• Why solving a problem doesn't always mean your nervous system feels safe
• The difference between stressors and stress, and why recovery matters
• How Human Giver Syndrome can quietly fuel burnout
• Why perfectionism keeps moving the finish line
• How impossible expectations convince us we are the problem
• The questions we've started asking ourselves instead of, "What do I need to fix?"

We also share our biggest Anxiety Wins of the week, reflect on the moments from this series that stayed with us most, and discuss how our perspectives on boundaries, productivity, and self-care have shifted.

You were never meant to perform endlessly. You don't have to earn your rest, your worth, or your compassion.

If these conversations resonated with you, we would be so grateful if you rated, reviewed, and followed Two Anxious Girls. And if someone in your life has been carrying too much for too long, consider sharing this episode with them; they may need the reminder that being human is enough.

Follow the podcast on Instagram @twoanxiousgirlspodcast

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Have a question for us? Email us at twoanxiousgirlspodcast@gmail.com

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Together, we unpack how women are often expected to succeed while navigating impossible, contradictory standards, and why anxiety so often convinces us that these systemic pressures are personal failures.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why so many women feel like they're never doing enough
• How anxiety turns unrealistic expectations into self-criticism
• The hidden emotional labor that contributes to chronic burnout
• Why productivity hacks can't fix impossible standards
• The difference between taking responsibility and taking the blame
• How to begin letting go of expectations that were never yours to carry

As always, we share therapist insights, relatable anxious spirals, and our favorite Anxiety Wins of the week, including lowering our own expectations, practicing self-compassion, and discovering that sometimes healing isn't about doing more, it's about putting something down.

Because not everything you're struggling with is a personal failure. Sometimes, the game really is rigged.

If this episode resonated with you, we would love for you to rate, review, and follow Two Anxious Girls. Share it with someone who's been carrying impossible expectations; we have a feeling they could use this reminder, too.

Follow the podcast on Instagram @twoanxiousgirlspodcast

Tiktok: twoanxiousgirls

Have a question for us? Email us at twoanxiousgirlspodcast@gmail.com

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If so, this episode is for you.

This week, we are delving into Chapter 2 of Burnout by Emily Nagoski and Amelia Nagoski to explore the concept of Human Giver Syndrome, the cultural expectation that women should constantly care for others while prioritizing their own needs last.

We unpack why people-pleasing feels so tied to anxiety, how chronic guilt can keep us stuck in burnout, and why setting boundaries often feels uncomfortable before it feels empowering.

In this episode, we discuss:

• What Human Giver Syndrome is and how it contributes to burnout
• Why anxiety often convinces us that everyone else's emotions are our responsibility
• The connection between people-pleasing, perfectionism, and chronic exhaustion
• Why guilt doesn't always mean you're doing something wrong
• How boundaries protect your well-being—not your popularity
• Small, practical ways to begin caring for yourself without abandoning the people you love

If this episode resonated with you, we'd love for you to rate, review, and follow Two Anxious Girls. Sharing the podcast with someone who always puts themselves last might be exactly what they need to hear today.

Follow the podcast on Instagram @twoanxiousgirlspodcast

Tiktok: twoanxiousgirls

Have a question for us? Email us at twoanxiousgirlspodcast@gmail.com

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As therapists (and fellow anxious humans), we explore why solving the problem doesn't always calm your nervous system and why your body may still feel tense long after the stressful event has passed.

We talk about:

✨ The difference between stressors and the stress response

✨ Why your body needs to "complete the stress cycle"

✨ How chronic stress can fuel anxiety and burnout

✨ Why productivity isn't the same as recovery

✨ Simple, science-backed ways to help your nervous system feel safe again

If you enjoyed this episode, we would love for you to follow, rate, and leave a review. It helps more anxious humans find our little corner of the internet.

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Do you ever sit down to relax and immediately start thinking about everything you should be doing instead? So do WE!

In this episode, we explore why rest can feel surprisingly uncomfortable, especially for anxious people, perfectionists, caregivers, and anyone who has tied their worth to productivity.

Together, they unpack:

✨ Why so many of us feel like we have to earn rest

✨ The connection between anxiety, hypervigilance, and rest guilt

✨ How productivity culture teaches us that being busy equals being valuable

✨ Why some nervous systems don't experience rest as safe

✨ The difference between true rest and avoidance

✨ How to recognize when you're pushing through exhaustion instead of caring for yourself

If you've ever thought:

"I should be doing something productive."

"I'll rest after I finish everything."

Rest is not a reward for getting everything done. It's a biological need.

Join us as we explore why slowing down can feel so difficult, how anxiety keeps us stuck in "go mode," and what it means to give yourself permission to rest before burnout forces you to.

This week, we invite you to consider one question:

What would rest look like if you didn't have to earn it?

If this episode resonated with you, share it with a friend, and don't forget to rate, review, and follow Two Anxious Girls wherever you listen to podcasts.

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In this episode, we unpack a surprising truth: not all stress is bad. In fact, some stress can help us grow, adapt, and rise to important challenges. The problem is not always stress itself; it's what happens when stress becomes chronic and our nervous systems never get a chance to recover.

Together, they explore:

✨ The difference between stress and anxiety

✨ Why excitement and anxiety can feel so similar in the body

✨ The difference between eustress ("good stress") and distress

✨ Acute stress vs. chronic stress

✨ How chronic stress can keep your nervous system stuck in survival mode

✨ Why anxiety often lingers even after the stressful situation is over

✨ Practical ways to support your nervous system and recover from stress

If you've ever thought, "I'm stressed, so something must be wrong," this episode offers a different perspective, one rooted in compassion, nervous system awareness, and understanding how our minds and bodies respond to life's challenges.

Follow, rate, and review Two Anxious Girls wherever you listen to podcasts, and share this episode with your favorite stressed-out friend.

Twoanxiousgirlspodcast@gmail.com

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In this episode, we are exploring the connection between body image, perfectionism, and anxiety, and how our bodies can become a place where anxiety tries to create control.

We unpack:

• Why appearance often becomes a target when life feels uncertain
• How comparison spirals fuel anxiety and self-criticism
• The hidden link between productivity, discipline, and self-worth
• Why perfectionism keeps moving the finish line
• How compassion-not punishment-helps break the anxiety loop

As therapists, we see this pattern show up constantly in our work. As anxious humans, we've lived it too.

If you've ever found yourself believing that confidence is just one more accomplishment, one more pound, or one more "fix" away, this conversation is for you.

And remember: Your body is not a problem to solve, and your worth is not something you earn through perfection.

Follow, rate, and review Two Anxious Girls wherever you listen to podcasts.

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In this episode of Two Anxious Girls, we are talking about the sneaky way anxiety disguises itself as “being responsible,” “having it together,” or simply “caring a lot.”

We are unpacking the connection between anxiety and control, including:

• Why planning can feel emotionally protective
• The urge to micromanage partners, kids, schedules, and outcomes
• Why uncertainty feels so uncomfortable for anxious minds
• The illusion of safety that control gives us
• What healthy surrender actually looks like

Twoanxiousgirlspodcast@gmail.com

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We break down the clinical patterns behind this experience, including nervous system conditioning, attachment dynamics, and how early or repeated relational experiences shape what feels “normal” in adulthood.

We also explore how healing actually works, not by eliminating your reactions, but by retraining your nervous system to tolerate and eventually trust calm, consistency, and emotional safety. Because healing doesn’t always feel exciting… sometimes it feels quiet. And that quiet is where safety begins.

Twoanxiousgirlspodcast@gmail.com

@TwoAnxiousGirlsPodcast

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In this episode of Two Anxious Girls, we explore a powerful and often overlooked truth: sometimes anxiety isn’t just anxiety, it’s unexpressed anger.

Many of us were never taught how to safely feel or express anger. Instead, we learned to stay agreeable, accommodating, and “easy to be around.” But when anger gets pushed down, it doesn’t disappear. It often shows up as overthinking, tension, people-pleasing, and emotional exhaustion.

Twoanxiousgirlspodcast@gmail.com

@TwoAnxiousGirlsPodcast

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In this episode of Two Anxious Girls, we are talking about the anxiety that shows up after socializing, the overthinking, the self-criticism, the “Did I say too much?” spiral, and the emotional exhaustion that can follow even positive interactions. 

We explore:

• Why anxious brains replay conversations
• Post-event rumination and fear of judgment
• Oversharing anxiety & rejection sensitivity
• Social masking and emotional exhaustion
• Introversion vs social anxiety
• How to respond with more self-compassion instead of self-criticism

If you have ever analyzed a conversation for hours afterward or worried you were “too much,” this episode may interest you!

Twoanxiousgirlspodcast@gmail.com

@twoanxiousgirlspodcast

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We also get real about something not often talked about: even therapists struggle with people-pleasing.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why is people-pleasing often linked to anxiety and nervous system patterns
• Hyper-awareness of others’ moods and emotional states
• Fear of conflict and avoiding difficult conversations
• The belief: “I don’t want to be too much.”
• The emotional cost of self-abandonment
• Why people-pleasing can lead to burnout, resentment, and overthinking
• How to start setting boundaries without guilt

twoanxiousgirlspodcast@gmail.com

@twoanxiousgirlspodcast

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You know those moments… lying awake at night, overthinking everything you’ve ever said? Or those shower realizations that hit a little too hard?

We explore what it felt like growing up with anxiety before we had the language for it, when everything felt like a catastrophe, and we quietly wondered if something was wrong with us.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The anxious thought spirals we had growing up (and… still have sometimes)
• The belief that everyone else had life figured out except us
• How anxiety can make everything feel urgent, overwhelming, and permanent
• Learning to replace self-criticism with self-compassion
• Understanding anxiety as a protective (but overactive) system

Twoanxiousgirlspodcast@gmail.com

@twoanxiousgirlspodcast

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Not a diet with food but emotional patterns that lead to restrictions. Because when you are struggling, something starts to shift. You might begin pulling away from things that once felt easy. Or, on the flip side, trying to control everything just to feel okay.

In this episode, we discuss:

• What a “depression diet” really looks like
• How depression can slowly shrink your world, your energy, your joy, your connection
• The “anxiety diet”, overthinking, overanalyzing, and trying to control uncertainty
• Why are both anxiety and depression actually protective responses
• How these patterns quietly reinforce themselves over time
• The difference between a temporary low mood and something deeper

Twoanxiousgirlspodcast@gmail.com

@Twoanxiousgirlspodcast

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Dabby shares part of her personal journey with infertility, opening up about how excitement slowly shifted into anxiety, questions, and a deep loss of control. Together, we explore what it means to hold hope while also navigating disappointment, triggers, and the pressure to “stay positive.”

We talk about:

• The emotional weight of uncertainty and waiting
• Grieving a timeline that doesn’t unfold as expected
• The loss of control and identity shifts that can come with fertility struggles
• Navigating triggers like pregnancy announcements and social situations
• How to hold hope without falling into toxic positivity

Infertility is often experienced in silence, but you are not alone in this.

If you’re in a season of trying, waiting, or hoping, this episode is a space for all of it: the hope, the grief, the anger, and everything in between.

Your feelings are valid. Your story is still unfolding.

Disclaimer: Although we are therapists, this podcast is not therapy and does not replace working with your own therapist. This episode is for educational and conversational purposes only.

Twoanxiousgirlspodcast@gmail.com

@Twoanxiousgirlspodcast

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In this episode, we’re breaking down anxious attachment, not from a textbook, but from real-life experiences.

We are discussing:

• Overthinking texts
• Assuming someone is mad at you
• The urge to ask, “Are we okay?”
• And what healing actually looks like (it’s not becoming a chill, unbothered person) 

If this resonates with you, please consider listening to this episode! 

Twoanxiousgirlsgirlspodcast@gmail.com

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In this episode, we’re talking about postpartum anxiety, what it actually feels like, why it often goes unnoticed, and why so many moms suffer in silence.

We explore the difference between normal new-parent worry and anxiety that feels constant, intrusive, and overwhelming.

This is a conversation about invisible struggles, intrusive thoughts, and the pressure to be a “perfect” mom, and why none of this means you are failing.

Twoanxiousgirlispodcast@gmail.com

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This honest conversation normalizes the emotions that many parents experience but rarely say out loud.

We explore:

·       The mental load of motherhood and invisible labor

·       Postpartum emotions, anxiety, and identity changes

·       Mom guilt, resentment, and caregiver burnout

·       Why many parents experience quiet emotional spirals

·       The importance of support, rest, and shared caregiving

Two Anxious Girls is a therapist-led podcast exploring anxiety, relationships, mental health, and the messy reality of being human. Twoanxiousgirlspodcast@gmail.com

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Because anxiety and intuition both show up in the body, it can be incredibly hard to tell the difference.

We explore:

• Why anxiety feels urgent, loud, and catastrophic

• How intuition tends to feel calm, steady, and clear (even when it’s inconvenient)

• How trauma and past experiences can train your nervous system to label growth as danger

• Why over-analyzing can actually drown out your inner voice

Twoanxiousgirlspodcast@gmail.com

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We explore why insight doesn’t automatically equal regulation, how the amygdala hijacks even the most knowledgeable brains, and why knowing you are safe does not always stop your body from spiraling.

If this topic speaks to you, you are not alone.

Twoanxiousgirlspodcast@gmail.com

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We talk about:

• What imposter syndrome actually feels like in real life

• Our “anxiety resumes” 

• How anxiety often starts way earlier than we realize (and sometimes looks like personality traits, not panic)

• The moment anxiety shifts from protection… to exhaustion

• The reality of being therapists who know the tools and still struggle sometimes

We also share parts of our own stories, including the moments when anxiety became impossible to ignore and how it reshaped the way we understand ourselves.

Plus, as always, we end with our guilty pleasures and anxiety wins of the week.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re faking your way through life, questioning your own success, or wondering why anxiety feels so tied to who you are, you are not alone.

Twoanxiousgirlspodcast@gmail.com

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In this episode, we’re talking about the moment coping stops working, when the planners are full, the to-do lists stop helping, and the version of you that everyone depends on is suddenly exhausted. We mean nervous system tired. Soul tired. Done carrying everything tired.

We dive into:

• Why breakdowns often happen after the crisis

• The fear and identity shift that comes when you’re no longer “the strong one”

• What spiraling actually looks like in real life (hint: it’s not always dramatic)

• The grief of losing the version of you who could handle everything

• What actually helps when you hit emotional capacity -without toxic positivity

If you’ve ever wondered, “Why am I falling apart now?” ... this episode is for you.

Because sometimes you’re not failing.

Sometimes you’re just tired of holding things that were never meant to be carried alone. 

Twoanxiousgirlspodcast@gmail.com

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In this episode of Two Anxious Girls, we’re talking about high-functioning anxiety- the kind that hides behind productivity, overachievement, and constantly saying “I’m fine.” The kind that looks impressive on the outside but feels exhausting on the inside.

We unpack how busyness can become a coping mechanism, why “having it together” is so socially rewarded, and how anxiety doesn’t always look like falling apart; it can look like never slowing down. If you’ve ever felt guilty for resting, relied on being productive to feel okay, or wondered whether you’re driven or just anxious… this episode is for you.

This isn’t about fixing yourself. It’s about naming what’s already there and realizing you’re not alone.

Twoanxiousgirlspodcast@gmail.com

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If you’ve ever thought, “Is it just me?” this podcast is for you.

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