Calm Your Caveman

Episode 100 marks the end of the weekly run of Calm Your Caveman. In this milestone episode, I reflect on the journey of creating 100 episodes, the mistakes made along the way, and the surprising gift of imperfection. We'll explore exercises for uncovering buried goals, examine why perfectionism keeps us stuck, and look at a powerful framework for understanding the true risks of pursuing our...

Have you ever known that you felt bad, but couldn't explain exactly what you were feeling? This difficulty identifying and describing emotions is known as alexithymia, and research has linked it to higher levels of anxiety, depression, and stress. In this episode, you'll learn why avoiding emotions keeps them vague and overwhelming, how self-criticism blocks emotional awareness, and a pr...

Many people believe they only have two choices when strong emotions show up: suppress them or act on them. But what if there's a third option? In this episode, we explore the science of emotion regulation and how you can change emotions at their source instead of hiding them or being controlled by them. Using the story of a personal trainer whose emotional reaction cost him a friendship and i...

Life doesn't always unfold the way we hoped it would. Sometimes doors close, plans fall apart, and despite our best efforts, circumstances refuse to change. In this episode, I share two practices that have helped me navigate disappointment and adapt to situations I couldn't control. If you're struggling with a closed door, a lost opportunity, or a future that looks different than yo...

Conflict with other people can trigger intense anxiety, anger, defensiveness, and emotional overwhelm. But what if understanding emotions could completely change the way we handle difficult people? Drawing on principles from emotion science, this episode explains why anger, fear, defensiveness, and stubbornness often make sense once we understand how someone is interpreting their situation. You’ll...

Anxiety is very good at imagining threatening futures. Hope does the opposite: it helps us imagine that something good could still happen and that we may be able to find ways to meet the demands we’re facing. In this episode, we explore the psychology and neuroscience of hope, why hope is so important for wellbeing, and one practical reappraisal strategy that can help anxious brains become more ho...

Forgiveness can feel impossible when you’ve been deeply hurt. But research shows that forgiveness is strongly connected to lower anxiety, lower depression, reduced hostility, and greater emotional peace. In this episode, we explore forgiveness through the lens of anxiety and emotion science. We also discuss the work of psychologist Dr. Everett Worthington, whose research on forgiveness became deep...

Big life transitions — like losing a loved one, changing identity, or stepping into a new phase of life — don’t just bring grief. They often bring anxiety on top of everything else. In this episode, we explore how to reduce that extra layer of anxiety by understanding what’s happening in your brain, and how to work with the process instead of against it.   In this episode, you’ll learn: Why major...

Can you medicate anxiety away? In this episode, we take a balanced, research-informed look at the role of chemical manipulation in anxiety — including prescription medications, alcohol, cannabis, beta blockers, and emerging treatments. This isn’t about telling you what to use or not use. It’s about helping you understand how these tools interact with your brain so you can make informed decisions....

Avoiding social situations can feel like relief…but over time, it can actually make anxiety worse. Your brain is constantly asking one question in social situations: “Do I have what it takes to handle this?” If the answer feels like “no,” you go into a threat response—anxiety, self-doubt, overthinking, exhaustion. But if you can shift how your brain sees the situation…everything changes. In this e...

Do you feel anxious or “not good enough” when you compare yourself to other people? In this episode, I break down what research shows about how happy people relate to social comparison—and how you can shift from feeling threatened… to actually growing from it. I also share personal stories of when I felt completely outmatched, and the mental shifts that helped me move through it. If comparison has...

Do you ever solve one problem…only to immediately start worrying about the next? That’s the anxiety treadmill. Your brain moves on so fast from what’s okay that you never really get to feel it. So it feels like you’re always chasing relief— but never actually arriving. The good news? You don’t have to stay stuck in the cycle. In this episode, I break down why your brain does this—and how to start...

Feeling better might be closer—and simpler—than you think. In this episode, we explore new research on acts of kindness and why doing something for others can reduce anxiety and increase your sense of connection more than: • Planning social activities • Journaling your thoughts and feelings • Even relaxing or self-indulging But there’s a catch—kindness only works when you approach it the right way...

What do happy people do differently—especially when they feel stressed or anxious? Most of us assume that reducing anxiety means changing our circumstances. But research shows that our thought patterns and daily mental habits have a far greater impact on our emotional well-being. In this episode, you’ll learn a simple, research-backed question that can help you: Break free from anxious thought loo...

Your brain is constantly predicting the future. And what does it use to make those predictions? Your memories. Join me as we explore the fascinating science behind how memory shapes anxiety—and a simple practice you can use to help retrain your brain’s predictions. Discover how:  The same brain systems used for memory are also used to imagine the future . Recalling positive memories can lower stre...

If you’re trying to reduce anxiety, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the advice out there. After more than 80 episodes of Calm Your Caveman, I wanted to answer a simple question: Where should you start?  If I had to pick the most powerful foundations for anxiety management, these would be my six pillars: three physical habits that strengthen your brain and body, and three mental habits that sh...

Sleep is one of the most powerful tools for managing anxiety—but it’s not just about how much you sleep. Research shows that when you sleep also matters. In this episode, we explore how sleep timing affects anxiety, sleep quality, and overall health. You’ll learn: Why night owls often experience higher anxiety How artificial light disrupts your circadian rhythm The surprising role sunlight plays i...

Feel like you know lots of anxiety tools, but can’t seem to turn them into habits? In this episode, I share four ideas that make new habits dramatically easier: Let learning “soak in” instead of forcing it Start smaller than you think you should Don’t do everything—pick what fits you Add variety so your brain stays engaged If you want your brain to respond to stress with confidence instead of anxi...

Ever had a day where anxiety completely hijacks you—and you know all the tools, but can’t seem to use them? This episode is different. Instead of teaching something new, I walk you through how I used the strategies we’ve already discussed… on myself… during a day when I was stuck, overwhelmed, and spiraling. We’ll practice how to: Identify the hidden story driving your anxiety Interrupt doomscroll...

What if one of the most powerful ways to support struggling teens isn’t trying to fix them—but teaching them how to show up for each other? In this episode, Adriana speaks with Dr. Gregory Hudnall, founder of Hope Squad, a peer-to-peer school program that trains students to recognize when a friend is struggling, listen with empathy, and guide them toward help. The program is now active in schools...

When life feels out of control, anxiety spikes. But here’s something you can control — a 3-minute daily practice that research shows can reduce rumination and depression, boost stress resilience, and help your brain shift out of threat mode. It’s called savoring, and it starts with noticing one small pleasant moment. It’s not about “forcing happiness” it’s about training your brain to notice resou...

Perfectionism doesn’t just push you — it pressures you. And that pressure fuels anxiety. When your brain believes your worth depends on your performance, mistakes feel like threats — not feedback.  This week on the podcast: ✨ Why perfectionism drives anxiety ✨ How to shift into a growth mindset ✨ A simple practice to teach your brain that mistakes don’t define you Life isn’t a performance. It’s...

If anxiety feels like a loop you can’t escape, it’s not because you’re broken—it’s because habits take practice. In this episode, we examine a simple exercise: by reflecting on the “close calls” you’ve survived, you can exit the threat mindset and reconnect with a deeper sense of safety, perspective, and appreciation for being alive. Hear how this small daily practice can help loosen anxiety’s gri...

Many people with anxiety unknowingly miss one of the most powerful, research-backed tools for lowering baseline anxiety. In this episode, we explore modern neuroscience showing how natural environments restore the brain’s attention system, reduce rumination, and improve executive function. You’ll learn why urban life quietly exhausts your brain, how nature helps shift you from threat to challenge...

Big projects can trigger anxiety when they feel too large to handle. In this episode, you’ll learn a simple, practical method to turn overwhelming stress into productive stress. Using a real coaching example, I walk you through how to break down big tasks, estimate time realistically, and fit demands into your actual resources — helping your brain shift from threat mode to challenge mode so you ca...