It can be so discouraging to feel like you're not making any progress in your anxiety recovery journey, despite using all of the tips and tools. If you feel like you're not making progress, I want you to know that you're not alone! For so many years, I thought I would never heal from anxiety. I tried everything, and it felt like nothing was working. But with time, practice, and lots of courage, I healed from panic disorder and agoraphobia! And I know you can, too.
Morgan Starr-Riestis is the creator and counselor behind Mind's Eye Guidance. She runs a private practice and has worked in the clinical mental health field for the last decade! Morgan takes a holistic approach to healing anxiety, which I love. And today, she's joining me on the podcast to talk about feeling stuck in your anxiety recovery journey! So let's get into our conversation.
Why You Might Not Be Experiencing the Healing You're Working So Hard For
"Why Am I Not Recovering From Anxiety?"
I started off by asking Morgan why she thinks that so many people start to feel stuck in their anxiety recovery journeys. She shared that she has personal experience feeling stuck with anxiety, and knows how frustrating it can be when you feel like you're not improving. Morgan said that a big part of why we might not be recovering from anxiety is because we're often missing many components of recovery. She mentioned that spending one hour a week (or every other week) simply isn't enough for us to heal. And I totally agree!
Morgan also mentioned that talk therapy alone isn't enough to heal. When she said "[Intellectualizing and talk therapy] It's not actually releasing what is in your tissues, body, and nervous system", things really clicked for me. We can understand anxiety on an intellectual level, but it's not until we're willing to feel and get in touch with our bodies that the real healing begins. I think this is why so many of us, like myself, have struggled with anxiety for so long. We often try all the tips, tools, and techniques, in an effort to not feel. But the true healing begins when we allow ourselves to feel.
Reactive Practices To Help Your Nervous System
Morgan shared that so much anxiety recovery has to do with caring for our dysregulated nervous systems. So, of course, I had to ask her what some of her favorite practices were! She shared that one of her favorites is to get into the shower while it's still cold because this triggers something called the mammalian drive reflex. Taking cold showers helps Morgan not only recognize that she's capable of doing hard things but also helps to build the connection that she can do uncomfortable things in the future.
Another practice that Morgan uses when she senses that her nervous system is dysregulated is tapping! Also known as EFT tapping, this practice helps many people to regulate during anxious moments. Morgan will tap both of her collarbones and focus on her breathing to re-regulate her nervous system.
Morgan had so much more helpful insight to share, so don't forget to listen to the full podcast episode! If you're looking for some extra support on your own anxiety recovery journey, check out my free email newsletter! Each week, I'll land in your inbox with tips, tools, and helpful insights. You won't want to miss out!
Connect With Morgan!
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mind.psy.guidance/
Website: https://www.mindpsyguidance.com/
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