Peter Bedard - Billy And The Anxiety Monster

https://www.convergencehealing.com/ Author Peter Bedard steps into a new genrewhile creating a crossover sensation. “Billy and the Anxiety Monster, How toLove Your Anxiety and Heal, A Grown-Up Book for your Inner Child” (BAM) is abook for children, tweens, young adults, adults and their inner child. Peter’sfirst book, “Convergence Healing, Healing Pain with Energetic Love” was abeautiful success and launched a new division of Simon & Schuster undertheir Atria imprint. Peter traveled around the world sharing this book and workin workshops and as a keynote speaker. BAM was written in a children’s book stylefor adults, children, tweens, and anyone who may be suffering from anxiety.This simple, clever book takes the reader on a journey with Billy as he learnsto understand and heal his anxiety monster. Peter developed a process forhealing and working through anxiety over many years and he applies this simple,loving, and doable process in the story of Billy.Together, Billy and his therapist, Mr. Pete go on an innerjourney of discovering Billy’s anxiety, seeing it in a whole new light,learning to work with it, make it his friend, and transform it into a lovingprotector, guardian, and gift. Q-Anxiety is a terribly overwhelming experience with over 400 million peopleworld wide (and growing) suffering from it; what are the ways you supportpeople to move through it and heal? A-Kindness is the best approach when working with people who are strugglingwith anxiety issues. They often feel embarrassed and are certainly overwhelmed.Listening with kindness, practicing patience, and compassion are essential tohelping them recover. I support people who are experiencing anxiety issues by helping them befriendtheir anxiety; instead of medicating it and shoving it down. I teach my clientshow to redefine their anxiety and work with it to transform it into a lovingguardian and guide. Q - What do you mean when you say, "befriend your anxiety/pain?"You've got to be kidding me! I don't want to be friends with my pain. I want tokick it out. The last thing I want to do is feel it. A - I really mean that we need to make friends with our pain and anxiety. Theseare parts of us that are suffering. They don't need to be beaten up andpunished or shamed. They do need to be loved and loving them is the only waythey are going to heal. The more we avoid these things, the louder they scream.So, you have a choice. You can prolong your pain by shoving it down or you canheal it by being present with it and loving it. QYou’ve said that beneath every anxiety is a trauma that lies like a ghostwaiting to find its way back home. Why do you say anxiety is a ghost? A-Most anxiety is a ghost. It is something from the past, projected into thefuture. Anxiety is a fear at the core of itself and this fear needs to berecognized, respected, and heard in order to heal. When we sit with theanxiety, we can start to work together with it to find a solution and nextsteps. Q-When did you start addressing anxiety as a monster? A-I started to look at anxiety as a monster when I realized how afraid of it Iwas. I saw it as this abusive and angry presence that wanted to take over anddestroy my life. My clients would talk about how it was ruining their lives butno one was actually addressing the anxiety directly...just talking about it andat it. MORE ABOUT PETER BEDARD: image.pngMr. Peter Bedard MA, C.Ht. Leading Healer and Holistic Health Consultant Expertise: Alternative Health, Healing, Hosting, community activist Peter is all about empowering people with choicesfor healing and educating them about the many possibilities for bringingalternative therapies into their lives. Having survived an astounding five near-death experiencesin his lifetime, learning how to walk (again), and healing himself from anumber of medical conditions over the years, Peter has now turned hisattention to his personal passion for alternative health and healing.