All about Anxiety

OCD

Regaining Control Over OCD in 6 Moments

Reid Wilson Ph.D. on March 25, 2022

OCD wants you to feel stuck in your rituals. It can make you feel lost, frustrated, and out of control. But what OCD doesn't know is that you have the power to overtake it.

OCD wants you to feel stuck in your rituals. It can make you feel lost, frustrated, and out of control. But what OCD doesn't know is that you have the power to overtake it.

Anxiety

Bad Days Are Excellent Days to Practice

Reid Wilson Ph.D. on October 10, 2020

What is it that you want badly enough that you’re willing to step up to the challenge?

What is it that you want badly enough that you’re willing to step up to the challenge?

Anxiety

Dear Anxiety, Please Drench My Armpits

Reid Wilson Ph.D. on July 13, 2020

We need to employ this absurd approach with Anxiety: to tell it what it doesn’t expect to hear. Ask for more worries, more symptoms, more discomfort… and we want it now!

We need to employ this absurd approach with Anxiety: to tell it what it doesn’t expect to hear. Ask for more worries, more symptoms, more discomfort… and we want it now!

Anxiety

Wrestling With Anxiety in the Canadian Rockies

Reid Wilson Ph.D. on May 19, 2020

Speak directly to your obsessions with a simple, paradoxical message. Whenever you can engage the symptom without fearing it or fighting it, you have the best chance of beating it.

Speak directly to your obsessions with a simple, paradoxical message. Whenever you can engage the symptom without fearing it or fighting it, you have the best chance of beating it.

OCD

Living With OCD During COVID-19

Reid Wilson Ph.D. on March 27, 2020

Cut yourself some slack. This isn’t easy. In fact, it can be downright scary. So if you experience some regression in your work to control worries, give yourself a pass. Tomorrow is a new day.

Cut yourself some slack. This isn’t easy. In fact, it can be downright scary. So if you experience some regression in your work to control worries, give yourself a pass. Tomorrow is a new day.

Anxiety

Finding Opportunities to Feel Intimidated and Insecure

Reid Wilson Ph.D. on December 12, 2019

For any of us to grow, we must learn to tolerate more than we think we can tolerate.

For any of us to grow, we must learn to tolerate more than we think we can tolerate.

Anxiety

Finding Opportunities to Feel Intimidated and Insecure

Reid Wilson Ph.D. on November 14, 2019

Part 1: If you want to take your life back from anxiety, don’t wait until you are certain that everything is safe. Learn how to step toward the threat while a part of you feels insecure.

Part 1: If you want to take your life back from anxiety, don’t wait until you are certain that everything is safe. Learn how to step toward the threat while a part of you feels insecure.

Anxiety

Lessons Learned in Trapeze School: Just Jump!

Reid Wilson Ph.D. on September 4, 2019

Anxiety needs you to feel intimidated and then back away. Your job is to feel intimidated and step forward into the action anyway.

Anxiety needs you to feel intimidated and then back away. Your job is to feel intimidated and step forward into the action anyway.

Anxiety

Why Exposure Therapy Isn’t Enough

Reid Wilson Ph.D. on June 5, 2019

You must courageously step toward what scares you. But you don’t do it in order to habituate. You do it as a means to practice this shift in your point of view.

You must courageously step toward what scares you. But you don’t do it in order to habituate. You do it as a means to practice this shift in your point of view.

Anxiety

Your Game-Winning Strategy: Kick Content to the Curb

Reid Wilson Ph.D. on April 24, 2019

Anxiety picks a topic that has significance to you because it's a powerful means of hooking you. Don’t be surprised if it relates to something you value.

Anxiety picks a topic that has significance to you because it's a powerful means of hooking you. Don’t be surprised if it relates to something you value.

Anxiety

Surrender Your Security, Certainty, and Comfort

Reid Wilson Ph.D. on January 14, 2019

I surrender that I’ll never get rid of the desire for certainty. I suggest that you do too. We’re forever going to want to feel safely secure and comfortably in control.

I surrender that I’ll never get rid of the desire for certainty. I suggest that you do too. We’re forever going to want to feel safely secure and comfortably in control.

Anxiety

Your Parental Worry Is Here to Stay

Reid Wilson Ph.D. on September 23, 2018

Trying to “curb” our parental worry is unfortunately a futile exercise. But we can adopt an effective, healthy approach to our worries.

Trying to “curb” our parental worry is unfortunately a futile exercise. But we can adopt an effective, healthy approach to our worries.

Anxiety

How We Talk Ourselves into Worry

Reid Wilson Ph.D. on August 7, 2018

If you want to be less anxious on a plane, you don’t have to change anything about the flight. You have to change your interpretation.

If you want to be less anxious on a plane, you don’t have to change anything about the flight. You have to change your interpretation.

Anxiety

Learn to Love Your Amygdala

Reid Wilson Ph.D. on July 3, 2018

Like all components of our minds and bodies that play a part in our anxiety, the amygdala is doing precisely what it’s supposed to do. And for that alone we should be thankful.

Like all components of our minds and bodies that play a part in our anxiety, the amygdala is doing precisely what it’s supposed to do. And for that alone we should be thankful.

Fear

How to Drop Our Crutches and Dive into Discomfort

Reid Wilson Ph.D. on March 27, 2018

Too often we resolve the issue of threat by relying on safety crutches. Our top-choice? Avoidance. We want to get rid of the threat—and to avoid seems like the safest bet.

Too often we resolve the issue of threat by relying on safety crutches. Our top-choice? Avoidance. We want to get rid of the threat—and to avoid seems like the safest bet.

OCD

Use Absurd Talk to Take Control

Reid Wilson Ph.D. on February 2, 2018

OCD wants you to feel doubt and insecurity. You can take a power position over OCD by adopting a new point of view.

OCD wants you to feel doubt and insecurity. You can take a power position over OCD by adopting a new point of view.

Anxiety

Let Worry Motivate Your Next Move

Reid Wilson Ph.D. on November 29, 2017

Worry motivates us to act on our plans, to stay on task, and to solve problems. It can trigger planning, preparation, and action—but worrying in itself is not acting.

Worry motivates us to act on our plans, to stay on task, and to solve problems. It can trigger planning, preparation, and action—but worrying in itself is not acting.

Anxiety

How To Approach Anxiety with Cleverness, Part 2

Reid Wilson Ph.D. on October 6, 2017

We “act as though” all day long—that the coffee we purchased is uncontaminated, and that gravity will keep our feet planted to the ground. When stuck, let it help you take action.

We “act as though” all day long—that the coffee we purchased is uncontaminated, and that gravity will keep our feet planted to the ground. When stuck, let it help you take action.

Anxiety

How to Approach Anxiety With Cleverness, Part 1

Reid Wilson Ph.D. on August 30, 2017

Ali wasn’t victorious because he was stronger or more athletic. After all, Foreman was in his prime. He was a 3-to-1 favorite. Ali was victorious because he was cunning.

Ali wasn’t victorious because he was stronger or more athletic. After all, Foreman was in his prime. He was a 3-to-1 favorite. Ali was victorious because he was cunning.

Self-Talk

How You Can Use Self-Talk to Step Forward

Reid Wilson Ph.D. on July 27, 2017

“Whatever it takes, I’m going to finish this.” When you face a daunting task, that message doesn’t instruct you; it encourages you to push through resistance and continue on.

“Whatever it takes, I’m going to finish this.” When you face a daunting task, that message doesn’t instruct you; it encourages you to push through resistance and continue on.