anxiety

Episode 121: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTubeView transcript on Buzzsprout Freeze is arguably the most confusing, nuanced, and self-blame-inducing state for people to understand. We often mistake it for laziness, depression, or some character flaw — it’s not.  It’s a protective state that your nervous system creates when it’s had too much for too […]

Episode 120: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTubeView transcript on Buzzsprout Anxiety isn’t just in your head—it’s a full-body experience that demands a full-body understanding. If your chest tightens, your thoughts race, and you feel like you’re bracing for something you can’t quite name, you’re likely in a nervous system state called activation. In this […]

Episode 119: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTubeView transcript on Buzzsprout Ever wonder why a breathing exercise that works for your friend makes your own anxiety worse? The problem isn’t you – it’s that we’ve been treating nervous system regulation like it’s one-size-fits-all. In this episode, Amanda kicks off the five-part “Different States Series” by […]

Episode 118: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTubeView transcript on Buzzsprout Using a personal story about a difficult uphill walk versus an easy downhill one, this episode offers a powerful and validating analogy for the healing journey. Amanda explores why life and healing can feel so hard when you’re dealing with anxiety or depression, diving […]

Episode 117: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTubeView transcript on Buzzsprout The world feels heavy—and staying informed can feel like its own form of harm. If you’ve ever scrolled the headlines only to spiral into panic, helplessness, or shutdown, you’re not alone. In this episode, Amanda unpacks the real physiological toll of media overload, explains […]

If you’ve ever sought help for anxiety or depression, there’s a good chance you’ve heard something like this: “Your symptoms are caused by a chemical imbalance in your brain. These medications will help correct that imbalance.” This explanation is simple, straightforward, and has been repeated by healthcare providers for decades. It’s also a narrative that […]

If you’ve ever experienced a panic attack, you know how terrifying they can be. Your heart races, your breathing becomes shallow, and you might even feel like you’re having a heart attack or dying. The experience is so overwhelming that many people end up in the emergency room, only to be told: “It’s just anxiety.” […]

Does your mind ever feel like a hamster wheel, endlessly replaying conversations, forecasting worst-case scenarios, or dissecting problems until you’re more tangled than when you started? If so, you’re not alone. This exhausting mental loop, known as overthinking, is a common experience, often fueled by underlying stress and anxiety. And it doesn’t just drain your […]

Anxiety and depression are not just in your head. That might sound surprising, especially if you’ve spent years in talk therapy or cycling through medications trying to find relief. But if you’re still feeling stuck, there may be a missing piece in your healing journey: your nervous system. Through the lens of nervous system science, […]

Episode 109: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTubeView transcript on Buzzsprout Welcome to the final episode in Amanda’s Back to the Basics series—a 9-part journey to help you understand anxiety and depression through a nervous system and whole-human lens. In this episode, Amanda ties it all together. She offers a comprehensive review and roadmap to […]

Episode 108: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTubeView transcript on Buzzsprout If you’ve ever been told you have a “chemical imbalance” in your brain and handed a prescription—without a single lab test to back it up—you’re not alone. The idea is still everywhere, despite decades of research that disproves it. And while medication can be […]

Episode 107: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTubeView transcript on Buzzsprout Does your nervous system feels like it’s always in crisis mode—jumping between overwhelm, anxiety, shutdown, and exhaustion? I lived there for many years too and I’m here to tell you that living that way long-term isn’t sustainable. This is at the heart of Regulated […]