Your Anxiety Toolkit - Practical Skills for Anxiety, Panic & Depression

I cannot tell you how often I get asked about how anxiety impacts sex. Social media followers often ask questions that involve how anxiety decreases sex drive, how sexual arousal can occur at unwanted times and the impact medication has on sexual arousal and orgasm. In today's episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit, we have Dr. Lauren Fogel Mersy to speak about all things anxiety and sex. Dr. Lauren Fogel Mersy is a certified sex therapist, psychologist, and upcoming author and she answered all of my questions on how anxiety impacts sex. When discussing the topic, Dr. Lauren Fogel Mersy answered the following questions: How can we refocus on the present when anxious? Does anxiety impact orgasm? Can anxiety cause sex to be painful? How to handle arousal related to unwanted, intrusive thoughts? How to manage strong feelings about sex, such as desire but also repulsion? How to manage sex hygiene? Will medication impact sexual arousal? Instagram: @drlaurenfogelmersy Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drlaurenfogelmersy/ Please join the IOCDF for a special addition of Just, Ethan this Saturday, March 14 at 2 PM EST. This live stream on Facebook and YouTube will be an OCD/Coronavirus Town Hall with special guests Kimberley Quinlan and Shala Nicely. Come and bring your questions! https://www.facebook.com/IOCDF/ Please check out this really helpful article on managing anxiety over the coronavirus.

Welcome back to another episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit. In today's podcast, I give an account of how I manage health anxiety, both when managing medical issues and during medical tests. With all of the fear related to the Coronavirus, health anxiety is becoming a very scary word. Many with OCD are impacted by this because doctors and authorities are telling them to be concerned. This is very much the same when you are dealing with a medical issue and it can be hard to differentiate what is appropriate and what is fear-related. In this episode, I address how to manage health anxiety from many different perspectives and I hope you find it helpful. Please check out this post about managing health anxiety over the coronavirus. https://www.shalanicely.com/aha-moments/managing-ocd-about-coronavirus/ ERP SCHOOL is HERE! ERP School is a complete online course that teaches you how to apply Exposure & Response Prevention (ERP) to your Obsessions and Compulsions. The cost is $197 and includes almost 6 hours of the same ERP information and skills that Kimberley teaches her face-to-face clients. ERP School is only offered two times per year. The last day to purchase is Monday March 9, 2020. https://www.cbtschool.com/erp-school-lp

Welcome back to another episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit Podcast. Today we have the incredible Katy Marciniak talking about the "10 things I have learned about recovery". Katy is open and honest and vulnerable in this episode and I cannot respect her more. She has really shown us how possible recovery is, but she is also honest about the ups and the downs. Here are the main points Katy covers. * At first if you don't succeed, try, try again. * There is not set time frame for recovery or for therapy. Take your time and don't put unrealistic expectations on yourself. * Vulnerability is your friend! You might not think it is, but it will help you get through the ups and the downs of recovery. * Its okay! It's okay if you are anxious. It is okay if you are sad. It is okay if you are angry. It is okay if you are struggling. These feelings do not make you bad or wrong and it doesn't mean you are not moving in the right direction. Don't beat yourself up for having a mental disorder or for needing therapy. Therapy does not mean you are weak or faulty. * There is freedom in not knowing. Having uncertainty, while it feels bad, is a good thing and will make you stronger. * Do not isolate yourself. And you are not alone. Try to find a group of people who are just like you and are going through something similar. A great option would be to join our private Facebook group called CBT School campus! * Live in the moment. It might sound like a catch phrase, but you can actually learn how to stay present and not get caught up in the future and the past. * Don't knock self-compassion! It will help you in ways you cannot even imagine. * Going to therapy will not solve all of your problems. You must be willing to do the work at home, at work and in your relationships. * Give yourself the credit you deserve. You are going through a lot and you are so strong. Instagram @navigatinguncertainty Katy's Blog: https://navigatinguncertaintyblog.wordpress.com/about/ Today is the day!!!! ERP SCHOOL is HERE! ERP School is a complete online course that teaches you how to apply Exposure & Response Prevention (ERP) to your Obsessions and Compulsions. The cost is $197 and includes almost 5 hours of the same ERP information and skills that Kimberley teaches her face-to-face clients. https://www.cbtschool.com/erp-school-lp We are excited to share that we are offering our FREE webinar called The 10 things you absolutely need to know about OCD. During this webinar, Kimberley will address the most important science-based skills and concepts that you need to get your life back from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. https://www.cbtschool.com/10things OCD Gamechangers – Annual Conference https://www.eventbrite.com/e/3rd-annual-ocd-gamechangers-tickets-82657196901 https://ocdgamechangers.com/events/ March 7 @ 10:00 am - 6:00 pm MST Denver Turnverein, 1570 N Clarkson St Denver, CO 80218 United States

FREE TRAINING: 10 Things You Absolutely Need To Know About OCD Available Today! February 24, 2020 If you have OCD, or you know someone who does, please join us each evening at 6 pm PST to learn about the 10 things you need to know about OCD.⁠ ⁠ Things to note: ⁠ It's free! ⁠ Its offered each evening this week. ⁠ The webinar is pre-recorded and will be sent directly to your inbox. ⁠ It's FREE! ⁠ You can watch it in your PJ's⁠ If you miss the training, a replay will be sent to your inbox the following day. ⁠ Did I mention that it is free? ⁠ I LOVE YOU ALL AND HOPE YOU ENJOY IT! ⁠https://www.cbtschool.com/10things ERP SCHOOL is HERE! ERP School is a complete online course that teaches you how to apply Exposure & Response Prevention (ERP) to your Obsessions and Compulsions. Available February 27, 2020! ERP School is $197 and includes almost 5 hours of the same ERP information and skills that Kimberley teaches her face-to-face clients. https://www.cbtschool.com/erp-school-lp

Welcome back to another episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit. Today we are talking about how travel is the best ERP and how you can use travel to help conquer your fears. Today we are joined by Gilad Gamliel from the popular blog, www.overthinkerspassport.com. In this episode, Gilad Gamliel discusses how travel can be the best ERP especially for those who struggle with anxiety, panic and obsessive compulsive disorder. Gilad is 27 years old and has health anxiety and OCD. He shares how OCD and anxiety tried to confine him and keep him living a small and "safe" life, but for some reason, he was pulled towards taking a leap and trying travel. Gilad shares that he originally thought "travel just isn't for me" because his anxiety was so bad. However, Gilad found there have been many positives to come out of his experience traveling. In this episode, he shares why someone should travel and the benefits of traveling with anxiety. He also shares many special tips for traveling with anxiety and OCD. Some of the tips he shares are: 1. Step back to get perspective. 2. Remember that this travel experience is temporary and not permanent. 3. Focus on the present and engage with your surroundings. 4. Take note that there are many things happening that you have never seen. 5. Use technology to help build a support system from home. 6. Ask other travelers for advice. You will find that they may want companionship also. 7. You can do this, even with anxiety. You can bring anxiety with you and learn that anxiety doesn't have to ruin everything for you as you travel and experience the world. Website: https://www.overthinkerspassport.com/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/gil.ad.ventures Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/overthinkerspassport OCD Gamechangers – Annual Conference https://www.eventbrite.com/e/3rd-annual-ocd-gamechangers-tickets-82657196901 https://ocdgamechangers.com/events/ March 7 @ 10:00 am - 6:00 pm MST Denver Turnverein, 1570 N Clarkson St Denver, CO 80218 United States We are excited to share that we are offering our FREE webinar called The 10 things you absolutely need to know about OCD. During this webinar, Kimberley will address the most important science-based skills and concepts that you need to get your life back from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. https://www.cbtschool.com/10things ERP SCHOOL is HERE! ERP School is a complete online course that teaches you how to apply Exposure & Response Prevention (ERP) to your Obsessions and Compulsions. Available February 27, 2020! ERP School is $197 and includes almost 5 hours of the same ERP information and skills that Kimberley teaches her face-to-face clients. https://www.cbtschool.com/erp-school-lp

In today's episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit, I wanted to share with you the 8 things I want you to know. You might be wondering, "How does Kimberley know what I need?" You are correct. I really cannot be sure, but I can guess and I wondered if you needed to hear any of these 8 points. Here they are: 1) It's ok to feel what you are feeling. You are allowed to feel it all! The good. The bad. The uncomfortable. There is no "right" way to feel. 2) Your thoughts do not define your worth. Not today. Not tomorrow. This is true for every single person. If you are wondering, "If she only knew how bad my thoughts are." I mean you too. There is no thought that disqualifies you or depletes your worth. 3) There is nothing you need to change. Nope! You are perfect, even with all of your imperfections. Hey, you are perfect because of your imperfections. 4) You are supported. Lean on the CBT School Facebook group if you are feeling alone. 5) We will not give up on you. When I say "we" I actually mean YOU AND ME! I won't give up on you and you can't either. 6) You are enough. That is all I am going to say. It's a fact! 7) This moment is temporary. This moment might feel unbearable, I understand. However, please remember that this moment is only here for a moment....and then it passes. No anxiety lasts forever. 8) You deserve love and peace. You really do deserve love and peace. We all do. If you are having a hard time right now, I am sorry. I wish you love and peace in the little ways and the big. OCD Gamechangers – Annual Conference https://www.eventbrite.com/e/3rd-annual-ocd-gamechangers-tickets-82657196901 https://ocdgamechangers.com/events/ March 7 @ 10:00 am - 6:00 pm MST Denver Turnverein, 1570 N Clarkson St Denver, CO 80218 United States ERP School is coming soon! Mark your calendars for Feb 27th!

In today's episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit, I speak with the incredible Dr. Margaret Robinson Rutherford. I cannot tell you how happy I am that she reached out for this interview. In this episode, Dr. Margaret Robinson Rutherford talks to us about a term coined, perfectly hidden depression. She talks specifically about how it differs from classic depression and she describes for us the ten characteristics of perfectly hidden depression with number 8 being that it often accompanies mental health struggles such as OCD, eating disorders, addictions or anxiety disorders. The following are those 10 commonly shared characteristics that Dr. Margaret Robinson Rutherford discusses: You are highly perfectionistic, with a constant, critical inner voice of intense shame. You demonstrate a heightened or excessive sense of responsibility. You have difficulty accepting and expressing painful emotions. You worry a great deal and avoid situations where control isn't possible. You intensely focus on tasks, using accomplishment as a way to feel valuable. You have an active and sincere concern about the well-being of others while allowing few if any into your inner world. You discount or dismiss hurt or abuse from the past or the present. You have accompanying mental health issues, involving control or escape from anxiety. You hold a strong belief in "counting your blessings" as the foundation of well-being. You have emotional difficulty in personal relationships, but demonstrate significant professional success. Dr. Margaret Robinson Rutherford also addresses the Five C's in the healing process for perfectly hidden depression. I think you will really resonate with the words and concepts discussed in this episode. Thank you Dr. Margaret Robinson Rutherford for your wonderful work. https://drmargaretrutherford.com/perfectly-hidden-depression/ https://drmargaretrutherford.com/ https://drmargaretrutherford.com/selfwork/ OCD Gamechangers – Annual Conference https://www.eventbrite.com/e/3rd-annual-ocd-gamechangers-tickets-82657196901 https://ocdgamechangers.com/events/ March 7 @ 10:00 am - 6:00 pm MST Denver Turnverein, 1570 N Clarkson St Denver, CO 80218 United States

Welcome to another episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit. Today I have the pleasure of interviewing Jeff Goldman, a Hollywood executive and the Director of Development for OCD Southern California. In this interview, Jeff shares his very vulnerable story of being tormented by OCD and how it has impacted his family and his career. Jeff shares his highs and lows with us in his very inspirational and honest story. In this interview, Jeff Goldman shares his story of having "Just Right" OCD and how the fear of being a failure caused him to become paralyzed with anxiety. Jeff explains that he was diagnosed with OCD at 17 yrs old and has had a long, but inspirational journey to wellness. Jeff discusses his struggles with facing treatment and how he needed a lot of support and motivation to work on his mental health. He shares, "I was afraid of changing in spite of hating my life." What comes after that is a recovery story that includes medication, therapy, and family support. Some of the tools Jeff uses to help manage his OCD are "you have to name it to tame it", "feel the pain" and "let the anxiety flood through your body." Thank you so much to Jeff Goldman for sharing his amazing story! Jeff Goldman, Director of Development, OCD SoCal (an affiliate of the IOCDF) https://ocdsocal.org/ https://iocdf.org/ [email protected] OCD Gamechangers – Annual Conference https://www.eventbrite.com/e/3rd-annual-ocd-gamechangers-tickets-82657196901 https://ocdgamechangers.com/events/ March 7 @ 10:00 am - 6:00 pm MST Denver Turnverein, 1570 N Clarkson St Denver, CO 80218 United States

Welcome back to another episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit. This week's episode was exactly what I needed and I wondered if it was what you needed too. In today's episode, I am going to share with you my favorite self-compassion tool, giving and receiving. This is a meditation that I learned from Christopher Germer himself. Christopher Germer is the co-founder of the Center for Mindful Self-Compassion and the genius behind many of my favorite self-compassion exercises. In today's episode, we are going to learn the art of giving and receiving. No, not gifts. We are going to learn the art of giving and receiving self-compassion. I often use this meditation after a long day in the office or after a hard day, so I hope it helps you too. This is the 3rd core meditation of the MSC course. Giving and Receiving Compassion builds on the previous two core meditations: Affectionate Breathing which focuses on the breath and Loving-Kindness for Ourselves which focuses on the layering of compassionate words or images onto the breath. The new element of breathing in for oneself and out for others helps the practitioner to practice compassion through connection by loving others without losing oneself. Students tend to find this meditation both easy and enjoyable. Thank you, Christopher Germer, for this wonderful meditation. Instructions for Giving and Receiving Meditation: Please sit comfortably, closing your eyes, and if you like, putting a hand over your heart or another soothing place as a reminder to bring not just awareness, but loving awareness, to your experience and to yourself. Taking a few deep, relaxing breaths, notice how your breath nourishes your body as you inhale and soothes your body as you exhale. Now, letting your breathing find its own natural rhythm, continue feeling the sensation of breathing in and breathing out. If you like, allow yourself to be gently rocked and caressed by the rhythm of your breathing. Now, focusing your attention on your in-breath, let yourself savor the sensation of breathing in, noticing how your in-breath nourishes your body, breath after breath….and then releasing your breath. As you breathe, breathing in something good for yourself…whatever you need. Perhaps a quality of warmth, kindness, compassion, or love? Just feel it, or you can use a word or image if you like. Now, shifting your focus to your out-breath, feeling your body breathe out, feeling the ease of exhalation. Please call to mind someone whom you love or someone who is struggling and needs compassion. Visualize that person clearly in your mind. Begin directing your out-breath to this person, offering the ease of breathing out. If you wish, intentionally send warmth and kindness - something good -to this person with each out-breath. Now letting go of what you or the other person may need, and just focusing on the sensation of breathing compassion in and out and sending something good. "In for me and out for you." "One for me and one for you." If you wish, you can focus a little more on yourself, or the other person, or just let it be an equal flow—whatever feels right in the moment. Or you can send something good to more than one person. Allowing your breath to flow in and out, like the gentle movement of the sea - a limitless, boundless flow - flowing in and flowing out. Letting yourself be a part of this limitless, boundless flow. An ocean of compassion. Gently opening your eyes. OCD Gamechangers – Annual Conference https://www.eventbrite.com/e/3rd-annual-ocd-gamechangers-tickets-82657196901 https://ocdgamechangers.com/events/ March 7 @ 10:00 am - 6:00 pm MST Denver Turnverein, 1570 N Clarkson St Denver, CO 80218 United States I strongly encourage you all to read Shala Nicely's amazing blog post about the misuse of the term, "I am so OCD." https://www.shalanicely.com/aha-moments/ocd-is-not-what-you-think/

In this beautiful episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit, I speak with the amazing Andrea Barber about her new book, Full Circle: From Hollywood to Real Life and Back Again. In this interview, Andrea shares her experience with anxiety, panic and mental wellness. She shares why she wrote this book and her hopes for this memoir. In her book, Andrea Barber shares, "To fans, I've always been synonymous with my character, since most people don't know me in any other role. But now, I want you to accept the real me . . . and the fact that I'm nothing like I appear on TV. To know me is to realize that I am very flawed, and I have many shortcomings and insecurities. By sharing them with you, you may recognize things in yourself, and discover that you and I are not so unalike after all. For once, it will be nice to share Andrea with the world." Andrea shared what it was like having a huge support system, but still feeling completely alone with her anxiety, panic and depression. Andrea spends some time talking about how her anxiety manifests in stomach related symptoms. She also tells us about the process of accepting the application of medication in her wellness journey and her experience with the side effects of medications. I just adored when Andrea shared what she learned about herself since going through her mental health journey and her new reflection on mental illness and mental wellness. One of my favorite lines from her book, she shared "It's actually very empowering to think about: I have the power to change my life". One of the coolest things about Andrea Barber is her passion for speaking about suicide prevention and awareness. You will just adore the advice she gives. And finally, her most impactful message is this: "The most important thing perspective has taught me, and what I want to tell anyone out there who has been made to feel too broken to love, is that your illness does not define you." Isn't she just incredible?! Andrea's book https://www.amazon.com/Full-Circle-Hollywood-Real-Life/dp/0806539887 Follow Andrea on social media @andreabarber If you would like to apply for the 3rd annual UK OCD Camp please visit theocdcamp.com • Applications close 19th January • Interviews (15 mins) – W/C 27th January • If selected payment due by 1st March

Welcome to another episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit Podcast. There has been a lot of talk lately in the OCD Community surrounding this big question "Does Khloe Kardashian have OCD?" I know a lot of you are really struggling with this topic, feeling unseen, unheard and misunderstood. In a recent episode of Keeping Up with the Kardashians, Khloe's mom, Kris Jenner discussed her daughter Khloe's overwhelming need to be organized. She shared, "Khloe is the most organized, cleanest, most obsessive person I know in her own home. But lately, she's on another level." In response, Khloe explained: "Being the control freak that I am, this experience is torture". However, she also has been known to explain her need to be organized as "a good thing" and something that "helps" her in her life. This brings us to the big question: Does Khloe Kardashian have OCD? Well, the most important thing to remember in this podcast episode is that we cannot diagnose someone we haven't met. Please keep this in mind as we address this very important topic. In an effort to do my due diligence, I consulted with an attorney on this and he confirmed that it is not appropriate to diagnose someone you haven't met. He reported that this is an ethical issue, not a legal issue. One of the big questions that arose after this recent Kardashian episode was, "Can you treat someone you haven't diagnosed?" Again, when consulting with an attorney, we revealed that a therapist technically can in situations where it is not necessary to diagnose someone. However, in order to implement a treatment tool, it is a good standard of care to do a full assessment to be sure the treatment modality and related tools are appropriate for the person we are meeting with. In an effort to discuss if Khloe Kardashian has OCD and if her description of symptoms and presentation of symptoms meets criteria to be OCD, we would first need to have a good understanding of what OCD is diagnostically. In the episode, we discuss in depth the Diagnostic Criteria for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, in an effort to thoroughly educate and advocate for those who have OCD and who are struggling to ask for help. Diagnostic Criteria (Directly from the DMS 5) A. Presence of obsessions, compulsions, or both: Obsessions are defined by (1) and (2): Recurrent and persistent thoughts, urges, or images that are experienced, at some time during the disturbance, as intrusive and unwanted, and that in most individuals cause marked anxiety or distress. The individual attempts to ignore or suppress such thoughts, urges, or images, or to neutralize them with some other thought or action (i.e., by performing a compulsion). Compulsions are defined by (1) and (2): Repetitive behaviors (e.g., hand washing, ordering, checking) or mental acts (e.g., praying, counting, repeating words silently) that the individual feels driven to perform in response to an obsession or according to rules that must be applied rigidly. The behaviors or mental acts are aimed at preventing or reducing anxiety or distress, or preventing some dreaded event or situation; however, these behaviors or mental acts are not connected in a realistic way with what they are designed to neutralize or prevent, or are clearly excessive. Note: Young children may not be able to articulate the aims of these behaviors or mental acts. B. The obsessions or compulsions are time-consuming (e.g., take more than 1 hour per day) or cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. C. The obsessive-compulsive symptoms are not attributable to the physiological effects of a substance (e.g., a drug of abuse, a medication) or another medical condition. It is important that we specify if the symptoms are accompanied by good, fair or poor insight, as this can help us differentiate between the diagnosis of OCD and other mental illnesses that may look the same. With good or fair insight: The individual recognizes that obsessive-compulsive disorder beliefs are definitely or probably not true or that they may or may not be true. With poor insight: The individual thinks obsessive-compulsive disorder beliefs are probably true. With absent insight/delusional beliefs: The individual is completely convinced that obsessive-compulsive disorder beliefs are true. D. The disturbance is not better explained by the symptoms of another mental disorder, differential diagnosis or set of symptoms In an effort to really give you a good understanding of other diagnostic possibilities for someone showing similar, but not exact symptoms, I wanted to address some symptoms and disorders that would need to be RULED OUT before treatment. The reason for this is that small differences in the symptoms may drastically change the course of correct treatment. This is a crucial part of the assessment process, done by a therapist, psychiatrist, medical doctor or psychiatric nurse. The first is perfectionism which can be divided into

Welcome back to another episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit. Today I talk about how "you cannot skip the line." This podcast episode is about an event that happened to me a few weeks ago that blew my mind. It pretty much punched me in the gut. Yes, you read that right. It was a hard, hard day. In this episode, I speak about attending a meditation class and being given a very hard lesson. The lesson was, "You cannot skip the line". Let me tell you more. In this class, I asked what I thought was a simple question. Without expecting it, the teacher taught me a very important lesson that I think will impact me for quite some time. She responded with "There is a lesson for everyone here. It is important that you do not skip the line here. You must do the work. If you haven't wrestled with this practice over and over, do not come to me for the answers." I was embarrassed. I felt ashamed. I felt called out. I felt anger. But, after some time and contemplation, I asked myself, "Is there a pattern here?" And guess what?! There was. The lesson was that you cannot skip the line to the "know" the answer. When you "skip the line", you prevent yourself from learning the real process. Knowing will only help for the first time or two. After that, it takes practice and patience. In this episode, I will walk you through a 4 step process to help you lean in and do the work instead of just asking questions. These steps include being aware that you cannot skip the line and then catching yourself when you are doing such behavior. The steps also involve being honest with yourself when you are engaging in such behavior instead of staying in the unknown. The goal is to be as patient as you can along the way. And lastly, the most important step involves Compassion, Compassion, Compassion. I hope this helps you in some way to notice when you are "skipping the line." Sign up for our FREE weekly newsletter. Incredible tools, tips, and mental health resources! Click here for more information. Please check out this excellent blog post by the amazing Shala Nicely, LPC on the problem with saying "I'm so OCD."

Welcome to Your Anxiety Toolkit Podcast. In this week's podcast, I want to talk with you about how I failed 100 times this year. Wait, What?!?! Yes, you heard right! In 2019, I made the goal to fail on purpose 100 times. The goal was to set my goals so high that I was forced to fail. And guess what? I failed 100 times. I possibly failed 1000 times. I failed so many times I lost count. In this podcast, my hope is to share with you my personal experiment in changing the way that I feel and respond to the thought of failure. Here are examples of how I failed 100 times: • I asked a lot of people to come on the podcast. A lot of people said no. I knew they would, but I figured it was worth a try. But, do you know what I learned? I learned that a lot of people I didn't think would say yes did. • I took a course that was so hard and out of my line of skills and really struggled to complete it. • I started playing the ukulele even though I was so afraid of being terrible at it (which I am). • I pitched a book to a publishing company (more on this later). • I said yes to being Room Mum for both of my kids (knowing I would not be the best at it). • I aimed to increase registration for ERP School and we did it. We reached the highest registration yet. But here is the thing. I also failed 100 times at things I never set out to fail at. I had to accept in many ways that I cannot push my body to do things that I simply could not do. This was the hardest part about failing. I had to stare my fear of failing at the easy stuff over and over again. Here are examples of how I not only failed 100 times, but gave myself permission to fail, even though it hurt so much. ◆ Remember that course I told you about? I got so sick, I didn't finish it. I had to drop out and this made me face imperfection and failure head-on. ◆ I was a less than perfect therapist! I missed sessions with clients, and I double booked clients during times when I was so overwhelmed. ◆ I gave myself permission to share the struggles I have had with friends. I was so embarrassed to do this, but I am so glad I did. I learned that when you share your struggles, you actually feel more connected with the people around you. But finally, the most important example of how I failed 100 times is the decision I have made to take a month off of the podcast. After much consideration, I have decided to listen to my body and take the month of December to rest, rejuvenate and repair. I fought this decision for a long time, but I know it is what I need. With that being said, I want to thank you for being so loyal and kind to me. I adore your support. I wish you a very Happy 2019 Holiday! I will be back in January, ready to go. Ready to fail! FREE anxiety video training! Learn how to become more intentional with the words you use to describe yourself, your experiences and your future. Cbtschool.com/thinkwisely

Are you struggling with gratitude this holiday season? If so, this episode is exactly what you might need to hear. In today's episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit, I spoke with Shala Nicely about struggling with gratitude. Together, we address why some people might be struggling with gratitude or being grateful, especially if they are also struggling with mental health. In this episode, Shala Nicely addresses the personal struggles she has had in the past with gratitude and some incredible tools to manage this. Shala so beautifully articulates three common reasons why people struggle with gratitude. The first two struggles fall under the category, that Shala calls, gratitude by comparison. This often occurs when you are supposed to be doing "better" than someone else, but you do not feel very grateful. Shala explains that gratitude by comparison can fall into two separate categories: relief-induced gratitude and guilt-induced gratitude. The third common struggle is forced gratitude. An example of this might be, "I should be grateful and I'm not. What's wrong with me?" or, "You have everything going for you. Why can't you just be thankful for what you have instead of focusing on the negative?" I love that Shala addresses how forced gratitude quickly becomes what we know clinically as toxic positivity. Some great tips if you are struggling with gratitude might be: • Mindfulness • Practicing wonder, curiosity or beginners mind • Non-Judgment • Give yourself permission to not practice gratitude over the holidays BFRB SCHOOL is here! A COMPLETE ONLINE COURSE FOR BODY-FOCUSED REPETITIVE BEHAVIORS (BFRB's) Trichotillomania (Hair Pulling) Compulsive Skin Picking Compulsive Nail Biting https://www.cbtschool.com/bfrb-school-online-course-trichotillomania-skin-picking Free Video Training for Anxiety! Cbtschool.com/thinkwisely Check out these other fantastic episodes featuring Shala Nicely!

Welcome back to another episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit Podcast. Today we have a very special guest, Giulia Suro, Ph.D., who is going to talk to us about Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and how we can use ACT tools in our everyday life. Giulia is a psychologist in private practice in the Washington, D.C. area. She is passionate about ACT and helping her clients develop a new way of looking at their thoughts and feelings. Giulia does such a beautiful job of bringing these ACT tools to us in a compassionate and articulate manner. Thank you, Giulia! In this episode, we address how Acceptance and Commitment Therapy centers on the concept of mindfulness. We learn that ACT is really quite unique because anyone can use the tools regardless of the struggles they are facing. Giulia discusses how fighting or resisting those struggles can impact us in the long term and we learn that ACT involves moving towards our values. We also address the core ACT tools that Giulia uses in her daily life and in her practice, such as, the Bullseye worksheet (link below). Giulia Suro beautifully addresses the following questions with grace, care, and expertise: What is ACT? Why do we use ACT In everyday life? How can it complement our recovery/wellness plan? What tools does she use with her clients? What tools does she personally use? What struggles does she see some of her clients go through when practicing ACT? Giulia's Website: www.giuliasuro.com Instagram @drgiuliasuro Workbook: Learning To Thrive Bullseye Worksheet file:///Users/kimberleyjquinlan/Downloads/Bulls%20Eye%20Values%20Exercise.pdf BFRB SCHOOL is here! A COMPLETE ONLINE COURSE FOR BODY-FOCUSED REPETITIVE BEHAVIORS (BFRB's) Trichotillomania (Hair Pulling) Compulsive Skin Picking Compulsive Nail Biting https://www.cbtschool.com/bfrb-school-online-course-trichotillomania-skin-picking

Welcome to another episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit Podcast. This topic has been a long time coming, and highly requested. This week's podcast is all about anxiety and sex. In this podcast, we talk about how anxiety and sex can become two peas in a pod and how anxiety can present itself in many different ways. While I am not a sex therapist, I do have a lot of experience talking with my clients about anxiety and sex. The truth is, there are many ways anxiety shows up during sex, or sex shows up in our anxiety. This is true for many people and this can become very confusing. People often report anxiety impacting sex in many ways. This might include loss of arousal, loss of libido or interest in sex, intrusive thoughts during sexual intercourse, hyper-awareness of sexual-related sensations and many more. In this week's episode, we address the following topics • Social Anxiety: In social anxiety, people are afraid of being judged by their sexual partner and will often avoid sexual interactions in fear of being judged. For people struggling with social anxiety and sex, they must accept the risk of being judged and work to find a partner who respects them and their fears. Finding safety in a partner can help immensely. • Performance anxiety: This involves the fear of not being able to perform well (or perfectly) in sexual interactions. This is very common and often involves setting realistic expectations for ourselves. • OCD: There are many ways that OCD can create anxiety around sexual intimacy. This is most common for those who have sexual orientation obsessions, relationship obsessions, or pedophilia obsessions • Panic Disorder: Symptoms of panic can often come on during all stages of intimacy, not just anticipatory anxiety • Trauma: Trauma is a very important component to address. We encourage people who have trauma in this area to seek professional mental health care and work through these issues with a safe and caring clinician. Find a Sex Therapist: https://www.aasect.org/aasect-requirements-sex-therapist-certification https://www.amazon.com/Passionate-Marriage/dp/B00159T73Q

Hello there everyone and welcome to another episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit Podcast. This week's episode is all about how to prevent Social Anxiety. I know that the title, "How to Prevent Social Anxiety" might sound a little fishy, but in this episode, we are going to look at some groundbreaking new research on social anxiety that might help us to understand the relationship between shyness and social phobia and how to prevent social anxiety in adolescence. In this incredible new finding, researchers found that there is a direct relationship between shyness and social anxiety in pre-adolescents. For the purpose of this episode, we will define shyness as the feeling of apprehension, lack of comfort, or awkwardness. These symptoms will increase, especially when a person is around other people and in new or unfamiliar situations. This research found that negative social self-cognitions mediate the shyness - social anxiety link, whereas, social interpretation bias does not. Social interpretation bias, by definition, is the tendency to interpret ambiguous situations in a positive or negative fashion. What does this mean in regard to how to prevent social anxiety, you may ask? Basically, if we can teach pre-teens how to interpret themselves in a more positive way, we might be able to reduce the impact of social anxiety in adulthood. This research showed that prevention should address the negative self-cognition of shy (pre-)adolescents. So examples such as the below statements might be corrected into more logical and objective statements. ◆"I am a fool" ◆"There is something wrong with me" ◆"I look like an idiot" More Objective Statements ◆I am not for everyone ◆Just because there was silence, doesn't mean I am incapable of being in social settings ◆It's ok that they didn't laugh at my jokes. One person's "funny" isn't everyone's version of funny. Link to research. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0193397318302818

Welcome back to another episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit Podcast! Do you know what POTS is? I didn't know either until earlier this year, and my life has not been the same ever since. Let me tell you one thing, we are NOT talking about something that holds plants and something you cook spaghetti in. This episode is all about Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, also called POTS for short. Why? Because October is Dysautonomia Awareness month and because I have recently been diagnosed with POTS. This episode is aimed at educating you about POTS and also addresses my own experience of being diagnosed with a chronic medical condition. It has been an emotional ride, and my hope is to share with you a few tools that have helped me to manage this news and the ongoing treatment that I will need to adhere to. Thank you so much for supporting me this year. Your messages and kindness has been overwhelmingly positive and I am so grateful for you all. So, what is POTS? Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) is a condition that affects circulation (blood flow). Basically, for most people, our autonomic nervous system works to control and regulate our vital bodily functions and our sympathetic nervous system, which activates the fight or flight response. However, if you have POTS you have what is called orthostatic intolerance. What this means is that when standing up from a reclining position, blood pools in the legs causing lightheadedness, fainting, and an uncomfortable, rapid increase in heartbeat. People with POTS have trouble regulating the blood vessel squeeze and heart rate response causing blood pressure to be unsteady and unstable. Each case of POTS is different. Patients may see symptoms come and go over a period of years. In my case, I have probably had it my whole adult life, but it has worsened enough to need medical attention. In most cases, with proper adjustments in diet, medications and physical activity, a person with POTS will see an improvement in quality of life. People with POTS usually suffer from two or more of the many symptoms listed below. • High/low blood pressure • High/low heart rate; racing heart rate • Chest pain • Dizziness/lightheadedness especially in standing up, prolonged standing in one position, or long walks • Fainting or near-fainting • Exhaustion/fatigue • Abdominal pain and bloating, nausea • Temperature deregulation (hot or cold) • Nervous, jittery feeling • Forgetfulness and trouble focusing (brain fog) • Blurred vision • Headaches and body pain/aches (may feel flu-like); neck pain • Insomnia and frequent awakenings from sleep, chest pain and racing heart rate during sleep, excessive sweating • Shakiness/tremors especially with adrenaline surges • Discoloration of feet and hands • Exercise intolerance • Excessive or lack of sweating • Diarrhea and/or constipation Please go to the below website for more information on POTS https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/16560-postural-orthostatic-tachycardia-syndrome-pots

Welcome to Your Anxiety Toolkit Podcast! Today I am so thrilled to introduce to you this week's guest, Alegra Kastens, MA. Alegra is not just a guest on the podcast. Alegra is also a very important part of CBT School and has helped me so much since CBT School launched in 2018. Alegra Kastens has been a huge part of the creation of this podcast, uploading it each week, creating a lot of the technological support, creating images and supporting me when I am struggling with all the projects. Alegra is now moving forward with her career and is working as a therapist who specializes in OCD. In today's discussion, Alegra told us about the first moment she had her first intrusive thought and how these impacted her life. She also shared with us the process of her finally deciding to ask for help, even though she was petrified and so ashamed. Alegra shared what she found helpful and not helpful from her therapist and how she was supported and encouraged to seek specialized OCD treatment from her therapist who did not specialize in OCD. What I loved most about this episode is that Alegra Kastens so candidly talks about her experience of shame, guilt, and stigma related to having OCD. Alegra's main sub-type of OCD was pedophilia obsessions, which caused her to be stuck in self-doubt, self-criticism and complete panic for a very long time. Alegra Kastens shared what it was like to experience sexual obsessions such as pedophilia obsessions and what it was like to undergo Exposure and Response prevention for her OCD symptoms. Alegra shared some of the ERP exposures looked like and the importance of being given psycho-education about ERP before beginning. I loved how much education and inspiration Alegra Kastens brought to this conversation. To learn more about her story, click HERE to read an article she wrote for IntrusiveThoughts.org. For more information on Alegra Kastens, visit: Instagram: @ObsessivelyEverAfter Website: www.alegrakastens.com Psychology Today blog: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/all-things-anxiety

Welcome to another episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit podcast. This week's podcast was recorded from an RV on Pacific Coast Highway. It was the last day of my birthday celebration and I rented and drove a 35-foot RV to the beach so I could celebrate my new year with my dear friends and dear family. As I sat back, I reflected on what my biggest goal was for my 38th year. My goal for the upcoming year is NO MORE RUSHING. That's right! I have made a deal with myself. NO MORE RUSHING. No more rushing my kids. No more rushing my family. No more rushing my joy. No more rushing my anxiety. My hope for my 38th year is to slow down and really drop down into the present moment. My hope is to be present and absorb the joy that exists all around me. Since I made the goal of no more rushing, I have found that I am more aware of all of the beauty in my life and I am more present to really see the amazing people and places around me. On this birthday weekend, we sat on the beach and just absorbed the love that we all felt for each other. We looked up to the horizon instead of focusing on the road and the computer screens and the phones. We connected and I didn't rush a thing. My hope for this podcast is to inspire you to take on the goal of NO MORE RUSHING and just see how much beauty that comes from this. OCD Awareness Week, from October 13-19, is almost here! This year's awareness-raising campaign is focused on sharing videos of you and your friends facing your fears. The goal is to educate the public about the realities of living with OCD and the challenge of having to face your fears on the path to recovery. To participate, the IOCDF is asking everyone to create a video or photo of themselves doing something that makes them anxious and then to post on any and all social media platforms with the hashtags #FaceYourFear and #OCDWeek.

Do you ever wonder how to live in the present? Is this a question you ask yourself often? Or, have you already got a good mindfulness practice, but you wonder how to live in the present when it comes to intrusive thoughts, intrusive images and strong emotions and urges? If this sounds true for you, you are not alone. I, too, am constantly on a mission to figure out how to live in the present in a more authentic and mindful way. In this week's episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit, we take a CBT SCHOOL listener's question. A wonderful member of our CBT School community reached out and asked a very important question and instead of replying personally, I thought it would benefit everyone by addressing this question with you all. Considering that I am always on a mission to solve the question of how to live in the present, I thought we could all take a look at this issue together! The listener's question is: "I work hard to implement mindfulness in my life, and in many ways it makes sense and helps me. But sometimes I feel like I escape when I try to live in the present moment. It's like my OCD tells me 'wow, you have learned a new tool…great, but do you know what – if something is contaminated or dangerous it doesn't matter if you try to live in the present moment. You are just kidding yourself! You have to take care of the problems from yesterday and you have to make sure you have a future to live in. Don't be fooled into that mindfulness stuff…' My mind gets twisted. Do you have any thoughts that can bring some clarity?" Before we go, I want to remind you of two wonderful awareness weeks! BFRB Awareness week is happening NOW and ends on October 7. You can participate by attending local events, joining the conversation online, and more. Click HERE for more information. OCD Awareness Week, from October 13-19, is almost here! This year's awareness-raising campaign is focused on sharing videos of you and your friends facing your fears. The goal is to educate the public about the realities of living with OCD and the challenge of having to face your fears on the path to recovery. To participate, the IOCDF is asking everyone to create a video or photo of themselves doing something that makes them anxious and then to post on any and all social media platforms with the hashtags #FaceYourFear and #OCDWeek.

In today's episode, we are talking all about how to manage Perfectionism. I am so honored to have Monica Packer on the podcast as this week's guest, as she has such an inspirational story about how she was impacted by perfectionism and what steps she is taking each day to take her life back from Perfectionism. This episode is jam packed with tools and strategies to demonstrate how to manage perfectionism in your life. In this episode, Monica answered the below questions and delivered some incredible insight into how to manage perfectionism in areas I myself had never considered. What is perfectionism and how has it impacted your life? What did perfectionism look like for you personally? We often praise people who are "perfect." What are your thoughts on this? At what point in your life did you realize you were a perfectionist? What did perfectionism look like for you personally? How long had you experienced perfectionism? What was your experience with overcoming perfectionism? What advice do you have to those who experience perfectionism? Were there any roadblocks/setbacks etc to this journey for you? If you are early in the process of learning about perfectionism or you are well aware of your perfectionistic characteristics, I am sure you will benefit from this incredible interview. For more information on Monica, visit: Instagram: @aboutprogress Facebook: @aboutprogress Website: aboutprogress.com Before we go, I want to remind you that ERP School for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is available for purchase until October 1, 2019! ERP School is a complete online course that teaches how to apply Exposure & Response Prevention (ERP) to your Obsessions and Compulsions. Click HERE for more information and to purchase.

This week's episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit is called "Watch your mouth" and I mean that in the kindest possible way. I know we usually hear the phrase "Watch your mouth" as a phrase of discipline and can often be shocked or intimidated by such a statement. In this episode, we talk all about the words we use in daily life. We address how we often say things that simply are not true, or are quite unkind. Because we often unconsciously believe what we tell ourselves, we have be careful not to address ourselves in ways that are unhelpful. Take a quick look at the below examples: • "I NEVER do anything right" • "I am so BAD for having this thought" • "You ALWAYS make me anxious" Here are a few examples of ways in which we say things that are untrue and unhelpful. When we do this, we not only feed ourselves stories that are unhelpful but we also create an environment where negativity exists. I can make the assumption that these negative statements are not helpful for you. In this episode, we hope to inspire you to "watch your mouth" carefully and take note when you are speaking in a way that might exacerbate your anxiety. ALSO, We also have fabulous news! Exposure & Response Prevention School is BACK! ERP School was carefully created to cover the most important components of Exposure & Response Prevention. The ERP School includes the following modules: 1. The Science behind Exposure & Response Prevention (ERP) 2. Identifying YOUR Obsessions and Compulsions 3. Different Approaches to Practicing Exposure & Response Prevention (ERP) 1. Gradual Exposure & Response Prevention 2. Scripting and Flooding. 3. Opposite Action Skills 4. Interoceptive ERP 5. Let's Get Creative with ERP 4. Managing Uncertainty and Discomfort with Mindfulness 5. Troubleshooting Common Issues and Concerns 6. BONUS Material: OCD Sub-types and Themes We like to keep the courses super affordable so that everyone gets a chance to learn the tools needed to manage anxiety, obsessions, and compulsions. Exposure & Response Prevention (ERP) School is $197. Exposure & Response Prevention (ERP) School includes 18 videos, supplemental PDF's and handouts to help you apply the content to your obsessions and compulsions, as well as a BONUS 7 videos on applying ERP to the common OCD Sub-types. In total, the course is almost 5 hours of the same ERP information and skills I teach my face-to-face clients. CBT School is committed to supporting you throughout this process. If you have any questions, Kimberley meets bi-monthly on Facebook and Instagram for her LIVE MAGIC MONDAY Q&A hour (every second and fourth Monday at 12 pm PST) where she answers questions and troubleshoots any concerns you may have. Once you have purchased the course, you will have unlimited access to the videos. Exposure & Response Prevention (ERP) School is available for purchase just a few times per year. The cart for ERP School will open again September 20th, 2019 so get excited! For more information on the course and to purchase, click HERE.

FREE TRAINING: 10 Things You Absolutely Need To Know About OCD Available September 16-20th, 2019 If you have OCD, or you know someone who does, please join us each evening at 6 pm PDT to learn about the 10 things you need to know about OCD.⁠ 🌸⁠ Things to note: ⁠ It's free! ⁠ Its offered each evening this week. ⁠ The webinar is pre-recorded and will be sent directly to your inbox. ⁠ It's FREE! ⁠ You can watch it in your PJ's⁠ If you miss the training, a replay will be sent to your inbox the following day. ⁠ Did I mention that it is free? ⁠ I LOVE YOU ALL AND HOPE YOU ENJOY IT! ⁠https://www.cbtschool.com/10things ONLINE OCD VIDEO COURSE: ERP School was carefully created to cover the most important components of Exposure & Response Prevention. The ERP School includes the following modules: The Science behind Exposure & Response Prevention (ERP) Identifying YOUR Obsessions and Compulsions Different Approaches to Practicing Exposure & Response Prevention (ERP) Gradual Exposure & Response Prevention Scripting and Flooding. Opposite Action Skills Interoceptive ERP Let's Get Creative with ERP Managing Uncertainty and Discomfort with Mindfulness Troubleshooting Common Issues and Concerns BONUS Material: OCD Sub-types and Themes We like to keep the courses super affordable so that everyone gets a chance to learn the tools needed to manage anxiety, obsessions, and compulsions. Exposure & Response Prevention (ERP) School is usually $197 Exposure & Response Prevention (ERP) School includes 18 video's, supplemental PDF's and Handouts to help you apply the content to your obsessions and compulsions and a BONUS 7 videos on applying ERP to the common OCD Sub-types. In total, the course is almost 5 hours of the same ERP information and skills I teach my face-to-face clients. CBT School is committed to supporting you throughout this process. If you have any questions, Kimberley meets bi-monthly on Facebook and Instagram for her LIVE MAGIC MONDAY Q&A hour (every second and fourth Monday at 12 pm PDT) where she answers questions and troubleshoots any concerns you may have. Once you have purchased the course, you will have unlimited access to the videos. Exposure & Response Prevention (OCD) School is available for purchase just a few times per year. The cart for ERP School will open again September 20th, 2019 so get excited! LINK TO COURSE: https://www.cbtschool.com/erp-school-lp

I am honored to have Steven C. Hayes, author of A Liberated Mind: How to Pivot Towards What Matters, back on the Your Anxiety Toolkit Podcast. He was on Ep. 83 and is joining us again! There is nothing that makes me happier than to chat with Steven Hayes about the unbelievable work he is doing and I cannot tell you how much I adored his most recent book. In this week's podcast episode, Steven Hayes addressed how we can reach a liberated mind by improving psychological flexibility and moving away from psychological rigidity. Not only does Hayes address these important topics using a combination of science and reason, but he also discussed how we can access a liberated mind by practicing compassion and kindness, and by seeking out our own set of values. During this conversation, we touched on some really difficult topics including suicidal ideation, immigration, global warming and other issues that impact the state of the world. Steven Hayes does such a beautiful job teaching us how we can reach be more open to our suffering and be open and flexible with other people's suffering. Steven Hayes also addresses how we overuse problem-solving with our emotions. He talks about how we can create our own "hero's journey" by choosing a path that feels liberating and freeing, instead of one that is powerless and rigid. For more information on Steven Hayes, click below: Website: https://stevenchayes.com/ TedX: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o79_gmO5ppg To purchase his most recent book: https://www.amazon.com/Liberated-Mind-Pivot-Toward-Matters-ebook/dp/B07LDSPRYM A book freebie:https://stevenchayes.com/a-liberated-mind/ Steven Universe video - "Here Comes a Thought": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHg50mdODFM

Welcome back to another episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit. Today we are talking all about Accepting our Common Humanity. You may remember that Kristin Neff was on the podcast (Ep. 87) and she spoke about how Common Humanity is a core component of Mindful Self-Compassion. In that interview, Kristin Neff spoke about how we must notice that we are all in this together. Her description of Common Humanity is that we are never alone because all humans suffer and all humans feel emotions similar to what you are feeling, although it might not have the same content and be experienced from the same source of stress. Kristen Neff also addressed how we should not compare our suffering to that of another. When we do that, we minimize our own suffering and we reject the common humanity that we all experience. In this episode, my goal was to share with you some of the struggles I have had in accepting my own human-ness. As I have battled multiple medical issues this year, I have had to face my common humanity over and over again. I have had to stare my human-ness in the face, which has been both painful and freeing. I have had to reflect many times on how I am treating myself and how to create a more self-compassionate life that involves me setting realistic expectations for myself, treating myself with love and care when I am not feeling well and being honest with myself about what I can and cannot achieve or do. This journey of common humanity has been such a huge one for me and one that I hope brings you some awareness or hope. I often hear listeners and members of the CBT School community talk about how hard they are on themselves and how they hold themselves to standards that are impossible and outright cruel. If this resonates with you, this episode is for you.

Welcome back to another episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit. Today we are thrilled to introduce Dr. Laura Wetherill who will be talking about school anxiety. Dr Laura Wetherill is a Formal Research Scientist, turned full-time mom, who has a gift for doodling and supporting students with their studies and their mental health. Dr. Laura Wetherill now considers herself an online educator and has so much to share with us about managing school anxiety. During the interview, we address the below questions: What advice to you have for those who afraid of how stressful the year will be? How can students manage comparisons (with students who are "smarter" or "more popular" etc.)? Any tips for managing time during the school year? How can one manage the fear of failing a test or a class? How can one manage strong feelings of dread and hate towards school? Dr. Wetherill gathered information on how students are feeling about going back to school and learned a lot about school anxiety and fears: When asked, "How are you feeling about going back to school?" the vast majority reported fears based around friends, exams, time pressures, expectations, etc. We included them for your reference. Friends/relationships: • Nervous about not having friends in some of my classes. • Worried about losing friends. • Worried about making friends. • Unresolved conflict with friends. • Bullying. Exam Stress: • Many students worried about coping with stress, anxiety and the pressure around upcoming exam time. • One student is worried that she will panic in the exam room. • Students worrying that they've failed their exams and must go back to school with "bad" results (worried they've let parents, teachers and themselves down). General stress: • Scared the year will be too stressful. • Excited for subjects but not about the stress. Expectations/Not feeling smart enough: • Worried about not meeting entry requirements for A levels. • Worried about not being smart enough and finding it hard when everyone is competing and being compared against one another. • Worried about being unable to cope with the step up in difficulty. Time pressure: • Not having enough time to learn everything. • Not having enough time to finish resources. • Not having enough time to revise. • Feelings of time running out. • Having to miss the first week of school and then worried about catching up with work. Predicting Failure: • One student had failed her mocks and is worried that she will fail the real exams. • Students worried that they will fail the exams at the end of this new school year. Feeling unprepared: • Unprepared for exams. • Unprepared to leave school at the end of the year. • Unprepared for the year ahead. • Some are not sure how to prepare for the year ahead. • Revising hard but feel like it's not enough. Coping with ongoing medical conditions that disrupt school. • Having a medical condition that means they might not be able to attend school or sit the exams that they would like to sit. • One student was doing half days and they're worried that this year they won't be able to cope if they have to do full days. • Making the wrong choices: • Worried that they've chosen the wrong subjects or will not enjoy them. Strong feelings: • "I hate school, I don't want to go back." • "My friends p*** me off." • "I'm terrified". New beginnings: • Nervous about starting a new college/6th form/school. • Nervous about starting a new school, in a new country. For more information on Dr. Wetherill, visit: Instagram:@doctormeclever Website: doctormeclever.com Dr. Wetherill and I created a FREE 7-Step resource to help you bust your procrastination habit. Click HERE for the info.

Welcome back to another episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit. Today I was reflecting on what you might need to hear and it dawned on me that you might need a solid dose of compassion. So, today we are talking about finding your compassionate voice. In this podcast, I will lead you through a "Finding your compassionate voice" meditation, created originally by Kristin Neff and Christopher Germer. The script is below, but please note that I did change a few components to match the style of my voice and my ideas for what you needed to hear. Finding your compassionate voice involves us bringing what we need to hear to our awareness. Examples of finding your compassionate voice might sound like: "I love you" "I am here for you" "You are enough" "You are loved" "Everything is going to be ok" Finding your compassionate voice is an exercise or tool that might be able to offer you a skill to increase self-compassion, self-kindness, and self-respect. Finding your Compassionate Voice Meditation Please find a posture in which your body is comfortable and will feel supported for the length of the meditation. Then let your eyes gently close, partially or fully. Taking a few slow, easy breaths, releasing any unnecessary tension in your body. • If you'd like, placing a hand over your heart or another soothing place as a reminder that we're bringing not only awareness but affectionate awareness to our breathing and to ourselves. You can leave your hand there or let it rest at any time. • Now beginning to notice your breathing in your body, feeling your body breathe in and feeling your body breathe out. Now releasing the focus on your breathing, allowing the breath to slip into the background of your awareness, begin to offer yourself words or phrases that are meaningful to you. Whisper these words into your own ear. • Just letting your body breathe you. There is nothing you need to do. • Perhaps noticing how your body is nourished on the in-breath and relaxes with the out-breath. • Now noticing the rhythm of your breathing, flowing in and flowing out. (pause) Taking some time to feel the natural rhythm of your breathing. • Feeling your whole body subtly moving with the breath, like the movement of the sea. • Your mind will naturally wander like a curious child or a little puppy. When that happens, just gently returning to the rhythm of your breathing. This is mindfulness. • Allowing your whole body to be gently rocked and caressed – internally caressed - by your breathing. • If you like, even giving yourself over to your breathing, letting your breathing be all there is. Becoming the breath. • Just breathing. Being breathing. • And now, gently releasing your attention to the breath, sitting quietly in your own experience, and allowing yourself to feel whatever you're feeling and to be just as you are. • Slowly and gently open your eyes.

Welcome to another episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit Podcast. We are talking all about our bodies and addressing a very important topic called Health At Every Size in this episode. Today, I am honored to talk to Emily Cooper, a therapist who specializes and is so knowledgeable about health at every size, body positivity, body neutrality, and privilege. In this episode, we talk about whether there is a "right type of body" or a "wrong type of body" and how society and diet culture impact us and how we see our bodies. Emily Cooper addressed why Health At Every Size is an important concept that improves self-respect and self-love. Health At Every Size (HAES) is an inclusive movement that supports people of all sizes, weights, and body types in addressing health directly by adopting healthy behaviors. Health At Every Size does not focus on weight as the sole indicator of health. Being thinner does not necessarily make a person healthier or happier. A "healthy body" aligns with more than one body type and across a wide range of weights. During this episode, Emily Cooper also addresses how our perception of our body can impact our everyday lives, specifically related to work environments, social environments, relationships, intimacy and life in general. In her discussion about Health At Every Size, Emily Cooper also addressed the concept of thin privilege and diet culture and how they impact our relationship with our body and other peoples' bodies. The goal of this podcast episode is to introduce you to the idea that you can start to respect your body today, no matter what size or shape. Emily beautifully shared that her hope is to give us permission to not like our bodies but still learn to live our lives, not using weight or size to indicate your worth or ability to do the things you want to do. For more information on Emily, visit: Instagram: @heyemilycooper Blog: http://www.heyemilycooper.com/ Book References: Body Respect by Linda Bacon and Lucy Aprhamor Intuitive Eating by Linda Bacon

Welcome to Your Anxiety Toolkit Podcast. Today we are talking about a concept that I get asked about so often. Today we are talking all about how to manage intrusive thoughts. So often I am asked by clients and the CBT School community questions like, "What is an intrusive thought?" and, "How do I manage intrusive thoughts from becoming mental compulsions?" and, "Why is it so hard to manage intrusive thoughts?" These are all such good questions and I can totally resonate with why it is such a difficult and confusing topic. In today's episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit, I talk about why thought suppression doesn't work and why distraction is a tool that only works for a short period of time. In this episode, we review the practice of mindfulness in an attempt to manage intrusive thoughts and create an environment in your brain where fear and uncertainty doesn't run the show. A wonderful follower sent me the below question: "I have heard you talk about distraction and thought suppression. Does that mean I need to just focus on my thoughts and stay in my own head? While keeping myself busy with my job and other activities keeps me engaged and gets me out of my own head, does this count as a distraction? Also when you say distraction is bad, is it in the context of OCD or in general? I'm a bit confused, can you please provide some clarity on this." This is such a common question that I get asked and I wanted to take this time to address a concept called "Occupation," which is the practice of allowing thoughts WHILE you go about your day. Occupation is a practice of taking intrusive thoughts with you while you do the things you value in life. This is a very important concept and can help us to define how we manage intrusive thoughts and how we can reduce engaging in compulsive behaviors and mental compulsions. I hope this episode helps give you additional tools to help manage intrusive thoughts and mental compulsions.

This week's episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit Podcast will really change the way you look at and relate to Self-care. In this episode, we aren't talking about luxurious, expensive and unsustainable self-care. We are talking about affordable self-care. And, we are talking about self-care that costs NOTHING! If you struggle with self-care, this is the episode for you. If you struggle to even be aware of when you need self-care, this is the episode for you. In this episode, we talk with Psychologist Dr. Jenn Hardy about how marketing and media have made self-care into something that should look perfect, cost a lot of money and be luxurious. Dr. Jenn Hardy brings up the wonderful point that a self-care plan that is expensive and indulgent is not sustainable and won't fit into most people's daily lives. Dr. Jenn Hardy addresses a concept she coined, affordable self-care, which is taking care of your basic needs and making time each day to give your body and mind what it needs. Here are a few examples of affordable self-care that you can include into your life in simple and easy ways. Going pee when you need to pee Journaling Slowing down Taking a breath between activities Honoring what your body needs Saying no to things The thing I love the most about this episode is that we learn just how accessible affordable self-care is. We all have access to affordable self-care, no matter what your income is, where you live and what you do for a living. For more information on Dr. Jenn Hardy, visit: Instagram: @drjennhardy Website: Drjennhardy.com Before we go, I want to share a virtual conference with you that I will be speaking at (from August 5th-15th): Share Triumph Cancer Conference. I will be speaking at this free, virtual event in which women share how they made decisions about medical treatment and discuss how the emotional effects of diagnosis impact them today. Specifically, I will be talking about managing anxiety related to physical illness and cancer. This event brings together renowned doctors, therapists, nonprofits, fashion brands, comedians, podcasters, survivors and metavivors teaching you how to get through diagnosis, treatment and the aftermath to help keep your mind and spirit intact! Click HERE for more information and to register

Welcome to another episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit Podcast. Today I am sharing my takeaways from the 2019 International OCD Foundation (IOCDF) Conference. I just got back and it was possibly one of the most wonderful experiences. This year, the conference was in Austin, Texas, and I won't lie…it was HOT. I was super impressed with the people from Texas, as they were so kind, cheerful and helpful. In today's episode, I wanted to give you guys a quick peek at what I took away from the 2019 IOCDF conference this year. The 2019 IOCDF Conference is a conference that is held annually to help provide education, support, and advocacy for those who struggle with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Health Anxiety, Panic Disorder, Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors, Tic Disorder or Tourette's Disorder and general anxiety. It is a wonderful opportunity for those who need extra support or want to learn the gold-standard treatment for OCD. Not only is it an educational weekend, but it is also a weekend filled with hope, love, and unconditional acceptance. Here is what I took away from this year's 2019 IOCDF Conference. First of all, you guys are so kind. I cannot tell you how overwhelmed and honored I was to meet so many of you. Thank you to each and every one of you who came and said hi, gave me hugs, thanked me for the work I am so honored to do and for those of you who showered me with the sweetest and most thoughtful gifts. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Now, once again this year, I was honored to host the 2019 Compassion Collective support group for Self-Compassion with my dear friend Michelle Massi. Michelle and I met each morning at the very early hour of 7 am to sit with a group of beautiful humans who are invested in being kinder and more compassionate to themselves. It was a beautiful group and, once again, we got to peek inside their minds for an hour each morning and learn just how hard you all are on yourselves. Wowsers, you guys. Humans are FAR too hard on themselves. The main message we tried to share with y'all (We were in Texas hehe) was to drop the idea of getting A+ in life and to shoot for a B-. Be a B- human. Give life a B- effort. Give yourselves a little break here and there. In addition to running the Compassion Collective group, I also had the honor of running the Women's OCD Support Group with my dear friend, Beth Brawley. The one big takeaway from these amazing women was to be unapologetically yourself. As women, we need to stop apologizing for ourselves and just own the struggles and wins that we have. Another thing I heard from attendees over and over in the elevators and hotel halls is the strong urge and pressure to make themselves attend each and every presentation. If anyone has attended and IOCDF Conference, you will know that the schedule is JAM PACKED every single hour of the day. There is no way we can do it all. I figured you guys are hard on yourself in daily life also so my message to you is that you don't have to do it all. This one is SUPER important. You are alone! You really are not. Each year, thousands of people meet in a random city in the USA to learn about OCD. I know at home you may not know a single soul with OCD, but please know that people like you are out there and they are wonderful and kind and smart and funny and make my heart so full, just like YOU. The last takeaway from the 2019 IOCDF Conference is this. YOU ARE SUPPORTED! I was honored to attend the OCD Game Changers event at the conference and there I met a large number of OCD treatment providers and OCD Advocates who are on a mission to help you all and provide good treatment and to advocate for you and to fight for you. You may have had terrible experiences with some therapists, but please know that there are some incredible therapists out there who are such badasses and they are fighting for you.

In today's episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit podcast, we are discussing a compassion practice that will change your life. Today, we are talking about the Buddhist practice, Tonglen Meditation for anxiety. The ancient meditation practice of Tonglen is known as a practice of "taking and sending". Tonglen Meditation for anxiety is a practice that is similar to everything we talk about here on Your Anxiety Toolkit. Tonglen Meditation for anxiety reverses our usual logic of avoiding suffering and seeking pleasure. Commonly, people with anxiety want to learn how to eliminate their own suffering and pronouns such as "I", "Me" and "Mine" is the focus of their attention. The use of Tonglen is a practice of compassion for all humans, including ourselves, that allows us to visualize taking in the pain of others with every in-breath and sending out whatever will benefit them on the out-breath. In the process of Tonglen Meditation for anxiety, we let go of patterns of selfishness and we bring love to both ourselves and others. We create a practice where we take care of ourselves and others. Tonglen Meditation for anxiety awakens our compassion and introduces us to a view of reality that is wider and more realistic. Tonglen meditation for anxiety can be a formal meditation practice or can be used at any time for even brief periods of time. Tonglen Meditation for anxiety also allows us to send compassion to all humans and see that many other humans are just like ourselves. This Tonglen Meditation for anxiety will bring you to see that you are not alone in your suffering. The practice is to bring love and compassion to all living beings, as everyone is suffering in one way or another. Instead of beating ourselves up, we can use our personal struggles as a way to access common humanity (understanding what people are up against all over the world). As we breathe in the pain and suffering for all of us and breathe out love and compassion for all of us, we create a space where we can feel more deeply and honestly. We can use our personal suffering as the path to compassion for all beings. Please use this Tonglen Meditation for anxiety to remove the suffering of mankind, while also sending the relief. Breathe out while releasing out comfort and happiness. Radiate love as widely as you can, CBT School community!

This episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit was not an easy one to record. No one likes to have a conversation about suicide, but we need to. We need to have a conversation about suicide more than ever and we need to keep having these conversations until we break the stigma of suicide. Recently, one of our dear CBT School members died by suicide and our community was heartbroken. My heart was broken. Even as a therapist, I cannot prepare myself enough for the conversation about suicide. Thankfully, as we all grieve this sad loss, we are joined today by Joe Dennis to help us work through this difficult topic. Joe Dennis is the Clinical Director of Mindful Counseling in Utah with such a wonderful kind heart. In a flash, Joe agreed to join me for a conversation about suicide where he educated us about suicide and gave us some wonderful tools and resources for those who are struggling with thoughts of suicide. We also discussed tools and resources for those with a loved one who has died by suicide. Joe talked with us about why we now call it "Death by suicide" and the reasons for this terminology change. Joe also talked about the difference between passive suicidal ideation and active suicidal ideation and how to differentiate between the two. Joe and I talked about why we struggle to talk about Suicide and how Depression, anxiety, trauma, etc. play into suicidal ideation. Lastly, Joe talked about what is going through the mind of someone who is contemplating suicide and what tools/strategies/resources they can use when they are faced with this difficult time. I really hope that this podcast helps you to understand and approach suicide in a way that is less stigmatized, less shamed and less frightening. Thank you, Joe Dennis, for being on the show. For more information on Joe, visit: Instagram: @joedennis.counsels Website: https://mindfulcounselingutah.com For more information on suicide awareness and prevention, visit or call: Helpguide.org National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1800-273-8255 Crisis Text line: 741741

Welcome back to another episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit Podcast. This week we are joined by the amazing Dan Furlong. Dan Furlong is the man behind @maleanxietydepression on Instagram and is an inspiration to many in the mental health field. In this episode, Dan Furlong talks about his recent experience with running the Jungle Ultra in Peru through the Amazing Jungle. Dan Furlong called it a "self-sufficient race" where he had to run for 5 days through the Amazon Jungle, 3 of which had torrential rain. Dan Furlong talked about his struggle with anxiety, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and depression. Dan also talked about his struggles with suicidal ideation. Dan said many inspiring things throughout this episode, but here are a few inspirational quotes that really got me thinking. When discussing his experiences with depression, Dan quoted, "You need to goal set your way out of depression. He talked about how he never lets himself give up and "only when you go through real pain do you find out who you are!" As Dan ran through the Amazon Jungle and faced many death-defying cliffs and traverses, he repeated to himself, "If you get through this, you can get through anything" and he referred to his OCD recovery in this discussion also. Dan reported only getting 2-3 hours sleep each night and how he chose to run ahead to be allowed to take the "long course" which was running up to 1.5 marathons per day. Just so inspiring, right?! Dan Furlong spoke extensively about his mindset during the run (and his OCD recovery) and how he has learned to "take the path of least resistance". Dan stated that "your brain will always talk you out of doing hard things" and because of this, he learned to "take the harder route". To donate and help those affected by OCD, click HERE. To learn more about Dan, visit: Instagram: @Maleanxietydepression Website: Mad.com To purchase Can't Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds by David Goggins, click HERE

In today's episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit Podcast, we are talking about finding a middle path in our recovery. This is a very important topic to me, as it is what has helped me immensely in my own anxiety management. Finding a Middle path (or middle way) is about us seeing beyond our dualistic or black-and-white ways of thinking, behaving and being. Finding a middle path (or way) describes our journey of seeing the middle ground between attachment (where we cling and grasp onto things being a certain way) and aversion (where we run away from things that are not the way we want them to be). Finding a Middle Path is about stepping away from "good" and "bad" and seeing that there is no good and bad, and there is only neutral. In this episode, we talk about embracing the dialectics of change and stillness at the same time. We addressed how finding a middle path is being independent whilst also being a part of a larger community. It is where we embrace tension, paradox and change and discover a world that is workable in the middle, not just at the beginning or end. One of the reasons I love this concept so much is that instead of always seeking resolution and completion and perfection, we let ourselves open and relax in the middle stages of our process. We live in the reality of the present. The more we delve into the middle way, the more deeply we come to rest between the play of opposites. One of the hardest parts of this Buddhist practices is learning to trust in life itself. In this episode, we touch on this as an important part of finding a middle path. For more information on Finding a Middle Path, read this wonderful article by Jack Kornfield: https://jackkornfield.com/finding-the-middle-way/

Dr. Sarah Sarkis Talks About Anxiety Management and Your Relationship with Anxiety Welcome back to another episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit Podcast. Today we have Dr. Sarah Sarkis on to talk about Your Relationship with Anxiety. Dr. Sarah Sarkis is a psychologist, writer, and performance consultant with a private practice in Honolulu, Hawaii (though it won't take you long to discover she's a Boston girl at heart). Her integrated approach is big on science, low on bullshit, empowering us to achieve long-term change and growth through an eclectic blend of psychology, neurobiology, and functional medicine. Her blog, The Padded Room, is your virtual safe space to help you manage the jarring realities of life. There, you'll find a soft landing for life's harshest truths. You can find it at drsarahsarkis.com. Addressing your relationship with anxiety might be one of the most important steps you take when it comes to your anxiety management. Dr. Sarah Sarkis beautifully shares how she approaches fear and how your relationship with anxiety can determine the degree of suffering around anxiety. She also addressed people's conceptualization of "I cannot handle this" or "I cannot face this" when it comes to facing fears. During this interview, we also addressed concepts around Optimum Performance and Dr. Sarkis' experience in her practice with patients in this area. I am sure you will agree that changing your relationship with anxiety is a game changer when it comes to your mental health, and I am so excited to share this inspiring interview with you For more information on Dr. Sarah Sarkis, visit: Website: https://drsarahsarkis.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drsarahsarkis Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drsarahsarkis/ Lastly, the annual IOCDF conference is being coming up SO SOON! It will be held in Austin, TX, from July 19-21. This national meeting focuses solely on Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and related disorders. I will be one of the presenters among over 100 presentations, workshops, and seminars. There will be support groups and evening events as well. Click HERE for more information and to buy tickets.

Do you remember podcast episode #92 where I talked about my new goal of Failing 100 times? At the beginning of this year, I set the goal to fail 100 times in my business, personally and in my life. The whole concept came from a podcast episode by Amy Porterfield (EP# 247) where she set the goal to fail 100 times this year, not because she wanted to drop everything and mess up, but because she wanted to set goals that were so high that she was destined to "fail." The whole premise of failing 100 times was to reach for the stars instead of setting goals that held us back and limited us. Well, I decided that I was going to fail 100 times this year, but I was hit by a rude awakening that has completely changed the way I think about failure. As some of you may know, I have been struggling with some pretty serious medical and emotional issues this year. It has been a very scary and uncertain journey for me, but I have learned so much about myself. What ended up happening was that I ended up failing in ways I wasn't even expecting and I came to see just how hard I am on myself. I am scared to share this with you, but I have decided that it is a beautiful day to do hard things. So, this episode is about how I am failing at 100 things that I didn't set out to fail. I hope you find it helpful and that it inspires you to take a close look at how you conceptualize failure. And finally, I ask you, how are you doing at failing 100 times this year? There are a few things I want to remind you of before we go! The annual IOCDF conference is being held in Austin, TX, from July 19-21. This national meeting focuses solely on Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and related disorders. I will be one of the presenters among over 100 presentations, workshops, and seminars. There will be support groups and evening events as well. Click HERE for more information and to buy tickets. Catherine DeMonte, who joined us in Ep. 95 of Your Anxiety Toolkit Podcast, is the author of a new self-help book that will be released on June 18, 2019. Beep! Beep! Get Out of My Way! Seven Tools for Living Your Unstoppable Life is a practical self-help book grounded in Psychotherapist Catherine DeMonte's 25 years of clinical psychotherapy practice. Based on the Abundance Circle groups she created and leads, this book contains the tools her clients used to realize their dreams. Written with nurturing warmth and humor, this book addresses both the inner and outer work necessary for creating lasting shifts. You can manifest your "one big thing"— even when circumstances make it seem impossible.Click HERE to order on Amazon.

Welcome back to another episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit Podcast. Today is a little different. I was all ready to record a podcast and all of a sudden, I put that podcast episode on hold and just spoke from the heart. I just wanted to talk directly to you and remind you to honor your hard things. I know when things are hard and you are struggling, it feels like you have no choice but to give up, but again, always honor your hard thing. In this episode, I share about a recent "hard thing" I did with my daughter. I shared how surprised I was by how hard it was and emphasized that we do not honor the hard things we do enough. My goal was to address how we compare our struggles in mental health with others who do not have the same struggles. Because of this, we don't honor the hard things you are doing (which is a lot). In addition, we judge ourselves for struggling and we make it hard on ourselves when things are already hard. My hope with this episode is to help you along to honor every hard thing you do. My hope is that it gives you a moment to celebrate the work you are doing with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Depression, Panic Disorder, Body Focused Repetitive Behaviors (BFRBs) and Eating Disorders. It is hard work and I honor your hard things. Before we go, I want to remind you about the upcoming IOCDF conference in Austin, TX, from July 19-21. This national meeting focuses solely on Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and related disorders. I will be one of the presenters among over 100 presentations, workshops, and seminars. There will be support groups and evening events as well. Click HERE for more information and to buy tickets.

On today's episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit Podcast, we are talking all about a journey of self-compassion. Yep, that's right! This is one special episode. This week we are joined by previous guest, Ethan Smith, the national ambassador for the charity called the International Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Foundation (IOCDF). Ethan talks all about his new experiences and journey of self-compassion and how he has learned a lot about himself in the past year. Consider this Chapter 2 of Ethan's story, as he shares his struggles with taking responsibility for what goes wrong in his life and not blaming Obsessive Compulsive Disorder for his struggles. Ethan also shares how he is learning how to cope with "bad" choices and making mistakes and how he was pushed into the practice of self-compassion when he realized he was still under the spell of internalized stigma of mental health. This is such an important issue and one I want to focus on in the future of Your Anxiety Toolkit. Ethan also shared his journey of self-compassion as he learns how he would internally compare and contrast the mistakes he has made before, during and after treatment. He talked about how recognizing this process has made him realize how hard he really was on himself. I think we can all resonate with this at times and Ethan beautifully shares his vulnerable and authentic experience. Ethan addressed how he is now learning to cope with unrealistic expectations and how self-compassion has taught him to accept himself as he is. He talked about how common humanity is a concept that he fought for so long in fear that it will make him complacent and careless. I am sure you will learn a lot from this episode and I hope that it helps you reflect on your journey of self-compassion. Before we go, I want to remind you about the upcoming IOCDF conference in Austin, TX, from July 19-21. This national meeting focuses solely on Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and related disorders. I will be one of the presenters among over 100 presentations, workshops, and seminars. There will be support groups and evening events as well. Click HERE for more information and to buy tickets.

Welcome back to another episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit. Today, we are talking all about Managing Sleep Anxiety. It is very common for my clients to report significant anxiety at bed time and during sleep. They might report trouble getting to sleep, racing thoughts while trying to fall asleep, trouble staying asleep, waking up panicking, or ruminating on an event or worry. In this episode, we are not talking about the specific medical side of sleep disturbances. We are talking specifically about managing sleep anxiety. Did you know that more than 40 million Americans suffer from a sleep disorder? (according to the National Institutes of Health). And, did you know that 50% of those with GAD have a sleep disorder? These statistics blew me away and made me realize I need to be addressing this issue more often. I am sure you will agree that stress and anxiety may increase sleeping problems or make existing problems even worse. Many will report that their sleep quality is much reduced when they are going through a difficult time in their lives. But, the real question is, which one comes first? Sleep disorder or Anxiety Disorder? We will discuss this in this episode. In this episode, we also address sleep hygiene, caffeine intake, and the importance of exercise when it comes to managing anxiety. We also talk about the importance of reducing screen time, keeping naps to a minimum and the necessity of seeing a sleep specialist if you are really struggling. I really hope this episode helps you manage sleep anxiety just a little better. It's a beautiful day to do hard things, CBT School community! Before we go, I'd like to remind you about two amazing events coming up and a way for you to give back to the OCD community! International OCD Foundation 1 Million Steps 4 OCD Walk What: The IOCDF is hosting their 1 Million Steps 4 OCD Walk in Calabasas on Saturday, June 1, to increases awareness and raises funds for the IOCDF and its Local Affiliates so they can continue their mission. I will be walking at this one! There are many walks happening so be sure to check your area if you are interested. When: June 1 Where: Juan Bautista de Anza Park | Calabasas, CA Click HERE for more information and to register. International OCD Foundation Annual Conference What: Since 1993, the Annual OCD Conference has been the only national meeting focused solely on obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and related disorders. The unique event allows people with OCD and their loved ones to learn about the latest OCD treatment and information alongside the mental health professionals who care for them. The Conference features more than 100 presentations, workshops, and seminars as well as nearly two-dozen support groups and various evening events. Presenters include some of the most experienced and knowledgeable clinicians and researchers in the field, as well as people with OCD and family members sharing their stories about life with OCD. When: July 19-21 Where: JW Marriott Austin, Austin TX Click HERE for more information and to buy tickets. Giving Back During the month of May, Shala Nicely is giving 100% of her royalties from Is Fred in the Refrigerator? Taming OCD and Reclaiming My Life to the International OCD Foundation for the conference scholarship fund. In celebration of the one-year anniversary of Fred's publication, she hopes to raise enough money to send at least 5 people in need to the conference. And with your help, we can send even more! As Shala shares in the Fred chapter "Changing the OCD Mind," going to her first IOCDF conference was life-changing: she finally learned about exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP) for OCD and actually tried the therapy on her own, realizing with amazement that ERP gave her the power to reclaim her life. If you have OCD, know someone with OCD, treat OCD, or have ever been curious what OCD is really like, please purchase a copy of Fred. As I wrote in my endorsement of the book, "Is Fred in the Refrigerator? is a stunning story of growth, perseverance and hope. Shala beautifully details how mental illness shaped her life, taking us with her on her brave journey through perfectionism, shame and fear. This book is the perfect combination of entertainment, education and validation for those who are on their journey to recovery from OCD, but also for any human being who wants to live courageously and joyfully." 100% of the royalties from every book sold will directly support sending people with OCD to the IOCDF conference, where they will learn that they, too, can reclaim their lives. Thank you!

How To Be Uncertain In the Management of OCD Welcome to this week's episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit. When it comes to the management of anxiety, practicing being uncertain is the key to long-term recovery. We must face our fears and purposely not try to solve what will happen and what we would do if our fear came true. For anyone attempting this, we can all agree that being uncertain is a very difficult skill to practice. I have found that while my clients logically are on board with the idea of being uncertain, they still struggle with HOW to be uncertain. Cognitively, we know the importance of uncertainty, but the actual practice of it might not be something that we are fully on board for. Nearly every day, a client or a follower on social media (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter) will ask me HOW to be uncertain. They might say, "Kimberley, I get that I have to lean into the uncertainty, but HOW do I actually be uncertain?" In today's podcast episode, we talk all about how to be uncertain and what major roadblocks might be causing you to bypass uncertainty. We also talk about some key mindfulness tools to help with the practice of uncertainty when managing strong obsessions and compulsions. This is a very important concept when it comes to anxiety management, so I would love to hear your thoughts. There are a few very exciting events coming up! The IOCDF is hosting their 1 Million Steps 4 OCD Walk in Calabasas on Saturday, June 1, to increases awareness and raises funds for the IOCDF and its Local Affiliates so they can continue their mission. I will be walking at this one! Click HERE for more information and to register. Also, the IOCDF Annual Conference will be held in Austin, Texas, from July 19-21. I will be speaking at this event and love seeing you there! Click HERE for more information and to buy tickets.

100th Episode Virtual Party! Welcome to another episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit Podcast. This episode is a very special one for us. We are celebrating out 100th Episode and we are having a VIRTUAL PARTY! At this party, we want you to celebrate this wonderful community of brave and courageous people who stand by each other as we go through hard things and we do hard things. For this virtual party, we invited some of our favorite guests and asked them to share some wisdom, a funny story or dance the night away with us. First up, we have Ethan Smith who was on Ep. 53 (How Advocacy "Keeps Me Well": Interview with Ethan Smith OCD Advocate) and he starts the evening off in the most glamorous way. Sheva Rajaee who was Ep 45 (FIVE Roadblocks to Anxiety Recovery (w/ Sheva Rajaee) shares a wonderful story about Octopi and how adaptable they (and we) are. Chris Tronsdon who was on Ep 97 (The Emotional Stages of Recovery – Rebuilding Life After OCD with Chris Tronsdon) shared a wonderful and inspiring story of having Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and then led us into a fabulous dance. Nathalie Maragoni from Ep 65 shared her love for our community and how proud she is of us all. Shala Nicely from Ep 16 (Guilt, Shame and being "SO OCD" with CBT ROCKSTAR Shala Nicely), Ep 36 (This EASY tool Might Change Your Way of Coping with Anxiety with Shala Nicely) and Ep 78 (Tips To Help You Share Your Mental Illness With Others) Shared her words of wisdom and also has a wonderful and generous gift she is sharing with the OCD community. Catherine DeMonte from Ep 95 (Love vs. Fear with Catherine DeMonte) shared a wonderful piece about how we must choose love over fear and allow love to lead us. Catherine always has beautiful things to share with us. Jon Hershfield from Ep 42 (Dispelling The Myths About Managing Anxiety and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) And Ep 85 (Harm OCD with Jon Hershfield) as always brings humor and wit to our interactions. Michelle Massi from Ep 84 (How to Manage Social Anxiety (with guest, Michelle Massi, LMFT) Beautifully shares what she loved about being on Your Anxiety Toolkit Podcast and we 100% cannot wait to have you back on Michelle. Alegra Kastens, our fabulous and hard-working CBT School assistant gives us a huge dose of inspiration and support with her beautiful words of hope and faith. Thank you, Alegra! Of course, no party is complete without Jeremy Quinlan from Ep 99 (Making The Choice to Embrace Panic with Jeremy Quinlan) who shows us late and always causes trouble. Thank you, Jeremy, for showing your handsome face! The lovely and wise Zoe Gillis from Ep 19 (Nature just might be the ULTIMATE Mindfulness Tool with Zoe Gillis) shared how she experiences parties and brings a unique and thoughtful approach to our 100th episode (always making me think outside the box). And, true to form, Patrick McGrath from Ep 64 (Don't Try Harder, Try Different with Patrick McGrath) brings his hilarious jokes and firm direction for those who are working on anxiety and recovery. And, last but not least, Chrissie Hodges from Ep. 67 (Grieving the Losses of Mental Illness) shares a powerful message for those who are in the throes of anxiety and OCD recovery. I just adore her thoughts and wisdom. I cannot thank you all enough for all of your support and excitement. Thank you for joining us for this virtual party! I have loved every minute of this podcast...all the minutes of recording, editing, and preparing. Thank you so much, CBT School community! Here is to another 100!

Jeremy Quinlan Talks About Panic Disorder and Choosing to Embrace Panic Welcome back to another episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit Podcast. Today we have a very special guest. For me, this is THE most special guest, because this week I had the honor of interviewing my husband about Making the Choice to Embrace Panic. In this episode, Jeremy tells the story of his Panic Disorder, how panic took so much from him and how he made the choice to embrace panic, instead of run from it. I have wanted to record this episode for the longest time, but life, work, family and business always got in the way. But, on a beautiful spring day, we both sat down while the kids were at school in our lounge room and recorded his story. Together, we talked about the fear of flying and how this caused him to exit off many flights in a state of panic. We also talk about his fear of driving on the highway, fear of getting on elevators, fear of getting on a train or a trolley or a taxi cab, etc. We also got very deep into the experience of panic disorder and what it felt like to have a panic attack. Jeremy described his specific experience of panic and how it made him fear he would hurt someone or lose control of his body. What I loved the most was how he shared his bumpy journey to recovery. Jeremy carefully describes what that journey with panic felt like and how he made an intentional decision to "choose life" over running from anxiety, panic, and dread. He addressed how he came to a place where he could see that he had only two choices: choose to embrace panic or to keep running and let it take over his life. I am so excited to share this episode with you, CBT School community. I hope he inspires you as much as he inspires me.

Three Mindfulness Basics for Anxiety and Depression Welcome back to another episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit Podcast. Do you ever feel like you have to go back to basics? Maybe you feel overwhelmed with all the "tools" and strategies you need to practice to manage your anxiety, obsessions, compulsions, and emotions. Maybe you are feeling like you need to simplify your mental health practices so that you only have a few things to manage instead of many. If you are feeling this way, you are not alone. I recently realized that I had to return back to some mindfulness basics and review the tools that helped me many years ago. In today's episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit, I talked about the 3 mindfulness basics for anxiety and depression that you must return to when you are struggling with anxiety, stress, life events, depression, and grief. In this episode, we talk about how we sometimes refuse to go back to the basics because we are afraid it means we are "going backward." We dispel this myth and address how these 3 mindfulness basics for anxiety and depression can recharge our mental health plan and practice. If you'd like to learn more about mindfulness skills that I teach my face-to-face clients who struggle with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), we have an online course available on CBTschool.com called Mindfulness School for OCD. Click HERE to learn more and sign up. Before we go, I want to remind you of two wonderful upcoming events! The TLC Foundation will host their annual conference on Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors from May 2-4 in Virginia. Click HERE for more information and to buy tickets. Also, the IOCDF Annual Conference will be held in Austin, Texas, from July 19-21. I will be speaking at this event and love seeing you there! Click HERE for more information and to buy tickets.

Chris Trondsen Talks Rebuilding Life After OCD Do you ever wonder what life will look like after OCD Treatment? If so, this is the podcast episode for you! We are talking all about the common emotions involved with the recovery process from mental illnesses such as Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Anxiety, and depression in today's episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit Podcast. Many of you have asked for more episodes about the emotional side of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Anxiety, Depression, Eating Disorders, and Body Focused Repetitive Behaviors (BFRB's), as well as what life is like after mental illness. In today's episode, we talk with Christopher Tronsden on Rebuilding Life After OCD. In this episode, Chris Tronsden talks about his childhood of "confusion" about his symptoms and thoughts and how he was claimed to be a "difficult child." Chris Tronsden also talks about how he moved towards isolation after being wrongly diagnosed with other mental illnesses, and resultantly survived a suicide attempt. Chris shares the emotions he experienced after this suicide attempt and how it led him to finding the correct treatment for OCD (Exposure and Response Prevention) and moving towards Rebuilding life after OCD Treatment. What I loved the most about Chris' story is how beautifully he explains and articulates the process of building up the courage to perform Exposure and Response Prevention and then having to manage the painful experience of anger and loss after his OCD treatment. Chris Trondsen explains how he had to have some difficult conversations with loved ones and himself before he could turn his battle into something that was meaningful. Chris ends the podcast episode with a beautiful message of hope for those who are at all stages of treatment and recovery. His message really does give hope to those who are embarking on the process of rebuilding life after OCD Treatment. Thank you, Christopher Trondsen, for a beautiful interview. For more information on Chris, visit: IOCDF SoCal: https://ocdsocal.org/about-us/board-of-directors/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/christrondsen?lang=en Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christrondsen/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChrisTrondsen Email: [email protected]

Dr. Jed Siev Talks Religious (scrupulosity) and Moral Obsessions Welcome back to another episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit Podcast. Today, I am so thrilled to talk with you about Religious and Moral Obsessions. In this episode, I was honored to talk with Dr. Jed Siev. Dr. Jed Siev is an Associate Professor in the Psychology Department at Swarthmore College and is skilled in treating Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), specifically Religious and Moral Obsessions. Religious and Moral Obsessions are very common among OCD sufferers and I am so thrilled to share with you. I was able to take some questions from followers on Instagram (@kimberleyquinlan) for this episode and Jed Siev did such a great job of bringing compassion, skill, and research into the conversation. Here are some of the questions we addressed in the interview: What is scrupulosity? What are the common obsessions and compulsions for Religious (scrupulosity) and Moral Obsessions? How does Scrupulosity differ from Moral Obsessions? What does treatment for Religious (scrupulosity) and Moral Obsessions consist of? Does treatment for Religious and Moral Obsessions differ for different common religions? The below questions from listeners are addressed: Is it helpful to involve a member of clergy when treating religious OCD? Is it common to question whether you are a good person or just do a good thing to prove you are a good person? How do you practice acceptance of thoughts and obsessions even if it feels so against your morals? When you struggle with religious (scrupulosity) and Moral Obsessions, how do you teach your younger child to pray? Why is there such a strong feeling of guilt attached to Religious (scrupulosity) and Moral Obsessions? How do you address the fear of doing things that are disloyal? What to do if you keep judging your actions? What to do if you keep putting shame on yourself? Thank you for everyone who submitted these questions. I am sure you will find this episode very, very helpful, as I learned so much from Jed Seiv. For more information on Dr. Siev, visit: https://www.jedsiev.com/ https://www.swarthmore.edu/psychology/faculty-staff EXCITING NEWS...OCDeconstruct is THIS WEEKEND!! OCDeconstruct is a free online conference designed to give those with OCD, and their loved ones, the information needed to understand key concepts related to the disorder so they can get a productive start on treatment. During the conference, six therapists will present on topics including intrusive thoughts, ERP, family dynamics, medicine and more. OCDeconstruct happens on Saturday, April 13 and will run about 4 hours.

Welcome back to another episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit Podcast. Today we have someone who is very dear to my heart: Catherine DeMonte. Over a year ago, I had the privilege of joining a women's group called an Abundance Group, run by Marriage and Family Therapist, Catherine DeMonte. Catherine was so inspiring to me and gave me some of the tools I needed to get me inspired and motivated to create CBTschool.com. That's right you guys! Catherine was one of the people who stood next to me as I cultivated the seed of CBTschool.com. For that, I am forever grateful. In Catherine DeMonte's abundant circles, I learned how to lead with love, not fear. While this was a concept I already knew, Catherine helped me to put this into play as I created CBTschool.com and created a life that lined up with my values. Catherine has such a beautiful heart and a beautiful way of speaking in a compassionate and gentle way. In this interview, she delivers tools that will help you tap into the wonderful beauty of your heart and create a life you really want. She talks about love vs. fear. Catherine talks about what it's like to lead with love vs. fear. In this episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit, Catherine talks to us about being open to receiving love and health and compassion and support. She shares with us some of her amazing tools that she has included in her upcoming book, Beep! Beep! Get Out Of My Way! Catherine De Monte also talks about involving deep desire to the hard work that you're doing with Exposure and Response Prevention and she teaches us how to practice grace and gratitude as we work towards our anxiety recovery. I very much love this episode and I hope you do too. Lastly, I want to remind you about an upcoming event that I am thrilled to be speaking at: OCDeconstruct! OCDeconstruct is a free online conference designed to give those with OCD, and their loved ones, the information needed to understand key concepts related to the disorder so they can get a productive start on treatment. During the conference, six therapists will present on topics including intrusive thoughts, ERP, family dynamics, medicine and more. OCDeconstruct happens on Saturday, April 13 and will run about 4 hours.

Life after OCD with Shawnté Johnson Welcome back to another episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit Podcast! Today, we talk about life after OCD. So often, my clients in my private practice have questions about what recovery for anxiety and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder looks like. Clients and social media followers are often asking me what "recovery" means and how can they get there. Understanding recovery is a crucial part of taking those first steps towards fear. Today, I am thrilled to share with you Shawnté Johnson, an OCD advocate and blogger who not only talks the talk on recovery but walks the walk too. Shawnté Johnson has a blog called Life After OCD and she talks so beautifully not just about life after her recovery from OCD and Anxiety, but also life before and during treatment. In this week's episode, Shawnté talks about how "doing hard things" is worth it and how she learned to embrace facing her fears and took on an approach where she commits to facing her fears every day. Shawnté shares her own story and how she chose her own values over fear. She talks about how she was "enslaved" to her OCD and how she "chose faith over fear." What I loved so much about what she talks about is how fear was motivating much of her decisions and how she found her own form of motivation to take her life back from anxiety, fear, and panic. Shawnté also talks about recovery being a long game and how she stays aligned with the core concept of her OCD and anxiety treatment. There is life after OCD! You can find Shawnté at: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifeafterocd/ Before we go, I want to remind you about upcoming events that I am thrilled to be speaking at: the OCD SoCal Conference and OCDeconstruct! This Saturday, March 30, I will be speaking at the OCD Southern California 4th Annual Conference alongside other OCD specialists and advocates. I'll be speaking during the breakout session titled Managing OCD Roadblocks: Creative and Effective Tools to Tackle ERP. For registration information, visit ocdsocal.org or click HERE. OCDeconstruct is a free online conference designed to give those with OCD, and their loved ones, the information needed to understand key concepts related to the disorder so they can get a productive start on treatment. During the conference, six therapists will present on topics including intrusive thoughts, ERP, family dynamics, medicine and more. OCDeconstruct happens on Saturday, April 13 and will run about 4 hours. Do you want to get weekly free content from us, right to your inbox? SIGN UP HERE FOR OUR NEW WEEKLY NEWSLETTER! The weekly newsletter includes free mental health tips and tools, information about upcoming events with Kimberley. and free coupons for CBT School products.

Welcome back to another episode of Your Anxiety Toolkit. You are going to LOVE this week's podcast interview with Dr. Reid Wilson. For those who don't know Dr. Reid Wilson, he is a world-class specialist in the area of Anxiety Disorders. Dr. Reid Wilson is the Director of the Anxiety Disorders Treatment Center in Chapel Hill and Durham, NC, and is Adjunct Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. Dr. Reid Wilson is the author of the amazing book for Panic Disorder, called Don't Panic, and the co-author of wonderful books such as Anxious Kids, Anxious Parents, Stop Obsessing! and Playing with Anxiety. Dr. Reid Wilson is a Founding Clinical Fellow of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America and a Fellow of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies. So, I am sure you are wowed already, but wait for it! This episode will blow your mind even more. In this week's episode, I talk with Dr. Reid Wilson about a perspective change and an attitude change from one where we do not want anxiety to one where we WANT anxiety. I know this may seem strange, but believe me, this will change your whole game when it comes to the treatment of anxiety, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and other anxiety disorders. In this episode, we address the following topics. Why do we want anxiety? What is going on in our brains when we have anxiety and when we face our fears How to get a client to do Exposure & Response Prevention How to Engage the Ambivalent or resistant OCD Client A different approach to the ERP hierarchy? How to have a complete Attitude change about fear and anxiety. Please consult Reid's other site, Anxieties.com, for additional information, videos, resources, and treatment options. Before we go, I have a few exciting events to tell you about! I'll be speaking at both the OCD SoCal Conference and OCDeconstruct. On Saturday, March 30, I will be speaking at the OCD Southern California 4thAnnual Conference alongside other OCD specialists and advocates. I'll be speaking during the breakout session titled Managing OCD Roadblocks: Creative and Effective Tools to Tackle ERP. For registration information, visit ocdsocal.org or click HERE. OCDeconstruct is a free online conference designed to give those with OCD, and their loved ones, the information needed to understand key concepts related to the disorder so they can get a productive start on treatment. During the conference, six therapists will present on topics including intrusive thoughts, ERP, family dynamics, medicine and more. OCDeconstruct happens on Saturday, April 13 and will run about 4 hours. Do you want to get weekly free content from us, right to your inbox? SIGN UP HERE FOR OUR NEW WEEKLY NEWSLETTER! The weekly newsletter includes free mental health tips and tools, information about upcoming events with Kimberley. and free coupons for CBT School products.