From struggling to thriving: managing fears, anxieties, and worries with Michael Heady, LCPC

Accepting negative stories about myself and questioning my abilities, Disengaging and using safety crutches

Few times we have the opportunity to see how therapists walk the walk, put into action what they know about managing fears, anxieties, and worries, and what it means to make a shift from struggling to thriving.

In this personal, relatable, and real conversation, I chat with Michael Heady, LCPC, and discuss how the fears of making mistakes, having high standards and imposter syndrome show up and how we all can learn to handle them effectively.⁠

About Michael

Michael has been treating OCD and OC-related disorders for over a decade. He received extensive post-graduate mentoring and supervision with regionally and nationally recognized experts in the field of anxiety and OCD at the Anxiety & Stress Disorders Institute of MD. He was trained extensively in the application of CBT and ERP for OCD and all of the anxiety disorders. He also has extensive training in the application of third-wave therapies including ACT and MBCT. He attend annual workshops on anxiety and OCD treatment through the Anxiety and Depression Association of America and IOCDF.

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Struggling to Thriving<br />

Resources

Show notes with time-stamps

01:07 Navigating Fears and Anxieties
05:11 The Fear of Making Mistakes: A Personal Journey
27:58 Overcoming Imposter Syndrome and Embracing Challenges
31:59 A Hypothetical Coffee with Barack Obama
 

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About Dr. Z.

I’m originally from Bolivia, South America, and am a psychologist by training. I’m formally trained in empirically supported treatments, and when I say “formally,” I mean that since 2004 I have received intensive training in them, particularly in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT). 

Over the past 18 years, I have created resources for and worked with overthinkers and overachievers dealing with all types of anxiety-related struggles: perfectionism, procrastination, productivity anxiety, uncertainty intolerance, indecision, impostor phenomenon, overthinking, phobias, rumination, panic, worry and obsessive-compulsive disorder. I absolutely love my job!

In 2019, I was nominated as a fellow by the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science because of my contributions related to the applications of ACT for anxiety-based struggles. I’m the author of seven books and the co-author of three (see the section on previously written books).

I’m the founder and director of the East Bay Behavior Therapy Center, a boutique private center in the San Francisco Bay Area that offers therapy and coaching for anyone experiencing anxiety-based struggles.

In 2023, I gave a TEDx talk, “Stop playing-it-safe and start living” that has more than 264K downloads.

While I’m a psychologist by training and science-based by passion, my style is jargon-free, accessible, caring, and lighthearted; teaching ACT skills doesn’t have to be boring or inaccessible, so I do my best to make every skill I teach—in any format—as engaging as possible. 

I believe that learning to navigate anxiety-based reactions is one of the key skills of the 21st century, and I’m passionate about it.

I'm passionate about disseminating ACT skills for anxiety-based struggles.

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