Anxiety is something we all experience from time to time, and because it’s so common it can be easy to take it lightly. But anxiety dominates the lives of many people, and in this episode of the Being Well Podcast, psychotherapist Joshua Fletcher joins Forrest for an in-depth exploration of anxiety. They talk about the anxiety cycle, moving away from thinking in terms of a “cure,” and the key target of how to tolerate uncertainty. Josh also shares insights on exposure therapy, managing self-criticism, and developing greater self-awareness.
About our Guest: Joshua Fletcher, also known as Anxiety Josh, is a psychotherapist based in Manchester, UK, and the author of several books, including his newest, “and how does that make you feel?” Joshua also co-hosts the podcast “Disordered,” and you may have bumped into his content on Tiktok or Instagram, where he has over a quarter million followers.
Key Topics:
- 0:00: Introduction
- 3:30: Josh’s first panic attack
- 10:15: The vicious cycle of threat monitoring
- 14:00: The three magic words: “just in case”
- 20:00: How to tolerate uncertainty (“willful tolerance of uncertainty”)
- 27:00: Exposure therapy
- 31:55: Working with self-criticism
- 41:20: Reward, punishment, and trauma
- 48:05: Identifying our varied inner voices
- 52:10: Worried voice, false comfort, and wise mind
- 54:00: Approaching anxiety as a neurodivergent person
- 58:10: Healthy disenchantment
- 1:00:15: Recap
Forrest is now writing on Substack, check out his work there.
