Train Your Brain to Be Less Anxious
You can train your brain to be less anxious — just like a muscle.
Anxiety isn’t your fault, but how you respond to it can reshape your brain over time.
Every time you face a fear, challenge a thought, or stay grounded in the present moment, you’re rewiring your nervous system to say: “This feels uncomfortable, but I’m still in control.”
You’re not broken. Your brain is just doing what it learned — and you can teach it something new.
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Therapy in a Nutshell and the information provided by Emma McAdam are solely intended for informational and entertainment purposes and are not a substitute for advice, diagnosis, or treatment regarding medical or mental health conditions. Although Emma McAdam is a licensed marriage and family therapist, the views expressed on this site or any related content should not be taken for medical or psychiatric advice. Always consult your physician before making any decisions related to your physical or mental health.
In therapy I use a combination of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Systems Theory, positive psychology, and a bio-psycho-social approach to treating mental illness and other challenges we all face in life. The ideas from my videos are frequently adapted from multiple sources. Many of them come from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, especially the work of Steven Hayes, Jason Luoma, and Russ Harris. The sections on stress and the mind-body connection derive from the work of Stephen Porges (the Polyvagal theory), Peter Levine (Somatic Experiencing) Francine Shapiro (EMDR), and Bessel Van Der Kolk. I also rely heavily on the work of the Arbinger institute for my overall understanding of our ability to choose our life’s direction.
And deeper than all of that, the Gospel of Jesus Christ orients my personal worldview and sense of security, peace, hope, and love https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/c…
If you are in crisis, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ or 988 or your local emergency services.
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33 Comments
What does running away from anxiety look like?
Gosh wow that just sounds like me. I little know how to deal with my unwanted anxiety. This video here was helpful thanks 👍🏻 🤗 🇬🇧
My brain is obviously a liar. I am so tired of feeling like this.
So true ! People literally dont know this ! People are only taught to fight fear and simply do it more and more creating more ruminations in the mind
In my almost 31 years of life I’ve only had 2 and both were when my father passed. It is extremely possible to not let them carry on and continue throughout your life. I was like, F that
So how to train it the opposite way?
Absolutely no help at all
So how do I train my brain to be less anxious and fearful?
Very Powerful 🧘🏾♂️❤️🌅
Which full-length video is this? I need to watch!
Some of us would run toward the wolf because we love them and wolves don't attack humans in North America. 🙂
not me seeing this right as i'm on the edge of a panic attack lol
Weird accent
When is it anxiety and when is it intuition?
❤❤❤
Interesting wisdom. However, having ptsd and trying to re-train one’s brain to not go into fight or flight mode at triggers feels like telling someone to push a wheelbarrow straight up a cliff without dropping anything. Just sayin.
Best medicine to cure panic attack is to do NOTHING! Do nothing feel everything! Just remember every panic attack you face without fear or avoidance will teach your nervous system to be more strong! Dont do deep breathing, box breathing, this and that to supress anxiety. More you try to supress with efforts, our nervous system thinks anxiety is very bad thing and a danger. Note: I am telling from my personal experience in anxiety and I am not a doctor or therapist.
Following.
the part most people miss is that avoidance literally strengthens the neural pathway between the trigger and the fear response. every time you avoid something your amygdala logs it as confirmed danger. but exposure does the opposite. it creates a competing memory that says this was uncomfortable but survivable. over time that second pathway gets stronger than the first. your brain isn't broken if you have anxiety. it learned the wrong lesson and it can unlearn it the same way
your nervous system actually reshapes itself based on what you repeatedly expose it to. anxiety is not a character flaw, its a pattern your brain learned to protect you. the hard part is learning a new one. this is what olimp motivation was built on. real stories of people who rewired their response, not by forcing calm, but by changing what they fed their brain every morning.
Well, I didn't gat the answer. 🤦♀️👎
“Are we dangerous”
I have had severe anxiety and panic attacks for the last 8 years, and this last year I was finally able to break the cycle. I just didn’t want to live in fear anymore. By watching your videos, and reading Dare: the new way to end anxiety, I was really able to help retrain my brain to stop fighting against my anxiety. Don’t get me wrong, I still have anxiety, but now I’m able to handle it and let it be rather than fighting it and making it worse. One quote from the book that I really like was “what we resist persists, and what we accept, we can transform.” Thank you for these videos 🩷
I want to have a panic attack, those are the magic words to stopping panic attacks
I always think of the expression (I don't remember where it came from) Being brave isn't being fearless, it's being afraid but doing it anyway.
Thank s for the video.
I find that I dive into relaxation breathing. Even when im not anxious I try to breathe in a relaxed state so it becomes natural.
I don’t know people reacting to my panic attacks creates a whole new level of fear
I have exams going on I feel so anxious in exam hall even before going to exam hall … I cant even concentrate fully while giving exams… tomorrow is my last exam and i just want it to over … I feel awful
I lived my 20s running at every fear, I was who I wanted to be even though I struggled with emotional regulation and depression. I quit alcohol over 2 years ago and everything is now highly challenging. Socializing doesn't feel good, even one on one with most people, eating is challenging to keep my blood sugar regulated as my disgust response is out of control and I have had stress related diarrhea that started after a friend commited suicide. I started yoga at 12 years old I know I should be doing it, I know it was better but when I bring myself to my mat now I hit the ground with my fists and get angry or cry. This is a nighmare
Yikes I’m screwed
Thank you I am trying 🙏😢
our well-being matters