303: The Anxiety Survival Guide with The Anxiety Sisters

The Michelle Chalfant Show — Life from the Adult Chair

02/24/22 • 56 min

Do you know what anxiety really feels like? I’m not talking about the emotions of fear or stress, but what it feels like in your body.

So many of us live with anxiety and don’t even know it because it’s SO physical. It’s even easy to mistake it for physical disease, like heart issues or digestive issues.

That was the case for Abbe Greenberg and Maggie Sarachek, two soul sisters who are both mental health professionals and the founders of Anxiety Sisters, a supportive community for those living with anxiety. Though they can now see how their anxiety began showing up in early childhood, for years, they bounced from doctor to doctor and even spent time in the hospital before realizing the root cause of their suffering was anxiety.

This began their passion to help raise awareness around anxiety and help anxiety sufferers learn how to live full, happy lives – anxiety and all. We had an incredible conversation about all things anxiety and how to heal it, and I resonated with so many parts of their story...these ladies are the real deal!

Listen to discover:

Our stories of recognizing and healing anxiety
How anxiety manifests as physical symptoms
The power of acceptance in managing anxiety
Why connection is key to healing anxiety
How to pack a "spin kit" so you'll be prepared when anxiety strikes
The difference between anxiety and a panic attack
How to overcome phobias and agoraphobia

I know I have a lot of favorite topics, but anxiety is one I really feel we can't talk about enough. Too many people in the world are suffering from anxiety without even knowing it, and we have so many tools – from our support system to our sensory system – to help us find peace and balance in life.

It’s not about never feeling anxious again but learning how to find your own brand of happiness and how to take charge so anxiety no longer runs the show.

"I still didn't have the vocabulary or the words to make these connections of what I was feeling and how that was connected to anxiety." - Maggie Sarachek

"Anxiety becomes really debilitating when it's in the driver's seat." - Abbe Greenberg

"I think there is this process of accepting anxiety." - Maggie Sarachek

"Acceptance doesn't mean anything other than, 'This is where I am.’" - Michelle Chalfant

"Our brand of happy is anxious happy." - Abbe Greenberg

"Anxiety can no longer sneak up on you. And when it can't sneak up on you, it takes away two thirds of its power." - Abbe Greenberg

"No two people have the same exact anxiety and panic." - Michelle Chalfant

LINKS & RESOURCES

Anxiety Sisters Website

https://anxietysisters.com/

Anxiety Sisters Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/anxietysisters

*Home of a Tuesday night book club + supportive community