The 18 Minutes Podcast

Some of the most common "healthy" habits in the wellness and anxiety recovery world (breathing exercises, grounding techniques, meditation) can actually be the thing keeping you stuck. In this episode I walk through five of them, the genuine pros of each one, the trap each one falls into when it turns into a safety behavior, and the simple way to tell whether a habit is helping you or holding you in place. The line is almost never the habit itself, it's your intention. FREE Fear to Freedom Guide: https://the18minutes.com/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the18minutesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the18minutes/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@the18minutesEmail: [email protected] 

What's left when the anxiety finally subsides? In this episode I talk about a part of recovery I LOVE: when anxiety has been part of you for years, you get to actually rediscover who you are without it. I share how anxiety became the center of my own identity, why losing it can feel disorienting, and the practical work of reclaiming the person underneath the fear. Plus - a few things I discovered I love on the other side of the fear. If you've ever wondered who you'd be without anxiety making your decisions, this one's for you!SOURCES: -https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25547522/ (ACT is effective across anxiety, depression, and other problems, and is roughly comparable to established treatments like CBT.)-https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11837766/ (Valued action and psychological flexibility are linked to better wellbeing.)-https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2352250X15001062 (The role of values and committed action in ACT.)FREE Fear to Freedom Guide: https://the18minutes.com/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the18minutesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the18minutes/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@the18minutesEmail: [email protected] 

What do you actually do when anxiety comes back after you thought you'd put it behind you? In this episode I talk about why recovery was never a straight line to zero, and why I measured my own recovery by "widening the gaps" between panic attacks instead. I get into why a single anxious moment usually isn't the "setback" you think it is (and what a real setback actually is), the science of why anxiety can resurface even years later, and a story from a trip well into my recovery when panic showed up at the worst possible moment. Plus the exact response that keeps a hard day from snowballing, and why taking care of your basics is maintenance, not a safety behavior. If you've ever thought "I'm right back where I started," this one's for you!SOURCES:-Reinstatement of extinguished fear by an unextinguished conditional stimulus. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3343277/-Enhancing Inhibitory Learning: The Utility of Variability in Exposure. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6884337/ (Why practicing across varied situations helps the new learning generalize and stick.)-Delayed Extinction Attenuates Conditioned Fear Renewal and Spontaneous Recovery in Humans. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2749460/ (Repeated, spaced practice reduces the return of fear over time.) FREE Fear to Freedom Guide: https://the18minutes.com/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the18minutesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the18minutes/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@the18minutesEmail: [email protected] 

If you love someone with disordered anxiety, your most loving instincts are often what's keeping their disordered anxiety alive. I unpack the research on family accommodation, why reassurance is a long-term harm even when it feels kind in the moment, and the caregiver burden conversation we shy away from. Includes real examples from my own recovery and how my partner showed up alongside me. If you're an anxious person who has been trying to figure out how to talk to your partner about all this, send them this one! SOURCES:-Spouse and Partner Help - Anxiety & Depression Association of America https://adaa.org/finding-help/helping-others/spouse-or-partner-Measuring Family Accommodation of Childhood Anxiety: Confirmatory Factor Analysis, Validity, and Reliability of the Family Accommodation Scale - Anxiety: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6881529/-Subjective caregiver burden and anxiety in informal caregivers: A systematic review and meta-analysishttps://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0247143 FREE Fear to Freedom Guide: https://the18minutes.com/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the18minutesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the18minutes/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@the18minutesEmail: [email protected] 

Has your world been gradually getting smaller? Fewer places you'll go, more cancellations, a mental map of where it feels safe and where it doesn't? You might be dealing with agoraphobia. In this episode I unpack the real definition (it's not "fear of open spaces"), the panic-and-avoidance loop that builds it, a little entry-level neuroscience on what your amygdala and sympathetic nervous system are doing along the way, and exactly how recovery works using a four-phase framework I created for you. Plus, specific exposure ideas you can actually use. Enjoy! Sources: -https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/agoraphobia-https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK554387/FREE Fear to Freedom Guide: https://the18minutes.com/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the18minutesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the18minutes/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@the18minutesEmail: [email protected] 

Overpreparing might be the most socially acceptable safety behavior there is. It doesn't always look like anxiety, it looks like being responsible! In this episode I unpack what overpreparing actually is, why our brains love it so much, and the mental and physical cost we pay for it. Then we talk about how to gradually let go of it without flipping your whole life upside down, and what life looks like on the other side. If you're tired of running the worst-case version of every situation in your head before it happens, this one is for you!!SOURCES: - LaFreniere, L. S., & Newman, M. G. (2019). [Exposing Worry's Deceit: Percentage of Untrue Worries in Generalized Anxiety Disorder Treatment](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32044024/). *Behavior Therapy*.- Companion episodes referenced: "Safety Behaviors," "Reassurance-Seeking," and "How To Practice Acceptance" — The 18 Minutes Podcast.FREE Fear to Freedom Guide: https://the18minutes.com/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the18minutesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the18minutes/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@the18minutesEmail: [email protected] 

You're probably going to have another panic attack. Sorry!! But what if you could prepare for it in a way that actually moves your recovery forward? In this episode, I walk through the mindset shift that changed my own recovery, the neuroscience of why you can't think your way through panic in real time, and a practical toolkit for setting yourself up before the next adrenaline surge hits, including how to talk to the people closest to you, why language matters, and what to actually do in the moment. If panic attacks have been running your life, this is your starting point!Sources:Heart Attack or Panic Attack | American Heart AssociationHow to tell the difference between a heart attack and panic attack | American Heart AssociationHeart Attack vs. Panic Attack: Key Differences | Cleveland ClinicPanic Attacks & Panic Disorder: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment | Cleveland ClinicMayo Clinic Q and A: Panic attack isn't life-threatening, but can be frightening experienceP.S. Thank you Jenny Matthews from State of Mind Therapy for the term "adrenaline surge"! FREE Fear to Freedom Guide: https://the18minutes.com/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the18minutesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the18minutes/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@the18minutesEmail: [email protected] 

 Ever wake up at 2am in panic mode? This episode is for you! Today I'm talking all about nighttime anxiety. How to recognize it, why it happens, and practical steps to move past it. Thanks for listening! FREE Recovery Guide: https://the18minutes.com/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the18minutesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the18minutes/FREE Fear to Freedom Guide: https://the18minutes.com/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the18minutesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the18minutes/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@the18minutesEmail: [email protected] 

On this episode of The 18 Minutes I get into the science behind why it feels IMPOSSIBLE to calm down during an episode of intense anxiety or panic, and what we can do about it. Enjoy! FREE Fear to Freedom Guide: https://the18minutes.com/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the18minutesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the18minutes/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@the18minutesEmail: [email protected] 

Today's episode is a list of things that you might be doing that are keeping you stuck with disordered anxiety. Enjoy! FREE Fear to Freedom Guide: https://the18minutes.com/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the18minutesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the18minutes/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@the18minutesEmail: [email protected] 

Today's episode is all about travel anxiety. I'm a nervous traveler, and in this episode I lay out my best tips for making travel fun! I cover how to manage anticipatory anxiety, feeling stuck, social anxiety, the fear of flying, and separation anxiety (and, of course, how to use the fear to overcome our anxiety disorders). Enjoy! FREE Fear to Freedom Guide: https://the18minutes.com/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the18minutesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the18minutes/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@the18minutesEmail: [email protected] 

As overly anxious people, we CLING to anything we can control, often to our own detriment. In this quick chat-style podcast I cover the topic of control, and why reaching for it could be hindering our recovery. Enjoy! FREE Fear to Freedom Guide: https://the18minutes.com/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the18minutesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the18minutes/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@the18minutesEmail: [email protected] 

Mindfulness! You may have used this practice as a means of escaping your anxious feelings, but it can be used more effectively to help you overcome disordered anxiety altogether. In today's episode I share my experience using mindfulness while driving, and I give some tips on how you can practice mindfulness without giving into safety behaviors that are you keeping you stuck. Thanks for being here!FREE Fear to Freedom Guide: https://the18minutes.com/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the18minutesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the18minutes/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@the18minutesEmail: [email protected] 

My how-to guide for overcoming disordered anxiety! In this episode I lay out what I would do to recover from an anxiety disorder if I were starting from the beginning. I cover 6 detailed steps to recovery, and explain how you can customize them to be effective tools for your own journey. Enjoy! FREE Fear to Freedom Guide: https://the18minutes.com/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the18minutesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the18minutes/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@the18minutesEmail: [email protected] 

DP/DR is a very real, very common experience for people who suffer from disordered anxiety. If you can relate, this episode is for you! Today I cover my own experience with derealization and depersonalization, the survival mechanism behind it, and how we can work to accept it and move through it. Enjoy! FREE Fear to Freedom Guide: https://the18minutes.com/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the18minutesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the18minutes/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@the18minutesEmail: [email protected] 

If you are a nervous or phobic flyer, this one's for you! Jenny Matthews is a licensed therapist, and specializes in treating the fear of flying. In this episode we cover what fears the fear of flying is made up of, why it's such a common experience, and practical steps you can take to start working toward recovery. Enjoy! Jenny's Therapy Practice: https://stateofmindtherapy.com/ FREE Fear to Freedom Guide: https://the18minutes.com/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the18minutesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the18minutes/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@the18minutesEmail: [email protected] 

Reassurance-seeking is a common, unhelpful behavior in the context of disordered anxiety. Today's episode is all about what it is, how to recognize it in yourself, and some alternative behaviors to help you in your journey to recovery.Enjoy! FREE Fear to Freedom Guide: https://the18minutes.com/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the18minutesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the18minutes/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@the18minutesEmail: [email protected] 

Intrusive thoughts can be completely debilitating - but they don't have to be! In today's episode I cover common experiences, stigmatized experiences, why you're not broken, and how you might find relief. I'd love your feedback - send me a message! [email protected] Enjoy! FREE Fear to Freedom Guide: https://the18minutes.com/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the18minutesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the18minutes/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@the18minutesEmail: [email protected] 

 Did you know you could be afraid of fear itself? Today's episode is a deep dive on why it's important to understand the fear of fear, and why it's important to work towards overcoming it. This one could change your life!! FREE Fear to Freedom Guide: https://the18minutes.com/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the18minutesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the18minutes/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@the18minutesEmail: [email protected] 

 Ever had a panic attack in the car? This episode is for you! I cover why driving anxiety happens, why it's not dangerous, and how to overcome it and reclaim that piece of your life back from disordered anxiety. Enjoy! FREE Fear to Freedom Guide: https://the18minutes.com/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the18minutesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the18minutes/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@the18minutesEmail: [email protected] 

Ever wondered how to have an amazing panic attack? Now you can find out. Today's episode is all about how to have a panic attack that moves you toward better mental health. Enjoy! FREE Fear to Freedom Guide: https://the18minutes.com/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the18minutesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the18minutes/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@the18minutesEmail: [email protected] 

Today's guest is the man I've known the longest - my dad! Our conversation covers his journey through disordered anxiety, regressing and setbacks, and rediscovering yourself after recovery. Major dad wisdom coming your way! FREE Fear to Freedom Guide: https://the18minutes.com/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the18minutesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the18minutes/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@the18minutesEmail: [email protected] 

 Avoidance! Everyone does it; it's not great for anxious people. In today's episode I cover more of my story of avoidance and how it led to my full-blown panic disorder, WHY avoidance does that sometimes, and the importance of maintaining good mental health practices even after we've found recovery. Enjoy! FREE Fear to Freedom Guide: https://the18minutes.com/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the18minutesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the18minutes/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@the18minutesEmail: [email protected] 

Welcome, Mariah! We cover a LOT in this conversation - types of anxiety disorders, treatment options, when to be careful with exposures, "auf goose" excursions, and more. I know you'll get so much from Mariah's clinical expertise. Enjoy!RESOURCES: OCD & Anxiety Center of Minnesota: https://www.ocdmn.com/Psychology Today directory: https://bit.ly/3L3FhMdExposure and Desensitization Workbook: https://bit.ly/3N8L4kgBefriending Your Pain Like Wim Hof - By Lauren Linford (mybestself101.org): https://www.mybestself101.org/blog/befriending-painNeuroplasticity - Sentis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELpfYCZa87g FREE Fear to Freedom Guide: https://the18minutes.com/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the18minutesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the18minutes/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@the18minutesEmail: [email protected] 

In episode 7 I cover the practice of "doing the opposite". I explain what it is and how to apply it to your own anxiety recovery journey. I hope this concept is as helpful to you as it has been to me!FREE Fear to Freedom Guide: https://the18minutes.com/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the18minutesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the18minutes/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@the18minutesEmail: [email protected] 

"How do I actually accept my feelings?!" Today you'll learn how! In this episode I cover what acceptance is, why it's so important to recovery, and how to do it step-by-step. Reach out with any questions ([email protected]), and check out my FREE recovery guide at the18minutes.com for more info on acceptance. FREE Fear to Freedom Guide: https://the18minutes.com/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the18minutesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the18minutes/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@the18minutesEmail: [email protected] 

Today's episode includes a special guest - my husband, Tom. Tom shares his experience and wisdom in supporting a partner with an anxiety disorder. We talk about what we got right, what we got wrong, and boil our experience down to three main pieces of advice for supporters. Tom has always been a great coach, and I hope you benefit from him wisdom as much as I do!FREE Fear to Freedom Guide: https://the18minutes.com/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the18minutesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the18minutes/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@the18minutesEmail: [email protected] 

Today's episode is all about why you belong here. I cover why your disordered anxiety isn't incurable, even though many of us feel that way on our worst days. I also discuss a few of the common "taboo" anxieties, and why you can recover from those, too. This episode is primarily encouragement for anyone who feels like they're too complicated to recover from disordered anxiety. FREE Fear to Freedom Guide: https://the18minutes.com/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the18minutesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the18minutes/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@the18minutesEmail: [email protected] 

In episode 3 I cover safety behaviors - what they are, why we use them, and why they're a roadblock to disordered anxiety recovery. This one of the most important lessons I learned in my own recovery journey, and this will be one of many resources I create on the topic. As always, if you have questions or comments please send me a message on social media, or email me at [email protected]. Thanks for being here! FREE Fear to Freedom Guide: https://the18minutes.com/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the18minutesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the18minutes/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@the18minutesEmail: [email protected] 

Episode 2 is all about positive self-talk. Turns out, the way we talk to ourselves matters - a LOT. Whether or not you suffer from disordered anxiety, you can benefit from adjusting your internal monologue to skew more positive. FREE Fear to Freedom Guide: https://the18minutes.com/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the18minutesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the18minutes/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@the18minutesEmail: [email protected] 

This episode is disordered anxiety from a bird's eye view. We get into what disordered anxiety is (and the reason for the term), what exposure therapy is, and why it's such a powerful and important tool for changing our unhealthy mental patterns. This episode is a great place to start, and a great place to come back to for a refresh on the basics. FREE Fear to Freedom Guide: https://the18minutes.com/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the18minutesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the18minutes/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@the18minutesEmail: [email protected] 

Welcome to The 18 Minutes podcast! This resource covers all things anxiety and mental health. Whether you are someone who suffers from mental health issues, or you're the loved one of someone who does, this show is for you. FREE Fear to Freedom Guide: https://the18minutes.com/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the18minutesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the18minutes/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@the18minutesEmail: [email protected]