Life Kit cover image

Life Kit

What to do when you're feeling anxious

May 23, 2023
This discussion features Britt Frank, a psychotherapist and author specializing in somatic experiencing. She highlights how anxiety can serve as a vital alert system for our emotional well-being. Britt shares practical strategies to manage anxiety, such as recognizing physiological states and engaging in comforting activities. She emphasizes the importance of boundaries in relationships and reframing anxiety as a useful signal rather than an adversary. Through these insights, listeners learn to transform anxiety into a guide for self-reflection and healthier living.
19:36

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Anxiety serves as a warning signal, informing us about unsafe situations and our true desires.
  • Engaging in physiological solutions like holding ice cubes or smelling strong scents can shift our brain's focus away from anxiety and cultivate calm.

Deep dives

Understanding Anxiety as a Check Engine Light

Anxiety is described as a check engine light for the brain, signaling either an unsafe situation, a past injury, or a perceived threat. It provides information about what feels right and how we want to spend our time and who we want to be with. To gain insights from anxiety, it's important to dial down the overwhelming symptoms. Practical strategies like assuming the brain knows what it's doing, identifying three small micro-yeses for safety, and choosing one to act on can be effective.

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts

Save insights instantly, chat with episodes, and build lasting knowledge - all powered by AI.
App store bannerPlay store banner