Anxiety Warriors Podcast

"No one is you, and that is your superpower." -Elyse Santilli On today's episode, Abby and Margot welcome their next guest; Darius Fennell. Darius is a mental health recovery and therapy advocate, a passionate published author, and a support group facilitator among many other things. He shares his journey with anxiety which started from childhood as a chronic worrier and empath. In his youth Dariu...

"Oh, insomnia! Ah, well, I know a good cure for it... Get plenty of sleep."- W. C. Fields. On today's episode, Abby and Margot discuss all things sleep! They share a bit about how anxiety can sometimes (or often) play a role in how much or little sleep they get, the factors that contribute to a lack of sleep / insomnia, and some of the ways they combat sleep issues. The Warriors highlight a few of...

"Being an anxiety warrior is about finding a loving relationship with my anxiety." -Jesse Israel On today's episode, Abby and Margot are thrilled and honored to welcome Jesse Israel to the podcast. Jesse is a social entrepreneur, meditation leader and former record label executive known for founding the mass meditation movement The Big Quiet. In 2020 Jesse was invited to go on tour with Oprah Winf...

"What do you want?!" "It's not that simple!!!" -The Notebook Does anyone else think of the food related meme with Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams when they read the quote above??  Anxiety can be a heavy topic, but it doesn't always have to be. To kick off Season 2, Abby and Margot decide to explore the 'lighter side' of anxiety with a mini series of shorter episodes cataloging and discussing...

"The bad news is, time flies. The good news is, you're the pilot." It's the end of the year! Time to grab those noise makers, paper hats, and ring in 2022! And with the end of 2021, we say farewell to season one of the Anxiety Warriors Podcast. For today's episode, Abby and Margot take a look back, as well as set intentions for the new year and their hopes and dreams for the show. You'll hear from...

"Trust yourself. You've survived a lot. And you'll survive whatever is coming." -Robert Tew In today's episode, Abby and Margot welcome their next guest Christine Iovelli. Christine is a certified mental health counselor specializing in anxiety and trauma, and a certified hypnotherapist. Christine shares that she'd been anxious since childhood but didn't realize it was anxiety until googling her s...

"The expert of anything was once a beginner." For some folks it's: Better an "oops", than a 'what if." For others, it's empowering to know that something is not right for them after giving it a shot, and having the strength to walk away.  In today's episode, Abby and Margot discuss anxiety surrounding trying and learning new things. They share stories about the emotions that often present the...

"Inattention can be a pathway for genius as it allows for new perspectives, ideas, and thoughts to come in at any given moment"-Melissa AKA the Moonful Mama On today's episode, Abby and Margot welcome their next guest: Melissa D'Acunti AKA The Moonful Mama! In the interview, Melissa shares her anxiety journey which began at the tender age of 4 as a kindergartner. She recalls her first panic attack...

"I don't know what it's like to not have deep emotions. Even when I feel nothing, I feel it completely." -A.R. Asher In today's episode, Abby and Margot discuss what happens when anxiety teams up with other big emotions which can often lead to feeling overwhelmed and swirly. The life of an Anxiety Warrior is exhausting as it is. When mixed with more than one emotion it often adds to the layers of...

"The fun is always on the other side of YES."- Martin De Maat On today's episode, Abby and Margot welcome their next guest; Josh Nicols. Josh is the Artistic Director and Education Director at Rise Comedy in Denver. In the interview, Josh describes what it was like to grow up anxious and neuro divergent. He highlights how he navigates(ed) everyday challenges like eye contact, and transactional int...

“It's the most wonderful time of the year!" ....or is it? Tis the season of anxiety, Warriors! In today's episode, Abby and Margot talk about all things holidays! This time of year can be a lot of fun, but at the same time be quite stressful. They discuss how the holiday season impacts them and the unique kinds of anxieties this time of year can bring up. Through storytelling of both the positive...

"You're more than your thoughts." In today's episode, Abby and Margot welcome their next guest; Lauren Chaitoff. Lauren is the founder and owner of Yogi Beans, an innovative kids yoga company. Lauren shares her anxiety journey which began in childhood, and followed her into adulthood. She discusses some of the ways that anxiety shows(ed) up such as having fear based thoughts, sleep struggles, hypo...

"Friendship is not a gift, but the result of hard work." In today's episode, Abby and Margot explore friendship. They discuss what it was like finding and forming relationships with others as children, youth, and then as adults. The Warriors reveal some of the ways anxiety plays(ed) a role in connecting with people and trying to establish and maintain a friendship with them. We learn some of the h...

"It's not the load that breaks you down. It's the way you carry it." - Lou Holtz Anxiety is heavy. Travel light. In today's episode, Abby and Margot welcome their next guest, Zanah Minkara. Zanah is a tax accountant currently working towards her CPA. She's a first generation Lebanese American who grew up in a small town in Florida. Zanah recounts the many ways that anxiety showed up in her life, s...

"Sometimes letting things go is an act of far greater power than hanging on." -Eckhart Tolle How do you view the act of letting go? In today's episode, Abby and Margot discuss what letting go means to them and how it differs (or if it does) from forgiveness. They share stories about times in their life when they chose to separate themselves from people or situations in order to preserve their peac...

"No one is you, and that is your power." On today's episode, Abby and Margot welcome their 13th guest to the pod. Author, Meditation Artist, Coach, and Public Speaker, Lou Redmond. Lou's meditations have been listened to over 1 million times on Insight Timer! In this interview, Lou reveals the different ways anxiety shows up in his life, with an emphasis surrounding his work as a public speaker. W...

"Anxiety is the dizziness of freedom." -Soren Kierkegaard Separation anxiety is a very real struggle, not only for young children, but for folks of all ages. In today's episode, Abby and Margot share stories from their childhood and adulthood when separation anxiety played a role and its effects on the mind, body, and behaviors. They discuss what separation anxiety means to them, and how it differ...

“She had a very inconvenient heart. It always insisted on feeling things ever so deeply.”  – John Mark Green In today's episode, Abby and Margot welcome their 12th and very special guest, Jessica Mougis. Jessica is a certified yoga teacher, founder and owner of Jem Yoga NYC and Host of The Kids Yoga Podcast. A life long empath, Jessica shares her fascinating anxiety journey and how her h...

"The braver we are, the luckier we get." -Glennon Doyle In today's episode Abby and Margot discuss taking chances, making big life decisions and its sometimes scary but often profound impact. They share the ways in which anxiety showed up throughout the decision making process, and how they were able to notice it, seek support, and ultimately: how it all turned out. The Warriors share lessons lear...

"Why shouldn't quiet be strong? -Susan Cain In today's episode, Abby and Margot welcome Nicole Smith to the podcast. Nicole is an RN, and certified yoga teacher. She shares that she didn't learn that she had anxiety until her 30's, and only after hearing the journey's of others did she fully understand this part of herself. A proud introvert, Nicole sees her quiet nature as a strength. She details...

"Embrace and love your body. It's the most amazing thing you'll ever own." -Anonymous In today's episode, Abby and Margot talk about times in their life when they felt anxious or uncomfortable in their outward appearances. They share candidly how it impacted their inner experience and the ways they viewed themselves and the world. The Warriors reflect upon the ridiculous, shallow, and frankly unre...

"It does not matter how slowly you go, as long as you do not stop." -Confucius In today's episode, Margot and Abby welcome their 10th and very special guest, Rebecca Robbins. Rebecca is a speech and language pathologist and owner and founder of Mind Sharper SLP, LLC. This Warrior shares her fascinating story of rebellion, work hard/party hard lifestyle and how it led to extreme anxiety, as well as...

"Nothing can harm you as much as your thoughts unguarded."- Buddha In today's episode, Abby and Margot discuss Imposter Syndrome and its effects on the mind and body as well as behaviors. They define what it means to them, and share stories surrounding times in which they felt like an imposter. They explore what happened when they realized that they were NOT imposters and best practices for naviga...

"Mothers and Daughters together are a powerful force to be reckoned with." -Melia Keeton Digby In today's very special episode, Abby and Margot welcome not one but TWO incredible guests to the podcast! Mother and daughter, Kelly and Bailey Winkler. This mother/daughter duo had a lot in common growing up with anxiety, but very different experiences in learning about their struggles and how to cope...

"When you don't go within, you go without." In today's episode, Abby and Margot remember the many ways they attempted to 'fix' or 'cure' their anxiety, and the various rabbit holes they tumbled down in the process. They share stories about times in their life when their attempts at "quick fixes" flopped, and its lasting effects. True change began to happen, when the Warriors stopped seeking from e...