Have you ever experienced anxiety? What about someone you know and love? Statistically speaking, very few people will live their entire life WITHOUT being touched by anxiety in some way. For such a small word, the topic is MASSIVE. And we're left with so many questions. Like...why do some people experience so much anxiety that it negatively impacts their lives? Is it something we must live with forever? Is it just our genetics? What can be done besides “talk therapy” and medication? 

In this episode, we will begin to unpack the underlying factors that lead to anxiety which helps us understand what steps to take when we are experiencing dis-ease. Join Erica, Cassie, and Teresa and learn about:

• What does anxiety look like across ages and individuals?
• What is anxiety trying to signal to us?
• Whole-person approaches that are available to us BEYOND medication or cognitive-behavioral therapy which includes:
  • Relational
  • Communication
  • Sensory
  • Gut, Diet
  • We are only scratching the surface in this episode!
• And finally…how does SOME anxiety actually serve us?

It's time to take your power back. Anxiety does not have to rule you, your child, or your family. After all, “the opposite of anxiety is not calm—it’s trust” (Uniquely Human) and anxiety is the perceptual loss of the sense of security. You can find your way back to wholeness. We hope you will join us.

And don’t forget to check out next month’s episode where the three of us will discuss Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA).

**Resources**

• Breaking Free of Child Anxiety and OCD: A Scientifically Proven Program for Parents by Eli R. Lebowitz (2021).
• Uniquely Human by Barry Prizant: https://barryprizant.com/uniquely-human/
• “Balance and Mental Health” blog post by Cassie Wilcox: https://www.thewishingwellot.com/blog/balance-and-mental-health 
• Related Training: “Balancing Behavior with Relational Attunement” by Erica Scheifflee. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrKHk6Ok4J0 
• Related Episode from Edge of the Nest: “Compassionate Command” https://www.buzzsprout.com/1905380/episodes/11353565 
• Related Episode from Edge of the Nest: “Praxis” https://www.buzzsprout.com/1905380/episodes/12118331 

**Contact Teresa**

• teresa@reel2e.org 

***Erica’s NEW website***

•  https://feedingconsciousrelationships.com/ 

****Music credits****

Uppbeat (free for Creators!); https://uppbeat.io/t/hartzmann/clear-sky; License code: GQGN7ICA9D8IDOUT