Building Confidence, Growth, and Self-Belief

Ever felt like you're faking it—despite all your preparation, skill, and effort? In this episode of Calm Your Caveman, 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.

Feeling overwhelmed when you think about the future? This episode offers a practical two-question exercise you can use anytime the future feels overwhelming. Using two real coaching examples, you’ll learn a simple but powerful way to change how your brain evaluates demands vs. resources.

You already have what it takes to meet what’s coming. In this episode, we explore why the desire for stability is natural, but also why humans are biologically and psychologically built to adapt. You’ll learn how your brain is designed to handle uncertainty, loss, and transformation — even when it doesn’t feel like it. You’ll also hear why emotions exist (and why they’re different from rigid reflexes), how the brain rewires itself after injury, and why resisting change often causes more suffering than the change itself.

Can you train your brain to handle stress better? Absolutely. In this episode, we break down the science of self-efficacy — your brain’s belief about your ability to succeed under stress. This belief is one of the biggest predictors of resilience, performance, and emotional wellbeing. You’ll learn how to shift from a threat response (anxiety, overwhelm, shutdown) to a challenge response (focus, energy, confidence), and how simple everyday practices can rewire your stress response over time.

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. We’ll talk about: Why perfectionism is the ultimate creativity killer The neuroscience behind growth vs. fixed mindsets 5 specific ways t

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. Science-backed, story-driven, and totally doable—this one might just change how you feel about how you feel.

Learn a single question to 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.

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 pe

Join Dr. Twitchell in this New Year's episode as she discusses the importance of optimism and a challenge mindset in predicting and coping with future stressors. Dr. Twitchell explains how our appraisals and predictions shape our emotional and physiological responses, as well as our ability to solve problems and collaborate with others. Learn about the differences between threat and challenge mindsets,

In this episode, the focus is on understanding and managing body image anxiety. The discussion delves into common misconceptions and ineffective methods for addressing body anxiety, such as cosmetic surgery and weight loss. The episode emphasizes the importance of changing our mental relationship with body image rather than altering physical appearance. Dr. Twitchell shares personal experiences and effective strategies, including mindfulness, reapprai