In this episode of the Anxiety Society Podcast, host Cali Werner welcomes Ryan Judd, clinical director of the OCD Institute, to explore the critical role of sports psychology and performance mindset in managing anxiety and improving athletic performance. Drawing from personal experiences and professional insights, they dive into the intricacies of athlete psychology, examining how mindset can either hinder or enhance performance.

• Mindset vs. Performance: The importance of understanding how mindset influences athletic performance, particularly in endurance sports, where mental fortitude is crucial.
• Types of Motivation: Discussion on intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivation and its effect on performance, highlighting the need for athletes to cultivate intrinsic enjoyment of their sport.
• Embracing Mistakes: Acknowledging that mistakes are a natural part of the learning process and strategies to foster resilience instead of perfectionism.
• Process Goals: The significance of focusing on process goals over outcome goals to reduce anxiety and improve performance, allowing athletes to concentrate on what they can control.
• Coping with Performance Anxiety: Techniques to reframe anxiety as excitement and the value of pre-performance routines to enhance confidence without resorting to superstitions.

• "The best athletes aren't necessarily perfect at what they do; they just recover from their mistakes faster." - Ryan Judd
• "Every time I go and run a race, I'm more anxious if I don't have anxiety because I need to be prepared." - Ryan Judd
• "When you can make losing an enjoyable experience, that's a skill for all of us to have." - Cali Werner

• 00:00 - Introduction: Introduction of hosts and overview.
• 01:08 - Sports Psychology Discussion: Cali and Ryan share their backgrounds in sports and psychology.
• 09:14 - The Role of Mindset: Explaining how mindset affects athletic performance.
• 19:06 - Motivation Types: Discussing intrinsic and extrinsic motivation.
• 28:04 - Learning from Mistakes: The importance of viewing mistakes as feedback.
• 46:20 - Balancing Enjoyment in Sports: Strategies for enjoying sports even in competition.

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Overview:

This episode dives into the importance of embracing discomfort for personal growth. Hosts Dr. Elizabeth McIngvale & Cali Werner explore how avoiding discomfort hinders critical thinking & limits our ability to experience true joy. They discuss the challenges of navigating difficult conversations, the impact of societal polarization on critical thinking, & the need to challenge our own beliefs. The episode also touches on the connection between self-awareness & emotional intelligence, offering practical tips for listeners to lean into discomfort & foster personal growth.

Key Insights:

• Discomfort is essential for growth: True joy & meaningful experiences often arise from embracing uncomfortable situations.
• Critical thinking requires discomfort: The polarization of society discourages critical thinking because people avoid uncomfortable conversations and perspectives.
• Self-awareness is a starting point: Recognizing our anxieties and discomfort is the first step, but taking action to address them is crucial for personal development.
• Difficult conversations are valuable: While uncomfortable, these conversations foster deeper connections & understanding in relationships.
• Avoiding discomfort limits our potential: Rushing to decisions or avoiding difficult situations hinders growth in personal, professional, & familial relationships.

Notable Moments + Quotes:

• [00:02:08] "Growth comes from discomfort. It doesn’t come from comfort."
• [00:09:06] "…the world has gone so polarizing… that we’ve lost space for critical thinking because people don’t want to be uncomfortable."
• [00:10:13] "…individuals who have no tolerance for anxiety or no tolerance for uncertainty don’t actually get to get the real experience of joy."
• [00:25:46] "When we rush to a decision so that we don’t have to feel discomfort, is that really allowing you to grow?"
• [00:31:39] "Without discomfort, you cannot grow."
• [00:36:26] "…self awareness alone doesn’t mean other people accommodate… Self awareness is, ‘Hey. I’m aware that I struggle with this… and so can I lean into it?’”

Timestamps:

• [00:00:00] Introduction
• [00:01:10] Cali’s awkward neighbor story + the importance of self-awareness
• [00:04:40] Cali’s anxious moment: Avoiding thoughts about upcoming delivery
• [00:07:50] Discussion about discomfort tolerance
• [00:08:25] Leaning into discomfort
• [00:10:41] Two types of self-awareness: Internal + External
• [00:10:50] The link between self-awareness + McDonald’s fries (a critical thinking example)
• [00:17:04] The importance of evidence-based medicine in relation to anxiety + the dangers of black + white thinking
• [00:22:18] Where do you need to grow in self-awareness?
• [00:30:32] Choosing to lean into discomfort
• [00:31:50] Algorithms + critical thinking
• [00:35:01] Self-awareness without action
• [00:36:20] Challenge: Embrace self-awareness + take action
• [00:37:51] Conclusion + Call to Action

Call to Action:

Subscribe to The Anxiety Society Podcast on your favorite platform! Leave a review + follow us on Instagram @theanxietysocietypod for more content + to connect with our community! Submit your questions at theanxietysocietypodcast.com! Let's get comfortable being uncomfortable together!

Episode Overview:

In this compelling episode of The Anxiety Society Podcast, hosts Dr. Elizabeth McIngvale and Cali Werner sit down with nationally recognized expert Dr. Robert Smith to explore the urgent intersection of medical and mental health care in the United States. Dr. Smith, author of Has Medicine Lost Its Mind?, shares eye-opening research that reveals why 75% of mental health care is provided by primary care doctors who lack adequate training in this field. Together, they unpack the systemic challenges, discuss the gaps within both medical and mental health professions, and offer practical guidance for individuals seeking quality care. This episode is a frank, informative, and urgent call to action for reform, evidenced-based training, and public advocacy.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Introduction to Dr. Robert Smith and his groundbreaking work in patient-centered mental health care
• Personal "anxious moments" shared by the hosts and Dr. Smith
• The critical shortcomings of mental health training in medical education: only 2% focus on mental health
• Why 75% of mental health care is delivered by undertrained primary care physicians and the dangerous consequences
• The disconnect between medical training and real-world mental health needs
• The role and limitations of psychiatrists, psychologists, and counselors in current care models
• The prevalence of unregulated and unlicensed mental health support, including concerns with life coaches
• The need for integrated, supervised, and evidence-based mental health training for all medical providers including nurse practitioners and PAs
• The impact of untreated mental health disorders on physical health, medical outcomes, and healthcare costs
• Dr. Smith’s advocacy for a national investigation and systemic reform, inspired by historical public health movements
• Practical advice for patients on advocating for themselves and seeking appropriate referrals
• Clarifying the importance of specialized, evidence-based mental health care and how to identify qualified providers
• Hopeful strategies and self-help practices individuals can engage in while systemic changes take place

Notable Quotes & Moments:

• “Seventy-five percent of all mental health care in the US is provided by primary care docs like me. Here’s the problem: they forgot to train us in mental health care.” — Dr. Robert Smith [07:22]
• “Doctors like me prescribing opioids for which we are not trained are killing 15 to 17 thousand people a year in opioid overdoses.” — Dr. Robert Smith [08:02]
• “Most people think their mental health care is as good as their medical care. It’s not. And medicine isn’t doing anything about it.” — Dr. Robert Smith [06:50]
• “Mental health clinicians are often trained in non-evidence-based interventions. You can’t go to an oncologist who practices outside of evidence-based care, but in mental health, this happens all the time.” — Elizabeth McIngvale [30:16]
• “If you think you have a mental health problem, tell your doctor directly and ask for a referral to a qualified mental health professional.” — Dr. Robert Smith [18:36]
• “The squeaky wheel gets the grease. Be forward. Get your family involved. Don’t isolate yourself.” — Dr. Robert Smith [42:40]
• “This book is for the public, not just medical or mental health professionals. We want people to get angry enough to demand change.” — Dr. Robert Smith [25:02]

Timestamps for Significant Segments:

• 00:00 – Welcome and introductions by Elizabeth McIngvale and Cali Werner
• 02:30 – Introduction of Dr. Robert Smith and his work
• 03:30 – Sharing personal...