Kate Sweeny

Kate Sweeny, a psychology professor known for her work on the mental impact of waiting, dives into the psychological toll that uncertainty takes on us. She discusses why waiting can be particularly stressful and identifies the types of people who tend to experience heightened anxiety. Kate shares practical strategies to cope, like embracing pessimism and finding flow through engaging activities. Additionally, she sheds light on the dynamic nature of social support, offering insights on how to better support those in limbo.

Is there anything more agonizing than being in limbo? Time may seem to slow to a crawl when you’re waiting for high-stakes news like a hiring decision, a biopsy result – or the end of a pandemic. Kate Sweeny, PhD, of the University of California, Riverside, discusses what makes waiting so stressful, how the stress of waiting differs from other types of stress, the relationship between waiting and worrying, and strategies people can use to lessen anxiety and make waiting easier. For transcripts, links and more information, please visit the Speaking of Psychology Homepage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Sarah Schnitker and Dr. Kate Sweeny, researchers on patience and coping with uncertainty, team up with meditation legend Sharon Salzberg. They discuss how patience can be nurtured through practices like meditation and cognitive strategies. The trio dives into the emotional challenges of waiting during stressful times and explores the role of mindfulness in fostering emotional well-being. They also touch on the balance between optimism and a healthy dose of pessimism, emphasizing that patience is a skill that can be developed, not merely an innate trait.