

Disordered: Anxiety Help
Josh Fletcher and Drew Linsalata
Disordered is the podcast that delivers real, evidence-based, actionable talk about anxiety disorders and anxiety recovery in a kind, compassionate, community-oriented environment. Josh Fletcher is a qualified psychotherapist in the UK. Drew Linsalata is a therapist practicing under supervision in the US. They're both bestselling authors in the anxiety and mental health space. Josh and Drew are funny, friendly, and they have a knack for combining lived experience, formal training, and professional experience in an encouraging, inspiring, and compassionate mental health message.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Mar 14, 2025 • 42min
Anxiety and Flying w/Dr. David Carbonell (Episode 103)
When working to overcome an anxiety disorder, the biggest challenge many in our community can identify is flying. For chronically anxious people, the idea of getting on a plane, being trapped for hours, and being terrified or out of control for that long seems like something they will never be able to.Even for people that are well on the way to recovery, flying can still feel like the "ultimate test" of recovery. The fear that they will crumble and be in a totally uncontrollable, inconsolable state while in the air can be powerful. It leads some to avoid travel completely.This week Drew and Josh had a chat with Dr. David Carbonell about the intersection of anxiety disorders and flying. Dave is well known in the anxiety disorder community and brings us not only a wealth of knowledge and experience in this area, but also a healthy dose of understanding and much needed humor. We're covering all the usual issues:anticipatory anxietystruggling to decide if you should get on the plane or notthe worry over losing control or being in a full panic for hours while at 35,000 feetstorming the cockpittrying to get out of the aircraft while its in the aircausing a scene and/or needing to be restrained in some wayexperiencing a psychotic breakpanic that leads to a medical emergencyIf you're struggling with disordered anxiety and terrified at the thought of flying not because you fear a crash but because you fear your own thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations, tune in. This episode is for you.For more on Dr. David Carbonell visit his website:https://anxietycoach.com---Disordered Roundtables are here! Think of it as "Disordered Live", a way for members of our audience to spend time with us in an intimate virtual setting (attendance is limited) to engage in real time sharing and discussion on specific anxiety disorder and recovery topics. To be notified when new Disordered Roundtable sessions are scheduled,visit our homepage and get on our mailing list.---Struggling with worry and rumination that you feel you can't stop or control? Check out Worry and Rumination Explained, a two hour pre-recorded workshop produced by Josh and Drew. The workshop takes a deep dive into the mechanics of worrying and ruminating, offering some helpful ways to approach the seemingly unsolvable problem of trying to solve seemingly unsolvable problems.https://bit.ly/worryrumination-----Want to ask us questions, share your wins, or get more information about Josh, Drew, and the Disordered podcast? Visit us on the web:https://disordered.fm

Mar 7, 2025 • 45min
Self-Soothing When Anxiety Appears? (Episode 102)
Struggling with anxiety? Discover the nuances of self-soothing and why it isn't always the quick fix we crave. The hosts dive into willful tolerance, embracing discomfort, and how community support plays a crucial role in personal growth. They share relatable stories, including a cozy onesie moment, and discuss the powerful yet often overlooked act of crying. Get insights on mastering emotional regulation and the importance of patience when calming anxious feelings. Plus, hear about the humorous side of public speaking anxiety!

Feb 28, 2025 • 44min
Breathing/Breath Anxiety (Episode 101)
Breathing anxiety! This is such a common issue in the Disordered community. Breathing or breath focused anxiety often involves a few key concepts:"I feel like I can't get a deep enough breath!""When I get really anxious it feels like I can't breathe.""I'm super focused on my breath all day long and I hate it!"Today we're joined by clinical psychologist Dr. Amy Janzen-Claude to chat about breathing and breath-focused anxiety, and the most effective ways to approach and address this common struggle.Of particular note is the discussion about how while acceptance and tolerance concepts are universal, how we apply them can be very individual and might look different from one person to the next. In the end ... as expected ... approaching breathing anxiety isn't much different than approaching anxiety focused on any other somatic experience or core fear. You might feel like this a very special and super important issue, but that is your brain insisting that it must keep you safe ... while you ARE safe and always have been. Thanks to Dr. Janzen-Claude for getting up early to join us today!To find Dr. Amy Janzen-Claude online:https://www.instagram.com/drjanzenclaude/---Disordered Roundtables are here! Think of it as "Disordered Live", a way for members of our audience to spend time with us in an intimate virtual setting (attendance is limited) to engage in real time sharing and discussion on specific anxiety disorder and recovery topics. To be notified when new Disordered Roundtable sessions are scheduled,visit our homepage and get on our mailing list.---Struggling with worry and rumination that you feel you can't stop or control? Check out Worry and Rumination Explained, a two hour pre-recorded workshop produced by Josh and Drew. The workshop takes a deep dive into the mechanics of worrying and ruminating, offering some helpful ways to approach the seemingly unsolvable problem of trying to solve seemingly unsolvable problems.https://bit.ly/worryrumination-----Want to ask us questions, share your wins, or get more information about Josh, Drew, and the Disordered podcast? Visit us on the web:https://disordered.fm

Feb 21, 2025 • 42min
Did It Anyway - Volume 3 (Episode 100)
To celebrate the 100th episode (and over a million downloads) of Disordered, we thought celebrating listener and community wins would be a great way to mark the occasion!Disordered would not exist without you, and when you guys do brave things, face your fear, learn lessons from that, and rise to meet challenges you previously thought impossible to meet, that needs to be acknowledged.If you find inspiration and encouragement in the victories of others that share your struggle, tune in for this one. It's full of that stuff.And thank you so much for supporting Disordered for the last two years. We appreciate you more than you can imagine. ---Disordered Roundtables are here! Think of it as "Disordered Live", a way for members of our audience to spend time with us in an intimate virtual setting (attendance is limited) to engage in real time sharing and discussion on specific anxiety disorder and recovery topics. To be notified when new Disordered Roundtable sessions are scheduled,visit our homepage and get on our mailing list.---Struggling with worry and rumination that you feel you can't stop or control? Check out Worry and Rumination Explained, a two hour pre-recorded workshop produced by Josh and Drew. The workshop takes a deep dive into the mechanics of worrying and ruminating, offering some helpful ways to approach the seemingly unsolvable problem of trying to solve seemingly unsolvable problems.https://bit.ly/worryrumination-----Want to ask us questions, share your wins, or get more information about Josh, Drew, and the Disordered podcast? Visit us on the web:https://disordered.fm

Feb 14, 2025 • 43min
Existential Anxiety! (Episode 99)
What is existence? What is the point of all this? Do I even really exist? The universe is so insanely huge! What even is time? What happens when we die?These are questions all humans ask - and have been asking since we developed language. They are normal. They can even be fun questions to ask. An entire section of the human race dedicates itself to studying and pondering these questions.But for people struggling with OCD and other anxiety disorders ... these questions can be huge triggers that create an intense state of anxiety and dread.This week Drew and Josh are examining existential anxiety and dread within the context of anxiety and anxiety disorders. So if you are afraid to look at the sky because it makes you worry about your place in the universe, or if you ever worry about the nature of time or existence, pop in and have a listen.---Disordered Roundtables are here! Think of it as "Disordered Live", a way for members of our audience to spend time with us in an intimate virtual setting (attendance is limited) to engage in real time sharing and discussion on specific anxiety disorder and recovery topics. To be notified when new Disordered Roundtable sessions are scheduled,visit our homepage and get on our mailing list.---Struggling with worry and rumination that you feel you can't stop or control? Check out Worry and Rumination Explained, a two hour pre-recorded workshop produced by Josh and Drew. The workshop takes a deep dive into the mechanics of worrying and ruminating, offering some helpful ways to approach the seemingly unsolvable problem of trying to solve seemingly unsolvable problems.https://bit.ly/worryrumination-----Want to ask us questions, share your wins, or get more information about Josh, Drew, and the Disordered podcast? Visit us on the web:https://disordered.fm

Feb 7, 2025 • 39min
Willful Tolerance and the Sensitized State (Episode 98)
When Drew and Josh form a band, they will call it "Willful Tolerance and the Sensitized State". Kinda like Stevie Ray Vaughn and Double Trouble .... but way cooler.
But before then, they're releasing this episode of Disordered, which takes a look at the relationship between a sensitized state - where everything seems scary and triggering and you feel stuck - and the principle of willful tolerance (acceptance, surrender, non-resistance, etc.).
This episode is especially useful for anxious people that are declaring themselves to be in a setback, or experiencing a relapse, and wondering what they're doing wrong and why they aren't fully recovered and not anxious.
So if you are confused about how you're supposed to accept or tolerate things that feel so raw and so strong, pop in and join us for 39 minutes or so. We promise, at no point in the episode will you have to hear the guys playing instruments or singing.
But we can't promise that will never happen. Just saying.
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Disordered Roundtables are here. Think of it as "Disordered Live", a way for members of our audience to spend time with us in an intimate virtual setting (attendance is limited) to engage in real time sharing and discussion on specific anxiety disorder and recovery topics. To be notified when new Disordered Roundtable sessions are scheduled, visit our homepage and get on our mailing list.
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Struggling with worry and rumination that you feel you can't stop or control? Check out Worry and Rumination Explained, a two hour pre-recorded workshop produced by Josh and Drew. The workshop takes a deep dive into the mechanics of worrying and ruminating, offering some helpful ways to approach the seemingly unsolvable problem of trying to solve seemingly unsolveable problems.
https://bit.ly/worryrumination
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Want to ask us questions, share your wins, or get more information about Josh, Drew, and the Disordered podcast?

Jan 31, 2025 • 48min
The Compassionate Mind - The Role of Compassion in Anxiety Recovery (Episode 97)
Dr. Elaine Beaumont, a cognitive behavioral and compassion-focused therapist, shares her insights on the transformative power of self-compassion in anxiety recovery. She discusses how negative self-perceptions can hinder progress and emphasizes the importance of treating oneself with kindness. Exploring the balance between threat, drive, and soothing motivational systems, Dr. Beaumont provides practical strategies for cultivating a compassionate mindset. Listener stories highlight the journey to self-acceptance, proving that embracing compassion can empower individuals to overcome their fears.

Jan 24, 2025 • 40min
Anxiety ... Without Judgment? (Episode 96)
I hate anxiety and panic. I hate my intrusive scary thoughts. I fear them. Why does everyone keep talking about "not judging". I MUST judge them!
When addressing anxiety disorders, most modern, empirically validated effective treatments involve elements of mindfulness and acceptance. This means learning to experience anxiety without judgment or evaluation. That's difficult, isn't it!
This week the guys are talking about "anxiety without judgment" and what that might look like in common scenarios. Learning to not judge doesn't mean you have to like or want anxiety or fear. It mostly means becoming more aware of the fact that you automatically judge, evaluate, and assess the feelings you experience. If you can see yourself doing that, you have a chance to change that script!
Since this is an episode about judgment, we're also joined by the one and only, Judge Dredd! Well not really. Just highly questionable amateur audio engineering skills and some old movie clips featuring Sylvester Stallone, but maybe a little Stallone is exactly what you need today, right? 😉
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Disordered Roundtables are here. Think of it as "Disordered Live", a way for members of our audience to spend time with us in an intimate virtual setting (attendance is limited) to engage in real time sharing and discussion on specific anxiety disorder and recovery topics. To be notified when new Disordered Roundtable sessions are scheduled, visit our homepage and get on our mailing list.
---
Struggling with worry and rumination that you feel you can't stop or control? Check out Worry and Rumination Explained, a two hour pre-recorded workshop produced by Josh and Drew. The workshop takes a deep dive into the mechanics of worrying and ruminating, offering some helpful ways to approach the seemingly unsolvable problem of trying to solve seemingly unsolveable problems.
https://bit.ly/worryrumination
-----
Want to ask us questions, share your wins, or get more information about Josh, Drew, and the Disordered podcast?

Jan 17, 2025 • 40min
Real Event OCD (Episode 95)
BUT THIS REALLY HAPPENED!
You have an event in your past that you just can't stop thinking about and ruminating on, and the feelings you are getting about that event are incredibly intense and feel overpowering. Those feelings might include guilt, shame, embarrassment, anxiety, or worry about your status as a good person. But no matter how much you replay the event in your head or seek reassurance that it wasn't' as bad as you think, that never lasts and the cycle continues.
Welcome to Real Event OCD. This OCD variant is particularly stubborn because when we are struggling with REOCD your anxious mind will insist that all the most effective approaches to OCD are not applicable because "it really happened!"
This week we're talking about Real Event OCD. While it is true that the event you are fixated on really did happen, that does not change the rules of engagement .... or more accurately non-engagement. Sometimes things happen that aren't what we want. Sometimes events occur that make us afraid, unsure, worried, or very uncomfortable. In this episode we're chatting about this, and why the path through REOCD is to recognize that you're trying to solve a feeling that can't be - and doesn't need to be - solved.
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Disordered Roundtables are here. Think of it as "Disordered Live", a way for members of our audience to spend time with us in an intimate virtual setting (attendance is limited) to engage in real time sharing and discussion on specific anxiety disorder and recovery topics. To be notified when new Disordered Roundtable sessions are scheduled, visit our homepage and get on our mailing list.
---
Struggling with worry and rumination that you feel you can't stop or control? Check out Worry and Rumination Explained, a two hour pre-recorded workshop produced by Josh and Drew. The workshop takes a deep dive into the mechanics of worrying and ruminating, offering some helpful ways to approach the seemingly unsolvable problem of trying to solve seemingly unsolveable problems.
https://bit.ly/worryrumination
-----
Want to ask us questions, share your wins, or get more information about Josh, Drew, and the Disordered podcast?

Jan 10, 2025 • 54min
Anxiety Insights w/Dr Sally Winston and Dr. Martin Seif (Episode 94)
This week on Disordered we're having a good old anxiety Q&A session, except the people answering the questions are legends in the area of anxiety disorders!
Drs Sally Winston and Marty Seif are here this week to take questions from our listeners and to share some of the insights they gained over years of working with anxiety disorders.
There's a reason why Sally and Marty are looked up to by so many in this field (including us!) so tune in to learn from two of most well informed and experienced anxiety experts on the planet today.
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Disordered Roundtables are here. Think of it as "Disordered Live", a way for members of our audience to spend time with us in an intimate virtual setting (attendance is limited) to engage in real time sharing and discussion on specific anxiety disorder and recovery topics. To be notified when new Disordered Roundtable sessions are scheduled, visit our homepage and get on our mailing list.
---
Struggling with worry and rumination that you feel you can't stop or control? Check out Worry and Rumination Explained, a two hour pre-recorded workshop produced by Josh and Drew. The workshop takes a deep dive into the mechanics of worrying and ruminating, offering some helpful ways to approach the seemingly unsolvable problem of trying to solve seemingly unsolveable problems.
https://bit.ly/worryrumination
-----
Want to ask us questions, share your wins, or get more information about Josh, Drew, and the Disordered podcast?


