Recommended EpisodesSecret #50: Happy High Achievers with Dr. Mary AndersonSecret #57: Conflict Resilience with Bob Bordone and Dr. Joel SalinasSecret #73: Confidence with Michael HeroldWhat if anxiety isn’t the enemy we think it is?In this episode, Dr. Tracy Dennis-Tiwary challenges the modern belief that anxiety is something to eliminate, suppress, or “fix.” Instead, she reframes anxiety as an essential human emotion that helps us prepare for uncertainty, pursue meaningful goals, and navigate life with courage and hope.Chris and Emma explore why we’ve become increasingly intolerant of discomfort, how avoidance fuels chronic anxiety, and why emotional resilience requires learning how to move through difficult feelings rather than around them. The conversation also explores parenting anxious children, performance anxiety in athletes, social support, and the powerful difference between fear and anxiety.This episode offers a compassionate and practical framework for understanding anxiety differently and for building a healthier relationship with discomfort, uncertainty, and emotional struggle.Key TakeawaysWhy anxiety is essential for growth and resilienceThe difference between fear and anxietyHow avoidance fuels chronic anxietyWhy emotional discomfort builds psychological flexibilityHow the “3Ls” framework helps manage anxietyView extended shownotes hereORDER Max Cross Gets Unstuck from Anger: An Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Workbook for Ages 8-12 (ACT Workbook series for kids)ORDER Justin Case Sits with Anxiety: An Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Workbook for Ages 8-12 (ACT Workbook Series for Kids)ORDER The Glumm Twins Unhook from Sadness: An Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Workbook for Ages 8-12 (ACT Workbook Series for Kids)

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.