1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:13,920 Speaker 1: M. Welcome to the Therapy for Black Girls Podcast, a 2 00:00:14,000 --> 00:00:18,799 Speaker 1: weekly conversation about mental health, personal development, and all the 3 00:00:18,840 --> 00:00:21,880 Speaker 1: small decisions we can make to become the best possible 4 00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:26,480 Speaker 1: versions of ourselves. I'm your host, Dr Joy hard and Bradford, 5 00:00:26,840 --> 00:00:31,920 Speaker 1: a licensed psychologist in Atlanta, Georgia. For more information or 6 00:00:32,000 --> 00:00:35,400 Speaker 1: to find a therapist in your area, visit our website 7 00:00:35,560 --> 00:00:39,160 Speaker 1: at Therapy for Black Girls dot com. While I hope 8 00:00:39,159 --> 00:00:43,040 Speaker 1: you love listening to and learning from the podcast, it 9 00:00:43,200 --> 00:00:46,080 Speaker 1: is not meant to be a substitute for a relationship 10 00:00:46,159 --> 00:00:56,960 Speaker 1: with a licensed mental health professional. Hey y'all, thanks so 11 00:00:57,040 --> 00:00:59,120 Speaker 1: much for joining me for session to two four of 12 00:00:59,160 --> 00:01:02,160 Speaker 1: the Therapy for Black Girls Podcast. We'll jump right into 13 00:01:02,200 --> 00:01:15,039 Speaker 1: the episode after a word from our sponsors. Over the 14 00:01:15,080 --> 00:01:18,400 Speaker 1: first fifty eight days of the COVID nineteen pandemic, there 15 00:01:18,400 --> 00:01:21,679 Speaker 1: were an estimated three point four million Google searches related 16 00:01:21,720 --> 00:01:25,200 Speaker 1: to anxiety in the United States. The past seventeen months 17 00:01:25,200 --> 00:01:27,920 Speaker 1: have indeed given us lots to be anxious about. In 18 00:01:27,959 --> 00:01:30,039 Speaker 1: case you missed it, I thought it would be great 19 00:01:30,080 --> 00:01:33,160 Speaker 1: to re share my conversation with Dr Alicia Hodge all 20 00:01:33,200 --> 00:01:37,240 Speaker 1: about anxiety. Dr Hodge is a licensed psychologist in Maryland 21 00:01:37,520 --> 00:01:40,640 Speaker 1: and a registered psychology associate in the state of Virginia. 22 00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:44,080 Speaker 1: She received a Masters in Counseling Psychology from Bowie State 23 00:01:44,200 --> 00:01:47,200 Speaker 1: University as well as a master's in doctorate degree in 24 00:01:47,240 --> 00:01:51,280 Speaker 1: clinical psychology from the University of Hartford. Dr Hodge has 25 00:01:51,320 --> 00:01:56,280 Speaker 1: extensive experience in providing cognitive behavioral therapy across various treatment 26 00:01:56,320 --> 00:02:00,480 Speaker 1: settings with adolescents and adults. We chatted about what anxiety 27 00:02:00,560 --> 00:02:03,800 Speaker 1: looks like, where it comes from, and helpful tips and 28 00:02:03,840 --> 00:02:07,680 Speaker 1: strategies to help manage anxiety. If something resonates with you 29 00:02:07,680 --> 00:02:10,800 Speaker 1: while enjoying our conversation, please share it with us on 30 00:02:10,840 --> 00:02:14,840 Speaker 1: social media using the hashtag tv G in session. Here's 31 00:02:14,840 --> 00:02:21,520 Speaker 1: our conversation. So thank you so much for joining me today, Alicia. 32 00:02:21,520 --> 00:02:24,320 Speaker 1: I'm very happy to have you with us. Thank you. 33 00:02:25,080 --> 00:02:27,920 Speaker 1: I definitely wanted an expert to come on and talk 34 00:02:27,960 --> 00:02:30,880 Speaker 1: with us all about anxiety. I think a lot of 35 00:02:30,960 --> 00:02:33,960 Speaker 1: us probably struggle with some anxiety symptoms and may not 36 00:02:34,120 --> 00:02:37,040 Speaker 1: even know what it is. So can you start by 37 00:02:37,080 --> 00:02:41,520 Speaker 1: telling us what anxiety is? For sure? And yes, you 38 00:02:41,560 --> 00:02:44,720 Speaker 1: are correct. Anxiety is a very natural experience that all 39 00:02:44,840 --> 00:02:48,120 Speaker 1: humans have, so more than likely, if you're alive, you 40 00:02:48,160 --> 00:02:52,360 Speaker 1: have experienced anxiety, and it can be a number of 41 00:02:52,360 --> 00:02:54,440 Speaker 1: things that make this anxious. It could be getting up 42 00:02:54,480 --> 00:02:56,720 Speaker 1: to talk in front of a large group of people. 43 00:02:57,400 --> 00:03:00,680 Speaker 1: It can be maybe introducing yourself to someone new. But 44 00:03:00,720 --> 00:03:03,800 Speaker 1: in some ways anxiety is actually useful because it helps 45 00:03:03,880 --> 00:03:06,919 Speaker 1: prepare us and motivate us to do well. But there 46 00:03:06,919 --> 00:03:10,600 Speaker 1: are times when anxiety takes control of us in a 47 00:03:10,639 --> 00:03:13,799 Speaker 1: way that we have intense fear or distressed and that's 48 00:03:13,840 --> 00:03:16,680 Speaker 1: when things get overwhelming and we actually want to make 49 00:03:16,720 --> 00:03:19,560 Speaker 1: me back away or shy away from that thing. And 50 00:03:19,880 --> 00:03:22,799 Speaker 1: those are the times when we find anxiety does get 51 00:03:22,840 --> 00:03:26,000 Speaker 1: in the way, and it's very common. Actually, about eighteen 52 00:03:26,000 --> 00:03:29,400 Speaker 1: percent of adults in America have anxiety, which was probably 53 00:03:29,400 --> 00:03:32,919 Speaker 1: shakes out to be about forty million adults, So that's 54 00:03:32,960 --> 00:03:35,600 Speaker 1: a large number of people. So it's what are the 55 00:03:35,600 --> 00:03:38,840 Speaker 1: actually the most common mental health concerns and disorders in 56 00:03:38,880 --> 00:03:41,720 Speaker 1: the United States. Yeah, that definitely is a lot of people, 57 00:03:43,120 --> 00:03:46,520 Speaker 1: for sure. So a lot of the times anxiety, I 58 00:03:46,520 --> 00:03:48,320 Speaker 1: guess in a nutshell the way that I like to 59 00:03:48,320 --> 00:03:51,440 Speaker 1: describe it to people, it's a natural response that we 60 00:03:51,520 --> 00:03:53,760 Speaker 1: have to a dangerous situations. So for example, if you 61 00:03:53,800 --> 00:03:57,160 Speaker 1: and I were in a room and we opened the 62 00:03:57,160 --> 00:03:59,160 Speaker 1: door and we saw that there was a bear, we 63 00:03:59,160 --> 00:04:02,240 Speaker 1: would both of course be immediately afraid. Our muscles will 64 00:04:02,280 --> 00:04:05,000 Speaker 1: become tense, we wore breezily fast, and we'd be ready 65 00:04:05,040 --> 00:04:07,040 Speaker 1: to go in sort of that side or flight type 66 00:04:07,040 --> 00:04:10,200 Speaker 1: of state. But what happens, more so in an anxiety 67 00:04:10,280 --> 00:04:13,600 Speaker 1: disorder is that the panic and the distress is there, 68 00:04:13,640 --> 00:04:16,880 Speaker 1: but there's no bear. So oftentimes a person can be 69 00:04:16,920 --> 00:04:20,400 Speaker 1: feeling anxious and realized, wow, I actually don't know what 70 00:04:20,400 --> 00:04:22,359 Speaker 1: it is I'm worried about. I don't have a reason, 71 00:04:22,640 --> 00:04:26,400 Speaker 1: but I can't shake the feeling. Because essentially, anxiety sort 72 00:04:26,400 --> 00:04:29,920 Speaker 1: of cause us to overestimate how bad a situation will 73 00:04:29,960 --> 00:04:33,919 Speaker 1: be and also underestimate our ability to handle it. And 74 00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:39,040 Speaker 1: where does that come from? The anxiety the feelings you mean, yeah, 75 00:04:39,080 --> 00:04:42,279 Speaker 1: like if there is no bear, like, why do we typically, 76 00:04:42,279 --> 00:04:45,400 Speaker 1: you know, sometimes develop that kind of a response. So 77 00:04:46,520 --> 00:04:50,400 Speaker 1: essentially what happens is that our brain um is operating 78 00:04:50,520 --> 00:04:54,800 Speaker 1: on a fear based reaction, which sometimes there maybe is 79 00:04:55,240 --> 00:04:57,520 Speaker 1: something fearful, and that's usually in the form of a thought. 80 00:04:58,240 --> 00:05:00,719 Speaker 1: But we may think about something like I have that 81 00:05:00,760 --> 00:05:03,160 Speaker 1: test tomorrow, and most of us would be a little 82 00:05:03,160 --> 00:05:05,200 Speaker 1: bit anxious and maybe start to prepare and say, well, 83 00:05:05,200 --> 00:05:08,160 Speaker 1: and that means I need to go study where someone 84 00:05:08,160 --> 00:05:11,440 Speaker 1: who's quite anxious doesn't really move to the problem solving stage. 85 00:05:11,480 --> 00:05:14,440 Speaker 1: They're kind of stuck in that fear based response and 86 00:05:14,480 --> 00:05:19,040 Speaker 1: they're reacting to a concern and they can't move forward 87 00:05:19,080 --> 00:05:21,600 Speaker 1: to the problem solving stage. Which if you think of 88 00:05:21,600 --> 00:05:24,479 Speaker 1: our brain, if you look at your head, you're sort 89 00:05:24,480 --> 00:05:27,400 Speaker 1: of responding to fear in the back of it, whereas 90 00:05:27,440 --> 00:05:29,600 Speaker 1: problem solving is more towards the front of our brain. 91 00:05:29,839 --> 00:05:31,680 Speaker 1: So although it's a short distance, you know, if you're 92 00:05:31,680 --> 00:05:34,000 Speaker 1: looking at your own head, is quite far in terms 93 00:05:34,040 --> 00:05:37,520 Speaker 1: of neurons. So what happens is that when we respond 94 00:05:37,640 --> 00:05:40,200 Speaker 1: respond in a fearful way, we kind of get cut 95 00:05:40,240 --> 00:05:43,440 Speaker 1: off from the problem solving portion of our brain. That's 96 00:05:43,440 --> 00:05:44,880 Speaker 1: a great way to put it. I think that I 97 00:05:44,880 --> 00:05:46,880 Speaker 1: don't know that I've heard it described that way, but 98 00:05:46,960 --> 00:05:49,320 Speaker 1: it's a very like simplistic like you can kind of 99 00:05:49,320 --> 00:05:53,719 Speaker 1: see how it happens that way. Yes, absolutely, and a 100 00:05:53,720 --> 00:05:55,919 Speaker 1: lot of times I find that that is helpful to 101 00:05:55,960 --> 00:05:58,080 Speaker 1: people to sort of understand that this is something that's 102 00:05:58,120 --> 00:06:01,760 Speaker 1: happening on multiple levels, not only maybe some of your thoughts, 103 00:06:01,839 --> 00:06:05,599 Speaker 1: but it's your emotions, it's the actual physical physiological process 104 00:06:05,600 --> 00:06:07,880 Speaker 1: in your body. So for the most part, when I'm 105 00:06:07,880 --> 00:06:10,200 Speaker 1: working with individuals, I try to intervene on all those 106 00:06:10,279 --> 00:06:12,359 Speaker 1: levels to kind of give them some sort of relief. 107 00:06:13,400 --> 00:06:16,640 Speaker 1: So you kind of mentioned like the fans breathing and 108 00:06:16,839 --> 00:06:20,240 Speaker 1: increased heart rate. Can you talk about maybe some of 109 00:06:20,279 --> 00:06:23,520 Speaker 1: the other symptoms that sisters may be experiencing that they 110 00:06:23,560 --> 00:06:29,560 Speaker 1: may not even recognize as anxiety. Absolutely, So often times, 111 00:06:29,600 --> 00:06:31,400 Speaker 1: you know, you hear people sort of throw out the 112 00:06:31,520 --> 00:06:34,440 Speaker 1: term anxiety, like or I'm anxious, And a lot of 113 00:06:34,480 --> 00:06:37,239 Speaker 1: times we tend to think of the more extreme presentations, 114 00:06:37,240 --> 00:06:41,240 Speaker 1: which is, you know, maybe an intense crying or you know, 115 00:06:41,279 --> 00:06:44,159 Speaker 1: being really paralyzed with fear. But a lot of times 116 00:06:44,320 --> 00:06:46,960 Speaker 1: I come across people who tell me things like I've 117 00:06:46,960 --> 00:06:51,320 Speaker 1: been experiencing some chronic headaches, I've been feeling pretty dizzy, 118 00:06:51,360 --> 00:06:53,600 Speaker 1: which is usually from like a lack of oxygen from 119 00:06:53,600 --> 00:06:59,080 Speaker 1: that hyperventilating. But interestingly, another area is like gastro intentional 120 00:06:59,160 --> 00:07:03,200 Speaker 1: problems and so things like stomach aches and cramping. A 121 00:07:03,240 --> 00:07:04,960 Speaker 1: lot of times people just saying like, you know, I 122 00:07:05,000 --> 00:07:07,359 Speaker 1: don't know you think about it how the presentation, and 123 00:07:07,400 --> 00:07:08,720 Speaker 1: I've been having to get up and go to the 124 00:07:08,760 --> 00:07:12,280 Speaker 1: bathroom a lot, so things like frequently having to urinate 125 00:07:12,840 --> 00:07:17,040 Speaker 1: or even having more extreme is a diarrhea. But another 126 00:07:17,120 --> 00:07:23,680 Speaker 1: thing that women in particular experiences irritability, And that's something 127 00:07:23,720 --> 00:07:26,680 Speaker 1: that I think is very much overlooked as an aspect 128 00:07:26,720 --> 00:07:30,400 Speaker 1: of anxiety, because there's a tension there that maybe not 129 00:07:30,440 --> 00:07:32,440 Speaker 1: wanting to be bothered or even the smallest thing is 130 00:07:32,440 --> 00:07:35,680 Speaker 1: said in you all, it could be that some anxiety 131 00:07:35,720 --> 00:07:39,560 Speaker 1: is actually going on. Oh that's a good one at leisure. 132 00:07:39,720 --> 00:07:42,960 Speaker 1: So how would you be able to kind of distinguish between, 133 00:07:43,320 --> 00:07:46,360 Speaker 1: you know, kind of just being irritable in general and 134 00:07:46,480 --> 00:07:51,280 Speaker 1: it being an actual anxiety kind of symptom. Yes, it's 135 00:07:51,320 --> 00:07:55,440 Speaker 1: actually pretty tricky, I have to admit, and at times 136 00:07:55,600 --> 00:07:58,200 Speaker 1: I will get people to start looking at what are 137 00:07:58,240 --> 00:08:01,920 Speaker 1: you thinking about? Because we tend to go through life 138 00:08:01,960 --> 00:08:04,760 Speaker 1: and get set off by very small things, and that's 139 00:08:04,760 --> 00:08:07,320 Speaker 1: that does happen, and it doesn't necessarily mean you have 140 00:08:07,360 --> 00:08:10,400 Speaker 1: a disorder. However, if you can kind of look at 141 00:08:10,480 --> 00:08:12,120 Speaker 1: what else is going on for me? What is it 142 00:08:12,160 --> 00:08:15,880 Speaker 1: that I'm worried about? Um? And I sort of maybe 143 00:08:15,880 --> 00:08:18,760 Speaker 1: not present in my own life and kind of it 144 00:08:18,800 --> 00:08:21,160 Speaker 1: really requires you to pull apart your thoughts a little 145 00:08:21,200 --> 00:08:24,240 Speaker 1: bit and see what am I herried about, irritable about. 146 00:08:24,800 --> 00:08:26,960 Speaker 1: So if there's a situation where maybe you find, you know, 147 00:08:27,000 --> 00:08:29,679 Speaker 1: I've blown up at someone, maybe if you can't stop 148 00:08:29,680 --> 00:08:31,520 Speaker 1: yourself in that moment and say what was really the 149 00:08:31,640 --> 00:08:35,000 Speaker 1: issue there, and that may help you walk backwards to see, oh, 150 00:08:35,080 --> 00:08:36,920 Speaker 1: you know, was that person just getting on my nerves 151 00:08:37,520 --> 00:08:42,480 Speaker 1: or could I potentially be worried about something else? Okay, 152 00:08:42,600 --> 00:08:44,760 Speaker 1: that's a good way to look at it. And what 153 00:08:44,960 --> 00:08:51,000 Speaker 1: are some of the most common anxiety disorders? Yeah, well, 154 00:08:51,040 --> 00:08:54,600 Speaker 1: some of the more common ones are things like generalized anxiety, 155 00:08:55,000 --> 00:08:56,760 Speaker 1: which the way that I like to describe that to 156 00:08:56,880 --> 00:09:00,880 Speaker 1: individuals is you're usually worried about maybe two or more 157 00:09:01,320 --> 00:09:03,760 Speaker 1: different types of things in different areas of your life, 158 00:09:03,760 --> 00:09:08,680 Speaker 1: whether that's finances, family, friends, performing well at work. In 159 00:09:08,720 --> 00:09:11,920 Speaker 1: the sense that most people have who experienced general anxiety 160 00:09:12,040 --> 00:09:15,000 Speaker 1: is you know, what life is going okay right now, 161 00:09:15,040 --> 00:09:17,920 Speaker 1: but I always seem to feel on edges if I'm 162 00:09:17,960 --> 00:09:21,920 Speaker 1: waiting for that other shoot to drop, And that's usually 163 00:09:21,960 --> 00:09:26,080 Speaker 1: an indicator of you know, being really preoccupied about the 164 00:09:26,240 --> 00:09:29,400 Speaker 1: progress of life, in the process of life really, and 165 00:09:29,440 --> 00:09:31,839 Speaker 1: you're kind of thinking, yeah, I can say out loud 166 00:09:31,920 --> 00:09:34,560 Speaker 1: it's definite, reeve that things are okay right now, but 167 00:09:34,640 --> 00:09:37,720 Speaker 1: I'm pretty on edge thinking that tomorrow they won't be. 168 00:09:39,480 --> 00:09:44,040 Speaker 1: And another common thing is social anxiety or sociophobias is 169 00:09:44,120 --> 00:09:49,480 Speaker 1: called sometimes, which is essentially being very nervous and uncomfortable 170 00:09:49,920 --> 00:09:53,840 Speaker 1: and really kind of overthinking those social interactions, kind of 171 00:09:53,880 --> 00:09:56,520 Speaker 1: asking yourself, why did I say it that way? What 172 00:09:56,640 --> 00:10:00,320 Speaker 1: if I offended someone? Will I offend someone? Will they me? 173 00:10:01,000 --> 00:10:03,560 Speaker 1: And being very preoccupied to the point where you're almost 174 00:10:03,679 --> 00:10:07,760 Speaker 1: unable to engage in social interactions or find yourself avoiding 175 00:10:07,760 --> 00:10:12,960 Speaker 1: them frequently. And do you think that social media or 176 00:10:13,040 --> 00:10:16,160 Speaker 1: the increase of you increase use of social media, has 177 00:10:16,240 --> 00:10:21,160 Speaker 1: impacted social anxiety in any way? You know? I do 178 00:10:21,360 --> 00:10:26,640 Speaker 1: find that sometimes it can exacerbate situations because, as we 179 00:10:26,679 --> 00:10:29,840 Speaker 1: all know, you can put a tone to anything on 180 00:10:29,920 --> 00:10:32,679 Speaker 1: a text message or status and you can sort of 181 00:10:33,000 --> 00:10:36,320 Speaker 1: make inferences and say that's probably about me, or I 182 00:10:36,320 --> 00:10:39,520 Speaker 1: think that person is mad, And because social interactions are 183 00:10:39,559 --> 00:10:43,440 Speaker 1: so complex, when someone is already nervous about them, I 184 00:10:43,480 --> 00:10:47,520 Speaker 1: do believe that interactions on social media and online can 185 00:10:47,559 --> 00:10:49,800 Speaker 1: sort of spin way out of control a lot quicker 186 00:10:49,800 --> 00:10:52,520 Speaker 1: than in person because you don't have those facial cues 187 00:10:52,520 --> 00:10:56,280 Speaker 1: to read, you don't have tones or even the ability 188 00:10:56,320 --> 00:10:58,480 Speaker 1: to sort of just immediately get that feedback like what 189 00:10:58,520 --> 00:11:01,760 Speaker 1: did you mean by that? M M. So when people 190 00:11:01,880 --> 00:11:05,920 Speaker 1: suggest things like not having difficult or tough conversations on 191 00:11:06,040 --> 00:11:09,160 Speaker 1: social media or by text, that's kind of what we're 192 00:11:09,160 --> 00:11:12,040 Speaker 1: getting at, right, like that you can't interpret so much 193 00:11:12,559 --> 00:11:14,600 Speaker 1: through text that it is better to have, like the 194 00:11:14,640 --> 00:11:19,199 Speaker 1: face to face conversation. Yes, I am a strong proponent 195 00:11:19,320 --> 00:11:23,720 Speaker 1: of encouraging people to speak in person as much as possible, 196 00:11:24,200 --> 00:11:28,040 Speaker 1: or at least by phone a because I just think 197 00:11:28,040 --> 00:11:31,160 Speaker 1: it's nice human connection. But I also believe that it 198 00:11:31,200 --> 00:11:33,960 Speaker 1: gives you an opportunity to really evaluate what's going on 199 00:11:34,040 --> 00:11:37,520 Speaker 1: and not put your own bias or you know, emotional 200 00:11:37,559 --> 00:11:42,880 Speaker 1: state into it. Got you. So you've mentioned, you know, 201 00:11:42,920 --> 00:11:45,240 Speaker 1: some symptoms that we may not have been aware of. 202 00:11:45,280 --> 00:11:48,000 Speaker 1: So the irritability, you know, kind of some of the 203 00:11:48,040 --> 00:11:52,080 Speaker 1: gastro intestinal stuff. And I think another thing that sometimes 204 00:11:52,160 --> 00:11:55,600 Speaker 1: presents as anxiety is overthinking, and I think a lot 205 00:11:55,720 --> 00:11:58,480 Speaker 1: of us get trapped in that. So can you talk 206 00:11:58,520 --> 00:12:03,760 Speaker 1: about the overthinking piece, and sometimes it's a symptom of anxiety. Absolutely, 207 00:12:03,840 --> 00:12:09,120 Speaker 1: so overthinking is really present and anxiety and the anxious 208 00:12:09,160 --> 00:12:12,200 Speaker 1: brain is one that is very hyper visionant. And what 209 00:12:12,280 --> 00:12:14,640 Speaker 1: I mean by that it's always on the lookout and 210 00:12:14,679 --> 00:12:17,840 Speaker 1: it's looking for danger or is looking for, you know, 211 00:12:17,920 --> 00:12:21,200 Speaker 1: what could happen. And oftentimes when someone is anxious, I 212 00:12:21,240 --> 00:12:23,360 Speaker 1: like to call it the what is game? They can 213 00:12:23,400 --> 00:12:26,240 Speaker 1: play what if eternally. They can say, well, what if 214 00:12:26,240 --> 00:12:28,800 Speaker 1: this happened? And then what if that happened? What if? 215 00:12:28,800 --> 00:12:31,640 Speaker 1: What if? What if? And it can tend to make 216 00:12:31,679 --> 00:12:34,080 Speaker 1: them cause make your mountain out of a mole hill, really, 217 00:12:34,679 --> 00:12:38,160 Speaker 1: and you may over overthink and obsess about what you said, 218 00:12:38,200 --> 00:12:41,760 Speaker 1: what you shouldn't say, about if you're measuring up in 219 00:12:41,840 --> 00:12:43,960 Speaker 1: the world, am I kind of where I'd like to be? 220 00:12:44,600 --> 00:12:46,440 Speaker 1: You might play the what is game and kind of 221 00:12:46,440 --> 00:12:49,720 Speaker 1: make scenarios in your mind about things that could go 222 00:12:49,800 --> 00:12:52,920 Speaker 1: wrong or things that could happen to our family members. 223 00:12:53,200 --> 00:12:56,760 Speaker 1: And another area is sort of that fear of what if? 224 00:12:57,480 --> 00:13:01,000 Speaker 1: What if I have a panic attack? What if these 225 00:13:01,040 --> 00:13:05,960 Speaker 1: things happen and I can't control it? What if? Pretty essentially, 226 00:13:05,960 --> 00:13:09,040 Speaker 1: what is anything you know that big looming question mark 227 00:13:09,120 --> 00:13:11,800 Speaker 1: over your head that causes you to think through's so 228 00:13:11,840 --> 00:13:16,000 Speaker 1: many scenarios that more than likely actually won't happen. So 229 00:13:16,040 --> 00:13:18,200 Speaker 1: how do you get out of that loop? I mean 230 00:13:18,240 --> 00:13:20,440 Speaker 1: that is, you know, like you mentioned, you could play 231 00:13:20,480 --> 00:13:23,440 Speaker 1: what If forever? Right, So how do you kind of 232 00:13:23,480 --> 00:13:26,000 Speaker 1: break through that loop to kind of get yourself out 233 00:13:26,000 --> 00:13:30,120 Speaker 1: of that game? Yeah? So the main thing that I 234 00:13:30,240 --> 00:13:35,000 Speaker 1: encourage people to start having is more self awareness. And 235 00:13:35,280 --> 00:13:39,520 Speaker 1: sometimes that sounds a little bit paradoxical to people. They're like, well, 236 00:13:39,559 --> 00:13:41,320 Speaker 1: I am aware, I know my thoughts. You know, I 237 00:13:41,400 --> 00:13:43,120 Speaker 1: worry all day long, and here are the things that 238 00:13:43,160 --> 00:13:45,920 Speaker 1: I'm worried about. And I say that's great, that's the start, 239 00:13:46,800 --> 00:13:49,120 Speaker 1: And I'd like you to take a step back and 240 00:13:49,200 --> 00:13:53,320 Speaker 1: ask yourself, are there any other options? Because when you 241 00:13:53,440 --> 00:13:56,240 Speaker 1: sort of play that what if game, you get really 242 00:13:56,280 --> 00:13:58,719 Speaker 1: into it and you kind of you actually experience those 243 00:13:58,760 --> 00:14:00,800 Speaker 1: emotions of like well if I got you know, what 244 00:14:00,840 --> 00:14:03,240 Speaker 1: if I got a flat tire, and then this would happen, 245 00:14:03,280 --> 00:14:05,920 Speaker 1: and this would happen. But I say, is it a 246 00:14:05,920 --> 00:14:08,000 Speaker 1: possibility that you won't get a flat What if you 247 00:14:08,040 --> 00:14:11,400 Speaker 1: don't get a flat tire? Then what? And then people 248 00:14:11,440 --> 00:14:13,680 Speaker 1: sort of open up to realize and there's so many 249 00:14:13,720 --> 00:14:18,720 Speaker 1: other options or alternatives, And essentially that's the first step 250 00:14:18,840 --> 00:14:22,800 Speaker 1: I like to encourage and saying you're taking the short route. 251 00:14:23,080 --> 00:14:25,320 Speaker 1: You know, you're jumped into the what ifs each time, 252 00:14:25,880 --> 00:14:28,800 Speaker 1: I want you to challenge yourself and after yourself, are 253 00:14:28,840 --> 00:14:32,040 Speaker 1: there any other possible outcome? Because that actually, in some 254 00:14:32,120 --> 00:14:34,600 Speaker 1: ways even trains their minds not to go to the 255 00:14:34,640 --> 00:14:37,800 Speaker 1: first scary thought only, but to consider what if it's 256 00:14:37,840 --> 00:14:43,160 Speaker 1: not scary? Yeah, that sounds very simple when you talk 257 00:14:43,240 --> 00:14:50,240 Speaker 1: about it, of course, So yes, that's that's a really 258 00:14:50,280 --> 00:14:52,560 Speaker 1: good point. And I actually do get that response. People 259 00:14:52,560 --> 00:14:54,600 Speaker 1: are like, well, yeah, if it was that easy, then 260 00:14:54,600 --> 00:14:58,400 Speaker 1: I wouldn't be talking to you. Um, And I sort 261 00:14:58,400 --> 00:15:01,240 Speaker 1: of presented in a simple manner specifically to say that 262 00:15:01,960 --> 00:15:08,240 Speaker 1: worried tricks your mind into believing that you cannot handle 263 00:15:08,320 --> 00:15:11,280 Speaker 1: these things, or worry sort of has this way of 264 00:15:11,400 --> 00:15:14,400 Speaker 1: catching your mind's attention and the way that our minds 265 00:15:14,400 --> 00:15:17,560 Speaker 1: are creative. If something is not interestingly, two it out. 266 00:15:17,680 --> 00:15:19,720 Speaker 1: And I'm sure that we all have experienced that. You know, 267 00:15:19,760 --> 00:15:22,760 Speaker 1: you're watching the show, half watching it, half paying attention 268 00:15:22,800 --> 00:15:26,160 Speaker 1: to the conversation. So what worry is. It's sort of 269 00:15:26,200 --> 00:15:30,040 Speaker 1: like this little, you know, red flag that says, hey, hey, 270 00:15:30,040 --> 00:15:32,800 Speaker 1: pay attending to me. There's something important about this. But 271 00:15:32,880 --> 00:15:35,440 Speaker 1: as you start to consider alternatives. In the beginning, it 272 00:15:35,560 --> 00:15:38,080 Speaker 1: is difficult, and I sort of describe it like exercise 273 00:15:38,080 --> 00:15:41,160 Speaker 1: in the beginning is plumsy and hard in your sore. 274 00:15:41,640 --> 00:15:44,560 Speaker 1: But after a while, as you continue to practice, your 275 00:15:44,560 --> 00:15:47,360 Speaker 1: brain actually becomes a little bit bored with some of 276 00:15:47,360 --> 00:15:51,320 Speaker 1: these worries because they realize, oh, we can think of 277 00:15:51,360 --> 00:15:53,720 Speaker 1: some other things. Oh, that's probably not going to happen. 278 00:15:53,800 --> 00:15:58,920 Speaker 1: So I'm actually not as interested in that anymore. Yeah, 279 00:15:58,960 --> 00:16:01,960 Speaker 1: so it is much kind of like an exercise for 280 00:16:02,000 --> 00:16:06,960 Speaker 1: your brain muscles. Yes, it is. Yeah, yeah, okay, more 281 00:16:07,040 --> 00:16:19,000 Speaker 1: from my conversation with Dr Hodge after the break you 282 00:16:19,120 --> 00:16:21,760 Speaker 1: mentioned already. You know, we kind of throw around a 283 00:16:21,800 --> 00:16:24,480 Speaker 1: lot of these terms just in like everyday language, like 284 00:16:24,480 --> 00:16:26,800 Speaker 1: oh I'm anxious, Oh I'm this, Oh I'm met, and 285 00:16:26,880 --> 00:16:29,120 Speaker 1: so a couple of the other ones I think that 286 00:16:29,160 --> 00:16:33,920 Speaker 1: people throw around without giving very much thought to our terms, 287 00:16:33,960 --> 00:16:39,360 Speaker 1: like O c D and PTSD, like oh I got PTSD. Yeah, 288 00:16:40,200 --> 00:16:42,640 Speaker 1: it sounds like that's probably a big pippy for you. 289 00:16:43,960 --> 00:16:46,640 Speaker 1: This is it is a challenge. So that is something 290 00:16:46,680 --> 00:16:49,920 Speaker 1: that really gives me. And the reason why is that 291 00:16:50,120 --> 00:16:53,400 Speaker 1: I'm happy that people are sharing you know, that I'm 292 00:16:53,440 --> 00:16:55,960 Speaker 1: anxious or that something happens to me and I'm upset. 293 00:16:56,440 --> 00:16:58,360 Speaker 1: But we have I do think that we need to 294 00:16:58,400 --> 00:17:01,920 Speaker 1: be careful of the terminology because there's a big distance 295 00:17:01,960 --> 00:17:05,640 Speaker 1: between symptoms or traits of a disorder and actually experiencing 296 00:17:05,640 --> 00:17:09,399 Speaker 1: a disorder. So for people that might not understand a disorder, 297 00:17:09,960 --> 00:17:12,480 Speaker 1: it's sort of related to how much your life is 298 00:17:12,520 --> 00:17:14,560 Speaker 1: actually impaired by this or how much does it get 299 00:17:14,600 --> 00:17:16,639 Speaker 1: in the way. So if you're saying I have O 300 00:17:16,800 --> 00:17:18,919 Speaker 1: c D, the D is a disorder. You know, so 301 00:17:19,080 --> 00:17:22,760 Speaker 1: I have obsessive compulsive disorder, whereas you may just be 302 00:17:22,840 --> 00:17:26,000 Speaker 1: describing like so for me personally, I love my kitchen 303 00:17:26,000 --> 00:17:29,120 Speaker 1: counters to be perfectly neat, and I need the flower 304 00:17:29,200 --> 00:17:31,119 Speaker 1: jar and the sugar jar to be in a certain 305 00:17:31,160 --> 00:17:34,760 Speaker 1: area and it definitely makes me more comfortable and I 306 00:17:34,800 --> 00:17:38,679 Speaker 1: feel like this is nice. However, the disorder at a 307 00:17:38,680 --> 00:17:42,440 Speaker 1: clinical level is much more like, you know what, I'm 308 00:17:42,440 --> 00:17:44,480 Speaker 1: going to organize my flower and sugar jar and I'm 309 00:17:44,480 --> 00:17:46,159 Speaker 1: going to go to work, and then as I'm on 310 00:17:46,240 --> 00:17:47,840 Speaker 1: my way out, I'm like, oh wait, let me just 311 00:17:47,840 --> 00:17:50,960 Speaker 1: go back and check. Is it organized? Right? I get 312 00:17:51,000 --> 00:17:52,400 Speaker 1: into my car and I'm like, you know what, I'm 313 00:17:52,400 --> 00:17:55,320 Speaker 1: gonna drive. I'm gonna drive back home to make sure 314 00:17:55,400 --> 00:17:58,920 Speaker 1: that flour and sugar jar are straight. And that, as 315 00:17:58,960 --> 00:18:02,159 Speaker 1: you can imagine, is going to impair my life. You know, 316 00:18:02,160 --> 00:18:03,720 Speaker 1: I'm going to be late to work, I may get 317 00:18:03,720 --> 00:18:06,720 Speaker 1: written up. Things will be much more difficult than me 318 00:18:06,960 --> 00:18:09,480 Speaker 1: just saying I'm a neat person and I like my 319 00:18:09,520 --> 00:18:12,960 Speaker 1: flower and sugar jar to be neat. So that's sort 320 00:18:12,960 --> 00:18:15,720 Speaker 1: of an example I think between like having those symptoms 321 00:18:15,800 --> 00:18:20,720 Speaker 1: and trade or characteristics versus having an actual disorder. And 322 00:18:20,760 --> 00:18:23,679 Speaker 1: what about PTSD. So you gave a great example that 323 00:18:23,800 --> 00:18:26,000 Speaker 1: kind of hopes illustrate what O c D looks like. 324 00:18:26,080 --> 00:18:31,159 Speaker 1: But what about like PTSD correct? So PTSD UM is 325 00:18:31,160 --> 00:18:34,600 Speaker 1: a pretty significant disorder that I also as well, don't 326 00:18:34,640 --> 00:18:38,360 Speaker 1: take lightly. So of course it's people are usually referenced 327 00:18:38,359 --> 00:18:41,680 Speaker 1: in a traumatic event. So maybe you know, like, oh yeah, 328 00:18:41,800 --> 00:18:44,160 Speaker 1: waiting a long time at that store, I got PTSD. 329 00:18:45,040 --> 00:18:48,920 Speaker 1: So I would say, no, I don't agree, but I 330 00:18:48,960 --> 00:18:51,639 Speaker 1: would say it's you know, it's a more accurate to 331 00:18:51,640 --> 00:18:54,080 Speaker 1: say you know, I was a little traumatized, because we've 332 00:18:54,119 --> 00:18:56,480 Speaker 1: all experienced some form of trauma in our lives and 333 00:18:56,480 --> 00:18:58,879 Speaker 1: it isn't up to other people to say whether or 334 00:18:58,920 --> 00:19:01,880 Speaker 1: not we thought it was traumatic. But serious events, like 335 00:19:01,960 --> 00:19:05,760 Speaker 1: you know, the typical thing is military combat or assault, 336 00:19:05,880 --> 00:19:08,119 Speaker 1: or its surviving a natural dissas can have a really 337 00:19:08,160 --> 00:19:12,359 Speaker 1: long standing effects on our lives. And PTSD is related 338 00:19:12,400 --> 00:19:15,880 Speaker 1: to our biological response. So if we're in an event 339 00:19:15,920 --> 00:19:17,720 Speaker 1: in which we fear maybe that our life is in 340 00:19:17,800 --> 00:19:21,800 Speaker 1: danger or someone else's life is in danger, it can 341 00:19:21,840 --> 00:19:25,320 Speaker 1: cause us to really enter into a crisis and we'll 342 00:19:25,440 --> 00:19:29,960 Speaker 1: re experience that later through things like intrusive memories which 343 00:19:30,119 --> 00:19:34,280 Speaker 1: more commonly called flashbacks, avoiding a place or a person 344 00:19:34,400 --> 00:19:39,040 Speaker 1: or objects and reminders of that trauma, feeling numb, guilty 345 00:19:39,400 --> 00:19:42,760 Speaker 1: out of your body, or just being very easily startled 346 00:19:42,840 --> 00:19:46,119 Speaker 1: and kind of that hyper vigilance ivnored, like always always 347 00:19:46,160 --> 00:19:49,960 Speaker 1: on the lookout for what might happen. And that's much 348 00:19:50,040 --> 00:19:54,320 Speaker 1: more severe and difficult than me just saying well, I 349 00:19:54,359 --> 00:19:56,080 Speaker 1: don't want to go to that Walmart because they have 350 00:19:56,160 --> 00:20:01,479 Speaker 1: long lines. M hm, So Alicia, what did you say? Um? 351 00:20:01,520 --> 00:20:03,200 Speaker 1: You know, and I've talked about this on quite a 352 00:20:03,280 --> 00:20:07,000 Speaker 1: few episodes, just kind of the impact that everything that's 353 00:20:07,040 --> 00:20:10,800 Speaker 1: going on in the world I believe has, like you know, 354 00:20:10,840 --> 00:20:14,040 Speaker 1: like there, I feel like the black community hares has 355 00:20:14,119 --> 00:20:18,000 Speaker 1: almost like a shared PTSD response to just kind of 356 00:20:18,960 --> 00:20:23,160 Speaker 1: that's happening. Yeah, you know, like with people being killed 357 00:20:23,160 --> 00:20:28,160 Speaker 1: by police and the political climate, and so what would 358 00:20:28,200 --> 00:20:30,879 Speaker 1: you say about that? I mean, that isn't necessarily like 359 00:20:30,920 --> 00:20:34,840 Speaker 1: a trauma that you may have personally experienced because but 360 00:20:35,200 --> 00:20:37,720 Speaker 1: because we see so much on the news and on 361 00:20:37,720 --> 00:20:40,240 Speaker 1: social media, it does kind of feel like that can 362 00:20:40,280 --> 00:20:44,840 Speaker 1: you talk more about I agree with you. I definitely 363 00:20:45,400 --> 00:20:48,840 Speaker 1: even myself have had to kind of step back from 364 00:20:48,880 --> 00:20:52,159 Speaker 1: watching those videos and watching those things because I do 365 00:20:52,320 --> 00:20:55,199 Speaker 1: believe that I was at least at minimum having like 366 00:20:55,240 --> 00:20:59,520 Speaker 1: traumatic stress responses, like I would be really upet you 367 00:20:59,560 --> 00:21:02,040 Speaker 1: know that at night, I'm thinking about these things. I'm 368 00:21:02,080 --> 00:21:05,280 Speaker 1: kind of seeing it after I've already viewed it. So 369 00:21:05,400 --> 00:21:09,200 Speaker 1: in some ways, you are correct. PTSD amongst the black 370 00:21:09,240 --> 00:21:13,919 Speaker 1: community is actually we're actually more susceptible to PTFC, or 371 00:21:13,920 --> 00:21:16,320 Speaker 1: we we experience it more in our diagnosed with it 372 00:21:16,400 --> 00:21:19,359 Speaker 1: more because of things like our exposure to violence, our 373 00:21:19,400 --> 00:21:23,960 Speaker 1: exposure to homelessness, So you are definitely hitting something on 374 00:21:24,000 --> 00:21:27,600 Speaker 1: the head. So I don't want to minimize that experience. 375 00:21:27,680 --> 00:21:30,439 Speaker 1: And I do think that we as African Americans do 376 00:21:30,560 --> 00:21:33,360 Speaker 1: need to practice self care around those things because they 377 00:21:33,440 --> 00:21:35,879 Speaker 1: speak to a part of us that we can't change. 378 00:21:36,200 --> 00:21:38,199 Speaker 1: So if I'm watching a video where someone with an 379 00:21:38,200 --> 00:21:41,160 Speaker 1: assaultius simply because of who they are, and I am 380 00:21:41,280 --> 00:21:45,080 Speaker 1: like that person, it definitely can inspire in me a 381 00:21:45,200 --> 00:21:51,320 Speaker 1: fear and a reaction mm hmm. And are there like 382 00:21:51,480 --> 00:21:54,919 Speaker 1: strategies that you have maybe used with clients or you 383 00:21:54,960 --> 00:21:57,560 Speaker 1: know that you could talk about that might help to 384 00:21:57,640 --> 00:22:01,840 Speaker 1: kind of manage them of that. Yeah, So what I 385 00:22:01,880 --> 00:22:04,160 Speaker 1: would say is the first thing you know that I've 386 00:22:04,200 --> 00:22:07,760 Speaker 1: actually even personally done, it's sort of limits my exposure 387 00:22:07,800 --> 00:22:12,760 Speaker 1: to those things and limit my viewing and also sort 388 00:22:12,760 --> 00:22:18,080 Speaker 1: of reminding myself that we're in a society of sensational 389 00:22:18,160 --> 00:22:21,199 Speaker 1: things and that unfortunately at times that's all that I 390 00:22:21,200 --> 00:22:23,120 Speaker 1: get to see. So I do try to look at 391 00:22:24,320 --> 00:22:27,880 Speaker 1: things that are kind of mindless or meaningless. I also 392 00:22:27,960 --> 00:22:30,560 Speaker 1: encourage people to talk with one another because a portion 393 00:22:30,720 --> 00:22:36,159 Speaker 1: of PTSD is that narrative and that story and that avoidance. 394 00:22:36,160 --> 00:22:38,320 Speaker 1: So sometimes we kind of enter into the zone of 395 00:22:38,440 --> 00:22:40,399 Speaker 1: mental avoidance, and we don't want to go back to 396 00:22:40,520 --> 00:22:42,600 Speaker 1: those stressful things. We don't want to talk about them, 397 00:22:42,880 --> 00:22:46,880 Speaker 1: and that can actually exacerbate our symptoms. So feeling comfortable 398 00:22:46,920 --> 00:22:48,920 Speaker 1: in space, you know, hopefully you have someone's safe that 399 00:22:48,960 --> 00:22:50,360 Speaker 1: you can talk to and kind of share with your 400 00:22:50,359 --> 00:22:53,120 Speaker 1: friends and share your feelings and kind of here that 401 00:22:53,440 --> 00:22:56,600 Speaker 1: if they're feeling anything similar. But given yourself that rest 402 00:22:56,640 --> 00:22:58,480 Speaker 1: in that break and realize that you don't need to 403 00:22:58,480 --> 00:23:01,960 Speaker 1: click every rink. The title says, you know, man beat 404 00:23:02,040 --> 00:23:04,879 Speaker 1: up or attacked by dog, like it's okay to just 405 00:23:05,000 --> 00:23:10,960 Speaker 1: keep scrolling. M hm you. So, I think another thing 406 00:23:11,000 --> 00:23:14,480 Speaker 1: that has come up, you know, and probably I mean 407 00:23:14,560 --> 00:23:16,520 Speaker 1: this has been on the increase, like all of the 408 00:23:16,600 --> 00:23:20,400 Speaker 1: different like random shootings that we experience in the country, 409 00:23:21,040 --> 00:23:22,919 Speaker 1: you know. So I feel like it's in the in 410 00:23:22,960 --> 00:23:25,280 Speaker 1: the same vein as what we were just talking about. 411 00:23:25,800 --> 00:23:28,359 Speaker 1: But it does, I think strike a different type of 412 00:23:28,400 --> 00:23:31,159 Speaker 1: fear in terms of like you just don't know what 413 00:23:31,280 --> 00:23:35,440 Speaker 1: public event you might be at, or you know, where 414 00:23:35,480 --> 00:23:38,000 Speaker 1: you might be in a shopping mall, like just really anywhere, 415 00:23:38,480 --> 00:23:40,480 Speaker 1: you know. So I think that that is a very 416 00:23:40,640 --> 00:23:44,040 Speaker 1: real fear, right like you kind of started this episode 417 00:23:44,480 --> 00:23:46,680 Speaker 1: talking about like if we open the door and there's 418 00:23:46,720 --> 00:23:49,159 Speaker 1: a bear, you know, or if there's no bear. This 419 00:23:49,280 --> 00:23:51,720 Speaker 1: kind of feels like you don't know whether there will 420 00:23:51,760 --> 00:23:58,600 Speaker 1: be a bear. Yeah, so there's Yeah, So that fear 421 00:23:58,680 --> 00:24:01,520 Speaker 1: of the unknown can be really difficult, And you're right. 422 00:24:01,600 --> 00:24:05,760 Speaker 1: I think that it is important these days, unfortunately, to 423 00:24:05,800 --> 00:24:08,040 Speaker 1: take some more safety precautions and kind of be more 424 00:24:08,119 --> 00:24:12,240 Speaker 1: aware of your surroundings. And I think that having worries 425 00:24:12,280 --> 00:24:16,320 Speaker 1: about that is kind of at a normal level. I 426 00:24:16,359 --> 00:24:18,919 Speaker 1: would say, however, if someone was sort of saying, like 427 00:24:19,000 --> 00:24:21,679 Speaker 1: there was a shooting at the movies, and now I 428 00:24:21,720 --> 00:24:25,359 Speaker 1: am not going to any movie theater ever, again, I 429 00:24:25,359 --> 00:24:28,480 Speaker 1: would be a little concerned about that reaction. Although you 430 00:24:28,560 --> 00:24:33,480 Speaker 1: are prospecting yourself and I think that self preservation is key, 431 00:24:33,840 --> 00:24:36,080 Speaker 1: that seems a little bit extreme, So sort of looking 432 00:24:36,119 --> 00:24:38,359 Speaker 1: at your own life to see, in my generalizing, this 433 00:24:38,480 --> 00:24:43,959 Speaker 1: fear too beyond what maybe and I hate to use 434 00:24:44,000 --> 00:24:46,760 Speaker 1: in a word normal honestly, but maybe beyond what my 435 00:24:46,880 --> 00:24:49,280 Speaker 1: usual life looks like. If I'm someone who used to 436 00:24:49,320 --> 00:24:52,040 Speaker 1: go to the movies every week. Okay, yes, maybe you 437 00:24:52,040 --> 00:24:54,840 Speaker 1: will initially after a shooting cutbacks but if you were 438 00:24:54,880 --> 00:24:56,960 Speaker 1: advance to say I'm cutting movies out of my life, 439 00:24:57,560 --> 00:24:59,640 Speaker 1: I would say, you know, I think that you might 440 00:24:59,680 --> 00:25:02,800 Speaker 1: want to reevaluate that perspective, but I would validate the 441 00:25:02,840 --> 00:25:07,639 Speaker 1: fact that there's real dangerous here unfortunately based on you know, 442 00:25:07,680 --> 00:25:11,399 Speaker 1: these random shooting right right. More from my conversation with 443 00:25:11,520 --> 00:25:24,600 Speaker 1: Dr Hodge after the break. Yeah, so you have already 444 00:25:24,600 --> 00:25:27,760 Speaker 1: given us, like quite a few exercises and strategies, but 445 00:25:27,840 --> 00:25:30,160 Speaker 1: I know people always really like stuff to like hold 446 00:25:30,200 --> 00:25:33,480 Speaker 1: on to, you know, some people maybe kind of struggling, 447 00:25:33,720 --> 00:25:35,240 Speaker 1: you know, Like I think one of the ones that 448 00:25:35,280 --> 00:25:37,760 Speaker 1: it is most common is like social anxiety, right, like 449 00:25:37,880 --> 00:25:41,760 Speaker 1: not going to new situations or if you go to equation, 450 00:25:41,840 --> 00:25:43,960 Speaker 1: then you're playing on your phone until somebody gets there 451 00:25:44,000 --> 00:25:49,560 Speaker 1: that you know, can you give us some tips and 452 00:25:49,600 --> 00:25:52,000 Speaker 1: strategies or you know, things that you use with your 453 00:25:52,040 --> 00:25:55,159 Speaker 1: clients to come to kind of help manage those like 454 00:25:55,240 --> 00:26:00,040 Speaker 1: everyday type anxiety things. Yeah, So I usually try to 455 00:26:00,119 --> 00:26:03,000 Speaker 1: balance two things. I try to balance someone's coping skills, 456 00:26:03,040 --> 00:26:04,680 Speaker 1: which is, you know, one of the things that they're 457 00:26:04,760 --> 00:26:08,280 Speaker 1: using to manage that anxiety and deal with it. And 458 00:26:08,320 --> 00:26:10,960 Speaker 1: then also there are other strategies that give that really 459 00:26:11,400 --> 00:26:14,320 Speaker 1: can be uncomfortable at times, because essentially what I'm working 460 00:26:14,320 --> 00:26:17,400 Speaker 1: along with people is how to face those fears, and 461 00:26:17,560 --> 00:26:21,040 Speaker 1: my advice is to lean into the fear versus pull 462 00:26:21,080 --> 00:26:24,320 Speaker 1: away um. And the way I tend to describe that 463 00:26:24,520 --> 00:26:27,240 Speaker 1: is that when we get uncomfortable with people, we avoid, 464 00:26:27,400 --> 00:26:29,800 Speaker 1: so sort of like you said, at this event, I 465 00:26:29,800 --> 00:26:33,159 Speaker 1: don't really know anyone. Instead of actually speaking to someone, 466 00:26:33,240 --> 00:26:35,240 Speaker 1: I'm just gonna go check into the ram until my 467 00:26:35,280 --> 00:26:40,040 Speaker 1: girl gets here. And at times that's just a band aid. 468 00:26:40,359 --> 00:26:42,400 Speaker 1: You know, in the moment it worked, but it's only 469 00:26:42,440 --> 00:26:44,439 Speaker 1: a band aid. It didn't give you the opportunity to 470 00:26:44,480 --> 00:26:47,840 Speaker 1: actually tolerate the feeling, to actually see what it was 471 00:26:47,920 --> 00:26:51,160 Speaker 1: like to actually meet a new person or introduce yourself, 472 00:26:51,520 --> 00:26:53,400 Speaker 1: So it doesn't give you any evidence that you can 473 00:26:53,440 --> 00:26:57,760 Speaker 1: actually handle social situations. So on one end, when I'm 474 00:26:57,760 --> 00:26:59,879 Speaker 1: talking about coping, I like to encourage people to do 475 00:27:00,160 --> 00:27:03,159 Speaker 1: things like deep breathing, which is like the go to 476 00:27:03,359 --> 00:27:07,359 Speaker 1: and therapy and sounds very cheesy, but I am aware 477 00:27:07,800 --> 00:27:11,240 Speaker 1: that deep breathing really helps to reset us in our bodies. 478 00:27:11,560 --> 00:27:14,800 Speaker 1: So oftentimes when we are anxious, we're sending messages from 479 00:27:15,000 --> 00:27:17,199 Speaker 1: between our body and our brain that says I'm uptight, 480 00:27:17,359 --> 00:27:21,120 Speaker 1: something's wrong, I don't feel great. When we start to breathe, 481 00:27:21,359 --> 00:27:24,040 Speaker 1: we actually relax and the message goes to your brain 482 00:27:24,119 --> 00:27:27,560 Speaker 1: to say we're all good down here, and you tend 483 00:27:27,600 --> 00:27:31,119 Speaker 1: to get much more calm. I suggest things like music, 484 00:27:31,320 --> 00:27:34,240 Speaker 1: and that is according to someone's taste. Are there any 485 00:27:34,280 --> 00:27:36,840 Speaker 1: songs that sort of just makes you feel thank you 486 00:27:36,920 --> 00:27:40,919 Speaker 1: a little more calm. Yoga again, which I feel like 487 00:27:41,040 --> 00:27:45,359 Speaker 1: is in the generic therapist suggestion, but less of yoga 488 00:27:45,400 --> 00:27:47,680 Speaker 1: in terms of like the actual posing and practice. I 489 00:27:47,800 --> 00:27:51,680 Speaker 1: encourage yoga for relaxation, being more in tune with your body, 490 00:27:52,040 --> 00:27:55,040 Speaker 1: realizing when your shoulders are tense, if you're how's just stoxeal, 491 00:27:55,320 --> 00:27:59,080 Speaker 1: how's your breathing? Those are some of the coping skills 492 00:27:59,080 --> 00:28:02,040 Speaker 1: that would recommend, but for instances. In terms of techniques, 493 00:28:02,400 --> 00:28:04,399 Speaker 1: a lot of it is literally jumping out there and 494 00:28:04,480 --> 00:28:06,720 Speaker 1: kind of putting your toe in or jump in feet 495 00:28:06,760 --> 00:28:10,399 Speaker 1: first to say, you know what, I'm pretty nervous. What 496 00:28:10,600 --> 00:28:13,480 Speaker 1: is the worst thing that could happen? You evaluate what 497 00:28:13,560 --> 00:28:16,159 Speaker 1: that is. So, for example, we talked about being at 498 00:28:16,160 --> 00:28:19,159 Speaker 1: a party, So I say to myself, Okay, I'm really nervous. 499 00:28:19,240 --> 00:28:21,120 Speaker 1: My friend's not here yet. The worst thing that could 500 00:28:21,119 --> 00:28:24,280 Speaker 1: happen is that I introduced myself to someone and embarrass myself. 501 00:28:24,920 --> 00:28:27,639 Speaker 1: And that's that's not the greatest feeling, I'm sure. But 502 00:28:27,680 --> 00:28:29,640 Speaker 1: then you ask yourself, what else could happen. I could 503 00:28:29,680 --> 00:28:32,560 Speaker 1: make a new friend, I could actually meet someone that 504 00:28:32,680 --> 00:28:35,720 Speaker 1: is in my field and make a connection. I could 505 00:28:35,840 --> 00:28:38,200 Speaker 1: find you know, there's so many other great things that 506 00:28:38,240 --> 00:28:41,240 Speaker 1: could happen. So I'm really telling people to challenge yourselves. 507 00:28:41,920 --> 00:28:44,760 Speaker 1: Act yourself is just the only outcome, and then kind 508 00:28:44,760 --> 00:28:46,840 Speaker 1: of really push yourself to say, you know what, I 509 00:28:46,880 --> 00:28:48,600 Speaker 1: can't be the new person. I'm just gonna go up 510 00:28:48,600 --> 00:28:51,480 Speaker 1: there and say Hi. So what does this look like 511 00:28:51,640 --> 00:28:54,680 Speaker 1: with you in practice? Alicia? So are you? I know 512 00:28:54,840 --> 00:28:56,960 Speaker 1: there are a lot of people who like specialize in 513 00:28:57,000 --> 00:29:00,560 Speaker 1: anxiety like you do. It may involve like a out 514 00:29:00,600 --> 00:29:02,760 Speaker 1: of office kinds of things, right, so might you go 515 00:29:02,880 --> 00:29:05,680 Speaker 1: with them to a social place or you know, like 516 00:29:05,720 --> 00:29:12,760 Speaker 1: a public place. I have done this actually quite often 517 00:29:12,920 --> 00:29:15,239 Speaker 1: if someone has experienced in social anxiety, we will do 518 00:29:15,320 --> 00:29:17,280 Speaker 1: things like you know what, Okay, well, today we're going 519 00:29:17,320 --> 00:29:20,080 Speaker 1: to walk down to the end of the street and 520 00:29:20,200 --> 00:29:22,760 Speaker 1: I would like to say hi to five people, So 521 00:29:22,920 --> 00:29:25,560 Speaker 1: just starting off a little bit small with just an acknowledgement, 522 00:29:25,960 --> 00:29:27,920 Speaker 1: but we do sort of go to the range of 523 00:29:27,960 --> 00:29:31,520 Speaker 1: something called overcorrection, which is, let's sort of do some 524 00:29:31,600 --> 00:29:35,880 Speaker 1: of these worst case scenarios and see is it that bad. 525 00:29:36,280 --> 00:29:39,520 Speaker 1: So if you're really embarrassed just to say hi after time, 526 00:29:39,600 --> 00:29:41,240 Speaker 1: you know, with some coping skills in place and you 527 00:29:41,280 --> 00:29:43,720 Speaker 1: feel safe with me, I would say, let's walk down 528 00:29:43,720 --> 00:29:46,320 Speaker 1: the street and do some really weird things. Let's walk backwards, 529 00:29:46,360 --> 00:29:49,720 Speaker 1: let's skip, let's, you know, ask people what time it 530 00:29:49,800 --> 00:29:53,080 Speaker 1: is while we're holding our phone, because obviously we know 531 00:29:53,120 --> 00:29:55,480 Speaker 1: what time it is, but we're just doing something embarrassing. 532 00:29:56,160 --> 00:30:00,520 Speaker 1: Um or even you know, I've had someone pick up 533 00:30:00,560 --> 00:30:02,880 Speaker 1: a pair of depends, the adult diapers, and go to 534 00:30:02,920 --> 00:30:07,080 Speaker 1: the front and ask what they were for, because we 535 00:30:07,160 --> 00:30:10,640 Speaker 1: know that these type of things will invoke anxiety. But 536 00:30:10,800 --> 00:30:14,480 Speaker 1: essentially the purpose of treatment is to show you that 537 00:30:14,600 --> 00:30:17,520 Speaker 1: you can handle it and perhaps it was not as 538 00:30:17,560 --> 00:30:19,640 Speaker 1: bad as you imagine, And it also gives your body 539 00:30:19,680 --> 00:30:24,080 Speaker 1: an opportunity to experience those anxious feelings and interpret them 540 00:30:24,120 --> 00:30:28,160 Speaker 1: as less dangerous as they were being interpreted before. M hmm, okay, 541 00:30:28,240 --> 00:30:30,320 Speaker 1: so you're really I mean a lot of what you're 542 00:30:30,360 --> 00:30:32,480 Speaker 1: talking about. It sounds like it is really kind of 543 00:30:32,520 --> 00:30:35,080 Speaker 1: trying to rewire your brain to like calm down and 544 00:30:35,160 --> 00:30:39,240 Speaker 1: like I'm not in danger. I'm actually okay. So we're 545 00:30:39,240 --> 00:30:41,240 Speaker 1: just trying to recalibrate your system a little bit and 546 00:30:41,360 --> 00:30:45,520 Speaker 1: change your perspective on how you view these situations. Okay, 547 00:30:46,200 --> 00:30:50,040 Speaker 1: And at what point might you suggest medication for somebody 548 00:30:50,040 --> 00:30:53,440 Speaker 1: who's struggling with anxiety? So maybe you've done some of 549 00:30:53,480 --> 00:30:56,360 Speaker 1: these exercises and you're seeing, you know that there maybe 550 00:30:56,480 --> 00:30:58,920 Speaker 1: isn't a lot of movement. At what point might you 551 00:30:58,960 --> 00:31:04,600 Speaker 1: suggest somebody can suiter medication for anxiety? Yes, So, as 552 00:31:04,640 --> 00:31:06,520 Speaker 1: you mentioned, you know, I engage in talk therapy, but 553 00:31:06,600 --> 00:31:09,840 Speaker 1: I am not against the use of medication adjunctives to therapy. 554 00:31:10,000 --> 00:31:12,880 Speaker 1: So if an individuals sort of explaining that there hasn't 555 00:31:13,560 --> 00:31:17,520 Speaker 1: very frequent panic attacks, which might I put in there? 556 00:31:17,560 --> 00:31:19,920 Speaker 1: That's another thing that I find that people say, like, oh, 557 00:31:19,960 --> 00:31:22,120 Speaker 1: I had a panic attack, and more than likely they 558 00:31:22,120 --> 00:31:25,760 Speaker 1: were just maybe overwhelmed or overcome by anxiety. But a 559 00:31:25,800 --> 00:31:29,640 Speaker 1: panic attack is somewhat different and it has similar symptoms, 560 00:31:29,680 --> 00:31:33,640 Speaker 1: you know, racing heartbeat and ability um to breathe and 561 00:31:33,680 --> 00:31:35,760 Speaker 1: kind of Sometimes people will say, you know, I felt 562 00:31:35,760 --> 00:31:38,000 Speaker 1: as if I was going to pass Our have heart attacks. 563 00:31:38,040 --> 00:31:42,040 Speaker 1: The differences is the intensity. So panic attacks typically reach 564 00:31:42,080 --> 00:31:44,560 Speaker 1: their intensity within ten minutes or less and then they 565 00:31:44,600 --> 00:31:49,040 Speaker 1: go down and they usually are out of the blue, unexpected. 566 00:31:49,960 --> 00:31:52,760 Speaker 1: So if you're having that type of experience and it's 567 00:31:52,760 --> 00:31:56,160 Speaker 1: happening pretty often, medication can kind of help get your 568 00:31:56,200 --> 00:31:59,720 Speaker 1: body to a more calm physical state so that you 569 00:31:59,760 --> 00:32:01,840 Speaker 1: can actually do the works, because, as I mentioned, a 570 00:32:01,840 --> 00:32:03,920 Speaker 1: lot of the work that I do is putting you 571 00:32:04,000 --> 00:32:06,600 Speaker 1: in somewhat of an uncomfortable situation, and we need you 572 00:32:06,680 --> 00:32:09,520 Speaker 1: to be able to have the resources and ability to 573 00:32:09,600 --> 00:32:13,120 Speaker 1: kind of endure that to some degree. So it also 574 00:32:13,520 --> 00:32:16,680 Speaker 1: fine that you're spending a great portion of your day 575 00:32:16,680 --> 00:32:20,000 Speaker 1: worrying or almost Sometimes people describe it as like a 576 00:32:20,080 --> 00:32:22,480 Speaker 1: hiccup in their brain that they can't get off the 577 00:32:22,520 --> 00:32:27,320 Speaker 1: thoughts and they can't deviate or distract themselves. Then we 578 00:32:27,400 --> 00:32:34,480 Speaker 1: might need some medical intervention there. And you have already mentioned, 579 00:32:34,640 --> 00:32:38,320 Speaker 1: you know, like yoga and meditation. Do you have like 580 00:32:38,400 --> 00:32:42,120 Speaker 1: some favorite resources for your clients or other people that 581 00:32:42,200 --> 00:32:47,440 Speaker 1: you love to suggest that helped to manage anxiety? I two, 582 00:32:48,200 --> 00:32:52,600 Speaker 1: So I am a huge fan of a book called 583 00:32:52,920 --> 00:32:57,720 Speaker 1: The Worried Trick, which is by Dr David Carbonel. I 584 00:32:57,760 --> 00:33:00,600 Speaker 1: believe it's how you pronounce his last name. And what 585 00:33:00,640 --> 00:33:03,840 Speaker 1: he discusses the netbook is very similar to what you 586 00:33:03,880 --> 00:33:06,280 Speaker 1: and I have talked about, but he shared it in 587 00:33:06,320 --> 00:33:09,720 Speaker 1: such a nice simple format, and he discusses how to 588 00:33:09,840 --> 00:33:13,760 Speaker 1: manage chronic worry. He kind of tells you about your brain, 589 00:33:14,080 --> 00:33:17,440 Speaker 1: about the physiological process, and he gives you some techniques 590 00:33:17,440 --> 00:33:20,840 Speaker 1: that are really helpful to navigate whether you're in therapy 591 00:33:20,920 --> 00:33:23,680 Speaker 1: or not. So I really like to explain chronic worry 592 00:33:23,680 --> 00:33:27,360 Speaker 1: and how to kind of overcome it. Let's see what else. 593 00:33:27,400 --> 00:33:32,080 Speaker 1: I also like YouTube has a lot of guided meditation scripts, 594 00:33:32,520 --> 00:33:35,040 Speaker 1: so for sometimes people who have a hard time relaxing, 595 00:33:35,680 --> 00:33:37,920 Speaker 1: or they notice they get distracted if they don't have 596 00:33:37,960 --> 00:33:41,160 Speaker 1: anything to listen to, and YouTube you can go in. 597 00:33:41,200 --> 00:33:43,240 Speaker 1: And I think if you just type in like meditation 598 00:33:43,320 --> 00:33:47,560 Speaker 1: or guided meditation or even relaxation scripts, there's lots of 599 00:33:47,640 --> 00:33:50,920 Speaker 1: videos with calm music and someone with a really pleasant 600 00:33:51,000 --> 00:33:55,240 Speaker 1: voice that guides you just throw some relaxation um and 601 00:33:55,320 --> 00:33:57,520 Speaker 1: teaches you how to relax your muscles or kind of 602 00:33:58,280 --> 00:34:01,760 Speaker 1: excuse me to envision um a happy place, so to speak. 603 00:34:02,240 --> 00:34:06,480 Speaker 1: And then in terms of technology, there are a few 604 00:34:06,520 --> 00:34:09,960 Speaker 1: apps that I like. There's one that I actually haven't used, 605 00:34:10,040 --> 00:34:14,040 Speaker 1: so you know us or be aware, but it's called Headspace, 606 00:34:14,480 --> 00:34:16,480 Speaker 1: and that's a paid app that a lot of people 607 00:34:17,000 --> 00:34:19,279 Speaker 1: have come to therapy and let me know, like they've 608 00:34:19,400 --> 00:34:21,520 Speaker 1: used it in the past. I'm not very clear on 609 00:34:21,560 --> 00:34:23,360 Speaker 1: why they don't currently use it, so that's why that 610 00:34:23,440 --> 00:34:26,279 Speaker 1: I can't really vouch for it, but they mentioned that 611 00:34:26,320 --> 00:34:29,000 Speaker 1: it can be helpful. But also if you like the 612 00:34:29,000 --> 00:34:33,360 Speaker 1: free ninety nine like I do, you can you can 613 00:34:33,520 --> 00:34:36,839 Speaker 1: look up an app. It's called relax Melodies. I think 614 00:34:36,840 --> 00:34:39,839 Speaker 1: there's also another app called Nature Sounds. And the nice 615 00:34:39,880 --> 00:34:42,400 Speaker 1: thing about this app is it just has nice relaxing 616 00:34:42,480 --> 00:34:44,680 Speaker 1: nature sounds and you can combine them on top of 617 00:34:44,719 --> 00:34:47,759 Speaker 1: each other. So sometimes I'll do like rain mixed with 618 00:34:47,800 --> 00:34:52,040 Speaker 1: the beach or fireplace noise mixed with the wind. And 619 00:34:52,080 --> 00:34:53,640 Speaker 1: it had the timer on it, so you can even 620 00:34:53,640 --> 00:34:55,799 Speaker 1: set it at night if nighttime is a time where 621 00:34:55,800 --> 00:34:58,560 Speaker 1: you feel more tense, you can set it for about 622 00:34:58,600 --> 00:35:01,399 Speaker 1: twenty minutes and kind of lay down to your deep 623 00:35:01,440 --> 00:35:03,719 Speaker 1: breathing and listen to the sounds. And hopefully you get 624 00:35:03,719 --> 00:35:05,480 Speaker 1: to sleep and it will just shut off on its own. 625 00:35:05,480 --> 00:35:10,239 Speaker 1: So that's really convenient. So Alicia, or there's some like 626 00:35:10,320 --> 00:35:14,720 Speaker 1: directions around meditation, you know, because I think I've always heard, 627 00:35:14,920 --> 00:35:16,880 Speaker 1: you know, like you have to kind of train yourself 628 00:35:16,920 --> 00:35:19,000 Speaker 1: to kind of get into this meditative state, Like you 629 00:35:19,000 --> 00:35:22,120 Speaker 1: can't necessarily, you know, you try to put on a 630 00:35:22,160 --> 00:35:24,160 Speaker 1: YouTube video in the middle of a panic attack and 631 00:35:24,200 --> 00:35:27,680 Speaker 1: think it's going to work. Good point, yes, And I'm 632 00:35:27,680 --> 00:35:30,719 Speaker 1: glad that you said that, because actually the meditation that 633 00:35:30,800 --> 00:35:33,160 Speaker 1: guided thing would be something that I encourage people to 634 00:35:34,080 --> 00:35:37,520 Speaker 1: maintain their state of relaxation. So it wouldn't be something 635 00:35:37,600 --> 00:35:40,279 Speaker 1: helpful to use in a crisis at all. It would 636 00:35:40,320 --> 00:35:42,120 Speaker 1: be something that you can use, you know, I just 637 00:35:42,120 --> 00:35:44,320 Speaker 1: try to stay put this, incorporate this into your practice 638 00:35:44,360 --> 00:35:46,759 Speaker 1: of how you kind of wind down. But if you 639 00:35:46,840 --> 00:35:50,879 Speaker 1: were actually more acute in terms of like I'm really 640 00:35:50,920 --> 00:35:53,560 Speaker 1: anxious and I need something, one of the things that 641 00:35:53,560 --> 00:35:55,680 Speaker 1: I encourage people to do is something called grounding. So 642 00:35:55,800 --> 00:35:58,400 Speaker 1: this works um with people who have experienced trauma but 643 00:35:58,520 --> 00:36:02,320 Speaker 1: also dealing with anxiety, and it can be the purpose 644 00:36:02,360 --> 00:36:04,040 Speaker 1: of it is to try to get yourself into the 645 00:36:04,080 --> 00:36:08,160 Speaker 1: here and now and be focused so you can do 646 00:36:08,440 --> 00:36:10,560 Speaker 1: I tell people look at your hands and then think 647 00:36:10,560 --> 00:36:13,200 Speaker 1: about the five senses, but we're really probably using four 648 00:36:13,920 --> 00:36:15,600 Speaker 1: and that is what do you see in the room 649 00:36:15,719 --> 00:36:18,480 Speaker 1: right now? Can you kind of look around and see anything? 650 00:36:19,200 --> 00:36:21,080 Speaker 1: What are you hearing right now? Do you hear the 651 00:36:21,120 --> 00:36:24,439 Speaker 1: clock shaking on your wall? Is there the wind going by? 652 00:36:24,600 --> 00:36:27,880 Speaker 1: You know? Is there any noise? What do you smell 653 00:36:28,600 --> 00:36:30,560 Speaker 1: which may be nothing, but it still keeps you here 654 00:36:30,600 --> 00:36:33,400 Speaker 1: in the moment, in your body? And what do you feel? 655 00:36:33,600 --> 00:36:35,759 Speaker 1: So usually I encourage people just kind of tap the 656 00:36:35,840 --> 00:36:39,480 Speaker 1: chair or rub your fingers together and focus on those 657 00:36:39,480 --> 00:36:42,279 Speaker 1: sensations to keep you in the moment and maybe not 658 00:36:43,080 --> 00:36:45,760 Speaker 1: flying off into a panic attack or kind of getting 659 00:36:45,760 --> 00:36:50,960 Speaker 1: consumed by your thoughts. That sounds great. So can you 660 00:36:51,040 --> 00:36:54,359 Speaker 1: tell us more about your practice, Alicia, and where we 661 00:36:54,400 --> 00:36:59,040 Speaker 1: can find you on the internet for sure? So right now, 662 00:36:59,600 --> 00:37:03,440 Speaker 1: I am located in Virginia. I have actually two locations, 663 00:37:03,440 --> 00:37:06,759 Speaker 1: two offices, one in False Church, Virginia and one in 664 00:37:06,840 --> 00:37:11,520 Speaker 1: Alexandria the Old Town area. And I'm actually um located 665 00:37:11,520 --> 00:37:15,160 Speaker 1: at the Center for Cognitive Therapy and Assessments. And if 666 00:37:15,200 --> 00:37:18,440 Speaker 1: you would like to look that up online, The website 667 00:37:18,560 --> 00:37:23,480 Speaker 1: is KT psych P s Y dot com and you 668 00:37:23,520 --> 00:37:26,080 Speaker 1: can find me there and schedule an appointment if you 669 00:37:26,080 --> 00:37:28,759 Speaker 1: would like to. And also I just really like to 670 00:37:28,840 --> 00:37:31,600 Speaker 1: use my online platform for social media to really promote 671 00:37:31,640 --> 00:37:34,840 Speaker 1: mental health awareness that it's very important to me. I 672 00:37:34,880 --> 00:37:37,640 Speaker 1: think that we all can use a little bit more education, 673 00:37:37,760 --> 00:37:40,880 Speaker 1: and my intention is to also reduce the stigma and 674 00:37:40,960 --> 00:37:45,040 Speaker 1: the encourage good language around mental health and encourage people 675 00:37:45,080 --> 00:37:48,560 Speaker 1: to have help. Speaking behaviors is not something that you 676 00:37:48,640 --> 00:37:50,560 Speaker 1: can't handle, and if for some reason you feel like 677 00:37:50,600 --> 00:37:52,720 Speaker 1: you really can't handle things, there are people out here 678 00:37:52,719 --> 00:37:56,000 Speaker 1: wanting to help you. And that My Instagram name is 679 00:37:56,680 --> 00:38:00,680 Speaker 1: at help me Hodge, so help you know the word 680 00:38:00,680 --> 00:38:02,400 Speaker 1: helped me and my last name h O, d P 681 00:38:03,560 --> 00:38:07,719 Speaker 1: and lastie. I just recently completed a an e book 682 00:38:07,760 --> 00:38:10,160 Speaker 1: about self care. It's kind of encouraging some of the 683 00:38:10,200 --> 00:38:13,239 Speaker 1: things that I've talked about, which is being relaxed and 684 00:38:13,320 --> 00:38:15,839 Speaker 1: kind of stepping outside of your head a little bit 685 00:38:15,960 --> 00:38:18,239 Speaker 1: and not to get caught in the worry trap. And 686 00:38:18,520 --> 00:38:22,279 Speaker 1: I recently have a website and the website address is 687 00:38:22,560 --> 00:38:25,720 Speaker 1: www dot help me Hodge dot com, which is similar 688 00:38:25,760 --> 00:38:30,480 Speaker 1: to my Instagram name, Got You and all of this information, 689 00:38:30,520 --> 00:38:32,400 Speaker 1: of course, will be included in the show build, so 690 00:38:32,440 --> 00:38:34,200 Speaker 1: if you're driving, you don't have to worry about trying 691 00:38:34,239 --> 00:38:38,080 Speaker 1: to remember all of this. Yes, they focused on the road. 692 00:38:38,120 --> 00:38:40,640 Speaker 1: Please all right, this is definitely when we want you 693 00:38:40,719 --> 00:38:44,920 Speaker 1: to stay president. Well, thank you so much for joining 694 00:38:45,000 --> 00:38:48,759 Speaker 1: us today, Alicia. I really appreciate it. Thank you. I 695 00:38:48,800 --> 00:38:51,480 Speaker 1: appreciate you having me, and I really hope that this 696 00:38:51,640 --> 00:38:55,879 Speaker 1: was helpful to anyone and encourages people to realize that 697 00:38:55,920 --> 00:38:57,759 Speaker 1: if any of these things are going on for you, 698 00:38:57,840 --> 00:39:00,160 Speaker 1: that there are trusted professionals out here that I'm more 699 00:39:00,160 --> 00:39:05,680 Speaker 1: than happy to help you. Thank you. I'm so grateful 700 00:39:05,719 --> 00:39:08,600 Speaker 1: for Dr Hodge and her expertise. To learn more about 701 00:39:08,640 --> 00:39:11,240 Speaker 1: her work and to check out all the resources she shared, 702 00:39:11,560 --> 00:39:13,600 Speaker 1: be sure to visit the show notes at Therapy for 703 00:39:13,680 --> 00:39:16,920 Speaker 1: Black Girls dot com slash Session two to four, and 704 00:39:16,960 --> 00:39:19,360 Speaker 1: don't forget to share this episode with two other sisters 705 00:39:19,360 --> 00:39:22,520 Speaker 1: in your life who just might appreciate the conversation. If 706 00:39:22,560 --> 00:39:25,200 Speaker 1: you're looking for a therapist in your area, be sure 707 00:39:25,239 --> 00:39:27,879 Speaker 1: to check out our therapist directory at Therapy for Black 708 00:39:27,920 --> 00:39:30,840 Speaker 1: Girls dot com slash directory. And if you want to 709 00:39:30,840 --> 00:39:34,040 Speaker 1: continue digging into this topic, or just being community with 710 00:39:34,040 --> 00:39:36,480 Speaker 1: other sisters. Come on over and join us in the 711 00:39:36,520 --> 00:39:39,840 Speaker 1: Sister Circle. It's our cozy corner of the Internet design 712 00:39:39,960 --> 00:39:42,840 Speaker 1: just for black women. You can join us at community 713 00:39:42,880 --> 00:39:45,680 Speaker 1: dot therapy for black girls dot com. Thank you all 714 00:39:45,719 --> 00:39:48,080 Speaker 1: so much for joining me again this week. I look 715 00:39:48,120 --> 00:39:51,399 Speaker 1: forward to continue in this conversation with you all real soon. 716 00:39:52,040 --> 00:39:52,759 Speaker 1: Take good care.