Calm
YOUR CAVEMAN
.jpg)
Calm
Your Caveman
podcast
A podcast where we study the tools for anxiety mastery
Subscribe on your favorite platform
2025 Episodes
.jpg)
Emotions are contagious, but that doesn’t mean you have to get swept up every time someone around you spirals. In this episode, we dig into the science of emotional contagion, why your nervous system syncs with others, and a practical mindset shift that lets you step back, see the bigger picture, and respond with intention.
Too many anxiety tools, not sure which to use? In this episode, I’ll teach you a simple 2-step rule to match the right tool to your stress level. You’ll learn why big anxiety doesn’t require big strategies—it requires easy, low-thinking tools—and how to build a personalized toolbox that grows more effective the more you practice.
Anxiety leaves us frozen. Anger makes us feel powerful. But when fear turns to fury, the long-term costs are high. Here’s how to spot the pattern and rewrite the story before it harms your health or your relationships.
When the world feels like it’s falling apart, your brain might need a new lens. Shift from threat mode to challenge mode—and watch your energy come back to life. Learn three ways to reframe your outlook, move out of threat mode, and tap into a more hopeful, energized version of yourself. Because when your future looks brighter, your present feels lighter.
Feeling stressed? What if the fastest way out was through your eyes? In this episode, I’ll teach you a quick 10-second exercise that uses your vision to flip bad stress into good stress. You’ll learn why when anxiety hits, your world shrinks -- your eyes go into tunnel vision and your mind locks into achieving awareness, obsessing over control and what you don’t have. But there’s another mode available. Awakened awareness—the mental counterpart to panoramic vision—that helps you regain perspective, spark insight, and stop anxiety from running the show. Discover how to toggle between these two modes so you can stay focused without getting stuck, and calm without losing your drive.
Anxiety tricks us into believing more thinking equals more control—but often, it just keeps us stuck. In this conversation, I talk with coach Jaime about how to reframe problems, why insights often show up when you stop overthinking, and how simple practices can help you access clarity.
When someone you love is drowning in negativity, it’s hard not to get pulled under too. In this episode, you’ll learn three practical, science-backed strategies to keep your emotional balance and be a positive influence—without burning out. Through a real-life coaching example, discover how to:
.jpg)
Terrified of messing up? In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on how a growth mindset helped me face the fear of failure. It’s a masterclass in quieting your inner critic, growing your resilience, and making imperfect things anyway.
Feeling irritated but don’t want to be? In this episode, I coach a client through two real-life situations and teach a simple but powerful framework: the 3 hidden questions your brain is answering that shape your emotions. Change your answers, change how you feel. A must-listen if you're tired of being hijacked by annoyance, especially with the people closest to you.
When anxiety won’t budge, it might be time to listen instead of fight. In this episode, we unpack a tool called anxiety curiosity—a method that works when nothing else does. Turns out, your anxiety might be running on outdated software.
Is people-pleasing running your life? In this episode, I walk you through a powerful coaching process I used with a client named Liz who was exhausted from trying to keep everyone happy. We unpack the roots of her people-pleasing instinct, personify it using the lens of Internal Family Systems, and tap into the Wise Self to reclaim autonomy and authentic decision-making
The secret to calming your anxiety isn’t about calming down, but about aiming smarter. In this episode, I take you behind the scenes of two real coaching sessions—one on social anxiety, one on test anxiety—to walk you through a powerful mindset shift that can dramatically reduce anxiety and increase your sense of control. You’ll learn how to spot the real goal your brain is using to evaluate your situation—and how to swap that goal for something that actually helps you feel calm, focused, and empowered. Whether your anxiety shows up in relationships, exams, or everyday decisions, this episode gives you a repeatable framework you can use any time things feel overwhelming.
You’ve tried breathing. You’ve tried journaling. But your body is still in full-on panic mode. This episode is for the moments when anxiety feels physical, overwhelming, and out of control. I’ll teach you a powerful strategy rooted in psychology and personal experience. Learn how to stop fueling the anxiety spiral and how to apply this skill in the middle of a sleepless night or a high-stakes performance.
Did you know “messy” feelings can actually be your secret weapon? In this episode, I’ll show you how to tune into both your physical sensations and the emotional layers beneath them, one body part at a time.
Learn a single question that can cut through anxiety, indecision, and overwhelm. In this episode, we dive into how imagining just one year left to live helped clients move from overwhelm to clarity, rewire anxiety, reconnect with purpose, and reshape relationships. Real coaching stories show how this mindset shift unlocks peace and purpose—right now.
.jpg)
If you feel constantly on edge, like something bad is always about to happen, it’s not your fault—and it’s not just you. Your brain is doing exactly what it was designed to do... just in the wrong environment.
.jpg)
What if a simple “hello” could rewire your anxious brain? In this surprising and science-backed episode, we explore how speaking to strangers—yes, even if you're an introvert—can shift your unconscious emotional default from fear to connection. Learn why weak social ties matter, how your brain rewrites its threat narratives, and how living in Brazil changed my personal relationship with everyday interactions. This episode is packed with practical, research-based advice for gradually training your brain to feel safer in the world, one small interaction at a time.
.jpg)
What if your great-grandparents held the key to calming your anxiety? In this episode, we explore a surprising, research-backed strategy for influencing your unconscious brain: knowing your family's intergenerational stories. Discover how ancestral narratives can help shift your brain's default stress response from threat to challenge, enhancing resilience, emotional health, and self-efficacy. Through deeply personal family stories, you'll learn how to train your brain—like a beloved pet—to respond more supportively in the face of uncertainty. If you've ever wondered how to influence your emotional responses at the subconscious level, this episode is a must-listen.
Waking up already overwhelmed? In this episode, we unpack why morning anxiety hits hard—and how to shift from panic to strategy. Drawing from neuroscience, childhood memory, and a dash of board game strategy, we explore what it takes to reclaim mental ground and lead from strength, even when you feel like hiding under the covers. You’ll learn: Why your anxiety might spike in the early morning How applying a “game mindset” can help you work with your real-life resources How to create a realistic, compassionate sense of daily accomplishment And what a “Yay Me” paragraph can do to rewire your internal reward system
.jpg)
Do you ever feel like life is one long stream of stress, uncertainty, and potential disaster? What if your brain is simply missing half the story? In this episode of Calm Your Caveman, we dive into the concept of serendipities—those unlikely, yet powerfully beneficial events that seem too timely to be coincidence. Drawing on the work of psychologist Scott Peck (The Road Less Traveled), we explore how noticing serendipities can actually rewire your negativity bias and reduce anxiety.
.jpg)
Adult kids = adult worries. If you’ve been stuck in an anxiety loop, today’s episode is your lifeline. Learn four mindset shifts to focus on when worry strikes •A simple writing exercise to reframe parental anxiety •How to trust your children’s journey—even when it looks messy
.jpg)
This episode starts with a conversation with my mom, who has spent a lifetime quietly serving others and finding real joy in it. But for me, giving didn’t always bring peace — it often brought guilt, pressure, and anxiety. If service is supposed to make us happier, why can it sometimes feel so heavy? I open up about my own dysfunctional relationship with giving, how it was harming rather than helping, and what finally shifted. Learn the two major blocks that might be keeping you from experiencing the mental health benefits of kindness — and how to turn giving into a powerful, joyful tool for emotional healing.
.jpg)
When life feels overwhelming, it's tempting to assume things couldn’t get worse. But what if imagining how they could get worse is exactly what helps us feel better? In this episode, we explore a powerful psychological tool known as negative visualization—a mindset shift backed by science and rich with emotional payoff.
.jpg)
Ever felt like you're faking it—despite all your preparation, skill, and effort? In this episode, we take a thoughtful look at those moments of self-doubt when you're asked to rise to the occasion but feel like you're not enough. Through three personal stories, we explore what imposter syndrome feels like from the inside.
Jealousy is often just fear in disguise. It’s a prickly emotion that shows up in all kinds of relationships—between siblings, friends, romantic partners, and even with our own kids. And if we don’t know how to work with it, it can hijack our peace, strain our relationships, and leave us stewing in shame.
What if managing your anxiety was as simple as telling the story of your day? In this episode, we explore how your brain changes when you narrate your experiences Why redemption stories (not contamination ones) are key to feeling better
In this episode, we discuss how to cope when life feels overwhelming and the sky seems like it's falling. Hear personal experiences, including a story about a severe ocean threat to my home in Brazil, to emphasize how hyperfocus on an immediate problem can be beneficial. However, she also addresses what to do when the threats are out of our control. This involves an interview with her father, who shares his practical advice on how to manage large-scale issues by focusing on smaller, controllable actions within one's local community. The episode concludes with insights on the importance of small actions for maintaining hope and agency in challenging times.
In this episode, we explore the complex relationship between religion and anxiety. Drawing on scientific research, this conversation examines religion not as inherently helpful or harmful, but as a tool—one whose value lies in how we choose to wield it. What You'll Learn in This Episode: - The concept of religion as a psychological technology - Key findings from major meta-analyses showing the health effects of religious practice - The impact of rituals, symbols, group behaviors, and shared purpose on anxiety and loneliness
.jpg)
Understand the science behind the impressive effects of cold exposure on body and mind, and get practical tips for incorporating this therapy into daily life for handling stress and enhancing performance. Hear Dr. Twitchell’s journey with cold water therapy for managing anxiety. Learn about her initial resistance, gradual easing into the practice, and the profound physical, emotional, and psychological benefits she observed. Her sons, Sam and Lazarus, share their experiences with cold showers for boosting mood, alertness, and resilience.
.jpg)
Hear Dr. Twitchell’s personal experiences with the effectiveness of breathing exercises for managing anxiety. Learn about specific methods such as Stasis breathing and the Wim Hof breathing protocol, and their physical and emotional benefits, along with the benefits of nasal breathing and the impact of exhalation length. Get practical tips for incorporating breathing exercises into daily life and performance situations and learn a five-minute practice for significant mental health improvements.
.jpg)
Join Dr. Twitchell to learn about the importance of increasing distress tolerance for managing anxiety and negative emotions. This episode examines how resisting anxiety amplifies it and explores methods to accept negative emotions like anger, sadness, and fear by viewing them as temporary and necessary aspects of life. Dr. Twitchell shares personal anecdotes, discusses adaptive functions of emotions, and explains the value of understanding near-death experiences in reducing anxiety related to mortality. Concluding with practical tips and philosophical insights, Dr. Twitchell guides listeners on embracing distress and mortality to achieve a more peaceful and meaningful life.
.jpg)
Learn about the numerous advantages exercise offers for anxiety management, including distraction, reduced muscle tension, and altered brain chemistry, that make exercise an effective anxiety management tool. Join Dr. Twitchell as she shares the challenges she faced in establishing a regular exercise routine due to anxiety and a busy schedule. She also emphasizes the importance of integrating exercise into daily life by sharing her personal morning beach walk routine for a more productive and less anxious day.
Adriana shares her personal journey in learning to see difficult experiences as beneficial. She explains the scientific research supporting this approach, detailing how finding a sense of macro meaning can shift our responses to stress from threat to challenge.
In this episode, Dr. Twitchell discusses a powerful tool for managing anxiety in both the short and long term—gratitude. Sharing personal experiences of long COVID, Dr. Twitchell explains how a daily gratitude practice helped alleviate anxiety and improve overall well-being. Drawing from scientific research and personal anecdotes, the episode highlights the broad-ranging benefits of gratitude, including reduced inflammation, better sleep, and enhanced emotional resilience. Dr. Twitchell offers practical tips for starting a gratitude practice. The episode concludes with a listener-contributed story, a “Kindness Narrative,” that will aid all listeners in starting a painless weekly gratitude practice.
Learn practical methods for applying the technique of self-talk in various situations, from quick interventions during the day to nighttime anxiety management. Dr. Twitchell shares personal examples and guides on thinking, speaking, and writing to oneself in the third person to regulate emotions, providing a comprehensive framework to approach anxiety mindfully. Gain insights on self-transcendence and leveraging the emotion of awe for a broader perspective, and understand how incorporating these practices daily can aid in emotional regulation and mental well-being.
.jpg)
This episode explains how to observe rather than be overwhelmed by your feelings. It also highlights the power of using third-person pronouns to defuse emotional intensity and presents studies showing their effectiveness in managing anxiety and improving performance under stress. Practical exercises for implementing these techniques are provided to help listeners climb out of the emotional mud puddle and achieve better emotional regulation and clarity.
In this episode, wediscuss the important strategy of approaching anxiety instead of avoiding it. Highlighting insights from the book 'The Upside of Your Dark Side,' Dr. Twitchell explains how modern comfort has increased our sensitivity to discomfort, and how avoidance can amplify anxiety. She proposes a three-step strategy to approach anxiety: 1) Finding a long-term purpose that prioritizes enduring values over short-term comfort, 2) Articulating emotions in detail to defuse them, and 3) Gradually exposing oneself to anxiety triggers to make them familiar and reduce their impact. Dr. Twitchell emphasizes that managing anxiety effectively requires intentional approaching rather than avoidance.
Dr. Twitchell explores how creating the right types of goals can help achieve a state of inner harmony and reduce anxiety. She emphasizes the importance of goals that enhance autonomy and create inner order, distinguishing between genetic and cultural programming versus conscious goal setting. Dr. Twitchell also shares personal anecdotes and strategies to balance goal demands with available resources, ensuring they are neither too hard nor too easy, thus facilitating a flow state. Practical advice on adjusting goals to fit within one's resources and focusing on process-oriented goals is provided to help listeners cultivate a satisfying and harmonious relationship with their goals.
We’ve all had feelings we wish we could erase. The harder we try to push these emotions away, the stronger they often come back. In this episode, I share two powerful concepts that can shift the way you relate to unwanted emotions. Instead of resisting them, you’ll learn how to recognize the hidden ways your feelings are trying to protect you—and how to move forward in line with your values, even when those emotions linger.
Ever feel stuck in old patterns, wishing you could just change the way your brain reacts—but no matter what you try, it doesn’t stick? In this episode, we’ll explore how discomfort is actually the secret key that unlocks your brain’s ability to rewire itself. Instead of avoiding hard things, you’ll learn how to use them to lower anxiety and shift habits that have felt impossible to change.