Shows
Calm Your CavemanGrandma Knew Best: The Anxiety Antidote You InheritedWhat if your great-grandparents held the key to calming your anxiety? In this episode, we explore a surprising, research-backed strategy for influencing your unconscious brain: knowing your family's intergenerational stories. Discover how ancestral narratives can help shift your brain's default stress response from threat to challenge, enhancing resilience, emotional health, and self-efficacy. Through deeply personal family stories, you'll learn how to train your brain—like a beloved pet—to respond more supportively in the face of uncertainty. If you've ever wondered how to influence your emotional responses at the subconscious level, this episode is a must-listen.00:30 – Why it's h...2025-05-2626 minCalm Your CavemanHow to Stop Waking Up Already OverwhelmedWaking up already overwhelmed? In this episode, we unpack why morning anxiety hits hard—and how to shift from panic to strategy. Drawing from neuroscience, childhood memory, and a dash of board game strategy, we explore what it takes to reclaim mental ground and lead from strength, even when you feel like hiding under the covers.You’ll learn:Why your anxiety might spike in the early morningHow applying a “game mindset” can help you work with your real-life resourcesHow to create a realistic, compassionate sense of daily accomplishmentAnd what a “Yay Me” paragraph can do to rewire yo...2025-05-1921 minCalm Your CavemanRewire Your Negativity Bias With SerendipitiesDo you ever feel like life is one long stream of stress, uncertainty, and potential disaster? What if your brain is simply missing half the story? In this episode of Calm Your Caveman, we dive into the concept of serendipities—those unlikely, yet powerfully beneficial events that seem too timely to be coincidence. Drawing on the work of psychologist Scott Peck (The Road Less Traveled), we explore how noticing serendipities can actually rewire your negativity bias and reduce anxiety.Topics Covered:• What serendipities are and why they matter• How our brains filter out good events (and fi...2025-05-1220 minCalm Your CavemanWhen You Can't Fix It: Four Ways to Calm Anxiety About Adult ChildrenAdult kids = adult worries. If you’ve been stuck in an anxiety loop, today’s episode is your lifeline. What You'll Learn:•Why parenting adult children can trigger more anxiety than other stages•Four mindset shifts to focus on when worry strikes•A simple writing exercise to reframe parental anxiety•How to trust your children’s journey—even when it looks messyTimestamps:[00:00:30] – Parenting adult children and anxiety traps[00:02:57] – Shifting focus: What kind of parent do I want to be?[00:05:11] – Transitioning from "problem solver" to "observer"[00:08:31] – Exercise: Rewriting anxious narrati...2025-05-0519 minCalm Your CavemanWhen Giving Backfires: Healing the Anxiety of OvergivingThis episode starts with a conversation with my mom, who has spent a lifetime quietly serving others and finding real joy in it. But for me, giving didn’t always bring peace — it often brought guilt, pressure, and anxiety. If service is supposed to make us happier, why can it sometimes feel so heavy? I open up about my own dysfunctional relationship with giving, how it was harming rather than helping, and what finally shifted. Learn the two major blocks that might be keeping you from experiencing the mental health benefits of kindness — and how to turn giving into a powe...2025-04-2827 minCalm Your CavemanNegative Visualization for Better Well-beingWhen life feels overwhelming, it's tempting to assume things couldn’t get worse. But what if imagining how they could get worse is exactly what helps us feel better? In this episode, we explore a powerful psychological tool known as negative visualization—a mindset shift backed by science and rich with emotional payoff.You’ll learn:How comparing your reality to a worse version can reduce anxietyThe two kinds of negative visualization—and how both can heal emotional overwhelmWhy hedonic adaptation dulls your joy, and how to reverse itA simple way to unadapt to love, work, and life...2025-04-2119 minCalm Your CavemanOvercoming Imposter SyndromeEver felt like you're faking it—despite all your preparation, skill, and effort? In this episode of Calm Your Caveman, we take a thoughtful look at those moments of self-doubt when you're asked to rise to the occasion but feel like you're not enough. Through three personal stories, we explore what imposter syndrome feels like from the inside.But that’s only the beginning. We'll also unpack:- Why most of us try to manage stress the wrong way- The difference between “bad stress” and “good stress”- How to flip your stress respo...2025-04-1427 minCalm Your CavemanBe Free from the Torture of JealousyJealousy is often just fear in disguise. It’s a prickly emotion that shows up in all kinds of relationships—between siblings, friends, romantic partners, and even with our own kids. And if we don’t know how to work with it, it can hijack our peace, strain our relationships, and leave us stewing in shame.I get personal in this episode, sharing how jealousy has shown up in my own life. I also unpack how it’s often tied to deeper fears like abandonment, worthiness, or scarcity.But jealousy doesn’t have to be in charge...2025-04-0730 minCalm Your CavemanTell Your Story for Anxiety ManagementWhat if managing your anxiety was as simple as telling the story of your day? In this episode, we explore how storytelling can soothe anxiety, create meaning, and give you a sense of calm control over life’s ups and downs.We’ll dive into:Why storytelling is more than entertainment—it’s a meaning-making machineHow your brain changes when you narrate your experiencesWhy redemption stories (not contamination ones) are key to feeling betterTimestamps:00:30 Discovering Storytelling as Anxiety Management01:06 The High Low Buffalo Routine03:47 The Power of Storytelling in Daily Li...2025-03-3123 minCalm Your CavemanWhen the Sky is Falling (What to Do) With Don JarvisIn this episode of Calm Your Caveman, Dr. Twitchell discusses how to cope when life feels overwhelming and the sky seems like it's falling. She shares personal experiences, including a story about a severe ocean threat to their home in Brazil, to emphasize how hyperfocus on an immediate problem can be beneficial. However, she also addresses what to do when the threats are out of our control. This involves an interview with her father, who shares his practical advice on how to manage large-scale issues by focusing on smaller, controllable actions within one's local community. The episode concludes with...2025-03-2426 minCalm Your CavemanReligion and AnxietyIn this episode, we explore the complex relationship between religion and anxiety. Drawing on scientific research, this conversation reframes religion not as inherently helpful or harmful, but as a tool—one whose value lies in how we choose to wield it.What You'll Learn in This Episode:The concept of religion as a psychological technologyKey findings from major meta-analyses showing the health effects of religious practiceThe impact of rituals, symbols, group behaviors, and shared purpose on anxiety and lonelinessTimestamps:00:30 Addressing the Misuse of Religion01:51 Religion as a Psychological Technology02:51 Impacts of...2025-03-1721 minCalm Your CavemanCold Water Therapy for Anxiety and ResilienceUnderstand the science behind the impressive effects of cold exposure on body and mind, and get practical tips for incorporating this therapy into daily life for handling stress and enhancing performance. Hear Dr. Twitchell’s journey with cold water therapy for managing anxiety. Learn about her initial resistance, gradual easing into the practice, and the profound physical, emotional, and psychological benefits she observed. Her sons, Sam and Lazarus, share their experiences with cold showers for boosting mood, alertness, and resilience. [00:00:00] - Introduction to Cold Water Therapy[00:00:15] - Personal Resistance and Initial Reluctance[00:01:06] - Discovering the Ben...2025-03-1023 minCalm Your CavemanBeat Anxiety with Simple Breathing TacticsHear Dr. Twitchell’s personal experiences with the effectiveness of breathing exercises for managing anxiety. Learn about specific methods such as Stasis breathing and the Wim Hof breathing protocol, and their physical and emotional benefits, along with the benefits of nasal breathing and the impact of exhalation length. Get practical tips for incorporating breathing exercises into daily life and performance situations and learn a five-minute practice for significant mental health improvements.00:30 Personal Journey with Controlled Breathing and Anxiety01:22 Discovering Stasis Breathing02:16 Physical and Emotional Benefits03:41 Exploring Wim Hof Breathing06:22 Understanding the Autonomic Nervous Sy...2025-03-0327 minCalm Your CavemanThe Art of Distress Tolerance: Navigating Life’s UnchangeablesJoin Dr. Twitchell to learn about the importance of increasing distress tolerance for managing anxiety and negative emotions. This episode examines how resisting anxiety amplifies it and explores methods to accept negative emotions like anger, sadness, and fear by viewing them as temporary and necessary aspects of life. Dr. Twitchell shares personal anecdotes, discusses adaptive functions of emotions, and explains the value of understanding near-death experiences in reducing anxiety related to mortality. Concluding with practical tips and philosophical insights, Dr. Twitchell guides listeners on embracing distress and mortality to achieve a more peaceful and meaningful life.[00:00:00...2025-02-2432 minCalm Your CavemanSweating Out the Stress: How Exercise Tames AnxietyLearn about the numerous advantages exercise offers for anxiety management, backed by decades of research. Dr. Twitchell elucidates six key reasons, including distraction, reduced muscle tension, and altered brain chemistry, that make exercise an effective anxiety management tool. Join Dr. Twitchell as she shares the challenges she faced in establishing a regular exercise routine due to anxiety and a busy schedule. She also emphasizes the importance of integrating exercise into daily life by sharing her personal morning beach walk routine for a more productive and less anxious day.[00:00:00] - Introduction to Anxiety and Exercise[00:01:06...2025-02-1721 minCalm Your CavemanBuffer Against Stress With a Sense of MeaningDon't miss this effective strategy for anxiety management: adopting a perspective that challenges are opportunities for personal growth. Adriana shares her personal journey of learning to see meaning in extended illness. She explains the scientific research supporting this approach, detailing how finding a sense of macro meaning can shift our responses to stress from threat to challenge. [00:00:00] - Introduction and Recap[00:01:27] - Personal Story: Learning to Cope With Illness[00:03:58] - Discovering a New Strategy: Believing Life Works FOR you[00:10:05] - The Power of Meaning in Life[00:15:30] - How Believing Stress Can Benefit Y...2025-02-1030 minCalm Your CavemanLoosen Anxiety's Grip With Gratitude ScienceIn this episode, Dr. Twitchell discusses a powerful tool for managing anxiety in both the short and long term—gratitude. Sharing personal experiences of long COVID, Dr. Twitchell explains how a daily gratitude practice helped alleviate anxiety and improve overall well-being. Drawing from scientific research and personal anecdotes, the episode highlights the broad-ranging benefits of gratitude, including reduced inflammation, better sleep, and enhanced emotional resilience. Dr. Twitchell offers practical tips for starting a gratitude practice. The episode concludes with a listener-contributed story, a “Kindness Narrative,” that will aid all listeners in starting a painless weekly gratitude practice. [00...2025-02-0330 minCalm Your CavemanTalk Yourself Down: Real-World Tips for Calming Self-TalkLearn practical methods for applying the technique of self-talk in various situations, from quick interventions during the day to nighttime anxiety management. Dr. Twitchell shares personal examples and guides on thinking, speaking, and writing to oneself in the third person to regulate emotions, providing a comprehensive framework to approach anxiety mindfully. Gain insights on self-transcendence and leveraging the emotion of awe for a broader perspective, and understand how incorporating these practices daily can aid in emotional regulation and mental well-being.[00:00:00] - Introduction to Calming Techniques[00:00:25] - Applying Third-Party Self-Talk[00:00:56] - Emergency Interventions[00:01:37] - Ni...2025-01-2713 minCalm Your CavemanClimb Out of the Mud Puddle of Your EmotionsThis episode explains how to observe rather than be overwhelmed by your feelings. It also highlights the power of speaking to yourself in the third person to turn down emotional intensity, manage anxiety and improve performance under stress. Practical exercises for implementing these techniques are provided to help listeners climb out of the emotional mud puddle and achieve better emotional regulation and clarity.00:35 Recap of Last Episode: Approaching Anxiety01:17 Introduction to Defusing from Emotions01:48 Understanding Defusion: Right and Wrong Ways02:05 Defusing Techniques: Observing Emotions05:51 Using Third Person Pronouns for Emotional Distance07:55 Research...2025-01-2018 minCalm Your CavemanEmbrace Your Anxiety: From Avoidance to MasteryIn this episode, Dr. Twitchell discusses the important strategy of approaching anxiety instead of avoiding it. Highlighting insights from the book 'The Upside of Your Dark Side,' Dr. Twitchell explains how modern comfort has increased our sensitivity to discomfort, and how avoidance can amplify anxiety. She proposes a three-step strategy to approach anxiety: 1) Finding a long-term purpose that prioritizes enduring values over short-term comfort, 2) Articulating emotions in detail to defuse them, and 3) Gradually exposing oneself to anxiety triggers to make them familiar and reduce their impact. Dr. Twitchell emphasizes that managing anxiety effectively requires intentional approaching rather than...2025-01-1326 minCalm Your CavemanThe Anxiety-Free Goal GuideIn this episode, Dr. Twitchell discusses the intricacies of goal setting and its relationship with anxiety. Drawing upon Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's flow theory, Dr. Twitchell explores how creating the right types of goals can help achieve a state of inner harmony and reduce anxiety. She emphasizes the importance of goals that enhance autonomy and create inner order, distinguishing between genetic and cultural programming versus conscious goal setting. Dr. Twitchell also shares personal anecdotes and strategies to balance goal demands with available resources, ensuring they are neither too hard nor too easy, thus facilitating a flow state. Practical advice on adjusting...2025-01-0627 minCalm Your CavemanOptimize Your Future With the Challenge MindsetJoin Dr. Twitchell in this New Year's episode as she discusses the importance of optimism and a challenge mindset in predicting and coping with future stressors. Dr. Twitchell explains how our appraisals and predictions shape our emotional and physiological responses, as well as our ability to solve problems and collaborate with others. Learn about the differences between threat and challenge mindsets, and practical ways to cultivate a more optimistic outlook for the coming year.00:00 Introduction and New Year's Greetings00:42 Predicting the Future and Its Impact01:43 The Role of Emotions in Future Predictions05:17 Challenge vs. T...2024-12-3019 minCalm Your CavemanBeyond Fear: Celebrating the Healing Power of AweJoin Dr. Twitchell in this special Christmas episode of 'Calm Your Caveman' to explore the profound impact of awe on our mental and physical well-being. Learn about Professor Dacher Keltner's insights on the psychological need for awe, its various benefits such as reduced anxiety and depression, and its ability to expand our circle of care. Discover eight pathways to experience awe daily, including moral beauty, collective movement, nature, music, and more. Dr. Twitchell also shares her personal 'daily awe hygiene' practice and explains how cultivating awe can enrich our lives year-round. 00:00 Welcome to Calm Your Caveman: Christmas S...2024-12-2312 minCalm Your CavemanPractical Tips for Mastering the Dopamine DanceIn this episode, Dr. Twitchell dives into practical ways to manage your dopamine budget to help regulate emotions and combat anxiety. Building on last week's discussion about the dopamine system, Dr. Twitchell shares personal experiences of post-trip and post-accomplishment lows, illustrating how understanding and anticipating dopamine fluctuations can prevent these lows from having a lasting negative impact. She explains the importance of self-binding to prevent overspending your dopamine budget and describes how purposeful engagement in challenging activities can trigger beneficial dopamine responses. Dr. Twitchell also touches on how periods of abstinence can reset dopamine levels and improve overall pleasure...2024-12-1629 minCalm Your CavemanManage Your Dopamine Budget for Anxiety ReliefIn this episode of Calm Your Caveman, Dr. Twitchell delves into the crucial topic of managing your dopamine budget for effective anxiety management. Drawing on insights from three experts—psychiatrists Daniel Z. Lieberman and Dr. Anna Lemke, and neurobiologist Andrew Huberman—Dr. Twitchell explores the role of dopamine in pleasure, motivation, and anxiety. The episode highlights how our modern environment overstimulates the dopamine system, leading to anxiety and addiction, and offers strategies for managing dopamine levels through conscious regulation and moderation.[00:00:00] - Introduction to Dopamine and Anxiety[00:01:34] - Understanding Dopamine's Role[00:03:26] - Evolutionary Perspective on D...2024-12-0937 minCalm Your CavemanBody Image AnxietyIn this episode, the focus is on understanding and managing body image anxiety. The discussion delves into common misconceptions and ineffective methods for addressing body anxiety, such as cosmetic surgery and weight loss. The episode emphasizes the importance of changing our mental relationship with body image rather than altering physical appearance. Dr. Twitchell shares personal experiences and effective strategies, including mindfulness, reappraisal techniques, and finding a sense of purpose beyond physical appearance.[00:00:00] - Introduction: Overview of the topic and personal experience with body image anxiety.[00:01:30] - Ineffectiveness of Cosmetic Surgery: Research findings on why cosmetic...2024-12-0227 minCalm Your CavemanCultivating Mindfulness: Simple Steps to Soothe AnxietyIn this episode, we delve into the profound effects of mindfulness meditation on anxiety and explore practical ways to incorporate it into your daily life. Dr. Twitchell discusses the scientific backing of mindfulness and its benefits, emphasizing the importance of practice for achieving mastery. Discover how starting with tiny, manageable habits can make mindfulness a natural part of your routine, helping you stay present and calm amidst the chaos of modern life.Learn the key differences between mindfulness meditation and other forms of meditation, and how it specifically helps in redirecting attention and reappraising situations to manage...2024-11-2531 minCalm Your CavemanHarmonize Your Anxiety: The Power of Music ListeningIn this episode of Calm Your Caveman, we dive into the therapeutic power of music as a tool for anxiety management. Join us as we explore the science behind why music can be so effective in soothing anxious minds and how you can incorporate it into your daily routine to foster calm and resilience.We'll break down the emotion generation process model and discuss how music listening can disrupt this cycle to reduce anxiety. Drawing on several systematic reviews and meta-analyses, we highlight the proven benefits of music listening across various settings and populations, emphasizing its accessibility...2024-11-1828 minCalm Your CavemanBreak the High Alert HabitIn this episode, we explore the pervasive issue of living in a constant state of high alert and its impact on our anxiety levels. Drawing insights from Alan Gordon's book "The Way Out," we discuss how modern life's constant bombardment of notifications and alerts keeps us perpetually stressed. By examining statistics from the Gallup 2019 Global Emotions Report, we highlight the prevalence of stress in today's society and delve into how our brains, evolved for a low-stimulation environment, struggle to cope with this constant high alert state. Tune in to gain valuable insights and practical tips for reducing anxiety by...2024-11-1122 minCalm Your CavemanDr. Christopher Minson on Nature Therapy: Anxiety Relief in the Great OutdoorsIn this episode, Dr. Christopher Minson, a renowned human physiologist and co-founder of NatureQuant, delves into the significant mental and physical health benefits of spending time in nature. Dr. Minson discusses the physiological responses to natural environments and the evidence supporting nature's positive impact on reducing stress, anxiety, and depression. He emphasizes the concept of "forest bathing," the importance of fractal patterns in nature, and introduces practical ways to incorporate nature into daily life. He also shares the "20-5-3 Rule" for nature exposure, a guideline designed to maximize the mental and physical benefits of being in nature. This...2024-11-0443 minCalm Your CavemanArrange Your Living Space for Minimum AnxietyIn this episode, we explore the strategy of arranging and exercising control over your physical environment as a method to minimize anxiety. The discussion includes a deep dive into how modifying your living space can influence your emotional responses indirectly by affecting the appraisal processes. Key points covered include the benefits of proactive and reactive strategies, the importance of bodily movement in reducing anxiety, and how tools like cleaning and organizing can serve as therapeutic actions. The episode also examines the evolutionary aspects of our environments, highlighting how our modern settings differ from our ancestral ones and...2024-10-2829 minCalm Your CavemanAnxiety and Your Energy BudgetIn this episode of 'Calm Your Caveman,' Dr. Twitchell discusses the concept of managing your energy budget to alleviate anxiety. She emphasizes this is a situational strategy with indirect influence on anxiety regulation. The limits of situational strategies are discussed, given that people are notoriously bad at predicting their future emotional states, a concept known as affective forecasting. This often leads to overestimation of how happy or sad future situations will make them feel. With this understanding established however, situational strategies can be effectively leveraged as one of the many tools available for anxiety management.Drawing...2024-10-2127 minCalm Your CavemanKnow Your Context: Foundational Anxiety Management Strategies (Part III)In this episode, Dr. Twitchell discusses the second foundational strategy for anxiety mastery, which is understanding and knowing your context. She emphasizes the importance of recognizing different levels of emotional distress and matching appropriate strategies to those levels. The episode explores how high cognitive load strategies can be practiced during low anxiety periods and how strategies can become automatic through practice. Dr. Twitchell also introduces concepts from Veilleux et al. and Dr. James Gross, discussing automatic appraisals and the need to practice strategies proactively. Key Points Covered:1. Understanding Context and Emotional Intensity (1:31 - 4:30) - Explanation of ho...2024-10-1424 minCalm Your CavemanAna Regina Cardoso Models Anxiety Management Through Meaningful LivingIn this episode, we move from theory to practice. Where recent episodes focused on the theory of finding your "why," this episode explores application: an interview with Ana Regina Cardoso is presented as a form of modeling, offering listeners a concrete example of how “finding your why” can be applied in real life. She shares her experiences of caring for her sick mother at a young age and how these early responsibilities shaped her concept of a life purpose. From coordinating community aid during the pandemic to supporting the elderly through art projects, Ana’s story is a powerful testam...2024-10-0724 minCalm Your CavemanDr. Thomas Nielsen Part II: Embracing Self-Compassion for a Meaningful LifeIn the second part of our enlightening conversation with Dr. Thomas W. Nielsen, we delve deeper into the concept of meaningful happiness. Dr. Nielsen shares profound insights on the practical application of self-care principles, encapsulated in the acronym "SELF CARE AIMS." This episode explores the importance of balancing self-care and compassion with giving to others, emphasizing the role of self-compassion over mere self-esteem. Dr. Nielsen discusses the significance of autonomy, environment, achievement, and more, providing actionable advice on nurturing these areas to enhance overall well-being. This episode is a must-listen for anyone seeking to cultivate a fulfilling...2024-09-3038 minCalm Your CavemanDr. Thomas Nielsen Part I: Finding the Keys to Meaningful HappinessIn this special two-part series, we delve into the intricate relationship between meaning and happiness with Dr. Thomas W. Nielsen, an associate professor at the University of Canberra and an expert in wellbeing and values education. In Part I, Dr. Nielsen explores the essential elements that contribute to meaningful happiness, challenging the common misconception that material wealth is a primary source of joy. He emphasizes the importance of finding purpose and contributing to something beyond oneself, highlighting how these aspects are crucial for sustaining long-term happiness and managing anxiety.Dr. Nielsen shares compelling research findings that demonstrate...2024-09-2327 minCalm Your CavemanFind Your Why Continued: Foundational Anxiety Management Strategies (Part II)In this episode of Calm Your Caveman, Dr. Twitchell deepens the conversation on finding your purpose as a foundational strategy for mastering anxiety. Building upon the previous discussion, this episode emphasizes the power of a clear 'why' to navigate complex emotional events and conflicting inner valuations. Dr. Twitchell explores how a defined purpose helps in choosing the right emotional regulation strategies and ensuring efficient resource allocation. Real-life examples, including job dissatisfaction and social anxiety, illustrate how identifying long-term values can guide critical life decisions. Additionally, the episode encourages writing exercises to bring subconscious values to the surface, thereby fostering...2024-09-1633 minCalm Your CavemanFind Your Why: Foundational Anxiety Management Strategies (Part I)In this episode of Calm Your Caveman, the focus shifts from anxiety concepts to introducing foundational strategies for managing anxiety, specifically 'Finding Your Why.' Dr. Twitchell reviews the emotion generation process and the four families of regulation strategies, emphasizing the importance of choosing suitable strategies based on personal context and goals. Finding your purpose, or 'why,' is highlighted as it reduces anxiety by altering the brain's perception of demands and resources, increasing autonomy, and fostering persistence. The episode also offers practical exercises to help listeners identify their life purpose and overarching goals.[00:00:00] - Introduction...2024-09-0930 minCalm Your CavemanEmotion Regulation Secrets: Anxiety Master Key Concepts Part IIIIn this episode of the Anxiety Master Key Concepts, we delve into Dr. James J. Gross's renowned process model of emotion regulation. We explore the intricacies of how emotions are generated and regulated, emphasizing the importance of influencing emotions by intervening at key points in the cycle: situation, perception, appraisal, and response. The episode provides foundational knowledge necessary for effectively employing anxiety management strategies, highlighting the conceptual framework of emotion processes and the need for adaptability in coping methods.[00:00:00] - Introduction to Anxiety Master Key Concepts Part 3[00:01:10] - Understanding Emotion Regulation[00:02:06] - The Importance...2024-09-0218 minCalm Your CavemanIs Stress Good or Bad For You? Anxiety Master Key Concepts Part IIIn this episode of Calm Your Caveman, the discussion picks up from previous sessions on anxiety master key concepts focusing on the appraisal theory as a tool for regulating emotions. Dr. Twitchell explains how appraisals, our brain's interpretations of situations, determine whether emotions are helpful or harmful by aligning with our goals. The episode delves into the dimensions of appraisal: desirability, attribution, and expectancy, and how they influence our emotional responses in stressful situations. Special emphasis is placed on understanding the challenge versus threat response – the former being when demands are met by our resources, producing adaptive an...2024-08-2629 minCalm Your CavemanEmotions Unlocked: Anxiety Master Key Concepts Part IIn this episode of "Calm Your Caveman," Dr. Adriana Jarvis Twitchell delves into the appraisal theory of emotion, emphasizing its role in understanding 1) what emotions we should regulate and 2) how regulation is done (the basic principles behind the regulation process). The first question, about knowing which emotions to regulate, or knowing when emotions are helpful or harmful, is addressed by explaining that emotions evolved to help us adapt to our environment. Dr. Twitchell highlights the evolutionary purpose of emotions and contrasts them with rigid reflexes. She explains that we can determine the helpfulness of our...2024-08-1927 minCalm Your CavemanYou Need an Anxiety Master KeyIn this episode, we discusses the concept of an "anxiety master key," a foundational tool for effective anxiety management. Dr. Twitchell outlines four essential questions that this master key addresses:1. How to distinguish between adaptive (helpful) and maladaptive (harmful) anxiety.2. How to cultivate helpful emotions and down-regulate harmful ones.3. How to choose the right strategies for different situations.4. How to implement these strategies effectively.Dr. Twitchell emphasizes the importance of understanding and using a wide range of anxiety management strategies, referencing research that shows many people rely on only...2024-08-1217 minCalm Your CavemanIntroductory EpisodeIn the first episode of "Calm Your Caveman," Dr. Adriana Jarvis Twitchell introduces herself and her qualifications in anxiety management. She shares her lifelong struggle with anxiety and how a chronic illness intensified her need to manage it. This led her to focus her doctoral research on anxiety management strategies.Dr. Twitchell introduces the key theories and strategies that have transformed her life and offers a preview of what listeners can expect to learn in future episodes, including emotion regulation, anxiety reduction techniques, and practical applications to improve mental well-being.[00:00:00] - Welcome to Calm...2024-08-0519 minCalm Your CavemanIntroductory EpisodeFor full show notes including resources mentioned go to: https://www.calmyourcaveman.com/podcast 2024-08-0519 min