160. When Worry Becomes an Issue with Kate Borsato

What is the difference between worry and anxiety? And how do we recognize when our thoughts are causing a negative impact on our everyday lives? This week we are bringing Kate Borsato back on the show to discuss this matter. Kate is a therapist who specializes in anxiety, especially in motherhood. She talks to us about what exactly worry is compared to anxiety and offers great suggestions on what we can do if we recognize some of these problematic symptoms in ourselves.

Kate guides us through different exercises including how to surrender to our anxious thoughts and focus our attention on what we do want to be thinking about instead. She encourages us to write down what a good mother means to us and to make sure we are including ourselves on that list. Even things like deep breathing are exercises that can help get us out of that  worrisome headspace and back to where our feet are planted.

So many of us can relate to the struggle we have when we are able to watch our partners participate in a mindless, relaxing activity for a few hours at a time when we ourselves simply cannot. Kate goes into details about how society puts this pressure on moms to constantly be productive and suggests that we take a page right out of our partner's playbook by allowing ourselves to participate in activities that make us feel creative. 

If you worry that your anxious tendencies are going to be passed on to your children, listen in. Kate explains that those of us who are more prone to anxiety can be caused by many factors including childhood trauma, abusive romantic relationships, or we may just be genetically more prone to worry.