.

We list symptoms such as severe sadness, hopelessness, irritability, trouble concentrating, worthlessness, guilt, fatigue, and loss of interest. We also stress that depression is serious, treatable, and something we should not face alone.

We talk about how depression can worsen over time, like a snowball, and mention possible triggers such as life events, seasonal change, loss, and illness. We close by encouraging support from therapists, healthcare providers, clergy, family, and friends, and by emphasizing that help and hope are available.

#depression #anxiety #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #anxietycoachespodcast #wellness #selfcare #hope #healing #therapy #youarenotalone #endthestigma #mindset #health #psychology #insomnia #chronicpain #motivation #aloha #albertcamus #innerstrength #recovery #mentalhealthmatters #depressionawareness #anxietyrelief #overcomingdepression #mentalhealthsupport #breakthesilence #copingmechanisms #grief #sadness #hopelessness #emotionalexhaustion #wellnessjourney #selflove #holistichealth #mindbody #reachout #itsaytodnotbeay #supportsystems #ACP #GinaRyan #AnxietyCoachesPodcast

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In today's episode, Gina shares the last part of her interview with listener Diane, who finishes her wisdom and experience from her own anxiety clearing journey and how ACP has helped her along the way. A key part of her message describes the differences between signals from the body and signals from the mind (and the external world). Being able to discern between the two have been very helpful for her. Diane shares a number of other practices that have help her in her anxiety clearing journey, listen in and try them out for yourself!

Stillpoint Fridays is my once-a-week Friday note — a slower, more personal reflection that’s different from what I share on the podcast.

If you’d like a quiet place to land as the week winds down, you can join here:  http://eepurl.com/bR2F9P or on our website anxietycoachespodcast.com and sign up for the newsletter.

Please visit our Sponsor Page to find all the links and codes for our awesome sponsors! https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com/sponsors/

Website https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com

Join our community Group Coaching Join our Group Coaching Full or Mini Membership Program

1:1 Coaching Learn more about our One-on-One Coaching

If you prefer to listen AD-FREE, try our Supercast premium access membership:

Learn more about anxiety What is anxiety?

Free Guided Meditation for Calming Your Anxious Mind 10-Minute Body-Scan Meditation for Anxiety

Quote:

It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.

-Confucius 

Chapters

0:27 Recovery Starts with the Body

3:10 Gentle Advice for Hard Days

6:04 Diane’s Practical Strategies

10:16 Driving Fear and Milestones

11:53 Helpful Resources and Prayers

13:44 Healing Takes Daily Practice

Summary

In this episode, we continue the interview with Diane about her anxiety recovery journey. She describes how she would tell her earlier self to start with the body first, including seeing a doctor, reducing news exposure, and using medication to get enough physical rest to begin healing.

We then hear the practical steps she used over time: resting in a dark room, getting outside every day, slowing down physically, and returning to short meditation sessions. She explains that repeated listening to calming podcast episodes helped her, and that daily meditation became an important part of managing stress.

Diane also talks about responding to difficult days by taking a big break, rescheduling tasks, and treating anxiety like a physical illness that needs care. She says calmer feels like relaxed muscles and a quieter mind, and she emphasizes that anxiety can create tension in the body and trigger a cycle that must be interrupted through ongoing practice.

She shares a longer list of strategies that supported her recovery, including managing blood sugar, keeping medical and dental appointments, ending contact with people and groups that were not helpful, counting to 90 when alarmed, and building predictable routines. She also reduced media exposure, quit drinking alcohol, established morning silence with tea, gradually changed her bedtime, walked daily, and slowly re-entered social situations and driving after an accident.

Diane closes by naming resources that helped her, including Claire Weekes, the 12 Symptoms of Inner Peace, the Center for Nonviolent Communication emotions list, Thich Nhat Hanh, The Power of Now, and the Serenity Prayer. The episode ends with a reminder that healing usually happens through small daily practices, not sudden change.

#AnxietyRecovery #MentalHealth #AnxietyRelief #Mindfulness #Meditation #SelfCare #NervousSystemRegulation #PanicAttack #HealingJourney #InnerPeace #StressManagement #SlowDown #MentalWellness #Boundaries #HealthyRoutines #EmotionalHealth #AnxietyCoachesPodcast #OvercomingAnxiety #SoberCurious #PersonalGrowth #BreathingExercises #HolisticHealing #WellnessJourney #ACP #GinaRyan

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In today's episode, Gina shares part one of an interview she conducted with a long time group member and listener of The Anxiety Coaches Podcast. Diane shares her own wisdom and experience in overcoming the worst of her anxiety and how the show helped her do it. Listen in for some simple steps to help you maximize your benefit from listening to the show in your own anxiety clearing journey.

Stillpoint Fridays is my once-a-week Friday note — a slower, more personal reflection that’s different from what I share on the podcast.

If you’d like a quiet place to land as the week winds down, you can join here:  http://eepurl.com/bR2F9P or on our website anxietycoachespodcast.com and sign up for the newsletter.

Please visit our Sponsor Page to find all the links and codes for our awesome sponsors! https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com/sponsors/

Website https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com

Join our community Group Coaching Join our Group Coaching Full or Mini Membership Program

1:1 Coaching Learn more about our One-on-One Coaching

If you prefer to listen AD-FREE, try our Supercast premium access membership:

Learn more about anxiety What is anxiety?

Free Guided Meditation for Calming Your Anxious Mind 10-Minute Body-Scan Meditation for Anxiety

Chapters

0:27 Journey to Calm

5:22 Overload and Recovery

6:55 Safe Haven Found

11:13 Relearning the Tools

14:01 Daily Practices Grow

15:47 Advice for the Overwhelmed

Summary

In this episode, we share a listener interview about anxiety recovery and how it unfolded over time. We focus on a long-term listener named Diane, whose experience shows that healing can happen gradually through repeated listening, small practices, and persistence rather than through a quick fix.

Diane describes a period in early 2020 when several major stressors happened at once, including COVID pneumonia, hospital care, airway problems, a new asthma diagnosis, a car accident, lockdown stress, pre-diabetes, and heavy exposure to news and other stressors. She says she eventually found the podcast while looking for help with anxiety and what she called a nervous breakdown.

We discuss why she kept returning to the show and what made it feel supportive. Diane says the calm, reassuring tone helped her trust the guidance, and that she began with a few suggestions that worked before adding more. She describes the podcast as a safe haven and says she often listened to episodes more than once before fully understanding them.

We also talk about the specific strategies she used. Diane says stopping TV news helped immediately, and that over time she learned to notice tension in her body and calm herself. She uses routines like walking, meditation, regular sleep times, reading, piano, crosswords, and short daily journaling. She also revisits episodes for affirmations, panic support, and ideas like Claire Weekes’ facing, accepting, floating, and letting time pass.

Diane says her understanding of anxiety changed as she saw recovery was possible. She explains that she now sees anxiety as her mind preparing her body for an emergency, even when there is no real emergency. She says the work takes patience and consistency, and that she has become more calm, honest, compassionate, and less fearful.

#AnxietyRecovery #MentalHealth #AnxietyCoachesPodcast #GinaRyan #PanicAttacks #NervousSystem #Mindfulness #HealingJourney #SelfCompassion #StressManagement #Breathwork #Affirmations #Resilience #MentalWellness #EmotionalHealing #ClaireWeekes #HolisticHealing #OvercomingAnxiety #DailyRoutine #Meditation #InnerPeace #SelfCare #PersonalGrowth #MentalHealthAwareness #CopingStrategies #StressRelief #EmotionalWellBeing #WellnessJourney #Calming #MindBodyConnection #ACP

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In today's episode, Gina discusses the important tool of breathwork for calming anxiety. Specifically, breathwork is addressed in the frame of when it goes wrong: sometimes, trying to use breathwork with the wrong idea in mind can make anxiety worse. Listen in for a better understanding of how using breathwork in the wrong ways or at the wrong times can make anxiety worse, and how to use breathwork in a gentler way to help get the most benefit out of it.

Stillpoint Fridays is my once-a-week Friday note — a slower, more personal reflection that’s different from what I share on the podcast.

If you’d like a quiet place to land as the week winds down, you can join here: http://eepurl.com/bR2F9P or on our website anxietycoachespodcast.com and sign up for the newsletter.

Please visit our Sponsor Page to find all the links and codes for our awesome sponsors! https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com/sponsors/

Website https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com

Join our community Group Coaching Join our Group Coaching Full or Mini Membership Program

1:1 Coaching Learn more about our One-on-One Coaching

If you prefer to listen AD-FREE, try our Supercast premium access membership:

Learn more about anxiety What is anxiety?

Free Guided Meditation for Calming Your Anxious Mind 10-Minute Body-Scan Meditation for Anxiety

Quote:

The soft overcomes the hard; the gentle overcomes the rigid.

-Tao Te Ching 

Chapters

0:27 Breathwork Backfires

4:21 Why Breath Control Fails

8:34 The Shame Loop

9:35 Less Control, More Ease

13:55 Clinical Wisdom on Anxiety

14:58 Real-Life Breathing Shift

16:53 Softening the Exhale

Long Summary

In this episode we talk about when breathwork can backfire for anxious people and why controlled breathing sometimes increases stress instead of easing it. We explain that while breath awareness and structured techniques can be helpful for some, they can also become uncomfortable when they turn into a task that must be done correctly.

We describe how practices such as box breathing, 4-7-8 breathing, guided breathing apps, and other counted methods can lead to monitoring, checking, and pressure to perform relaxation. For people with high anxiety and heightened bodily awareness, focusing closely on the breath can amplify sensations like air hunger, chest tightness, dizziness, and muscle tension.

We also discuss the shame that can follow when a technique does not work as expected. Instead of feeling calmer, people may start thinking that something is wrong with them, which adds anxiety about anxiety and can make them give up on helpful practices altogether.

As an alternative, we suggest less control and less effort. We focus on a gentle, slightly longer exhale without counting, tracking, or trying to force calm. The emphasis is on reducing struggle, allowing the breath to soften naturally, and avoiding the expectation that the practice should immediately erase anxiety.

We close by noting that the goal is not perfect calm, but less self-judgment and less internal pressure. We encourage a simple experiment of noticing the next exhale and letting it be a little softer, with the reminder that sometimes the most regulating thing is to stop trying so hard to regulate.

#Anxiety #Breathwork #Mindfulness #PanicAttack #BoxBreathing #NervousSystem #MentalHealth #SomaticHealing #ACTTherapy #StressRelief #SelfCare #OvercomingAnxiety #Interoception #AnxietyCoachesPodcast #GinaRyan #Calm #EmotionalHealth #SelfAcceptance #HealingJourney #HolisticHealth #AirHunger #NervousSystemRegulation #ClaireWeeks #SomaticTracking #HypervigilanceRecovery #AnxietyTips #BreathworkBackfires #Parasympathetic #StopTryingToFixYourself #PermissionToSoften #LessControlMorePeace #AnxietySupport #MentalHealthAwareness #GentleHealing #DropTheStruggle #EmotionalRegulation #ItsOkayToJustBe #MindfulBreathing #SensoryOverload #HealingIsNotLinear #ACP

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In today's episode, Gina discusses health anxiety, especially in the context of the dreaded blood pressure reading at the doctor's office. It is important to remember that the blood pressure reading is simply information and the machine and entire process are not in themselves harmful, though they can be uncomfortable. Listen in for practical tips on how to disrupt the anxiety cycle that can form around blood pressure and other medical testing and start to feel more calm!

Stillpoint Fridays is my once-a-week Friday note — a slower, more personal reflection that’s different from what I share on the podcast.

If you’d like a quiet place to land as the week winds down, you can join here:  http://eepurl.com/bR2F9P or on our website anxietycoachespodcast.com and sign up for the newsletter.

Please visit our Sponsor Page to find all the links and codes for our awesome sponsors! https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com/sponsors/

Website https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com

Join our community Group Coaching Join our Group Coaching Full or Mini Membership Program

1:1 Coaching Learn more about our One-on-One Coaching

If you prefer to listen AD-FREE, try our Supercast premium access membership:

Learn more about anxiety What is anxiety?

Free Guided Meditation for Calming Your Anxious Mind 10-Minute Body-Scan Meditation for Anxiety

Quote:

Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood.

-Marie Curie

Chapters

0:27 White Coat Anxiety

3:58 What It Really Means

7:12 Breaking the Checking Loop

9:01 Numbers Aren’t Judgments

11:49 Calm Before the Reading

14:50 Stop Chasing Perfect Numbers

16:46 Anxiety Before Appointments

18:54 Kindness Over Fear

Summary

In this episode we talk about white coat syndrome and the anxiety many people feel around medical appointments, blood pressure checks, and now also home monitoring. We explain that the nervous system can react with dread, stress, or panic before a reading even begins, and that this response is common and not a sign of weakness.

We look at how medical settings, the cuff, the numbers, and the waiting itself can become linked with danger through repeated fear and anticipation. We also discuss how home monitoring can sometimes extend the stress beyond the doctor’s office, turning what is meant to be useful information into an ongoing cycle of checking and distress.

We then focus on the anxiety loop that can form around blood pressure readings. Repeated checking may feel reassuring for a moment, but it often strengthens fear over time. We note that some people also have true hypertension, and that the goal is not to ignore medical care, but to reduce the tendency to treat every reading as an emergency or a judgment.

We offer practical ways to interrupt the cycle, including treating readings as information rather than a life-or-death event, preparing the nervous system before appointments with breathing, movement, prayer, or other calming practices, and avoiding repeated checks beyond what a physician recommends. We also encourage people to notice the meaning they attach to sensations, allow uncertainty, and return attention to the present moment instead of imagining worst-case outcomes.

We close by reminding listeners that the body is not the enemy and that calm can be practiced gradually. The episode ends with a message of self-kindness and a quote about understanding rather than fearing life.

#Anxiety #WhiteCoatSyndrome #BloodPressureAnxiety #HealthAnxiety #MedicalAnxiety #NervousSystem #StressCycle #PanicAttacks #ReassuranceSeeking #SelfAdvocacy #Mindfulness #BreathingExercises #Relaxation #CopingStrategies #ChronicAnxiety #AnticipationAnxiety #MedicalTrauma #HighBloodPressure #Hypertension #MentalHealth #EmotionalWellness #SelfCare #Compassion #GinaRyan #AnxietyCoachesPodcast #DoctorAppointments #MedicalPhobia #HealthMonitoring #FightOrFlight #HeartPalpitations #AdrenalineRush #SomaticSymptoms #CompulsiveChecking #UncertaintyTolerance #SelfSoothing #NervousSystemRegulation #MedicalGaslighting #PatientAdvocacy #SensoryProcessing #TraumaRespons #ACP

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In today's episode, Gina discusses a common theme of many individual's anxiety: rumination about self-existence and threats and uncertainty surrounding this existence. An interesting idea to consider is that these thoughts and feelings relating to existential anxiety can come up when changes are afoot and old coping patterns are no longer helpful. Listen in for tips and suggestions on how to handle this sort of anxiety and how you can use it (and the recovery tools) to grow into a more resilient, happier and stable you!

Stillpoint Fridays is my once-a-week Friday note — a slower, more personal reflection that’s different from what I share on the podcast.

If you’d like a quiet place to land as the week winds down, you can join here:  http://eepurl.com/bR2F9P or on our website anxietycoachespodcast.com and sign up for the newsletter.

Please visit our Sponsor Page to find all the links and codes for our awesome sponsors! https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com/sponsors/

Website https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com

Join our community Group Coaching Join our Group Coaching Full or Mini Membership Program

1:1 Coaching Learn more about our One-on-One Coaching

If you prefer to listen AD-FREE, try our Supercast premium access membership:

Learn more about anxiety What is anxiety?

Free Guided Meditation for Calming Your Anxious Mind 10-Minute Body-Scan Meditation for Anxiety

Quote:

We can’t calm the storm… so stop trying. What we can do is calm ourselves. The storm will pass.

-Timber Hawkeye 

Chapters

0:27 Existential Anxiety Explained

6:26 Growth Through Unsettling Change

8:47 Return to the Present

12:23 Grounding Practices That Help

16:36 Meaning in Small Moments

19:06 Final Quote on Calm

Summary

In this episode, we focus on existential anxiety and how it can show up as restlessness, dread, overthinking, and questioning of purpose, identity, and direction. We note that many people may feel unsettled, emotionally exhausted, or disconnected, especially in a fast-paced world filled with constant stimulation and comparison.

We discuss how these questions are a deeply human experience and are not a sign that something is wrong. We also describe how, in periods of growth or change, old coping patterns may no longer fit, which can make people feel more unsteady even when they are moving forward.

We explore how the anxious mind pulls us into regret about the past or fear about the future, and we suggest a simple response of noticing thoughts without fighting them. We emphasize that the present moment is where our power is, and that trying to solve everything at once usually increases distress.

We also share grounding practices that can support the nervous system, including meditation, journaling, walking outside without a phone, quiet time, prayer, breathing, nature, creativity, listening deeply, and resting without guilt. We explain that gratitude journaling can help retrain the mind to notice what is nourishing, meaningful, and supportive.

Finally, we reflect on the idea that meaning may be built through presence, kindness, connection, and daily living rather than one single grand purpose. We close by encouraging listeners to breathe, slow down, and remember that they do not need to solve their entire existence tonight.

#Anxiety #ExistentialAnxiety #MentalHealth #Mindfulness #Presence #Meditation #Grounding #NervousSystem #SelfCare #PersonalGrowth #SpiritualAwakening #EmotionalHealth #StressRelief #InnerPeace #CopingMechanisms #SelfReflection #Gratitude #Journaling #HealingJourney #ThomasMerton #TimberHawkeye #AnxietyRelief #SleepAnxiety #Overthinking #EmotionalExhaustion #LifePurpose #Consciousness #MentalWellness #Calming #Relaxation #HolisticHealth #Breathwork #MidlifeCrisis #Identity #SelfDiscovery #MentalClarity #MindfulnessPractice #PsychologicalWellBeing #EmotionalResilience #BurnoutRecovery #StressManagement #IntentionalLiving #SoulSearching #InnerCalm

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In today's episode, Gina discusses urge surfing as a technique for relating to our stress and anxiety differently, interpreting such signals less like immediate emergencies and more like fleeting, temporary conditions. Urges like overthinking, checking, and scrolling are included. We can use urge surfing to observe these often powerful urges, rather then simply reacting to them. Listen in and learn how to use urge surfing to your immediate benefit and give yourself more space and grace.

Stillpoint Fridays is my once-a-week Friday note — a slower, more personal reflection that’s different from what I share on the podcast.

If you’d like a quiet place to land as the week winds down, you can join here:  http://eepurl.com/bR2F9P or on our website anxietycoachespodcast.com and sign up for the newsletter.

Please visit our Sponsor Page to find all the links and codes for our awesome sponsors! https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com/sponsors/

Website https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com

Join our community Group Coaching Join our Group Coaching Full or Mini Membership Program

1:1 Coaching Learn more about our One-on-One Coaching

If you prefer to listen AD-FREE, try our Supercast premium access membership:

Learn more about anxiety What is anxiety?

Free Guided Meditation for Calming Your Anxious Mind 10-Minute Body-Scan Meditation for Anxiety

Quote:

You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.

— Jon Kabat-Zinn

Chapters

0:26 Urge Surfing Explained

4:33 How Urge Surfing Works

9:58 Practicing the Surf

16:34 Start Small, Stay Steady

Summary

In this episode, we discuss urge surfing as a mindfulness-based way to relate differently to anxiety, stress, and uncomfortable emotions. We focus on how this practice can help us stop treating every anxious feeling like an emergency and instead notice it as something temporary.

We talk about the common urges that come with anxiety, such as overthinking, checking, reassurance-seeking, scrolling, avoiding, and trying to escape discomfort. We emphasize that an urge is not the same as an emergency, and that we do not have to act on every impulse the mind produces.

We explain urge surfing by comparing emotions and urges to ocean waves that rise, peak, and fall. We note that much of the suffering comes not only from the feeling itself, but from resisting it, fearing it, or creating a story around it. Urge surfing teaches us to observe instead of reacting immediately.

We also describe how to practice it in daily life: pause, notice the urge, identify where it shows up in the body, use simple words for the sensations, and breathe while allowing the wave to move through. We mention that even short pauses and small moments of awareness can help retrain the nervous system and build self-trust.

We close by encouraging a gentle, gradual approach, especially when the practice feels difficult at first. We remind listeners that healing often happens through repeated small steps, and that we can learn to stay with discomfort instead of automatically fleeing it.

#Anxiety #StressRelief #MentalHealthMatters #Mindfulness #UrgeSurfing #NervousSystemHealing #EmotionalRegulation #SelfCare #WellnessJourney #Healing #Meditation #Calm #InnerPeace #MentalHealthAwareness #PersonalDevelopment #Grounding #MentalWellness #Resilience #SelfGrowth #MindfulLiving #Recovery #OvercomingAnxiety #StressManagement #Psychology #CopingSkills #EmotionalHealth #HolisticHealing #SelfLove #PeaceOfMind #AnxietySupport #Breathe #Presence #Awareness #MentalHealthSupport #HealthyMind #MindBodyConnection #SelfTrust #Podcast #AnxietyCoachesPodcast #Gentleness #Neuroscience #Therapeutic #CalmYourMind #Zen #DailyMindfulness #ACP #GinaRyan #AnxietyCoachesPodcast

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In today's episode, Gina shares a discussion and meditation designed to help you get calm and relax during the most anxious and upsetting moments. This is one of the shows you have been looking for! Use this podcast episode to release tension during those times when you are all wound up! A soothing guided meditation to help guide you out of your most anxious moments is included!

Stillpoint Fridays is my once-a-week Friday note — a slower, more personal reflection that’s different from what I share on the podcast.

If you’d like a quiet place to land as the week winds down, you can join here:  http://eepurl.com/bR2F9P or on our website anxietycoachespodcast.com and sign up for the newsletter.

Please visit our Sponsor Page to find all the links and codes for our awesome sponsors! https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com/sponsors/

Website https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com

Join our community Group Coaching Join our Group Coaching Full or Mini Membership Program

1:1 Coaching Learn more about our One-on-One Coaching

If you prefer to listen AD-FREE, try our Supercast premium access membership:

Learn more about anxiety What is anxiety?

Free Guided Meditation for Calming Your Anxious Mind 10-Minute Body-Scan Meditation for Anxiety

Chapters

0:26 Relaxing Feels Unsafe

2:41 Why Calm Feels Hard

7:24 Gentle Nervous System Safety

10:36 Guided Meditation Begins

12:47 Soften the Body Slowly

16:14 Set the Weight Down

20:24 Coming Home to Calm

Summary

In this episode we explore why relaxing can feel difficult for people with anxiety, even when they want relief. We discuss how chronic stress, overwhelm, trauma, caregiving, burnout, perfectionism, and long-term anxiety can train the nervous system to stay alert and treat slowing down as unsafe.

We look at common responses that can show up when someone tries to rest, meditate, or take a break. These include racing thoughts, restlessness, irritability, shallow breathing, muscle tension, urges to stay busy, and guilt around resting. We emphasize that these reactions do not mean a person is failing at relaxation.

We then focus on the idea of functional survival mode, where a person keeps managing life but does not fully shift into restoration. The episode explains that relaxation cannot be forced through pressure, shame, or overthinking, and that calmer states develop through safety, repetition, compassion, and small physical shifts like softening the jaw, shoulders, and breath.

The second half of the episode offers a guided meditation for moments when it feels hard to let go. We practice noticing the body, breathing gently, acknowledging tension without judgment, and treating the nervous system as a tired protector rather than an enemy. We also repeat supportive reminders about resting, setting down mental weight, and allowing softness without needing to earn calm.

#Anxiety #AnxietyRelief #NervousSystem #NervousSystemRegulation #MentalHealth #Mindfulness #Meditation #GuidedMeditation #StressManagement #ChronicStress #BurnoutRecovery #TraumaHealing #Hypervigilance #Relaxation #SelfCompassion #InnerPeace #EmotionalWellBeing #TraumaInformed #FightOrFlight #VagusNerve #Calming #MentalWellness #HolisticHealth #SelfCare #BreathingExercises #PanicAttacks #Overwhelm #SomaticHealing #DeepRest #PermissionToRest #EmotionalSafety #Overthinking #Perfectionism #PeoplePleasing #MentalExhaustion #MindfulnessPodcast #AnxietyPodcast #GinaRyan #AnxietyCoachesPodcast #MentalHealthAwareness #CopingMechanisms #PsychologicalSafety #GroundingTechniques #BodyAwareness #SomaticExperiencing #StressRelief #SpiritualGrowth #HealingJourney #ACP

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In today's episode, Gina responds to a listener question regarding grief and anxiety. Gina offers strategies for coping with the generally disturbing combination of grief and anxiety, particularly in the case of losing someone close to you. Gina underlines the particular emotions that are exhibited when experiencing grief as well as techniques that can be used to enhance and maintain support and self-care.

Stillpoint Fridays is my once-a-week Friday note — a slower, more personal reflection that’s different from what I share on the podcast.

If you’d like a quiet place to land as the week winds down, you can join here:  http://eepurl.com/bR2F9P or on our website anxietycoachespodcast.com and sign up for the newsletter.

Please visit our Sponsor Page to find all the links and codes for our awesome sponsors! https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com/sponsors/

Website https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com

Join our community Group Coaching Join our Group Coaching Full or Mini Membership Program

1:1 Coaching Learn more about our One-on-One Coaching

If you prefer to listen AD-FREE, try our Supercast premium access membership:

Learn more about anxiety What is anxiety?

Free Guided Meditation for Calming Your Anxious Mind 10-Minute Body-Scan Meditation for Anxiety

Quote:

Grief and gratitude are kindred souls, each pointing to the beauty of what is transient and given to us by grace.

-PATRICIA CAMPBELL CARLSON

Chapters

0:28 Grief and Anxiety Support

3:47 Common Grief Emotions

5:48 Facing Fear and Sadness

8:17 Physical Effects of Grief

10:17 Self-Care and Support

13:20 Letting Feelings Flow

15:41 Grief and Gratitude

Summary

In this episode we respond to a listener who is dealing with long-term anxiety and the recent death of her older brother. We focus on how grief can intensify anxiety and panic, and we discuss ways to stay supported during this time.

We explain that grief is individual and does not follow a fixed timeline. We note that people may grieve differently depending on the relationship, the type of loss, and their own resilience. We also say that grief can apply to many kinds of losses, not only death.

We then describe common grief reactions, including shock, numbness, anger, sadness, fear, and anxiety. We mention that physical symptoms can include insomnia, fatigue, and changes in appetite, and we encourage listeners to notice these responses without judging them.

We offer practical ways to cope, including meditation, short stress breaks, music, aromatherapy, prayer, and other calming rituals. We also encourage maintaining social support, reaching out to others when needed, and paying attention to sleep, exercise, food, and rest.

We close by encouraging journaling, doodling, crying, and other forms of emotional release. We emphasize that allowing feelings to move through can help the nervous system settle and support a return to calm.

#Grief, #Anxiety, #PanicAttack, #Loss, #Bereavement, #Mourning, #MentalHealth, #EmotionalWellness, #GriefSupport, #AnxietyRelief, #OvercomingPanic, #ShockAndNumbness, #GriefAnger, #DealingWithSadness, #OvercomingFear, #DealingWithUncertainty, #InsomniaRelief, #Fatigue, #SelfCare, #DailyRoutine, #StressManagement, #StressRelief, #Meditation, #Mindfulness, #StressBreaks, #Aromatherapy, #PetTherapy, #InspirationalQuotes, #SocialSupport, #TherapyWorks, #GriefCoaching, #SupportGroups, #PhysicalHealth, #ExerciseForMentalHealth, #Journaling, #CreativeRelease, #EmotionalExpression, #LetItFlow, #CopingMechanisms, #HealingJourney, #NervousSystemRegulation, #EmotionalRelease, #AnxietyCoachesPodcast #GinaRyan #ACP

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In today's episode, Gina discusses some of the more disturbing physical symptoms that anxiety can present us with. These symptoms can strike us at any time and often lead us to think there is something medically wrong with us. A range of these symptoms are explored: what causes them and what can be done to quiet them when we realize that anxiety is the cause. Listen in for great tips on how to reduce and eliminate some of anxiety's worst bodily sensations and symptoms!

Stillpoint Fridays is my once-a-week Friday note — a slower, more personal reflection that’s different from what I share on the podcast.

If you’d like a quiet place to land as the week winds down, you can join here:  http://eepurl.com/bR2F9P or on our website anxietycoachespodcast.com and sign up for the newsletter.

Please visit our Sponsor Page to find all the links and codes for our awesome sponsors! https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com/sponsors/

Website https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com

Join our community Group Coaching Join our Group Coaching Full or Mini Membership Program

1:1 Coaching Learn more about our One-on-One Coaching

If you prefer to listen AD-FREE, try our Supercast premium access membership:

Learn more about anxiety What is anxiety?

Free Guided Meditation for Calming Your Anxious Mind 10-Minute Body-Scan Meditation for Anxiety

Quote:

Self-compassion is simply giving the same kindness to ourselves that we would give to others.

-Christopher Germer

Chapters

0:26 Anxiety Dizziness Explained

3:25 Breathing and Carbon Dioxide

6:49 Body Tension and Triggers

8:41 Calming the Nervous System

10:06 Movement and Meditation

12:10 Healing Happens Gradually

14:08 Watch Caffeine and Stimulants

17:25 Change the Inner Script

18:36 Hope and Recovery

Summary

In this episode, we look at the dizzy, lightheaded, off-balance feeling that can happen when anxiety is high. We describe how these sensations can appear during everyday situations, how they can quickly trigger fear, and how that fear can intensify the symptoms.

We explain some possible physical causes of anxiety-related dizziness, especially changes in breathing. When we breathe faster and more shallowly, carbon dioxide levels can drop, which may lead to lightheadedness, tingling, feeling unreal, chest tightness, unsteadiness, vision changes, or brain fog.

We also discuss other contributors, including muscle tension in the neck, shoulders, jaw, and scalp, as well as blood sugar swings, dehydration, sleep deprivation, overstimulation, and caffeine or other stimulants. We note that these sensations are real, but they are often linked to a dysregulated nervous system rather than a medical emergency.

We then share practical ways to help the body feel steadier: gentle diaphragmatic breathing, movement such as walking or stretching, meditation or quiet nervous system rest, reducing overall nervous system load, and paying attention to triggers like caffeine and lack of sleep. We also emphasize using non-catastrophic self-talk during symptoms.

We close by encouraging patience and self-compassion, noting that recovery often happens gradually as the nervous system learns safety again.

#AnxietyDizziness #Lightheadedness #AnxietySymptoms #PanicAttackRelief #AnxietyLoop #FightOrFlight #PhysicalAnxiety #Derealization #OvercomingPanic #AnxietyIsReal #AnxietySupport #NervousSystemRegulation #VagusNerve #SomaticHealing #CalmYourNervousSystem #NervousSystemHealing #BodyMindConnection #BreathworkForAnxiety #DiaphragmaticBreathing #SomaticAwareness #AnxietyRecovery #HolisticHealing #StressReduction #CaffeineFree #BloodSugarBalance #MindfulMovement #SleepDeprivation #DigitalDetox #Overstimulation #CalmTheMind #MindfulSelfTalk #SelfCompassion #MindfulnessPractice #AnxietyCoaching #MentalHealthMatters #InnerPeace #HealingIsLinear #AnxietyCoachesPodcast #GinaRyan #YouAreNotAlone

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In today's episode, Gina shares some key tips to help you strengthen your vagus nerve to help you feel safer and more stable. A description of how the vagus nerve connects the brain and body is included, as is how it can influence a range of anxiety related symptoms, including sleep and digestive problems. A number of ways you can strengthen your vagus nerve are also included. Helping signal to your brain that you are safe can go a long way to restoring your sense of peace and balance.

Stillpoint Fridays is my once-a-week Friday note — a slower, more personal reflection that’s different from what I share on the podcast.

If you’d like a quiet place to land as the week winds down, you can join here:  http://eepurl.com/bR2F9P or on our website anxietycoachespodcast.com and sign up for the newsletter.

Please visit our Sponsor Page to find all the links and codes for our awesome sponsors! https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com/sponsors/

Website https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com

Join our community Group Coaching Join our Group Coaching Full or Mini Membership Program

1:1 Coaching Learn more about our One-on-One Coaching

If you prefer to listen AD-FREE, try our Supercast premium access membership:

Learn more about anxiety What is anxiety?

Free Guided Meditation for Calming Your Anxious Mind 10-Minute Body-Scan Meditation for Anxiety

Quote:

Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.

-Thich Nhat Hanh

Chapters

0:26 Vagus Nerve Basics

7:13 Breathing for Calm

9:59 Sound and Laughter

12:44 Meditation and Resilience

14:17 Gentle Movement Matters

15:37 Connection Heals

17:43 Small Reset Practices

19:25 Trusting the Anxious Body

20:59 Closing Thoughts

Summary

In this episode we talk about the vagus nerve and its role in anxiety recovery and nervous system healing. We explain that supporting the vagus nerve can help the body feel safer, which can also help the mind settle.

We describe the vagus nerve as part of the parasympathetic nervous system, traveling through the brain and body and connecting with the heart, lungs, digestion, vocal cords, face, and ears. We also explain that communication goes both ways between body and brain, so body tension, shallow breathing, fatigue, or overstimulation can affect how we feel mentally.

We review common anxiety-related symptoms that may be linked with nervous system dysregulation, including digestive issues, nausea, brain fog, sleep problems, heart palpitations, chronic tension, hypervigilance, panic symptoms, and feelings of disconnection. We also note that anxiety is complex and that understanding the body can reduce fear and self-blame.

#anxiety #anxietyrecovery #nervoussystemregulation #vagusnerve #vagaltone #parasympathetic #mentalhealth #emotionalregulation #stressmanagement #somatichealing #mindfulness #breathwork #diaphragmaticbreathing #longexhales #wellness #emotionalwellbeing #somaticexperiencing #hrv #resilience #socialconnection #laughtertherapy #gentlemovement #grounding #vagusnervestimulation #humming #gutbrainaxis #Gina Ryan #AnxietyCoachesPodcast #ACP

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In today's episode, Gina answers a listener question about how longer days in the summertime can actually seem to make himself more anxious. This is contrary to the pattern more commonly observed of less light in the winter months causing more depression and anxiety. The importance of regular sleep is discussed as well as how the darkness (more plentiful in winter months) can actually provide a sense of closure and comfort at the end of the day. Listen in for advice on how to adapt to the lengthening of the daylight hours during spring and summer!

Stillpoint Fridays is my once-a-week Friday note — a slower, more personal reflection that’s different from what I share on the podcast.

If you’d like a quiet place to land as the week winds down, you can join here:  http://eepurl.com/bR2F9P or on our website anxietycoachespodcast.com and sign up for the newsletter.

Please visit our Sponsor Page to find all the links and codes for our awesome sponsors! https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com/sponsors/

Website https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com

Join our community Group Coaching Join our Group Coaching Full or Mini Membership Program

1:1 Coaching Learn more about our One-on-One Coaching

If you prefer to listen AD-FREE, try our Supercast premium access membership:

Learn more about anxiety What is anxiety?

Free Guided Meditation for Calming Your Anxious Mind 10-Minute Body-Scan Meditation for Anxiety

Quote:

Learn to get in touch with the silence within yourself and know that everything in this life has a purpose.

 — Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

Chapters

0:26 Light and Anxiety

5:12 Seasonal Nervous System

11:46 Summer Overstimulation

14:50 Calming Evening Rituals

18:49 Honor Your Rhythm

Summary

In this episode we respond to a listener email from Bill in the northeastern United States about how increasing daylight in spring and summer affects his anxiety. We discuss his experience of feeling more pressure to be productive, more FOMO, and more difficulty sleeping when the evenings stay light longer.

We explore how light can influence the nervous system. We explain that humans are naturally attuned to sunrise and sunset, and that longer daylight can affect melatonin, energy levels, emotional regulation, and the sense that we should keep going. For some people, especially anxious or sensitive nervous systems, this extra stimulation can feel dysregulating.

We also talk about the opposite experience in darker months. We note that many people feel more settled when darkness comes earlier because it creates a sense of closure, fewer expectations, and more permission to rest. We contrast that with the cultural pressure around summer to be active, social, and constantly making the most of the day.

#AnxietyCoachesPodcast #GinaRyan #AnxietyRelief #NervousSystem #MentalHealthAwareness #SummerAnxiety #SeasonalAffectiveDisorder #ReverseSAD #SelfCare #Mindfulness #SleepHygiene #ProductivityPressure #FOMO #HSP #HighlySensitivePerson #NervousSystemRegulation #WellnessJourney #RestIsProductive #EmotionalWellbeing #SelfCompassion #HealthyRhythms #InnerPeace #CalmMind #SpringEquinox #SummerSolstice #MentalHealthMatters #ACP

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In today's episode, Gina discusses how to deal with intrusive thoughts, especially as they manifest for people with anxiety. Intrusive thoughts can be very common for individuals with overstimulated minds and bodies. They can be highly disturbing, as well. Listen in for tips on how to address your intrusive thoughts: calm the mind, thoughts and body.

Stillpoint Fridays is my once-a-week Friday note — a slower, more personal reflection that’s different from what I share on the podcast.

If you’d like a quiet place to land as the week winds down, you can join here:  http://eepurl.com/bR2F9P or on our website anxietycoachespodcast.com and sign up for the newsletter.

Please visit our Sponsor Page to find all the links and codes for our awesome sponsors! https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com/sponsors/

Website https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com

Join our community Group Coaching Join our Group Coaching Full or Mini Membership Program

1:1 Coaching Learn more about our One-on-One Coaching

If you prefer to listen AD-FREE, try our Supercast premium access membership:

Learn more about anxiety What is anxiety?

Free Guided Meditation for Calming Your Anxious Mind 10-Minute Body-Scan Meditation for Anxiety

Quote:

The mind is a wonderful servant but a terrible master.

-Robin Sharma

Chapters

0:26 Intrusive Thoughts Explained

6:41 Contain the Thought

10:42 Allow the Feelings

13:56 Return to the Present

16:41 Practice Self-Compassion

Summary

In this episode, we talk about intrusive thoughts and how they can feel shocking, disturbing, and isolating. We explain that these thoughts are common, especially when the nervous system is anxious or overstimulated, and that the distress they cause does not mean they reflect who we are.

We describe how intrusive thoughts can become repetitive when fear makes the brain treat them as important. This can lead to a loop of hypervigilance, self-monitoring, and more fear. We compare this to a survival response that stays active long after the original alarm has passed.

We then offer three steps for responding differently. First, we contain the thought instead of becoming fused with it, and we ask for actual evidence rather than reacting to fear. We note that a thought is not an intention, a prophecy, or an identity.

Second, we allow the physical sensations to rise and fall without adding panic. We name what is happening in the body, such as adrenaline or tightness, and remind ourselves that discomfort does not mean danger.

Third, we return to the present moment again and again through grounding and mindfulness. We mention simple practices like noticing the feet, breathing, sounds, textures, and nearby surroundings, and we emphasize that repeated returning is practice, not failure.

#AnxietyCoachesPodcast #GinaRyan #IntrusiveThoughts #AnxietyRelief #AnxietySupport #NervousSystemRegulation #NervousSystemHealing #AnxietyLoop #Overthinking #Catastrophizing #Hypervigilance #Mindfulness #GroundingTechniques #PresentMoment #SelfCompassion #MentalHealthMatters #AnxietyRecovery #CalmYourMind #InnerPeace #StressRelief #AdrenalineRush #MindsetShift #AnxietyTips #MentalWellness #HealYourAnxiety #Overwhelmed #BreakTheCycle #SelfKindness #EmotionalRegulation #MindfulLiving #ACP

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In today's episode, Gina explores small, simple actions that can help individuals calm anxiety. Through small, incremental steps, anxiety can be lessened, both in the immediate sense as well as the longer term sense. Many of these actions are easy to implement, such as stepping outside for some exposure to the sunlight. Listen in for many more easy to use actions you can start to use today and feel more peace and calm!

Stillpoint Fridays is my once-a-week Friday note — a slower, more personal reflection that’s different from what I share on the podcast.

If you’d like a quiet place to land as the week winds down, you can join here:  http://eepurl.com/bR2F9P or on our website anxietycoachespodcast.com and sign up for the newsletter.

Please visit our Sponsor Page to find all the links and codes for our awesome sponsors! https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com/sponsors/

Website https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com

Join our community Group Coaching Join our Group Coaching Full or Mini Membership Program

1:1 Coaching Learn more about our One-on-One Coaching

If you prefer to listen AD-FREE, try our Supercast premium access membership:

Learn more about anxiety What is anxiety?

Free Guided Meditation for Calming Your Anxious Mind 10-Minute Body-Scan Meditation for Anxiety

Quote:

Little by little, one travels far.

-J.R.R. Tolkien

Chapters

0:26 Introduction to Calmness

6:16 Small Daily Practices

10:40 The Power of Slowing Down

13:03 Gentle Self-Talk Techniques

15:46 Noticing the Pleasant Moments

17:00 Building a Safe Relationship

19:06 Closing Reflections

Summary

In today's episode of the Anxiety Coaches Podcast, I delve into the immensely powerful impact of small, consistent actions on managing anxiety. I emphasize how simplicity can be overlooked but is often the key to creating significant change. Many of us have the misconception that we need a singular breakthrough or dramatic technique to alleviate our anxiety, but I argue that it’s the gentle and consistent efforts that truly resonate with our nervous systems.

Our discussion revolves around the idea that our nervous system learns through patterns cultivated over time. I encourage listeners to embrace everyday activities that promote a sense of safety and comfort. By focusing on these small, repeatable actions, we can begin to shift the narrative of our minds and bodies from one of panic to one of calm. I highlight several everyday practices, each with the potential to help instill a sense of tranquility.

I walk listeners through practical strategies like stepping outside for a moment of natural light, which regulates our internal rhythms and signals the beginning of a new day. I discuss the benefits of letting our eyes rest on nature, allowing our nervous system to relax by stepping out of the constant scanning mode of detection. I stress the importance of unclenching our bodies throughout the day, gently letting go of tension even if just a little, and exploring the simplicity of lengthening our exhales to send calming signals to our bodies.

#AnxietyRelief #NervousSystemRegulation #Mindfulness #MentalHealthMatters #AnxietyCoachesPodcast #StressManagement #VagusNerve #CalmYourMind #SmallHabits #DailyMindfulness #Grounding #HealingJourney #SelfCareDaily #Breathwork #InnerPeace #MentalWellness #SelfCompassion #AnxietySupport #HolisticHealth #MorningRoutine #QuietAnxiety #HealthyMind #MindBodyConnection #OvercomingAnxiety #WellnessTips #SlowLiving #PeaceOfMind #EmotionalHealth #RelaxationTechniques #GinaRyan

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In today's episode, Gina shares a guided meditation, helping listeners find peace and quiet within their own minds and bodies. The meditation begins with a relaxation exercise using deep breathing. A body scan follows, enabling listeners to know their bodily sensations better and improving peace and harmony. Listen in and meditate in peace!

Stillpoint Fridays is my once-a-week Friday note — a slower, more personal reflection that’s different from what I share on the podcast.

If you’d like a quiet place to land as the week winds down, you can join here:  http://eepurl.com/bR2F9P or on our website anxietycoachespodcast.com and sign up for the newsletter.

Please visit our Sponsor Page to find all the links and codes for our awesome sponsors! https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com/sponsors/

Website https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com

Join our community Group Coaching Join our Group Coaching Full or Mini Membership Program

1:1 Coaching Learn more about our One-on-One Coaching

If you prefer to listen AD-FREE, try our Supercast premium access membership:

Learn more about anxiety What is anxiety?

Free Guided Meditation for Calming Your Anxious Mind 10-Minute Body-Scan Meditation for Anxiety

Chapters

0:26 Welcome to the Anxiety Coaches Podcast

5:15 Softening the Body Awareness

7:39 Settling into a Quiet Place

11:38 Gentle Affirmations for Calm

13:12 Embracing Support and Trust

14:42 Learning to Soften and Receive

16:16 Acknowledging Imperfection and Enoughness

18:09 Carrying Softness into Your Day

Summary

In this episode of the Anxiety Coaches Podcast, I guide you through a soothing journey aimed at cultivating a sense of peace and calm within. We delve deep into the practice of mindfulness, encouraging you to slow down and return to a tranquil inner space without the pressure to fix or change anything about yourself in this moment. It’s a gentle invitation to allow your body and mind the grace to simply be.

Beginning with a calming exercise, I ask you to settle into your space, encouraging physical relaxation by dropping your shoulders and unclenching your jaw. As we take a collective deep breath in through the nose and release it slowly, I emphasize the importance of this breathing pattern as a foundation for the meditative practice we are about to engage in. The focus is on awareness and acceptance, acknowledging that it’s completely normal for the mind to wander — a natural part of the meditation process. Each time you bring your attention back to your breath, you’re practicing mindfulness and nurturing your inner calm.

As we explore the sensations in the body, I encourage you to bring awareness to various parts — from the top of your head down to your feet. This body scan is about tuning into your physical sensations without the need for judgment or alteration. I prompt listeners to notice areas of tension or discomfort and kindly invite them to soften. The aim here is to recognize the body's inherent capacity for relaxation when we stop pushing so hard.

#AnxietyRelief #Mindfulness #GuidedMeditation #BodyScan #StressManagement #MentalHealthMatters #GinaRyan #AnxietyCoachesPodcast #SelfCompassion #InnerPeace #Calm #Wellness #SelfCare #MentalHealthAwareness #BreathingExercises #Grounding #HolisticHealth #Relaxation #Affirmations #NervousSystemRegulation #Healing #MindfulLiving #PeaceOfMind #StressFree #SelfLove #MeditationPractice #MentalWellBeing #SomaticHealing #Rest #Softening #Tranquility #SlowDown #Presence #EmotionalWellness #HealthAndWellness #DailyCalm #MentalClarity #AnxietySupport #OvercomingAnxiety #InnerCalm #Zen #Mindset #PositiveAffirmations #QuietTheMind #Breathe #WellnessJourney #Spirituality #PersonalDevelopment #MeditationTime #BeWell

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In today's episode, Gina covers an important topic: the help and relief that can be provided through deliberately avoiding anticipating problems, difficulties and catastrophes with out thoughts. The nature of how fixating on worst-case scenarios fails to enhance our safety and intensifies our anxiety and discomfort is discussed. Techniques to help you stop focusing on the inevitability of negative outcomes is included. Add these strategies to your anxiety-relief toolkit today!

Stillpoint Fridays is my once-a-week Friday note — a slower, more personal reflection that’s different from what I share on the podcast.

If you’d like a quiet place to land as the week winds down, you can join here: http://eepurl.com/bR2F9P or on our website anxietycoachespodcast.com and sign up for the newsletter.

Please visit our Sponsor Page to find all the links and codes for our awesome sponsors! https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com/sponsors/

Website https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com

Join our community Group Coaching Join our Group Coaching Full or Mini Membership Program

1:1 Coaching Learn more about our One-on-One Coaching

If you prefer to listen AD-FREE, try our Supercast premium access membership:

Learn more about anxiety What is anxiety?

Free Guided Meditation for Calming Your Anxious Mind 10-Minute Body-Scan Meditation for Anxiety

Quote:

I’ve had a great many troubles in my life, most of which never happened.

-Mark Twain

Summary

In this episode of the Anxiety Coaches Podcast, we delve into the pervasive habit of mental rehearsal that many anxious individuals engage in, often unconsciously. I share insights on how we tend to fixate on potential troubles—running through endless scenarios in our minds of what could go wrong. A significant focus of our discussion centers around the pitfalls of this "rehearsing trouble" practice, which can include anticipating rejection, imagining illnesses, and preparing for losses that may never occur. This mental activity not only stirs up unnecessary distress but also physically manifests in our bodies, leading to symptoms of anxiety and panic, all triggered by thoughts of events that haven't taken place.

I emphasize the need to recognize that this script of catastrophic thinking doesn't serve our well-being. Instead, it often exacerbates feelings of unease and panic over situations that remain purely theoretical in our minds. The brain, in its protective nature, believes that rehearsing these painful scenarios will keep us safe, but I challenge this notion, questioning whether this form of preparation genuinely benefits us or simply weighs us down with borrowed suffering.

Throughout our conversation, I share the metaphor of "mental rehearsal of catastrophe," shedding light on how this habit can lead to what I call "nervous system fatigue." The toll it takes on our energy and peace of mind is a significant concern. I reflect on how often we miss out on the present moment in our attempts to prepare for every possible outcome—a loss that may be even more painful than any future hardship itself. While anxiety can make us feel hyper-vigilant, I encourage listeners to find a way to detach from that excessive vigilance that proves exhausting and intrusive.

#AnxietyRecovery, #MentalHealth, #Mindfulness, #GinaRyan, #AnxietyCoachesPodcast, #BorrowedSuffering, #Presence, #Resilience, #SelfCare, #MentalWellbeing, #Catastrophizing, #InnerPeace, #OvercomingAnxiety, #NervousSystemHealing, #Grounding, #StressManagement, #EmotionalWellness, #LivingInTheNow, #PositivePsychology, #SelfTrust, #WorryPostponement, #MentalRehearsal, #AnticipatoryAnxiety, #EmotionalRegulation, #MindBodyConnection, #Vagus nerve, #CalmConscious, #StopWorrying, #PanicAttackRecovery, #InnerCalm, #AnxiousMind, #SelfCompassion, #HolisticHealing, #NervousSystemRegulation, #PeaceOfMind, #MentalClarity, #CopingSkills, #PersonalGrowth, #WellnessJourney, #HealingJourney, #MindfulLiving, #OvercomingFear, #PsychologyTips, #CognitiveReframing, #MentalStrength, #InnerStrength, #Tranquility, #HealthAnxiety, #SocialAnxiety, #SelfSoothing #ACP

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In today's episode, Gina compares anxiety recovery, in particular a "nervous system thaw", with the natural transition of the spring season. The importance of noticing the difference between perceived threats and the awakening of life energy is touched upon. Listeners are reminded that discomfort and unease are an inevitable part of the anxiety recovery process and that experiencing them can be a sign of growth.

Stillpoint Fridays is my once-a-week Friday note — a slower, more personal reflection that’s different from what I share on the podcast.

If you’d like a quiet place to land as the week winds down, you can join here: http://eepurl.com/bR2F9P or on our website anxietycoachespodcast.com and sign up for the newsletter.

Please visit our Sponsor Page to find all the links and codes for our awesome sponsors! https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com/sponsors/

Website https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com

Join our community Group Coaching Join our Group Coaching Full or Mini Membership Program

1:1 Coaching Learn more about our One-on-One Coaching

If you prefer to listen AD-FREE, try our Supercast premium access membership:

Learn more about anxiety What is anxiety?

Free Guided Meditation for Calming Your Anxious Mind 10-Minute Body-Scan Meditation for Anxiety

Quote:

There is a quiet light that shines in every heart… it takes courage to trust the unfolding.

-John O'Donohue

Chapters

0:26 Welcome to the Anxiety Coaches Podcast

6:37 The Healing Journey Begins

12:02 Signs of Thawing

15:20 Embracing the Spring of Healing

17:01 Gentle Reminders for Your Journey

Summary

In this episode of the Anxiety Coaches Podcast, I delve into a concept I call "nervous system thaw," exploring the subtle yet powerful changes that can occur as we heal from anxiety and chronic stress. As we step into the vibrant season of spring, I draw parallels between nature and our healing processes, highlighting that just as the earth must thaw before it blooms, our bodies and minds may also experience a transition that feels messy and chaotic before achieving peace.

I discuss the perplexing feeling that can arise when we start to notice a shift toward calmness. Many of us expect that healing will lead to a consistent sense of well-being, yet often it reveals a different reality: an increase in energy and feelings that can be surprising or even unsettling. We might wonder why anxiety can reappear when it seems like things are improving. This episode emphasizes that these feelings of discomfort are not setbacks but rather an essential part of the healing journey as the frozen aspects of our being begin to soften.

I share insights on how our nervous systems can become accustomed to contraction as a form of protection, leading us to misinterpret feelings of openness and vitality as threats. This misunderstanding can create an internal struggle where joy and anxiety coexist, as our past experiences of vulnerability can make us brace for disappointment or loss when we begin to feel more alive. I remind listeners that it’s vital to recognize the difference between activation as danger and activation as an awakening of life energy.

To aid in this process of thawing, I offer gentle practices that listeners can incorporate into their daily lives. I discuss the importance of allowing our energy to move freely through activities like stretching, shaking, or purposeful breathing, encouraging a natural flow that can help alleviate the discomfort. I emphasize that what may feel like an unraveling is actually an opening—a necessary stage in our growth where we can confront and embrace our feelings without labeling them as problems.

Additionally, I encourage listeners to trust this process of healing, likening it to the unfolding of nature in springtime. I remind them to be gentle with themselves, allowing space for emotions to surface without rushing to suppress or control them. Healing, after all, can be restless before it becomes peaceful.

As this episode concludes, I leave listeners with a sense of hope and reassurance. I affirm that they are not moving backward in their healing journey; rather, they may simply be in a phase of thawing, an essential part of their growth. I remind them to embrace the discomfort and view it as movement rather than a setback. With a heartfelt invitation to nurture their healing process, I close with a quote that encapsulates the essence of trust in the unfolding of one’s heart. Join me next time as we continue this journey together toward a more peaceful existence.

#AnxietyCoachesPodcast #NervousSystemThaw #AnxietyRecovery #HealingIsMessy #MentalHealthAwareness #StressRelief #Mindfulness #SomaticHealing #SelfHealing #InnerPeace #NervousSystemRegulation #HealingJourney #Vulnerability #MentalWellness #GinaRyan #VagusNerve #PolyvagalTheory #EmotionalWellbeing #StressManagementTips #RecoveryIsPossible #HealingProcess #MindBodyHealth #SomaticAwareness #TraumaHealing #SelfCompassion #NervousSystemHealth #HolisticHealing #PeaceOfMind #CalmReflections #MentalHealthSupport

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In today's episode, Gina discusses radical acceptance and how we can use this practice to reduce the severity and adverse consequences of anxiety. Radical acceptance is about accepting reality as it is without judgement or resistance. A number of practical steps are shared to help you implement radical acceptance in your life and in turn reduce your anxiety.

Tara Brach's book: Radical Acceptance: Embracing Your Life With the Heart of a Buddha https://amzn.to/41W3gAd

Stillpoint Fridays is my once-a-week Friday note — a slower, more personal reflection that’s different from what I share on the podcast.

If you’d like a quiet place to land as the week winds down, you can join here: http://eepurl.com/bR2F9P or on our website anxietycoachespodcast.com and sign up for the newsletter.

Please visit our Sponsor Page to find all the links and codes for our awesome sponsors! https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com/sponsors/

Website https://www.theanxietycoachespodcast.com

Join our community Group Coaching Join our Group Coaching Full or Mini Membership Program

1:1 Coaching Learn more about our One-on-One Coaching

If you prefer to listen AD-FREE, try our Supercast premium access membership:

Learn more about anxiety What is anxiety?

Free Guided Meditation for Calming Your Anxious Mind 10-Minute Body-Scan Meditation for Anxiety

Quote:

Clearly recognizing what is happening inside us, and regarding what we see with an open, kind and loving heart, is what I call Radical Acceptance.

-Tara Brach

Chapters

0:26 Introduction to Radical Acceptance

3:09 The Power of Acceptance

6:15 Steps to Practice Radical Acceptance

8:21 Mindfulness and Self-Compassion

10:23 Visualization Techniques

11:07 Daily Practices for Acceptance

14:29 Ongoing Process of Acceptance

15:39 Embracing the Serenity Prayer

16:54 Sharing the Podcast

17:51 Closing Thoughts and Quote

Summary

In this episode of the Anxiety Coaches Podcast, I delve into the transformative concept of radical acceptance and how it can help manage anxiety, difficult emotions, and challenging situations. Drawing inspiration from Tara Brach's insightful work, I explore the idea that we often spend too much of our energy defending our lives instead of living them fully. By acknowledging our feelings and experiences without judgment, we can begin to cultivate a more peaceful existence.

I discuss the principles I've learned from Marsha Linehan’s dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), highlighting the importance of embracing both acceptance and change in our lives. I emphasize that anxiety often prevents us from seeing the possibility of these dual approaches, leading us to resist the present moment. Radical acceptance empowers us to understand that every moment is part of a larger continuum, allowing us to move away from judgment and toward acceptance.

The episode clarifies that practicing radical acceptance does not equate to resignation. Instead, it is about recognizing reality and finding effective ways to cope with it. By learning to accept our circumstances—like getting stuck in traffic or facing unexpected challenges—we can reduce our stress and shift our perspective toward more constructive actions, such as listening to uplifting content or practicing mindfulness. I share practical strategies to help listeners integrate radical acceptance into their daily lives, starting with acknowledging our resistance to reality, which often leads to self-imposed suffering.

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