Owning It: The Anxiety Podcast

In the first episode of the anxiety podcast, host and author Caroline Foran shares a raw, unfiltered and unsexy account of her experience of anxiety, from childhood right through to her mid 20s, when the you know what really hit the fan. Word of warning: this episode is pretty bleak - it's not sugar coated - but there is light at the end of the tunnel. This episode lays the foundation before moving on to understanding what anxiety is, and introducing her Assess and Address technique for owning your anxiety.  Order yourself (or for a friend) a copy of my new book, Everything I Wish I'd Known About Anxiety: A Roadmap out of the Overwhelm and Back to Yourself here Follow me on Instagram @CarolineForan and @OwningItPodcast, on Tik Tok hereSubscribe to my weekly Substack here (not always anxiety related, often parenting related)Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/owningittheanxietypodcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode I introduce the Assess and Address technique for anxiety, and am joined by clinical psychologist Dr Clare Kambamettu. She talks SO much sense around anxiety. We unpack it, getting a better understanding of why we feel it and how normal it is and exactly what's happening in our body. This episode will help you to get some clarity on why you might be experiencing anxiety, as well as reassuring you that whatever you're feeling, for whatever reason - it's VALID. We also discuss Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and why that works for anxiety. Enjoy. Order yourself (or for a friend) a copy of my new book, Everything I Wish I'd Known About Anxiety: A Roadmap out of the Overwhelm and Back to Yourself here Follow me on Instagram @CarolineForan and @OwningItPodcast, on Tik Tok hereSubscribe to my weekly Substack here (not always anxiety related, often parenting related)Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/owningittheanxietypodcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Maybe you don't experience anxiety but maybe your partner or close friend or relative does; if so this is the episode for you. Barry is my husband and super reluctant podcast guest on this episode. He HATES having to do this but I damn well made him. We discuss the importance of normalising the anxiety, what to do and what not to do or say to someone who's struggling with anxiety and what it was like for him to go through this with me. He's not as much of a talker as I would be but I think his experience is important in the context of this series. I hope you enjoy it! Don't forget to subscribe and leave a review and read the books if you haven't already. Order yourself (or for a friend) a copy of my new book, Everything I Wish I'd Known About Anxiety: A Roadmap out of the Overwhelm and Back to Yourself here Follow me on Instagram @CarolineForan and @OwningItPodcast, on Tik Tok hereSubscribe to my weekly Substack here (not always anxiety related, often parenting related)Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/owningittheanxietypodcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week I'm joined by Pat Divilly for a brilliant discussion around the topic of public speaking. It was his biggest fear, it's one of mine - STILL! - and I know it's something that affects so many readers of both Owning It and The Confidence Kit. Pat Divilly is an author, public speaker and all round legend - he takes complex ideas and articulates them in a way that is just so easy to digest and I feel we are on the very same page when it comes to things like acceptance and working with ourselves rather than against ourselves. Pat also shares his own story of anxiety, along with chats about imposter syndrome and as is always my goal - we share some very practical tips and exercises to get you feeling a little bit less afraid at the prospect of public speaking - even if that just means speaking up in a meeting or at a social event. Pat doesn't claim to be fearless, and neither do I, but despite our fears and anxieties we can still forge ahead. Enjoy! Order yourself (or for a friend) a copy of my new book, Everything I Wish I'd Known About Anxiety: A Roadmap out of the Overwhelm and Back to Yourself here Follow me on Instagram @CarolineForan and @OwningItPodcast, on Tik Tok hereSubscribe to my weekly Substack here (not always anxiety related, often parenting related)Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/owningittheanxietypodcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's episode of Owning It: The Anxiety Podcast, I go in the direction of physical health and the fear or anxiety about the prospect of getting sick or receiving a bad diagnosis. I'm joined by cancer survivor and breast cancer awareness champion Georgie Crawford who shares her story of getting sick with me, through the lens of mental health. The anxiety that went with it, the empowering moment of getting the diagnosis and taking action and how her experience has shifted her perspective on day to day anxieties and stresses. Georgie has some great advice and I do hope you enjoy. Please subscribe and review as always and know that the books are available to buy around the world on Amazon. Owning It - buy now The Confidence Kit - buy now Order yourself (or for a friend) a copy of my new book, Everything I Wish I'd Known About Anxiety: A Roadmap out of the Overwhelm and Back to Yourself here Follow me on Instagram @CarolineForan and @OwningItPodcast, on Tik Tok hereSubscribe to my weekly Substack here (not always anxiety related, often parenting related)Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/owningittheanxietypodcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For this episode, we will do a deep dive into the world of anti anxiety medication. Rosie is a psychiatrist who deals with a lot of patients presenting with anxiety symptoms. She helps me to breakdown the different kinds of medication, how anti-depressants work in treating anxiety, what you need to know about the first few weeks on medication and what you need to know about coming off it if you decide to do so. We also chat about the stigma that very much exists around medication - I personally felt that taking medication was a sign of weakness and I still struggle with worrying what people might think about the fact that I'm still on it. Whatever questions you have about anti anxiety medication should be answered here. Order yourself (or for a friend) a copy of my new book, Everything I Wish I'd Known About Anxiety: A Roadmap out of the Overwhelm and Back to Yourself here Follow me on Instagram @CarolineForan and @OwningItPodcast, on Tik Tok hereSubscribe to my weekly Substack here (not always anxiety related, often parenting related)Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/owningittheanxietypodcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I had some time to spare and rather than relax I recorded this quick little episode on the common mind traps that we might fall into that give rise to stress and anxiety in our day to day lives. For example, a big one is 'catastrophizing' (I'm using a 'z' in that word for US listeners). So maybe you're not really struggling to get your head off the pillow with anxiety, but maybe you find that there's a low level anxiety that's just kind of always there and getting slightly in the way of your life. If that's the case, you may be experiencing some of the common mind traps that we'll discuss. This is more of a dip into CBT which is one of my essential tools for managing and owning my anxiety on an ongoing basis. Pre order Own It here Order yourself (or for a friend) a copy of my new book, Everything I Wish I'd Known About Anxiety: A Roadmap out of the Overwhelm and Back to Yourself here Follow me on Instagram @CarolineForan and @OwningItPodcast, on Tik Tok hereSubscribe to my weekly Substack here (not always anxiety related, often parenting related)Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/owningittheanxietypodcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

So in among the experts with whom I will consult to get you the most practical advice and tools you need to own your anxiety, I also try to sit down with people who are just like me - not professionals when it comes to anxiety - but those who've experienced it from one end of the spectrum to the other, and can relate to how you're feeling as well as share their coping strategies. This week I am joined by Vogue Williams to talk about anxiety after a bad breakup, anxiety in a former partner when she didn't really understand it, and how having a baby has left her with no time to feel too anxious these days. We talk about her experience with medication and lots more. Please do subscribe and enjoy! PRE ORDER THE US VERSION OF OWN IT - MAKE YOUR ANXIETY WORK FOR YOU here Order yourself (or for a friend) a copy of my new book, Everything I Wish I'd Known About Anxiety: A Roadmap out of the Overwhelm and Back to Yourself here Follow me on Instagram @CarolineForan and @OwningItPodcast, on Tik Tok hereSubscribe to my weekly Substack here (not always anxiety related, often parenting related)Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/owningittheanxietypodcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I am joined by my brother Daniel who experienced a social kind of anxiety brought on by his stammer. Daniel has had a stammer for as long as I can remember but I never knew quite how much it affected him and gave him anxiety until recent years (he's in his mid 30s now) because he simply didn't want to discuss it. To go from a fear of saying his name out loud to recording with me, he has come a long way and I'm so proud of him. I've learned so much from this episode about triumph in the face adversity and I hope you will too. RESOURCES - www.stammering.orgstammeringireland.iewww.mcguireprogramme.comtoastmasters.org Order yourself (or for a friend) a copy of my new book, Everything I Wish I'd Known About Anxiety: A Roadmap out of the Overwhelm and Back to Yourself here Follow me on Instagram @CarolineForan and @OwningItPodcast, on Tik Tok hereSubscribe to my weekly Substack here (not always anxiety related, often parenting related)Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/owningittheanxietypodcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week I am joined by the incredible Laura Whitmore - presenter, writer, actor, broadcaster. We have the best chat about anxiety, how it affects her, what she does to keep it in check, imposter syndrome  - which can be quite extreme in her line of work - worrying about what other people will think about you, how her confidence has grown, and so much more. I really hope you enjoy this episode and as always please subscribe and review.Order yourself (or for a friend) a copy of my new book, Everything I Wish I'd Known About Anxiety: A Roadmap out of the Overwhelm and Back to Yourself here Follow me on Instagram @CarolineForan and @OwningItPodcast, on Tik Tok hereSubscribe to my weekly Substack here (not always anxiety related, often parenting related)Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/owningittheanxietypodcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hey guys, sorry for the break last week but I was in NYC to launch Own It - out now! - and life took over. I'm thrilled to share the latest episode of the anxiety podcast with you, featuring one of the nicest girls I've met - Joanna Cooper. She's just 25, she's from Derry in Northern Ireland and she shares her experience of anxiety which she pinpoints back to a scary childhood experience. These days she's got a firm grasp on her anxiety and for 25, it's VERY impressive. From hypochondria to what we share and don't share on social media, I hope you enjoy this one.  Order yourself (or for a friend) a copy of my new book, Everything I Wish I'd Known About Anxiety: A Roadmap out of the Overwhelm and Back to Yourself here Follow me on Instagram @CarolineForan and @OwningItPodcast, on Tik Tok hereSubscribe to my weekly Substack here (not always anxiety related, often parenting related)Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/owningittheanxietypodcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For this episode I am joined by James Kavanagh, TV presenter, broadcaster, social media superstar and co-founder and co-author of the award winning and bestselling Currabinny book and brand. James shares his experience of anxiety in recent years - manifested in midnight panic attacks - at a time in his life when everything is - on paper - very good. So why now? We trace back over his experience of being badly bullied for being gay throughout school and how perhaps his anxiety now, at a time when he accepts himself entirely, might be in fact a delayed reaction to having gone through a very hard time growing up, coupled with the anxiety of leaving a full time job and going out on your own in the unreliable freelance world. We chat about the comfort zone, social anxiety, panic attacks and so much more.  Buy Own It in the US and Canada here. Order yourself (or for a friend) a copy of my new book, Everything I Wish I'd Known About Anxiety: A Roadmap out of the Overwhelm and Back to Yourself here Follow me on Instagram @CarolineForan and @OwningItPodcast, on Tik Tok hereSubscribe to my weekly Substack here (not always anxiety related, often parenting related)Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/owningittheanxietypodcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you have ever been diagnosed with IBS, or had any gut issues relating to anxiety - whether your gut flares up when you're anxious or whether you're anxiety flares up when your tummy is irritated - this is the episode for you. Orla Walsh is a bullshit free dietician who talks endless amounts of sense. Full disclosure: we talk a lot about poo and farting in this episode so buckle up and and get ready to get real. We cover everything from the ideal anxiety meal plan to understanding the gut-brain axis and more. Order yourself (or for a friend) a copy of my new book, Everything I Wish I'd Known About Anxiety: A Roadmap out of the Overwhelm and Back to Yourself here Follow me on Instagram @CarolineForan and @OwningItPodcast, on Tik Tok hereSubscribe to my weekly Substack here (not always anxiety related, often parenting related)Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/owningittheanxietypodcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join me on @OwningItPodcast on Instagram for more tips, clips, explainers and helpful content. This week I am joined by Irish comedian and three time bestselling author Rory O'Connor to talk about the anxiety that goes along with our inner critic. Self doubt, imposter syndrome and riding the waves of doubt that come along no matter what level of success you find yourself at. Rory shares his very personal story of overcoming a gambling addiction and having been perceived as less than capable when he was growing up in school. His new book Rory's Story is out now. Order yourself (or for a friend) a copy of my new book, Everything I Wish I'd Known About Anxiety: A Roadmap out of the Overwhelm and Back to Yourself here Follow me on Instagram @CarolineForan and @OwningItPodcast, on Tik Tok hereSubscribe to my weekly Substack here (not always anxiety related, often parenting related)Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/owningittheanxietypodcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Access Owning It Real Time HERE Republishing one from the archives as it is one of my most listened to, and therefore most helpful episodes of all time.I think this might be the most insightful and informative episode I've shared to date where Dr Michael Keane, Behavioural Neuroscientist and founder of actualise.ie, talks me through exactly how our brain functions when it comes to anxiety and how we are best posed to take back control. I've never had someone explain how our brains work and how anxiety can happen in the brain in as digestible a way as Dr Keane does here. We talk about everything from the neuroscience stance on mindfulness, the power of language to enhance or reduce our feelings of anxiety, how we can strengthen our prefrontal cortex to down regulate the limbic system and how incredibly normal it is that we are all walking around this world feeling a little bit anxious. If I had heard this conversation five years ago I would have been so incredibly reassured; I hope it empowers you to know that you absolutely can OWN IT.Order yourself (or for a friend) a copy of my new book, Everything I Wish I'd Known About Anxiety: A Roadmap out of the Overwhelm and Back to Yourself here Follow me on Instagram @CarolineForan and @OwningItPodcast, on Tik Tok hereSubscribe to my weekly Substack here (not always anxiety related, often parenting related)Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/owningittheanxietypodcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sign up and access this episode within Owning It Real Time HERE.This was the original real time panic attack rescue episode that inspired the Owning It Real Time series.Order yourself (or for a friend) a copy of my new book, Everything I Wish I'd Known About Anxiety: A Roadmap out of the Overwhelm and Back to Yourself here Follow me on Instagram @CarolineForan and @OwningItPodcast, on Tik Tok hereSubscribe to my weekly Substack here (not always anxiety related, often parenting related)Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/owningittheanxietypodcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The original Real Time Rescue that inspired the Real Time series. Order yourself (or for a friend) a copy of my new book, Everything I Wish I'd Known About Anxiety: A Roadmap out of the Overwhelm and Back to Yourself here Follow me on Instagram @CarolineForan and @OwningItPodcast, on Tik Tok hereSubscribe to my weekly Substack here (not always anxiety related, often parenting related)Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/owningittheanxietypodcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Access Owning It Real Time HERE This week my guest is the mega bestselling author of Four Thousand Weeks, Oliver Burkeman. We talk about anxiety around time, productivity, the anxiety of getting on top of things, how to accept the reality that we will never fully get on top of things and so much more. We discuss the difference between fulfilment and happiness and how curiosity might be your most powerful tool when experiencing future oriented anxiety. Order yourself (or for a friend) a copy of my new book, Everything I Wish I'd Known About Anxiety: A Roadmap out of the Overwhelm and Back to Yourself here Follow me on Instagram @CarolineForan and @OwningItPodcast, on Tik Tok hereSubscribe to my weekly Substack here (not always anxiety related, often parenting related)Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/owningittheanxietypodcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the latest episode of Owning It: The Anxiety Podcast, Claire Balding - who I know as Claire Fullam from school - joins me to talk about her experience with hair loss and the reasons why that happened - stress - the anxiety that went along with this turbulent time in her life, coming out the other side and having a keen awareness of her mental health. Her pearls of wisdom are incredible and I can't wait for you to hear them. She's an amazing woman. Order yourself (or for a friend) a copy of my new book, Everything I Wish I'd Known About Anxiety: A Roadmap out of the Overwhelm and Back to Yourself here Follow me on Instagram @CarolineForan and @OwningItPodcast, on Tik Tok hereSubscribe to my weekly Substack here (not always anxiety related, often parenting related)Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/owningittheanxietypodcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, author and YouTuber Melanie Murphy shares her experience of anxiety along with her smart coping strategies from writing, to breathing techniques to something she calls 'hyper-focusing' during moments of panic. Order yourself (or for a friend) a copy of my new book, Everything I Wish I'd Known About Anxiety: A Roadmap out of the Overwhelm and Back to Yourself here Follow me on Instagram @CarolineForan and @OwningItPodcast, on Tik Tok hereSubscribe to my weekly Substack here (not always anxiety related, often parenting related)Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/owningittheanxietypodcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.