Best Josh Fletcher and Drew Linsalata Podcasts (2025)

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How Long Does De-Sensitization Take? (Episode 128) 37:11

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2h ago37:11

37:11

One of the most common questions we hear from people working through anxiety disorders and OCD is: "How long is this going to take?" In this episode, Drew and Josh tackle the timeline question head-on—but probably not in the way you're expecting. We explore why asking "how long until I recover?" might be the wrong question, and why shifting to "how…

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"Anxiety Recovery OCD?" (Episode 127) 44:41

5d ago44:41

44:41

Can your focus on getting better actually make things worse? In this episode, we explore what happens when the recovery process itself becomes an obsession - coining the term "Recovery OCD" to describe the fixation many people develop around their anxiety recovery journey. We dig into the counterintuitive reality that constantly checking "Am I reco…

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When The News Triggers Anxiety (Episode 126) 41:25

11d ago41:25

41:25

How do you handle anxiety when the news feels overwhelming? With constant exposure to current events, political tensions, and global crises through social media and traditional news sources, it's no wonder many people with anxiety disorders find themselves struggling. This week on Disordered we're talking about the complex relationship between news…

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Did It Anyway - Volume 4 (Episode 125) 46:38

18d ago46:38

46:38

Welcome to another inspiring round of "Did It Anyway" stories, where we celebrate real wins from our community members who chose to move forward despite their anxiety. In this episode, Drew and Josh share powerful listener stories that illustrate a fundamental truth about anxiety recovery: you can take meaningful action even when you feel scared, u…

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Anxiety and Mental Health Misinformation w/Dr. Birthe Macdonald (Episode 124) 50:36

25d ago50:36

50:36

In this essential episode, Drew and Josh are joined by Dr. Birthe Macdonald, a psychologist and neuroscience researcher who's become a vital voice in combating mental health misinformation on social media. The conversation tackles the overwhelming sea of questionable advice that anxious people encounter online, from vagus nerve stimulation devices …

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Anxiety Recovery: Semantics and Choosing Words Wisely (Episode 123) 47:49

1M ago47:49

47:49

In this episode, we explore how the language we use to describe our anxiety experiences can either fuel our struggles or support our recovery. We examine the difference between helpful and unhelpful ways of talking about panic attacks, intrusive thoughts, and anxiety symptoms. We discuss why saying "it feels like I'm dying" versus "I'm experiencing…

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Have You Learned How To Panic Yet? (Episode 122) 38:30

1M ago38:30

38:30

In this episode, Josh and Drew tackle one of the most counterintuitive concepts in overcoming panic attacks: learning how to panic better, rather than trying to avoid panic altogether. When facing a new job triggers familiar panic patterns, many people focus on preventing anxiety rather than developing a healthier relationship with it. Drew and Jos…

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Forgiving Yourself In Anxiety Recovery (Episode 121) 36:15

2M ago36:15

36:15

When you're struggling with anxiety disorders, you often do things that don't reflect who you really are - avoiding social gatherings, canceling plans, or making demands on loved ones that you normally wouldn't. As you start to recover, it's common to feel overwhelming guilt about how your anxiety affected the people around you. In this episode, Dr…

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Anxiety and the Death of Curiosity (Episode 120) 39:12

2M ago39:12

39:12

When anxiety takes hold, one of the first casualties is our natural sense of wonder and openness to new experiences. In this episode of Disordered, lets explore how anxiety disorders systematically erode our curiosity about the world around us and our own capabilities. Drew and Josh discuss how anxiety creates a rigid, self-focused mindset that ask…

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Processing ... Or Anxious Thinking? (Episode 119) 37:23

2M ago37:23

37:23

When something shocking or difficult happens, we're often told we need to "process" our emotions. But what if that endless loop of replaying events in your mind isn't actually processing at all? In this episode, Drew and Josh explore the crucial difference between healthy emotional processing and anxious rumination that keeps us stuck. How to disti…

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Healing in Anxiety Disorders (Episode 118) 44:09

2M ago44:09

44:09

In this episode of Disordered, the guys tackle one of the most misunderstood concepts in anxiety recovery: healing. Sparked by a listener question about balancing relationships with anxiety recovery work, the hosts dive deep into what healing anxiety really means - and what it doesn't. The Problem with "Healing" Language Drew and Josh explore how t…

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Getting Out Of An Anxious Head (Episode 117) 37:38

3M ago37:38

37:38

Ever feel trapped in cycles of rumination, overthinking, and constant mental chatter about your anxiety? In this episode, Drew and Josh tackle the challenging question of how to "get out of your own head" without turning it into another exhausting battle. Starting with a thoughtful question from a listener who has built an impressive life despite o…

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Anxiety and The Illusion of Control (Episode 116) 42:25

3M ago42:25

42:25

What If I Want To Control My Anxiety Holistically? In this episode, Drew and Josh examine tension between wanting to control anxiety through holistic approaches and recognizing when that desire for control becomes part of the problem itself. Key Topics Discussed: The difference between actual control and the illusion of control How the wellness and…

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Anxiety Recovery - Am I Doing Too Much (Episode 115) 38:55

3M ago38:55

38:55

Am I Doing Too Much Recovery/Exposure? This week Drew and Josh tackle a common question in anxiety recovery: "Am I pushing myself too hard with exposures?" The guys explore the nuanced balance between challenging yourself and recognizing when you might genuinely need rest. In this episode: How to distinguish between being genuinely depleted versus …

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Listener Questions About Anxiety & Recovery (Episode 114) 44:47

4M ago44:47

44:47

This week Drew and Josh are answering questions from listeners. Questions addressed in this episode include: Is it "normal" to feel a letdown after completing and big successful exposure/challenge? What work can we do to address the fawn response? Isn't a panic attack a medical emergency? How can it possibly be safe to experience panic?! Staying of…

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Death Anxiety w/Professor David Veale (Episode 113) 39:45

4M ago39:45

39:45

Death anxiety - an obsessive fixation on death, dying and existence driven by intense fear of the inevitability of death - is a very common experience for listeners of Disordered. This week Josh and Drew were lucky enough to have a chat with Professor David Veale, one of the leading authorities in in the UK on the topic of death anxiety and mental …

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Rumination ... Or Reflection? (Episode 112) 39:31

4M ago39:31

39:31

What's the difference between rumination and reflection? Ruminators, worriers, and over thinkers often struggle to recognize the useful limits of thinking. They can become unsure when they are engaging in helpful reflection or problem solving .... and when they are ruminating and worrying with no good outcomes and often actual negative outcomes. Th…

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If Its Anxiety .... It MUST Be Trauma! (Episode 111) 46:18

4M ago46:18

46:18

This week on Disordered we're discussing the all too common narrative in wellness circles that demands that we ascribe all anxiety or suffering of any kind to unhealed or unprocessed trauma. And while its certainly a good thing that we are more concerned with life experiences than structural defects now, this narrative can be unhelpful or even harm…

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Anxiety Recovery: Worse Before Better - Part II (Episode 110) 41:22

4M ago41:22

41:22

"Help! I started doing exposures and trying to accept my anxiety and its getting worse!" This is a very common experience in anxiety disorder recovery. Its been spoken about at great length in the community surrounding the Disordered podcast. This week we're tackling the "worse before better" issue. When you stop running, hiding, avoiding, escaping…

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My Anxiety Makes Me Frustrated / Angry / Sad / Guilty! (Episode 109) 38:49

5M ago38:49

38:49

When we struggle with chronic or disordered anxiety, we regularly experience powerful emotions that tend to look like fear or tension. We may experience intense feelings of being vulnerable, or doomed. We talk about these things all the time. But what about when you have emotions about having those emotions? Struggling to overcome an anxiety proble…

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Anxiety, ChatGPT, AI, Reddit ... and Dr. Google (Episode 108) 45:22

5M ago45:22

45:22

"Hey ChatGPT. Please tell me how I'll know if I'm accepting my anxiety or avoiding it." "Hey ChatGPT. When I get anxious my vision gets weird. Can anxiety do that? " "Hello Reddit. Does anyone else feel like ...." The guys are back after a short break to talk about the use of ChatGPT, AI, Reddit, Google, and the Internet in general in the context o…

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Two Week Break - April 18, 2025 2:28

6M ago2:28

2:28

We're taking a short two week break, so no new episode of Disordered for April 18 or April 25. We'll be back again on May 2! In the meanwhile, head over to disordered.fm and check out our back catalog of episodes. We've done some cool (and fun) stuff over the last two years so check it out. Thank you for all your support. We really appreciate all o…

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Doing ... And NOT Doing ... In Anxiety Recovery (Episode 107) 40:24

6M ago40:24

40:24

When working on anxiety recovery, sometimes we're DOING. Other times we have to focus on NOT doing. How confusing is that!? This week Drew and Josh are chatting about how DOING things specific to anxiety recovery and NOT DOING things specific to anxiety recovery are related and how these two concepts work together. In a nutshell, doing is about act…

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Emetophobia - Fear of Vomiting w/Dara Lovitz & Dr. David Yusko (Episode 106) 48:23

6M ago48:23

48:23

Emetophobia - an intense fear of vomiting and any thoughts or sensations associated with vomiting - is a more common struggle among anxious people than anyone might initial think. But Emetophobia can make its way into virtually every aspect of life, often resulting in a highly restricted lifestyle and a dramatic decrease in the ability to function.…

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Existential Anxiety With Depersonalization/De-Realization (Episode 105) 44:22

6M ago44:22

44:22

One of the perfect storms in the anxiety disorder world is the combination of existential related anxiety with the sensations/experiences of depersonalization and derealization. Unfortunately for many, this is a common combination and it can be so difficult to understand and address that it seemed an episode dedicated to this issue was in order. As…

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Anxiety and "Incomplete" Recovery (Episode 104) 38:11

7M ago38:11

38:11

Do you feel like you've "mostly" overcome your chronic or disordered anxiety issues but there are still challenges that linger? Maybe you've felt fully recovered once before, or even several times before, but you keep finding yourself back in the thick of it or unable to overcome a few specific challenges. If this is you, then tune in as Josh and D…

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Anxiety and Flying w/Dr. David Carbonell (Episode 103) 42:09

7M ago42:09

42:09

When working to overcome an anxiety disorder, the biggest challenge many in our community can identify is flying. For chronically anxious people, the idea of getting on a plane, being trapped for hours, and being terrified or out of control for that long seems like something they will never be able to. Even for people that are well on the way to re…

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Self-Soothing When Anxiety Appears? (Episode 102) 45:13

7M ago45:13

45:13

How can I learn to self-soothe when I get anxious and I'm terrified of my body or my thoughts? Well ... while it might seem like launching into a soothing technique designed to control the fight or flight response is a good idea, this week Josh and Drew are talking about why the concept of self-soothing doesn't automatically make sense in the conte…

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Breathing/Breath Anxiety (Episode 101) 44:10

7M ago44:10

44:10

Breathing anxiety! This is such a common issue in the Disordered community. Breathing or breath focused anxiety often involves a few key concepts: "I feel like I can't get a deep enough breath!" "When I get really anxious it feels like I can't breathe." "I'm super focused on my breath all day long and I hate it!" Today we're joined by clinical psyc…

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Did It Anyway - Volume 3 (Episode 100) 42:15

7M ago42:15

42:15

To celebrate the 100th episode (and over a million downloads) of Disordered, we thought celebrating listener and community wins would be a great way to mark the occasion! Disordered would not exist without you, and when you guys do brave things, face your fear, learn lessons from that, and rise to meet challenges you previously thought impossible t…

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Existential Anxiety! (Episode 99) 43:09

8M ago43:09

43:09

What is existence? What is the point of all this? Do I even really exist? The universe is so insanely huge! What even is time? What happens when we die? These are questions all humans ask - and have been asking since we developed language. They are normal. They can even be fun questions to ask. An entire section of the human race dedicates itself t…

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Willful Tolerance and the Sensitized State (Episode 98) 39:01

8M ago39:01

39:01

When Drew and Josh form a band, they will call it "Willful Tolerance and the Sensitized State". Kinda like Stevie Ray Vaughn and Double Trouble .... but way cooler. But before then, they're releasing this episode of Disordered, which takes a look at the relationship between a sensitized state - where everything seems scary and triggering and you fe…

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The Compassionate Mind - The Role of Compassion in Anxiety Recovery (Episode 97) 47:33

8M ago47:33

47:33

If being anxious means you are less than, defective, doing it wrong, or that you are at fault for not being able to control or stop your anxiety, you may be struggling to move forward in recovery. If you feel that being an anxious person is proof that you are unworthy or defective, or if you feel that you are bringing it all on yourself because you…

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Anxiety ... Without Judgment? (Episode 96) 39:42

8M ago39:42

39:42

I hate anxiety and panic. I hate my intrusive scary thoughts. I fear them. Why does everyone keep talking about "not judging". I MUST judge them! When addressing anxiety disorders, most modern, empirically validated effective treatments involve elements of mindfulness and acceptance. This means learning to experience anxiety without judgment or eva…

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Real Event OCD (Episode 95) 39:59

9M ago39:59

39:59

BUT THIS REALLY HAPPENED! You have an event in your past that you just can't stop thinking about and ruminating on, and the feelings you are getting about that event are incredibly intense and feel overpowering. Those feelings might include guilt, shame, embarrassment, anxiety, or worry about your status as a good person. But no matter how much you…

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Anxiety Insights w/Dr Sally Winston and Dr. Martin Seif (Episode 94) 53:54

9M ago53:54

53:54

This week on Disordered we're having a good old anxiety Q&A session, except the people answering the questions are legends in the area of anxiety disorders! Drs Sally Winston and Marty Seif are here this week to take questions from our listeners and to share some of the insights they gained over years of working with anxiety disorders. There's a re…

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Anxiety Recovery ... Chasing "Rest and Digest" (Episode 93) 45:09

9M ago45:09

45:09

"I MUST BE CALM OR ALL BETS ARE OFF!" If this feels like a rule you're living by, you may find that you're chasing calm all the time, looking for ways to force your way into the coveted parasympathetic "rest and digest" state. Anxious people tend to work very hard to create calm and to maintain it at all costs. This week on Disordered the guys are …

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Anxiety Disorders .. The "Default Thought" (Episode 92) 36:07

9M ago36:07

36:07

There is a default thought that stands as thread that weaves itself throughout the life of a person struggling with disordered or chronic anxiety. "How do I feel?" This week Josh and Drew are looking at this default thought and the impact it has on an anxious person. All living humans will ask this question probably every day in some form, but anxi…

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I Get So Anxious When I'm Sick! (Episode 91) 40:09

9M ago40:09

40:09

"When I am ill, my anxiety goes through the roof!" Does this sound familiar? Many people struggling with disordered anxiety will say that if they get sick or feel unwell (i.e. a cold, a sore throat, the flu, etc.) they find that they are extremely anxious. If you experience this struggle, its not just you. This week Drew and Josh are examining the …

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Help! I'm In An Anxiety Spiral! (Episode 90) 39:59

10M ago39:59

39:59

"Spiraling" is one of the terms heard quite often in the community of people struggling with anxiety disorders. There's a trigger like a thought or a sensation, then in short order you feel completely out of control, being dragged down into the pit of fear where you thrash about trying to make it stop but failing and just feeling worse and worse. T…

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Anxiety Recovery: How Important Is Attention? (Episode 89) 44:35

10M ago44:35

44:35

How important is the concept of attention in driving an anxiety disorder and influencing the recovery process? VERY important! This week on Disordered we're up to our usual hijinks but also we're digging into the idea that attention - choosing to pay very close attention to how one feels and what one is thinking - is the primary driver of disordere…

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Anxiety, ACT, and The Happiness Trap w/ Dr Russ Harris (Episode 88) 47:27

10M ago47:27

47:27

The struggle in an anxiety disorder is seen in two almost automatic responses to anxiety - we either obey it and do what it tells us we must do, or we resist it by trying to fight it, argue with it, and wish it away over and over. This week on Disordered Dr. Russ Harris - one of the world's leading advocates for Acceptance and Committment Therapy (…

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Measuring Anxiety Disorder Recovery (Episode 87) 40:11

10M ago40:11

40:11

How can you tell if you're getting better? How do you measure or at least see progress when working on recovery from an anxiety disorder? What happens if you're "doing it anyway" but not seeing progress? This week on Disordered we're looking at the "green flags" of anxiety recovery. What are the signs that tell you that you're making progress even …

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Anxiety, Caffeine, Alcohol, and Cheeseburgers (Episode 86) 46:09

11M ago46:09

46:09

Do you have to give up coffee, tea, wine, pizza and cake to recover from an anxiety disorder? Well ... if you ask the Internet and consult general wellness influencers this question you're going to get answers that tend to collide with best practices among well trained therapists and counselors. No, you do not have to give up your favorite foods an…

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Obsessive and Compulsive? (Episode 85) 45:51

11M ago45:51

45:51

This week on Disordered we're starting with the assertion that all anxiety disorders are obsessive and compulsive in at least some way. Then we make our way through all the "usual suspects" Panic disorder Health anxiety Social anxiety GAD OCD (obviously) We're looking at the obsessional components of each anxiety flavor, and the corresponding commo…

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Listener Questions About Anxiety and Recovery (Episode 84) 40:03

11M ago40:03

40:03

This week Josh and Drew are answering questions from Disordered listeners. How to deal with the shame associated with anxiety and recovery when a partner or spouse isn't terribly supportive. How do re-gain confidence in oneself? What happens if you don't remember what non-anxious you was like? What about flushing, feeling hot, and getting goosebump…

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Anxiety Disorders - Primary vs Secondary Fear (Episode 83) 39:40

11M ago39:40

39:40

This week Drew and Josh are talking about secondary fear. When triggered into an anxious state by thoughts, sensations, or anything else, we ALL experience a jolt of fear or discomfort. This is primary fear and its simply part of being human. Overcoming an anxiety disorder is not about removing this natural, healthy response to possible threats. Pe…

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WHY Did I Develop An Anxiety Disorder? (Episode 82) 43:31

12M ago43:31

43:31

Everyone that develops an anxiety disorder wants to know why that happened. Why do some people develop disorders while others are anxious and stressed all the time without ever developing a disorder issue? Excellent question, and one that nobody would blame you for asking. This week on Disordered we're exploring the origins of anxiety disorders, wh…

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Learning To Be Bored in Anxiety Recovery (Episode 81) 44:16

12M ago44:16

44:16

Anxious people in recovery from chronic or disordered anxiety can find themselves bored ... and this is often a problem. This week on Disordered we're talking about learning to be bored. Yes, we have to learn how to be bored, which can be challenging if anxiety is a problem for you, but this is a skill well worth learning and practicing. Allowing y…

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Dating With an Anxiety Disorder (Episode 80) 43:21

12M ago43:21

43:21

"I want to get back into dating but I'm still struggling with anxiety. What should I do?" "It's been going well with this new person and I'm afraid to tell them about my anxiety problem. Any tips?" "Do I need to recover fully before I start dating again?" "What if I start to like this person then then drop me because of my anxiety?" This week on Di…

Josh Fletcher And Drew Linsalata Podcasts