The worst part of anxiety is not the feeling. It's the loop. The "what if" that keeps feeding itself until it feels like truth.

Dr. Marc Brackett sits down with Dr. Judson Brewer to unpack how worry becomes a habit, why reassurance and mental debate often backfire, and how curiosity can disrupt the cycle without forcing you to "think positive."

In this conversation:

• How anxiety becomes a loop: trigger → worry → short relief → more worry
• Why worrying feels like control even when it isn't
• Curiosity as the interrupt that changes the pattern
• Anxiety vs stress vs overwhelm and why precise labeling matters
• A simple way to shift from "oh no" to "oh"

Links

Marc Brackett: https://marcbrackett.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/marc.brackett

X: https://x.com/marcbrackett

Facebook: https://facebook.com/drmarcbrackett

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/drmarcbrackett

About the guest

Dr. Judson Brewer is a psychiatrist and neuroscientist who studies habit change and anxiety.

Judd's books: Unwinding Anxiety, The Craving Mind, The Hunger Habit

https://drjud.com

Programs & resources:

https://goingbeyondanxiety.com

https://juddbrewer.substack.com

Dr. Marc Brackett's Books

• Permission to Feel
• Dealing with Feeling

Explore Marc Brackett's work at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, where he serves as founding director, and learn more about RULER—an evidence-based, systemic approach to SEL developed at Yale that supports leaders, educators, students, and families in building emotional intelligence and creating healthier school climates.

A special thank you to the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence for supporting this webcast. I also want to thank Oji Life Lab for their generous support. Visit https://ojilifelab.com and use promo code DEALINGWITHFEELINGS to save 25%.