On episode #82, I answer the question - what is health anxiety? Also known as hypochondria, health anxiety can take over your life. When I suffered from it, I would continuously obsess over different areas of my body for weeks thinking that this strange mark on my skin or sensation within my body was life threatening. Then I would seek out loved ones for rea ... Show More
Mar 18
347 | "Am I Going Crazy?" | Worst Anxiety Symptom Explained
In this episode, I explain depersonalization and derealization—what they feel like, why they happen, and how many people experience emotional numbness, robotic sensations, and feeling detached from their body or surroundings. I also summarize research showing depersonalization as ... Show More
27m 30s
Mar 4
346 | Proven Strategies to Beat Anxiety
In this episode, I explore Aaron Beck’s CBT approach to treating anxiety by changing thoughts to shift emotion. I explain cognitive distortions, core beliefs, the cognitive model (situation → automatic thought → anxiety → avoidance), and practical tools like thought records and t ... Show More
30m 50s
Feb 25
345 | Why Health Anxiety Is on the Rise
In this episode, I announce the podcast rename to "From Fear to Freedom" and explore why health anxiety has surged since the 1980s and especially after COVID. I explain the body’s fear response, common triggers (distraction, social media, upbringing, lifestyle), and offer practic ... Show More
32m 52s
Aug 2024
How to handle health anxiety, with Karen Lynn Cassiday, PhD
For those with health anxiety, worrying about sickness can be a constant struggle that can harm their mental health, relationships and even physical health. Karen Lynn Cassiday, PhD, author of the book “Freedom from Health Anxiety,” talks about how to recognize health anxiety (on ... Show More
41m 1s
Apr 2025
How to Stop Health Anxiety Spirals (And Trust Your Body Again)
When health anxiety takes over, it feels impossible to trust your body — or your thoughts. In this episode, we’re talking about why health anxiety spirals happen, how it tricks you into worst-case thinking, and gentle ways to start breaking the cycle. Whether you’re stuck in Goog ... Show More
25m 12s
Nov 2025
2. Why Am I Always Anxious? (The Threat Response)
In this episode, we explore why people with anxiety disorders often feel anxious most of the day. To understand this, we need to look at the body’s threat response, the system designed to protect us but which can become overactive and misfiring. I talk about how this response fue ... Show More
19m 6s
Apr 2025
Driving Anxiety and Driving Exposure | EP 315
Navigating driving anxiety with exposure therapy—but not how you might think. In this episode, Drew Linsalata (therapist, author, and former anxiety sufferer) challenges common misconceptions about addressing driving anxiety. Learn why the feeling is the exposure, not the driving ... Show More
30m 39s
Feb 2025
Your Anxiety Is Not Special (This Is Good News) | EP 312
This week we're looking at why the anxious fear that bothers you most is NOT special - and why that's actually good news for your recovery.After receiving countless messages asking me to address specific fears (passing out, heart attacks, going insane), I've noticed a pattern: ev ... Show More
24m 26s
Sep 2025
The Anxiety Equation (Part 1)
<p>Ever wonder why anxiety shows up and feels so overwhelming? In this episode, Amanda kicks off a mini-series by re-introducing a game-changing formula that makes sense of it all, what she calls, “The Anxiety Equation”. Once you see anxiety as a math problem, you realize you hav ... Show More
9m 55s
