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How to Accept Anxiety: Opening Up to New Options

In this episode, we explore the second component of the ACT Triflex framework for anxiety acceptance: opening up to new possibilities. Learn why considering options when triggered—even without knowing what to do next—is a crucial step in recovery.

Key Points:

• Understanding the ACT Triflex framework for anxiety acceptance
• Why mindfulness is essential for breaking automatic responses
• How psychological flexibility develops through small moments of choice
• The paradox of opening up to new options
• Why confusion can actually be a sign of progress

Download A Free Guided Mindful Acceptance Exercise

https://learn.theanxioustruth.com/practical-mindfulness-in-anxiety-recovery

Full Show Notes On This Episode

https://theanxioustruth.com/310

Support The Anxious Truth: If you find the podcast helpful and want to support my work, you can buy me a coffee. Other ways to support my work like buying a book or signing up for a low cost workshop can be found on my website. None of this is never required, but always appreciated!

Interested in doing therapy with me? For more information on working with me directly to overcome your anxiety, follow this link.

Disclaimer: The Anxious Truth is not therapy or a replacement for therapy. Listening to The Anxious Truth does not create a therapeutic relationship between you and the host or guests of the podcast. Information here is provided for psychoeducational purposes. As always, when you have questions about your own well-being, please consult your mental health and/or medical care providers. If you are having a mental health crisis, always reach out immediately for in-person help.

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HOW DO I ACCEPT ANXIETY?!?!?!?!

Let's start a three-part series on accepting anxiety using the ACT Tri-flex framework. As both a therapist and former anxiety sufferer, I'm going to break down the crucial first practical step of getting present and what it really means in a practical way.

KEY POINTS:

• Why there are no "steps" to accepting anxiety
• The difference between "doing mode" and "being mode"
• What mindfulness actually means in anxiety recovery
• How to develop nonjudgmental awareness
• Why automatic reactions aren't truly automatic

QUOTES FROM THE EPISODE:

• "Accepting anxiety is about dropping out of doing and into being."
• "We are essentially judging, evaluating, and resisting machines all day long."
• "There is no difference between automatically reaching for an ice pack when anxious and automatically liking or disliking the weather."

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy)
• Dr. Russ Harris's ACT Tri-flex
• The Happiness Trap by Russ Harris
• Drew's interview with Dr. Steven Hayes on The Disordered Podcast
• Drew's interview with Dr. Russ Harris on The Disordered Podcast

UPCOMING COURSE: Join Drew's 6-week Practical Mindfulness Skills group starting soon. Limited to 10 participants. Learn more at learn.theanxioustruth.com

For full show notes on this episode:
https://theanxioustruth.com/309

Support The Anxious Truth: If you find the podcast helpful and want to support my work, you can buy me a coffee. Other ways to support my work like buying a book or signing up for a low cost workshop can be found on my website. None of this is never required, but always appreciated!

Interested in doing therapy with me? For more information on working with me directly to overcome your anxiety, follow this link.

Disclaimer: The Anxious Truth is not therapy or a replacement for therapy. Listening to The Anxious Truth does not create a therapeutic relationship between you and the host or guests of the podcast. Information here is provided for psychoeducational purposes. As always, when you have questions about your own well-being, please consult your mental health and/or medical care providers. If you are having a mental health crisis, always reach out immediately for in-person help.

Send in a question or comment via text.

In this episode of The Anxious Truth, we tackle a question that comes up constantly in anxiety recovery: Should you take time off from work or school because of anxiety? We explore why this seemingly simple question has a complex answer, and why what feels intuitively right might not always serve your recovery.

Key Topics Covered:

• Why the urge to take time off is completely normal
• The paradox of anxiety recovery
• Understanding avoidance vs. strategic rest
• How to make decisions that serve your recovery
• Practical alternatives to taking time off
• Using time off effectively if you choose to take it

For full show notes on this episode:
https://theanxioustruth.com/308

Support The Anxious Truth: If you find the podcast helpful and want to support my work, you can buy me a coffee. Other ways to support my work like buying a book or signing up for a low cost workshop can be found on my website. None of this is never required, but always appreciated!

Interested in doing therapy with me? For more information on working with me directly to overcome your anxiety, follow this link.

Disclaimer: The Anxious Truth is not therapy or a replacement for therapy. Listening to The Anxious Truth does not create a therapeutic relationship between you and the host or guests of the podcast. Information here is provided for psychoeducational purposes. As always, when you have questions about your own well-being, please consult your mental health and/or medical care providers. If you are having a mental health crisis, always reach out immediately for in-person help.