My Website - http://iamlaurenrose.com My Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/laurenr_rose My Book - https://www.amazon.com.au/Here-You-Are-Courageous-Relationship/dp/1401994415

In this episode of Us Anxious Folk, I’m joined by Flo Hohenleitner, who spent years climbing the corporate ladder after moving to Malta a decade ago, eventually stepping into leadership roles—while privately battling severe anxiety. A breaking point came in New York, where a major panic attack pushed him to make a life-changing choice: to face his anxiety head-on. That decision led him to Bali, where he immersed himself in mindfulness, wellness, and connection-based practices. Today, he’s an event organiser and the host of Grow with the Flo, a podcast exploring how to grow with more presence, openness, and intention. Flo opens up about his 10-year journey with anxiety—particularly toilet anxiety and panic—and the ways it shaped his daily life, relationships, and ability to travel. From worrying about using bathrooms while apartment hunting with his girlfriend, to panic attacks in taxis, restaurants, and even while abroad, his story is both raw and deeply relatable.

We dive into:

* How anxiety can intensify over time, and what it looks like when it begins to dominate everyday life.

* The turning point when a panic attack in New York forced Flo to confront his fears, eventually leading him to build a new life in Bali.

* The complicated impact of toilet anxiety—from romantic relationships to the constant fear of being an “inconvenience” to others.

* The importance of vulnerability, openness, and self-compassion in managing anxiety and connecting with others.

* Practical ways Flo manages his anxiety today: mindfulness, movement, focusing on the present, and speaking openly about his experiences.

Flo’s story is a reminder that even when life looks “successful” on the outside, it’s possible to be overwhelmed on the inside—and that both truths can exist at once. His journey shows the power of hitting rock bottom, choosing presence over fear, and learning to live with anxiety rather than against it. You can find Flo on instagram https://www.instagram.com/grow.with_the.flo/ YouTube @GrowWithTheFloPodcast and Spotify

If you would like to be a guest on the podcast and share your anxiety story, please get in touch with me at hello@iamlaurenrose.com. I would love to have you!

For all enquiries, please email me at "hello@iamlaurenrose.com"

If you are struggling with an anxiety disorder, PLEASE don't be afraid to seek help. You can get help RIGHT NOW from Beyond Blue - call 1300 22 4636, or visit https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/get-immediate-support?&gclid=CjwKEAjwkPS6BRD2ioKR7K245jASJAD1ZqHOKpibw-KeAuRr2anqlMlyC8Kg0qn04AeBkubgTE1xhBoCN0Xw_wcB

Lauren Rose is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

In this episode of Us Anxious Folk, I talk about a concept that has been really helpful for me lately — the idea that two completely opposite truths can be true at the exact same time.

When you live with anxiety or panic, it’s easy to get stuck in “either/or” thinking — I have to fix this before I can do anything or I have to push through fear no matter what. But what if it’s actually possible to hold both: I’m anxious and I can still do this?

I share how this shift has shown up in my own life — from managing toilet anxiety to rethinking my morning routine — and how embracing this “dual truth” approach has given me more flexibility, more self-compassion, and way less pressure to get it “all right” before I live my life.

If you’ve ever felt like your anxiety leaves you stuck between doing nothing or burning yourself out by doing everything, this episode might just give you the middle ground you’ve been looking for. And, as always, if you feel called to be a guest on the podcast and share your anxiety story, I’d love to hear from you — you can reach me at hello@iamlaurenrose.com.

Lauren Rose is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

In this episode of Us Anxious Folk, I sit down with Michele from Canada to learn all about her journey with health anxiety. Michele shares how her experience with health anxiety began, how it shaped her, and how she’s learned to live alongside it with compassion (and a great sense of humour, too!)

We explore the impact of peri-menopause, the gaps in the medical system, and why common tools like meditation and breathwork don’t necessarily work for everyone. Michele speaks to the importance of intention, self-trust, and redefining what a “good” life looks like on your own terms.

This conversation had me in tears: from the moment we started chatting, Michele was someone I just knew I was going to adore. I hope this episode serves as a reminder that you’re not broken—and that even in the midst of anxiety, life can still be soft, joyful, and your own.

If you would like to be a guest on the podcast and share your anxiety story, please get in touch with me at hello@iamlaurenrose.com. I would love to have you!

My Website - http://iamlaurenrose.com

My Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/laurenr_rose

My Book - https://www.amazon.com.au/Here-You-Are-Courageous-Relationship/dp/1401994415

Lauren Rose is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

In this episode of Us Anxious Folk, I talk about the quiet shame so many of us carry when we live with anxiety or panic. These are the parts we often try to hide—the intrusive thoughts, the body symptoms (dodgy bowels, hello 🙋‍♀️), the overwhelming emotions. But what if naming them out loud is actually what helps us heal?

Reflecting on my own journey with toilet anxiety videos and blogging about my mental health, I discuss how sharing our inner experiences, especially the ones we feel most alone in, can create powerful moments of connection and relief.

If you've ever felt like your anxiety made you un-relatable or unworthy of support, this one's for you.

As always, if you feel called to be a guest on the podcast and share your anxiety story, please get in touch with me at hello@iamlaurenrose.com.

I would love to have you!

Lauren Rose and the Us Anxious Folk podcast is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

My Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/laurenr_rose

My Book - https://www.amazon.com.au/Here-You-Are-Courageous-Relationship/dp/1401994415

In this episode of Us Anxious Folk, I sit down with Sarah from Melbourne, who shares her raw and honest story of navigating postpartum depression.

We talk about that emotional crash so many new mums experience — but for Sarah, it went beyond the so-called "baby blues." Despite a smooth pregnancy, strong support system, and prior experience with children, Sarah opens up about the overwhelming sadness, the sudden loss of appetite, and those confronting moments of wondering if she'd made a mistake becoming a parent.

Together, we explore what it feels like to not instantly bond with your baby, how unhelpful the societal expectations around motherhood can be, and why saying “this is hard” is sometimes the bravest thing you can do. Sarah speaks openly about the decision to stop breastfeeding, the lifesaving role her husband and community played, and the importance of seeking help quickly.

We also touch on identity, parenthood as a working mother, and letting go of the idea that motherhood has to look a certain way, including what it means to be a “good” parent—even when it doesn’t feel natural.

If you’ve ever felt like you weren’t sure where you fit in the chaos of new parenthood, or if motherhood hasn’t felt like the magical transformation people say it should be, this conversation is for you. It’s messy, unfiltered, humorous, and a deeply real conversation about identity, expectations, and mental health.

If you would like to be a guest on the podcast and share your anxiety story, please get in touch with me at hello@iamlaurenrose.com. I would love to have you!

If you are struggling with an anxiety disorder, PLEASE don't be afraid to seek help. You can get help RIGHT NOW from Beyond Blue - call 1300 22 4636, or visit https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/get-immediate-support?&gclid=CjwKEAjwkPS6BRD2ioKR7K245jASJAD1ZqHOKpibw-KeAuRr2anqlMlyC8Kg0qn04AeBkubgTE1xhBoCN0Xw_wcB

My Website - http://iamlaurenrose.comMy Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/laurenr_roseMy Book - https://www.amazon.com.au/Here-You-Are-Courageous-Relationship/dp/1401994415

In this episode of Us Anxious Folk, I dive deep into the topic of fear — how it shows up for those of us living with anxiety, how we try to suppress it, and the creative ways it leaks out into our lives.

I talk about my own experiences with the fear as an emotion, and how I've learned that pushing it down can turn into irrational thoughts and slew of spicy physical symptoms. I discuss the idea of making space for fear instead of battling it — letting it speak, acknowledging its presence, and recognizing the deeper fears beneath our surface worries.

We'll go through a journaling exercise of writing a letter to fear, and how doing this it helped me see that so many of my anxieties come back to a core fear of not being accepted or making the wrong choices.

If you’ve ever felt like fear was something you just can't escape from, I hope this episode gives you some food for thought and some compassion for yourself along the way. If you would like to be a guest on the podcast and share your anxiety story, please get in touch with me at hello@iamlaurenrose.com.I would love to have you!If you are struggling with an anxiety disorder, PLEASE don't be afraid to seek help. You can get help RIGHT NOW from Beyond Blue - call 1300 22 4636, or visithttps://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/get-immediate-support?&gclid=CjwKEAjwkPS6BRD2ioKR7K245jASJAD1ZqHOKpibw-KeAuRr2anqlMlyC8Kg0qn04AeBkubgTE1xhBoCN0Xw_wcB

In this episode of Us Anxious Folk, I chat with Anneka from the UK about her powerful journey through agoraphobia, panic disorder, and the healing journey.

From a life-altering panic attack on the motorway to navigating enclosed spaces and hospital visits, Anneka shares the raw reality of living with anxiety—and the steps she's taken toward healing. We touch on everything from therapy and medication to small wins, self-compassion, and the community she’s built to support others. It’s an honest, hopeful conversation about facing fear and finding your way back to yourself.

Anneka is an absolute ray of sunshine and I know you guys will enjoy this chat as much as I did!

You can find Anneka at https://www.instagram.com/anneka.panicker/and https://www.annekapanicker.co.uk/

If you would like to be a guest on the podcast and share your anxiety story, please get in touch with me at hello@iamlaurenrose.com.I would love to have you!For all enquiries, please email me at "hello@iamlaurenrose.com"My Website - http://iamlaurenrose.comMy Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/laurenr_roseMy Book - https://www.amazon.com.au/Here-You-Are-Courageous-Relationship/dp/1401994415If you are struggling with an anxiety disorder, PLEASE don't be afraid to seek help. You can get help RIGHT NOW from Beyond Blue - call 1300 22 4636, or visithttps://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/get-immediate-support?&gclid=CjwKEAjwkPS6BRD2ioKR7K245jASJAD1ZqHOKpibw-KeAuRr2anqlMlyC8Kg0qn04AeBkubgTE1xhBoCN0Xw_wcB

In this episode of Us Anxious Folk, I reflect on a comment I received that really stuck with me. A listener shared how a video of mine inspired them to face discomfort because, as they put it, "I want to live." It made me think about my own struggles with wanting to live fully but often holding myself back due to anxiety, fear, and the desire to be "perfectly ready." So many of us live in the "waiting room" of life, telling ourselves we’ll do things when everything aligns—when we’re less anxious, when we have more time or money, when things feel more "right."

I dive into the idea that waiting to live fully can hold us back from experiencing life right now. We get so caught up in the mental loop, waiting for the perfect circumstances or for the "perfect bus" to come, when, in reality, life is already happening. I explore how anxiety physically manifests in our bodies, making it hard to move, but how connecting with our bodies through movement—whether it’s dance, yoga, or something playful—can be a game-changer.

If you're in that place of waiting or holding back, I hope this episode encourages you to take action now, in whatever way feels possible for you. As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts on what this episode brings up for you.

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If you would like to be a guest on the podcast and share your anxiety story, please get in touch with me at hello@iamlaurenrose.com. I would love to have you!