242: When Anxiety Robs You: Navigating Grief, Anger, and the "Small Life" Trap

Have you ever looked at your life and wondered, "How did things get so small?"I know that feeling all too well. I know the sting of looking at the calendar and seeing all the weddings, vacations, and job opportunities you’ve said "no" to. It feels like anxiety hasn't just been a struggle; it feels like it has robbed you. Robbed you of years, of confidence, and of the version of yourself that used to feel so free.In this episode, we’re talking about something that doesn't get nearly enough space in the recovery conversation: Grief. We’re diving into the sadness, the anger, and the "un-fairness" of it all. But more importantly, I’m sharing why this grief is actually a sign of how much you care—and how you can start moving forward without leaving yourself behind.HERE'S WHAT TO SAY TO YOUR BRAIN WHEN YOU'RE SPIRALING: https://ahealthypush.myflodesk.com/calmpanicTAKE MY FREE QUIZ AND FIND OUT WHAT'S CAUSING YOU TO STAY STUCK: https://www.ahealthypush.com/blocking-quizA HEALTHY PUSH INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/ahealthypush/GET THIS EPISODE'S SHOW NOTES: https://www.ahealthypush.com/post/navigating-grief-from-anxiety

Have you ever sat there analyzing your own brain, wondering, "Why is this happening to me? Why does my anxiety feel so much more intense than everyone else's?"I know that spiral all too well. It’s easy to feel like you’re just "broken" or genetically "screwed," but the truth is usually much more complex—and much more compassionate—than that. In today’s episode, I’m joined by therapist Debbie Missud to talk about the biopsychosocial factors that actually contribute to anxiety.We aren't here to put you in a box or give you a label. We’re here to help you understand your origins so you can stop the self-blame and start responding to your body in a way that actually helps.HERE'S WHAT TO SAY TO YOUR BRAIN WHEN YOU'RE SPIRALING: https://ahealthypush.myflodesk.com/calmpanicTAKE MY FREE QUIZ AND FIND OUT WHAT'S CAUSING YOU TO STAY STUCK: https://www.ahealthypush.com/blocking-quizA HEALTHY PUSH INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/ahealthypush/GET THIS EPISODE'S SHOW NOTES: https://www.ahealthypush.com/post/anxiety-factors-with-debbie

Have you ever spent money on something that promised to stop a panic attack in its tracks and felt completely let down when it didn't?Same. We are back for another Recovered and Rambling, and this one is equal parts comical and genuinely helpful. We are rating the most popular anxiety tools from our own recoveries — what actually helped, what was a total waste of money, and what the wellness industry is getting completely wrong.From breathing exercises and thought challenging to quick fixes, safety behaviors, distraction, and more — nothing is off limits and nothing is sugarcoated. Because when you're in the trenches, you'll try anything. And someone should have warned you about some of this stuff sooner.This is Part 1 and yes, there is homework. It's just not the kind that costs $60.HERE'S WHAT TO SAY TO YOUR BRAIN WHEN YOU'RE SPIRALING: https://ahealthypush.myflodesk.com/calmpanicTAKE MY FREE QUIZ AND FIND OUT WHAT'S CAUSING YOU TO STAY STUCK: https://www.ahealthypush.com/blocking-quizA HEALTHY PUSH INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/ahealthypush/GET THIS EPISODE'S SHOW NOTES: https://www.ahealthypush.com/post/rr5

Have you ever felt like your brain is just fundamentally "broken "and like everyone else can recover from anxiety, but you’re the one glitch in the system?I’ve been there. For over a decade, my mindset was absolute garbage. I didn't just have anxiety; I believed I was anxiety. I thought I was born this way, doomed by genetics, and that recovery simply wasn’t an option for me.In this episode, we’re diving into the messy, often frustrating topic of mindset. We see two extremes online: one side tells you to "just think positive" (which feels dismissive and infuriating), and the other says mindset doesn't matter because it's purely a nervous system issue.I don't agree with either. Mindset isn't a magical cure, you can't logic your way out of a panic attack, but it is the absolute gatekeeper of your recovery. It determines whether you get back up after a setback or if you stay stuck in the "square one" trap.HERE'S WHAT TO SAY TO YOUR BRAIN WHEN YOU'RE SPIRALING: https://ahealthypush.myflodesk.com/calmpanicTAKE MY FREE QUIZ AND FIND OUT WHAT'S CAUSING YOU TO STAY STUCK: https://www.ahealthypush.com/blocking-quizA HEALTHY PUSH INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/ahealthypush/GET THIS EPISODE'S SHOW NOTES: https://www.ahealthypush.com/post/mindset-matter

What does it actually look like to spend 30 years hiding panic disorder and agoraphobia from everyone around you and then finally decide you're done?In this episode, I sit down with Lauri, a former Panic to Peace student and current community member, for one of the most honest and moving recovery conversations yet. Lauri's story started with a panic attack at a client dinner that she didn't even recognize as a panic attack. What followed was three decades of a world that kept getting smaller... avoided highways, relying on safe people, safety behaviors, and a level of shame so deep she hid it from the colleagues she worked alongside for 20 years.Lauri opens up about what it felt like to hit her lowest point, why she stayed stuck for so long, and what finally shifted when she found a community of people who actually understood. She talks about her three C's of healing, the small steps that led to big ones, and what it felt like to take a five-day trip and think... I'm finally living again.GET ON THE PANIC TO PEACE WAITING LIST: https://www.ahealthypush.com/live-panic-to-peaceJOIN MY COACHING COMMUNITY: https://www.ahealthypush.com/communityA HEALTHY PUSH INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/ahealthypush/GET THIS EPISODE'S SHOW NOTES: https://www.ahealthypush.com/post/30-years

What if the biggest thing you could do to prepare for birth and postpartum was to stop trying to prepare for everything?After everything I've shared about this pregnancy, I'm finally getting into the details: what I'm actually planning for labor, delivery, and postpartum, and more importantly, how I'm thinking about all of it. Because the mindset going in? That part matters just as much as any plan.This one is honest, a little emotional, and very real. I'm sharing what was hard the first time around, what I'm doing differently this time, and the one question I want to leave you with no matter where you are in your own journey.HERE'S WHAT TO SAY TO YOUR BRAIN WHEN YOU'RE SPIRALING: https://ahealthypush.myflodesk.com/calmpanicTAKE MY FREE QUIZ AND FIND OUT WHAT'S CAUSING YOU TO STAY STUCK: https://www.ahealthypush.com/blocking-quizA HEALTHY PUSH INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/ahealthypush/GET THIS EPISODE'S SHOW NOTES: https://www.ahealthypush.com/post/pregnancy-round-2

What does recovery actually look like when life throws you the biggest curveball of all?Brittany and I are back, and this one has been a long time coming. After months of keeping my pregnancy a secret, I'm finally sitting down to answer your questions — the real ones.Labor, postpartum, depression, mom guilt, hyper-independence, and what it actually looks like to hold yourself together when you can barely get off the couch. I'm also sharing what I want anyone who is scared to expand their family because of anxiety to hear. Nothing is off limits, nothing is sugarcoated, and yes, there were tears.HERE'S WHAT TO SAY TO YOUR BRAIN WHEN YOU'RE SPIRALING: https://ahealthypush.myflodesk.com/calmpanicTAKE MY FREE QUIZ AND FIND OUT WHAT'S CAUSING YOU TO STAY STUCK: https://www.ahealthypush.com/blocking-quizA HEALTHY PUSH INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/ahealthypush/GET THIS EPISODE'S SHOW NOTES: https://www.ahealthypush.com/post/rr4

What if your chronic pain or persistent symptoms aren’t a sign that your body is broken, but a message that it’s trying to keep you safe?In this episode, I'm joined by the incredible Nicole Sachs, LCSW, a world-renowned speaker, author, and the creator of JournalSpeak. Nicole has dedicated her life to helping people understand the "dance" between the mind and the body, and how our nervous systems can get stuck in a loop of fight-or-flight that manifests as physical pain, digestive issues, migraines, or even chronic anxiety and panic.If you’ve been doing "all the right things" but your body still feels stuck in distress, this conversation is for you. It’s time to shake the Etch-A-Sketch, clear your screen, and learn a new paradigm for healing.HERE'S WHAT TO SAY TO YOUR BRAIN WHEN YOU'RE SPIRALING: https://ahealthypush.myflodesk.com/calmpanicTAKE MY FREE QUIZ AND FIND OUT WHAT'S CAUSING YOU TO STAY STUCK: https://www.ahealthypush.com/blocking-quizA HEALTHY PUSH INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/ahealthypush/GET THIS EPISODE'S SHOW NOTES: https://www.ahealthypush.com/post/nicole-sachs

Have you ever been 100% certain about something for your life, only to have the universe present you with something that changes everything?For years, I told anyone who would listen that I would never have another child. My first experience with motherhood was a "mind-fuck" of unraveling, anxiety, and feeling like I sucked at being a mom. But after a divorce, a new relationship, and a lot of inner work, I found myself facing a choice I never thought I’d make.In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on why I decided to have another baby at 38 and the reality of a pregnancy that has been anything but "glowy." I’m getting honest about the 25 weeks of all-day nausea, depression, and how I’ve used my own recovery tools to survive the trenches.HERE'S WHAT TO SAY TO YOUR BRAIN WHEN YOU'RE SPIRALING: https://ahealthypush.myflodesk.com/calmpanicTAKE MY FREE QUIZ AND FIND OUT WHAT'S CAUSING YOU TO STAY STUCK: https://www.ahealthypush.com/blocking-quizA HEALTHY PUSH INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/ahealthypush/GET THIS EPISODE'S SHOW NOTES: https://www.ahealthypush.com/post/im-pregnant

Have you ever wondered if it’s actually possible to get to the "other side" of an anxiety disorder? I get asked about my personal recovery journey more than almost anything else. Even though I’ve been recovered for nearly a decade, looking back at where I was—a shell of a person, shaking, crying, and forcing myself to function through multiple panic attacks a day—still brings up so much emotion. In this special Q&A episode, Mari and I sit down to answer your most personal questions about my 15-year battle with severe panic disorder and agoraphobia.I’m sharing the raw truth about what my life looked like at its worst, the moment I realized I couldn't keep living that way, and what actually helped me find long-term, consistent healing.HERE'S WHAT TO SAY TO YOUR BRAIN WHEN YOU'RE SPIRALING: https://ahealthypush.myflodesk.com/calmpanicTAKE MY FREE QUIZ AND FIND OUT WHAT'S CAUSING YOU TO STAY STUCK: https://www.ahealthypush.com/blocking-quizA HEALTHY PUSH INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/ahealthypush/GET THIS EPISODE'S SHOW NOTES: https://www.ahealthypush.com/post/shannons-story