Barbell Shrugged

[Health Anxiety] Addressing the Underlying Fears of Injury and Aging w/ Emily Hightower, Anders Varner, Doug Larson, and Travis Mash #784

Feb 5, 2025

In this engaging discussion, Emily Hightower, an Educator and Coach with over 25 years of experience in trauma and resilience, shares valuable insights on health anxiety. She highlights how perfectionism can hinder personal growth and emphasizes self-acceptance. The conversation explores the intricate ties between athletic identity and mental health, urging a shift from external validation to internal balance. Hightower also dives into the connection between trauma and health behaviors, advocating for emotional awareness as a pathway to well-being.

56:13

Creator website

Episode guests

Emily Hightower

AI Summary

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Health anxiety arises from an obsession with perfection, often stemming from fear and leading to detrimental cycles affecting wellness and personal growth.

A holistic approach to health prioritizes enjoyment and intrinsic motivation, redefining success beyond metrics and fostering a more sustainable connection with fitness.

Deep dives

Understanding Health Anxiety

Health anxiety manifests as an obsession with achieving perfect health, leading individuals to worry excessively about their wellness. This anxiety can range from mild concerns about health choices to severe panic attacks that impair daily functioning. It stems from a fear of imperfection, where individuals equate health missteps with catastrophic outcomes, severely limiting their quality of life. By recognizing the spectrum of health anxiety, individuals can begin to address their concerns more constructively, viewing their current state as an opportunity for growth rather than a potential failure.

Intro

4min

Navigating Health Anxiety and Personal Growth

21min

Athletic Identity and Personal Wellness

12min

The Dichotomy of Health: Perfection vs. Balance

5min

Health, Trauma, and Performance Mindsets

11min

Experiencing the Thrill of UFC and the Impact of Powerful Guests

3min

As an Educator and Coach at SH/FT, Emily Hightower leverages her expertise in the neurophysiology of trauma and resilience to help clients master their stress response and improve their quality of life. By combining over 25 years of experience as a breathing expert, yoga teacher, river guide, and wilderness EMT, Emily empowers high performers to disrupt limits, align with nature, and heal their bodies and minds.

Emily developed SH/FT’s Skill of Stress course and teaches the N=1 Exposure Experience and Mentorship program with Brian MacKenzie. Her experiential teaching approach enables clients to understand and direct their stress response to drive optimal performance under pressure while promoting long-term balance.

Before joining SH/FT, Emily founded Intrinsic, where she helped combat veterans, athletes, and clients recovering from substance abuse resolve past traumas and gain clarity using a science-based approach and tools such as breath, exposure, somatic yoga, archery, and integrative nutrition.

Earlier in her career, Emily’s practice was based in a neurology clinic, where she integrated her approach with cutting-edge neuroscience and research. Her clients include the United States Special Operations Command Adaptive Care Unit and other Veterans services in the US and Abroad. She also served as the Education Director for the Headwaters Institute, facilitating river education seminars on 28 watersheds in the US and Chile.

Emily is a Master Yoga Teacher with 16,000+ hours of teaching experience specializing in Pranayama Breathing. She lives with her husband, Brian Hightower, and their son and loves to ski, run rivers, and bow hunt.

Work With Us: Arétē by RAPID Health Optimization

Links:

Emily Hightower on Instagram

Anders Varner on Instagram

Doug Larson on Instagram

Coach Travis Mash on Instagram