Anxiety is a symptom of unresolved emotions -- fear that we do not matter, that we are not worthy or loveable, that we are not safe, or that we are not valued. Dear Friends,
Today I have an interview for you that is near and dear to my heart. I'm speaking with Leah Guy about her course, Breaking Through Fear and Anxiety. I try and find teachers that really walk their talk, and it is especially important when it comes to personal development issues like these. I also feel that when tending to fear and anxiety we must tread lightly with the heart and soul, and this is what Leah does. Please enjoy this interview.
Madisyn Taylor: DailyOM readers know my journey through fear and anxiety--I am very well acquainted with the effects of both. Why do so many people suffer from fear and anxiety? What does it look like in somebody's life?
Leah Guy: Anxiety and fear don't always feel like sweaty panic. They can feel like confusion, apathy, loss of interest in our dreams, difficult relationships, knots in the stomach, shortness of breath, body aches, feeling flighty, and loss of control. It can keep us paralyzed in our lives, relationships, or jobs and stop us from pursuing dreams. It can affect every corner of someone's world. Anxiety is a symptom of unresolved emotions. So many people go through life either unaware of their deep emotional pains, in denial of difficult past experiences, or shoving their feelings as far down as possible. A lot of us simply don't know how to process our emotions and heal, so the result is years and years of compounded emotions, compacted stress, and bodies and minds that are in turmoil.
We feel anxious when we feel out of control. What we're really feeling is out of control of our inner lives, our emotional safety and wellness. We feel disempowered and weak and therefore give power to people or experiences that can hurt us. They can because we allow them to. We don't trust ourselves. We don't value our worth. And even though many of us talk like we have faith in a universal system of connectivity and reason, we are afraid we aren't valued enough to be a meaningful participant in that system.
This is the core of our anxieties: We fear that we do not matter, that we are not worthy or loveable, that we are not safe, or that we are not valued (seen, validated, or belong). These are all false illusions of the mind created by belief systems that began in times of trauma, pain, and emotional wounds.
Fear is one of our greatest teachers. It tells us when something is wrong. It's meant to protect us from danger--from threats that can harm us--but we have to discern true danger from false illusions that are created by the mind. These false illusions are not honest signals; they are born in the attempt to keep us stuck in our pain cycle from our past. In reality, these false illusions keep us from healing.
When we can identify and connect to our true selves, our higher consciousness, our souls, we can then live in a world that is free. And that's why self-care works and personal growth is so crucial in our lives.
MT: Would you briefly share your own personal story about how you came to the place of teaching this material?
LG: I came to this work mostly by experiences that almost broke me but ultimately helped me heal. I do have training in bodywork, nutrition, energy healing, meditation, and many other modalities, but it was my own healing that led me to the path of teaching.
I'm a survivor of rape, anxiety, eating disorders, and addictions. I had an aunt who was murdered when I was young. Like most of us, I have witnessed deep afflictions in people I care about. Although I was a high-functioning young person, even a leader at school and in my peer groups, I was suffering terribly inside and totally disconnected and full of fear. Finally, after the assault at around age 22, I sought help. It was the understanding of metaphysics, spiritual connectivity, energy medicine, and love that brought me on a journey that reconnected me to my true self. I've been helping others in some capacity for over 24 years. I believe we are all here to teach each other to heal, grow, and evolve so we can realign with our highest selves.
MT: You say that letting go is the worst advice somebody can give to a person suffering from anxiety. Why is this?
LG: I believe that disconnection is the root of all fear. Fear is the guiding force of emotional detachment. We are scared of negative feelings so we try to shut down, block, and avoid. This puts us in a defensive and weak position, not one of strength and empowerment. When we're fragmented, we aren't strong. Healing requires wholeness. Detachment breeds anxiety, contempt, and disconnection. We can't be connected to the universe, to divine order, and trying to live a conscious life and be disconnected from certain emotions or experiences. That creates such an internal conflict that disempowers healing. Letting go is attempt to escape pain, which I get, but there is no escapism in emotional healing. A healthy, full, and rich life requires presence and connection. Denial is a threat to one's sanity.
When we're fragmented, we aren't strong. We are weak. Healing requires wholeness. If there are disconnected emotions or mental beliefs, we cannot be whole. Detachment breeds anxiety, contempt, and disconnection. One of the greatest conflicts of the human condition is accepting that pain and love coexist. Healing is about putting the personal pieces of your heart, mind, and soul back together again, not attempting to remove them. Not only is that energy draining, but it can cause dissociation, splitting, mental stress, and emotional disconnection.
To have inner peace, strength and freedom, we have to connect to our authentic feelings. Then we can process and move forward, trusting ourselves that we will be able to handle any situation that comes our way. To deny our true feelings, even the nasty gnarly ones, is to deny a full life of experiences and growth. Without the full range of emotions, we may miss the opportunity to feel empathy, express humility, understand healthy shame, or experience forgiveness.
MT: Your course is for 21 days. Students are given daily tools along with seven guided meditations and much more. Explain to my readers how it all works.
LG: This course is practical and accessible for anyone. In order to get lasting results, we have to address issues holistically. The mind, emotions, and body need to work together, so we address them all in this course. We start at the foundation, looking at the structure of our physical lives. If we don't feel safe, balanced, stable, healthy, and have a sense of belonging, we can't dive deep into our core healing. We aren't trying to "fix" things with pills, food, or even meditations. "Fixing" is just patchwork, and that won't heal our anxiety or change our lives. Once we feel on solid ground, we move into the emotional aspects of our lives to identify and address the issues that have balled up over the years to create stuck energy and emotions. I weave in aspects of our energy system (each chakra is addressed by its core wound and core healing), so that we can mindfully apply the holistic approach to all aspects of our lives.
Every day, students will get written insights, a video inspiration, or audio meditation to support their journey. The course unfolds naturally and beautifully. It's not uncommon to have revelations and healing that comes from having direct and relatable information about our core issues staring at us from a page or another person. As I say, "To reveal is to heal." This course not only provides tools to overcome anxiety but is also a practical guide, based on the energy system and mindfulness, to help the student discover the root of other ongoing issues or difficulties related to the body, mind, or emotions.
MT: Describe what the experience of taking this course might look like to somebody.
LG: A person trying to break through fear and anxiety has probably already tried many things with little to no lasting results. They may come with a bit of desperation, which is okay, because anxiety and fear can be so overwhelming and life-stunting that anyone afflicted just wants relief. This course is direct and hits the areas that we like to keep private. Due to the nature of this material, many people say they feel like they are finally being understood and validated. With validation comes an internal shift of hope. Each day we look at the various ways we may have been wounded and how these covered-up wounds are possibly hiding behind our anxiety. There are symptoms and checklists, commentary on tough subjects like guilt and shame, and practical exercises that help lead you along the path of your very private and intimate experiences, but with the support and knowledge needed to heal.
The meditations help a person learn to go within and feel safe. We need that to do the work. The videos are inspirational and primarily about how emotion and energy get blocked and stuck, and how to unleash them so we can breathe. One may not realize while doing the course, but they are actually cleansing their mind, emotions, and body. We do that with awakenings, acceptance, self-love, and application of simple tasks like truth-telling, writing, and creativity. During these 21 days, a person can expect a lot of support, regular guidance, and gentle pushes to attend to their work. This course is intimate in nature and supports progress. I find that once we commit to something like this course, our minds and hearts open to new possibilities and hope.
MT: Tell me about some feedback you have received from students.
LG: The most rewarding part of my work is hearing feedback from others. There have been such positive reports from people who've had success finding peace, calmness, and profound awareness. Many have commented that their fear and anxiety has subsided or vanished, and others have had breakthroughs from things they've been wrestling with for months, years, or their whole lives. Often I hear that people understand family dynamics in a new way, recognizing deep layers of guilt or long-held shame. They feel confident to start to remove the blanket that covered difficult life experiences.
Others have experienced shock and relief in making sense of deep emotional wounds, saying the burden was lifted. These testimonials are attributed to doing the work and getting really clear on why they have the reactions they do to life. It's truly possible to live a life of minimal anxiety!
MT: Who should take this course?
LG: Anyone feeling stuck, blocked, or unable to move forward in life is likely having underlying anxiety and blocked emotions, so this course is for them. Also, anyone who wants to feel safe in their authentic emotions, understand triggers and their reactions to the world, or has interest in understanding the symptoms of anxiety in order to make lasting change should take this course. It is also meant to help people with panic, anxiety, phobias, and other difficult emotions that trap us in fear. This course can help free emotions and help us interact differently with our minds.
It is also a good course for people who want to learn about the energy system, or chakras, and how to translate energy and emotion in tangible ways.
MT: Do you have any parting advice for somebody that is suffering from acute fear and anxiety right now?
LG: There is nothing wrong with you if you have fear or anxiety. Some people have chemical imbalances that contribute to anxiety, but the majority of people who suffer are experiencing anxiety due to stress, early trauma, nutritional imbalances, belief systems based in shame or abuse, or other emotional imbalances. The good news is that there is healing. With a little work, commitment to self, honesty, and willingness, I believe most anyone can break through the difficult symptoms of anxiety and heal the core issues that are present. So don't give up. I know for myself, and many others who have suffered tremendously, life can be enjoyed again. You can become whole again. Courage and self-love can open a way to freedom. My hope is that you stay on the path to healing.
Course OverviewAnxiety and fear can consume your mind and drain your energy. Whether it's fear of abandonment, fear of failure, of going broke, of being loved, of not being loved or fear of the unknown, fear shows up in many ways. You may fear being alone or that you aren't good enough. Fear keeps you stuck. Did you know that fear and anxiety are symptoms of unresolved emotional distress and that you can heal and become whole again? It's true. To heal fear we have to work with not only the mind, but the energy body and emotions. When we get to the root issue that's causing distress, we can change our lives - meaning zero panic, no fear and more peace. You can heal the fear that is keeping you from happiness. I have freed myself from years of anxiety and fear, and I believe you, too, can find this freedom.
How Does It Work?Starting today, you will receive a new lesson every day for 3 weeks (total of 21 lessons). Each lesson is yours to keep and you'll be able to refer back to it whenever you want. And if you miss a lesson or are too busy to get to it that day, each lesson will conveniently remain in your account so you won't have to search for it when you're ready to get back to it.
Get Started NowWe are offering this course with the option of selecting how much you want to pay. No matter how much you pay, you'll be getting the same course as everybody else. We simply trust that people are honest and will support the author of the course with whatever they can afford. And if you are not 100% satisfied, we will refund your money.
How much do you want to pay?$15$35$50
This is the total amount for all 21 lessons
Thank you, Leah, for this heartfelt interview. We have many similarities in our path, and we are both living proof that people can heal from fear and anxiety or at least get to the point where it is very manageable. I highly encourage anybody that is suffering to ask for help, whether it is through this course or another action. Until next time.
Be well,
Madisyn Taylor
Cofounder, Editor-in-Chief
DailyOM
Tristan Gatto -- E-RYT 500, Physical Therapist Assistant, and Movement Expert has an intense passion for helping everyone move with ease and feel great in a short amount of time--both on the mat and in the clinic. From retirees to celebrities, he has had the privilege of helping thousands of clients release tension, relieve pain, and heal their body with yoga and physical therapy-based movement techniques created to be effective and simple to learn.