Victorious Victoria: “I meet with my anxiety daily to hear what she has to say”

Experts at the World Health Organization estimate around 4% of the global population experience an anxiety disorder. The National Alliance on Mental Illness finds anxiety the most common mental health concern in the U.S. with 19.1% with anxiety, over 40 million adults. Victoria Torno, based in the Philippines, decided a fresh approach to her own anxiety. (Anxiety affects 12.5 million Filipinos, around 12% of the population.) Her anxiety grew gradually and ultimately culminated into panic attacks and hospital visits to cope. She found, after therapy, her own hyper achieving mind was part of what drove her responses. And rather than minimizing the anxiety, she decided to partner with it. Embrace it. Even give the anxiety a name. In this touching interview, Victoria tells us that meeting with her anxiety (she calls hers “Deborah”) daily for an hour and allowing herself to hear her anxious thoughts has helped her see they’re not so bad after all and worthy of listening to. Troubles feel smaller. Achievements bigger. The worries helpful—a prompt for positive change.  And with that, she’s renamed herself Victoria, because after all, she is victorious, over her own mind. You can reach out to Victoria on LinkedIn here. Reach out to me, your show host, for keynote speaking engagements, coaching, and training via my website, or find me also on Linkedin.