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Do you find yourself running from difficult emotions or trying desperately to control them? Many people with anxiety disorders develop a deep fear of their own emotions, believing they're too intense or unbearable to experience fully. In this episode of The Anxious Truth, Drew is joined by therapist Joanna Hardis to explore the concept of "emotional allowability" – learning to coexist with our emotions rather than fighting against them.

They discuss why trying to control emotions is ultimately futile, how the stories we tell ourselves about emotions cause more suffering than the emotions themselves, and practical steps for becoming more comfortable with the full range of emotional experiences. Whether you struggle with panic, anxiety, OCD, or simply find yourself fearing emotions, this conversation offers a refreshing perspective on what it means to be human and how to free yourself from the exhausting cycle of emotional resistance.

No quick fixes or magic solutions here—just honest conversation about the reality of emotional experiences and how to move toward greater psychological flexibility. If you've ever wondered why your emotions feel so threatening or what might happen if you actually allowed yourself to feel them, this episode is for you.

Learn more about Joanna and her work at joannahardis.com

For full show notes on this episode:

https://theanxioustruth.com/316

Support The Anxious Truth: If you find the podcast helpful and want to support my work, you can buy me a coffee. Other ways to support my work like buying a book or signing up for a low cost workshop can be found on my website. None of this is never required, but always appreciated!

Interested in doing therapy with me? For more information on working with me directly to overcome your anxiety, follow this link.

Disclaimer: The Anxious Truth is not therapy or a replacement for therapy. Listening to The Anxious Truth does not create a therapeutic relationship between you and the host or guests of the podcast. Information here is provided for psychoeducational purposes. As always, when you have questions about your own well-being, please consult your mental health and/or medical care providers. If you are having a mental health crisis, always reach out immediately for in-person help.

Send in a question or comment via text.

Navigating driving anxiety with exposure therapy—but not how you might think.

In this episode, Drew Linsalata (therapist, author, and former anxiety sufferer) challenges common misconceptions about addressing driving anxiety.

Learn why the feeling is the exposure, not the driving itself, and discover how interoceptive and imaginal exposures can help without ever starting your car.

Drew explains why pulling over or listening to music isn't avoidance if you're still experiencing anxiety, clarifies what true avoidance looks like, and emphasizes that recovery is about learning from each experience, not just driving farther.

Whether you experience anxiety holding your keys, sitting in your driveway, or on the highway, this episode offers a practical, acceptance-based approach to driving anxiety that breaks down exactly what exposure therapy means in this context.

You'll learn why small steps count, what constitutes real progress, and how to shift your focus from controlling anxiety to building a different relationship with uncomfortable feelings while driving.

Based on empirically supported approaches to treating anxiety and anxiety disorders, this episode provides realistic strategies for living alongside anxiety rather than attempting to eliminate it.

For full show notes on this episode:

https://theanxioustruth.com/315

Support The Anxious Truth: If you find the podcast helpful and want to support my work, you can buy me a coffee. Other ways to support my work like buying a book or signing up for a low cost workshop can be found on my website. None of this is never required, but always appreciated!

Interested in doing therapy with me? For more information on working with me directly to overcome your anxiety, follow this link.

Disclaimer: The Anxious Truth is not therapy or a replacement for therapy. Listening to The Anxious Truth does not create a therapeutic relationship between you and the host or guests of the podcast. Information here is provided for psychoeducational purposes. As always, when you have questions about your own well-being, please consult your mental health and/or medical care providers. If you are having a mental health crisis, always reach out immediately for in-person help.

Send in a question or comment via text.

When struggling with chronic anxiety or anxiety disorders, our instinct is often to search for ways to control, manage, or eliminate our symptoms. But what if that approach is actually keeping us stuck?

This week we're looking at the fundamental difference between acceptance-based strategies and control/management-based approaches to anxiety recovery. Drawing from both research evidence and real-world experiences of anxiety sufferers, we'll explain why acceptance consistently produces better long-term outcomes than trying to control our internal experiences.

You'll learn:

• The critical distinction between externally-generated stress and internally-generated anxiety
• Why popular "anxiety hacks" and nervous system regulation techniques often backfire for disordered anxiety
• What acceptance actually means (and what it doesn't)
• The paradox of how accepting anxiety can ultimately lead to feeling less anxious
• Why it's difficult to combine acceptance and control strategies

Whether you're tired of collecting coping techniques that only provide temporary relief or you're curious about a different approach to anxiety recovery, this episode offers practical insights into a more sustainable path forward—one that doesn't depend on trying to manually control your thoughts, feelings, or bodily sensations.

Remember: there are no wrong experiences in anxiety recovery, only wins or learning opportunities. Whatever small step you take today toward facing rather than retreating from your fears counts.

For full show notes on this episode:

https://theanxioustruth.com/314

Support The Anxious Truth: If you find the podcast helpful and want to support my work, you can buy me a coffee. Other ways to support my work like buying a book or signing up for a low cost workshop can be found on my website. None of this is never required, but always appreciated!

Interested in doing therapy with me? For more information on working with me directly to overcome your anxiety, follow this link.

Disclaimer: The Anxious Truth is not therapy or a replacement for therapy. Listening to The Anxious Truth does not create a therapeutic relationship between you and the host or guests of the podcast. Information here is provided for psychoeducational purposes. As always, when you have questions about your own well-being, please consult your mental health and/or medical care providers. If you are having a mental health crisis, always reach out immediately for in-person help.