You Are Not A Frog

Confronting anxiety is easier said than done. It’s hard enough with adults, but with children it’s even more tough. Anxiety keeps us safe, but often we over-predict that something bad will happen and under-predict our ability to cope. The key is to learn how to manage anxiety before it becomes a problem.This week’s guest is educational psychologist Nicky Odgers. She specialises in working with kids who are feeling anxious about attending school. A lot of what she helps kids with applies to adults – things like mapping thoughts and emotions to physical sensations, replacing negative thoughts with more realistic ones, and practicing techniques to help us relax.Anxiety can interfere with our lives and become a problem if it goes unaddressed. Naturally we want to avoid things that cause us anxiety, but this stops us from learning that we can cope and that the terrible thing we fear may never happen.Listen to this episode toLearn about anxiety in children and teenagers, and how it can manifest as school avoidanceGain insight into how anxiety affects adults, including healthcare professionals, and how to manage it effectivelyUnderstand the thought patterns, physical sensations, and behaviours associated with anxiety, and how to address them to prevent avoidance and build coping skillsEpisode highlights[00:03:46] Epidemic of anxiety[00:09:21] Anxiety as pathology[00:14:00] Thoughts, feelings, physical sensations, and behaviours[00:20:54] Safety behaviours[00:23:26] When is it right to step in and offer help[00:29:18] Anxiety in healthcare[00:31:47] How to persuade someone their fears are unfounded[00:34:35] Mind-reading[00:41:03] Teaching people to solve problems[00:45:14] Worry time and worry monsters[00:47:14] Distracting yourself from worry[00:48:24] Helpful safety behaviour[00:49:52] Helping anxious people[00:52:48] Neurodiversity and autism[00:55:58] Nicky's tips for managing anxietyAbout the guestNicky Odgers is an educational psychologist with a particular interest in school anxiety. She helps parents and schools to support children and young people to feel less anxious about attending school, to better manage their emotions, to develop their confidence, to initiate and sustain positive relationships and be more successful in their learning. LinkedIn | WebsiteResourcesTHRIVE Weekly PlannerEpisode 22: The Perils of PerfectionismEpisode 181: Get Some Air Cover to Help You Set BoundariesSchool Anxiety Support for Parents – Facebook groupNicky’s information and resource for parents and schools about school anxiety and EBSADownload Nicky's free handout for children, young people, and parentsStarving the Anxiety Gremlin for Children Aged 5-9, by Kate Collins-DonnellyMy Anxiety Handbook: Getting Back on Track, by Sue Knowles, Bridie Gallagher, and Phoebe McEwenBooks by Poppy O’NeillWhat to Do When You Worry Too Much, by Dawn Huebner PhDHelping Your Child with Fears and Worries, by Cathy Creswell and Lucy WillettsGet Your Sh*t Together, by Sarah KnightThe Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F**k, by Sarah KnightDownload the episode’s workbook and CPD form. You can use them for reflection and to submit for your appraisal.Enjoyed this episode?Write a review and share this with your friends.Connect with RachelHave any questions? Contact Rachel through these platforms:LinkedIn: @Dr-Rachel-MorrisTwitter: @DrRachelMorrisEmail: hello@youarenotafrog.comFind out more about our trainingMentioned in this episode:FrogFest Virtual –  How to Be a Boundary Hunter Join us on November 25th. Ticket included with FrogXtra Gold membership.

Discover the dangers of waiting for a better future and the importance of taking control now. Understand the urgency for change and the need to avoid partial solutions. Learn about the zone of power and how it can lead to positive change. Explore strategies for addressing challenging situations and taking action.

One way or another, menopause affects everyone at some point. If you’re not experiencing symptoms yourself, you almost certainly know or work with someone who is. That’s why understanding its effects and being able to offer support and compassion is so important.Women going through menopause can experience a wide range of physical, psychological, and hormonal symptoms. These symptoms often go unnoticed or ignored, which can impact confidence and increase anxiety. Lack of confidence or temporary difficulty in making decisions can lead to organisations losing talented, experienced women who thought they were experiencing cognitive decline. By perpetuating the stigma and embarrassment around menopause, we prevent women from seeking help and support.But there are resources and solutions available to help women manage their symptoms and continue to thrive at work - and Dr Claire Kaye joins us this week to talk through what we can all do.It starts with becoming more aware of the symptoms of menopause and recognising when they’re affecting us or our colleagues.If you’re looking for support with menopause, lifestyle changes like sleep hygiene, exercise, and nutrition can help. There are also medications available, but coaching can have a huge impact.We can educate ourselves and others about the symptoms and resources available, and seek out support from in-house Menopause Ambassadors, as well as support groups. If you’re experiencing menopause or perimenopause, coaching and medical support is available.Listen to this episode toUnderstand more about the physical and mental symptoms of menopause, and how they can affect people's work and personal lives.Learn about the importance of awareness, education, and support for people going through menopause, especially in the workplace.Discover resources and strategies for managing menopause symptoms, including lifestyle changes, medication, coaching, and group support.Episode highlights[00:03:14] What is the menopause[00:12:18] What can women do to help themselves?[00:18:35] Caring for yourself[00:30:12] Is it a midlife crisis?[00:32:14] What we tell kids about the menopause[00:33:49] Invisibility[00:37:19] Claire's tips[00:45:46] Rachel's tipsAbout the guestDr Claire Kaye, an executive career coach who specialises in career development and perimenopause and menopause in the workplace. She works with women who are experiencing symptoms of the menopause and helps them find ways to thrive while maintaining their careers and personal lives.LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | WebsiteResourcesBalance: free menopause and perimenopause symptom tracker appTHRIVE Weekly PlannerMore episodes of You Are Not a Frog:Episode 117: The Surprising Power of Self Coaching (and How to Do it Well)Episode 124: How to Change When Change is ScaryEpisode 107: Defining Your Own Success in LifeDownload the episode’s workbook and CPD form. You can use them for reflection and to submit for your appraisal.Enjoyed this episode?Write a review and share this with your friends.Connect with RachelHave any questions? Contact Rachel through these platforms:LinkedIn: @Dr-Rachel-MorrisTwitter: @DrRachelMorrisEmail: hello@youarenotafrog.comFind out more about our trainingMentioned in this episode:FrogFest Virtual –  How to Be a Boundary Hunter Join us on November 25th. Ticket included with FrogXtra Gold membership.

Healthcare professionals often feel guilty for taking breaks, but rest is essential for brain function and overall well-being. Discover the different zones of operation and how to prioritize rest for improved performance. Learn to give yourself permission to rest and make it a professional priority to avoid burnout.

For people in caring professions, trauma can be something we experience on a regular basis. an event doesn’t have to be earth-shattering to be traumatic, and if we let those “little T” traumas build up over time without addressing them, we can find ourselves in a constant sate of fight, flight, or freeze.When stress and trauma accumulate over time, we can minimise what triggers us and downplay our experience. Each time we do, we deplete our battery, pushing it from the green zone of calm and energy, to the amber zone of fight-or-flight, and if we’re not careful, into the red zone where accessing empathy and compassion – and even good decision-making – is much harder. This is often when burnout appears to come “out of nowhere”.But there are ways we can disrupt the burnout pattern, and tap into our nervous system to help us in those moments when we’re triggered.Listen to this episode toUnderstand the impact of “little T” traumas on our nervous system and how they can accumulate over timeLearn about the importance of recognising and prioritising self-careHear practical tips on how to recharge and avoid burnoutEpisode highlights[00:03:49] Big T and little T traumas[00:06:35] Impact on the nervous system[00:08:51] Normalising stress and overworking[00:09:58] Giving ourselves space[00:11:04] How housekeeping can help with our stress response[00:14:27] Saying no to avoid burnout[00:15:20] Functional levels of IQ[00:17:15] Where is your battery level?[00:20:34] Burnout and trauma[00:25:05] Defining boundaries[00:28:33] Emails[00:30:33] Minimising trauma[00:32:46] Self-help strategies[00:38:08] The red zone[00:42:11] Finding safety[00:43:39] Claire's top tipsAbout the guestDr Claire Plumbly is a clinical psychologist specialising in trauma, anxiety and burnout. Alongside her online therapy practice she creates engaging short-form videos on improving your mental health. She regularly runs online workshops for overcoming stress, procrastination and unhealthy boundaries.LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | TikTok | WebsiteResourcesThe Inner Consultation: How to Develop an Effective and Intuitive Consulting Style, by Roger NeighborCan't Even: How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation, by Anne Helen PetersenBurnout: Solve Your Stress Cycle, by Emily and Amelia NagoskiHuberman LabEpisode 172: How to Survive a Toxic System – on Both Sides of the PondEpisode 130: How to Say F**k it and Become Ridiculously RelaxedDownload the episode’s workbook and CPD form. You can use them for reflection and to submit for your appraisal.Enjoyed this episode?Write a review and share this with your friends.Connect with RachelHave any questions? Contact Rachel through these platforms:LinkedIn: @Dr-Rachel-MorrisTwitter: @DrRachelMorrisEmail: hello@youarenotafrog.comFind out more about our trainingMentioned in this episode:FrogFest Virtual –  How to Be a Boundary Hunter Join us on November 25th. Ticket included with FrogXtra Gold membership.

We’re not just service providers – we’re carers and helpers. This can make it hard to set boundaries and prioritise our workload. What we need is air cover.By working together with your colleagues, you can create agreements about what to say yes and no to, and hold each-other accountable.And you can also seek out peers outside of work, so you can share your dilemmas and feel less alone. If we keep silently struggling with saying no or setting boundaries, we can start feeling burnout, which can affect our judgement.In this quick dip, Rachel explains how we can get some protection at work, and ask our peers outside of work for support.Listen to this episode toUnderstand the concept of air cover and how it can help with setting boundaries and prioritising workloadLearn about how shared accountability and informal networks can help give us air coverGet actionable steps for finding and using air cover to make saying no easierEpisode highlights[00:02:16] We're trying to solve the wrong problem[00:03:49] What happens when we want to say "no"[00:06:36] Legal air cover[00:06:58] Finding air cover in accountability[00:09:03] Air cover from informal networks[00:12:12] How air cover helps to cope with fear[00:12:44] Air cover against complaints[00:14:41] Action pointsResourcesMore episodes of You Are Not a Frog:Episode 161: The Problem with BoundariesEpisode 125: How to Say No and Deal with PushbackTHRIVE Weekly PlannerSign up to receive a link to the episode workbook and CPD form downloads for each podcast. You can use them for reflection and to submit for your appraisal.Enjoyed this episode?Write a review and share this with your friends.Connect with RachelHave any questions? ****Contact Rachel through these platforms:LinkedIn: @Dr-Rachel-MorrisTwitter: @DrRachelMorrisEmail: hello@youarenotafrog.comFind out more about our trainingMentioned in this episode:FrogFest Virtual –  How to Be a Boundary Hunter Join us on November 25th. Ticket included with FrogXtra Gold membership.

Discover the benefits of coaching in high-stress careers and how it differs from therapy. Explore different coaching approaches to help solve problems and make decisions. Learn how coaching can transform your life and provide space for introspection and self-growth.

Have you ever had to do something you didn't want to do? Maybe it was a task at work, a favour for a friend, or a chore at home. It can be frustrating and draining when it seems we have no say in our actions. It can make us feel powerless and stressed out. And that's not good for our work quality or our well-being.But is that true? Do we really have no choice at all?In this Quick Dip, we share how to use power language to set boundaries and take back control of your life. Keeping your work and life balance in check can be hard when you feel like your freedom is taken away. You will learn seven simple words to help you regain autonomy.Learn how to set boundaries through your language. If you want to know how to regain control of situations that drain you out, this episode is for you.Here are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode:Find out what it means to give over connecting.Discover the importance of autonomy in motivation.Learn the seven words that will help you take back autonomy.Episode Highlights[00:37] Connecting with People Who Drain You[03:05] Taking Back Autonomy[04:55] The End Goal[05:24] Even If[07:42] Causing Inconvenience[08:30] Power LanguageResourcesDrive by Daniel H PinkMore episodes of You Are Not a Frog:Episode 74: Managing Your Time in a System Which Sucks with Dr Ed PooleyEpisode 153: Think Differently About Your To-Do ListEpisode 161: The Problem with BoundariesTHRIVE Weekly PlannerSign up here to receive a link to the episode workbook and CPD form downloads for each podcast. You can use them for reflection and to submit for your appraisal.Enjoyed this episode?Write a review and share this with your friends.Connect with RachelHave any questions? ****Contact Rachel through these platforms:LinkedIn: @Dr-Rachel-MorrisTwitter: @DrRachelMorrisEmail: hello@youarenotafrog.comFind out more about our training

Neurodiversity coach Matthew Bellringer discusses leveraging neurodivergence's strengths in high-stress roles. Topics include understanding neurodiversity, challenges faced, balancing intrinsic and extrinsic rewards, and strategies for supporting neurodivergent individuals in the workplace.

It's a fact of life that we can't please everyone. That's why one of the hardest things to do is say no and try to keep everyone happy with our decisions. Even if it's against our will, we try to give a piece of ourselves to everyone. The thing is, that takes a toll on us until resentment builds up in our hearts. So, how do you expect pushback while staying firm with your decisions?In this Quick Dip, we explore the topic of pushback, how it affects our emotions, and why we should expect it. We lay down tips on removing guilt from receiving pushback and handling other people's reactions. It's one thing to expect pushback but another to deal with it. The first step is to accept the fact that there's somebody that will always oppose your views and decisions.Stand your ground firmly but compassionately. If you want to know how to expect and deal with pushback, this episode is for you. Here are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode:Learn the power of expecting pushback.Find out how resentment builds up and its consequences.Discover the best ways to deal with pushback.Episode Highlights[00:29] On Pushback[02:26] Expecting Pushback[03:39] How Resentment Builds Up[04:35] Expecting Feedback[05:07] How to Deal with Pushback[07:34] Hunting for the Grain of Truth[10:32] Setting Boundaries and Expecting PushbackResourcesThink Again by Adam GrantMore episodes of You Are Not a Frog:Episode 125: How to Say No and Deal with Pushback with Annie HanekomEpisode 161: The Problem with BoundariesEpisode 169: How to Avoid Amygdala HijackBeat stress at work with our Zone of Power Bitesize Pack!THRIVE Weekly PlannerSign up here to receive a link to the episode workbook and CPD form downloads for each podcast. You can use them for reflection and to submit for your appraisal.Enjoyed This Podcast?Write a review and share this with your friends.Connect With MeHave any questions? Contact Rachel through these platforms:LinkedIn: @Dr-Rachel-Morris Twitter: @DrRachelMorrisEmail: hello@youarenotafrog.comFind out more about our training here.Mentioned in this episode:FrogFest Virtual –  How to Be a Boundary Hunter Join us on November 25th. Ticket included with FrogXtra Gold membership.