October 2017

Episode #21: Listeners Ask Questions about Mindfulness for Anxiety, OCD and Other Stuff


Happy Halloween everyone!  It’s one of my favorite months and I LOVE that everyone is so willing to be afraid on this special day.   Let’s all commit to being willing to be scared/afraid/anxious every day, shall we?

This episode is a little different to the normal format.  Today, I answer questions from Your Anxiety Toolkit listeners about anxiety, OCD, Mindfulness and appropriate treatment for certain disorders.

Questions include:

  • How to manage Postpartum OCD (including thoughts of hurting our children)
  • How to help someone with Scrupulocity or Moral Obsessions (including fear of offending God or sinning)
  • How to help a son with OCD and Tic Disorder
  • How to manage thoughts about Death

GREAT, GREAT QUESTIONS!  I hope my answers were helpful

Have a wonderful day everyone!

Episode #20: Managing Anxiety When The News Is So Scary (A message from me to you)


 

Hi there guys!  I couldn’t finish the day without checking in with you and sending you my support after such a difficult day.   This podcast was not planned and I kind of threw it together at the last minute.  I hope it is helpful.

For anyone in Las Vegas or Puerto Rico or any other place where there is destruction and pain, please know that I am praying for you and I hold you in my heart.

These scary events can trigger our already high anxiety, so please listen for some tips and tools to manage your anxiety about the current events and affairs in the news.

A couple of important points:

Anger Sadness and Anxiety/Fear are all very human responses to these horrific events.

Obsessions to look out for:

  • “Will this happen to me, or a loved one?”
  • Intrusive Imagery (Mental images of people suffering from traumatic events, shootings, hurricanes, earthquakes etc)
  • Intrusive sounds (Gun shots, people crying, sobbing, screaming, sirens etc)
  • For those with Harm OCD:  “Am I capable of doing such an act?”

Compulsions to look out for

  • Mental Review or Mental Compulsions about the event or possibility of this happening to you or a loved one
  • Reassurance Seeking (checking news, checking phones, asking a loved one if they will be ok etc)
  • Avoidance (future vacations, work, school, thought blocking, etc)
  • Increase in physical behaviors/compulsions.