When we are trying to make behavior changes and don't meet the goals we have set, self-criticism fires the same parts of the brain that fire when we feel punished and threatened. Not only does this make it less likely that we will reach the...
High-functioning anxiety is not a diagnosis, but many struggle with this invisible challenge. It can feel like going down the river with a foot in two canoes - the inner reality that you experience and the outer reality that others see. The longer this goes...
We live in a culture where personal development and self-improvement are encouraged, applauded, and even expected. But here’s a question. With all of the time, money, and energy that we spend on improving ourselves, shouldn’t we be one of the happiest and most content groups...
In Anxiety - A Neurochemical Feedback Loop , I wrote about some of the effects of the neurochemical cortisol when our brains perceive a threat, real or imagined: 1) It prepares the body to take action 2) It alerts us to more danger (and causes...