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- Mental Health
- The Anxious Achiever
40 episodes
The Anxious Achiever
by Morra Aarons-Mele · English
Host Morra Aarons-Mele is on a mission to reframe how we think about anxiety and mental health in the workplace. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S. We desperately need better models for leadership and a more holistic view of mental health. Our culture tells those of us who suffer from anxiety and depression that we can’t succeed, but we tell a different story — without sugarcoating the tough stuff. We feature stories from people who’ve been there and experts who can help you thrive. Listen in your favorite podcast app: https://pod.link/1480904163 For ad inquiries, please reach out to: [email protected]
Latest episodes
All episodes
Ron Lieber on Parents, College, Anxiety
College admissions anxiety—how parents and students define “success,” manage money guilt and trade-offs, and reduce emotional fallout during high-stakes decisions.
12 Nov 2026 · 44m · 13 chaptersDo We Really Have To Talk About Feelings At Work? With Kate Woodsome
Whether and how to talk about feelings at work, framed through stress and trauma as nervous-system threat responses.
10 Nov 2026 · 58m · 20 chaptersManage Your Social Anxiety with Stefan Hofmann
Social anxiety—how it differs from shyness, why fear of negative evaluation happens, how it’s maintained, and how to treat it with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), including exposure exercises and…
5 Nov 2026 · 34m · 14 chaptersEnrique Rubio on "Our Existential Advantage" Against AI
The episode argues that AI adoption threatens uniquely human capacities—critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and agency—while increasing workplace loneliness.
3 Nov 2026 · 1h 4m · 25 chaptersTherapy Makes You A Better Leader with Dr. Vikas Shah
How therapy and emotional awareness improve leadership, resilience, and workplace communication—especially in high-pressure, hybrid, and post-pandemic environments.
29 Oct 2026 · 37m · 17 chaptersWhat Does Belonging At Work Really Mean? With Sebastian Buck
What “belonging” at work really means, and how it drives well-being more than pay.
27 Oct 2026 · 43m · 13 chaptersWhat Can A Financial Therapist Do For You? With Amanda Clayman
Financial therapy for money anxiety—treating anxiety as a signal, not a problem; using values, self-worth, and relationship dynamics to make better financial decisions and career changes.
22 Oct 2026 · 38m · 10 chaptersShannon Watts on Neurodivergent Leadership and Burning It All Down
Shannon Watts discusses neurodivergent leadership, “fire starting” (aligning values, abilities, and desires), and “burning it all down” by shedding ego, anxiety, and “good girl” shame.
20 Oct 2026 · 57m · 18 chaptersMarc Brackett On How To Talk About Your Feelings When You're a Leader
How leaders can talk about feelings using emotional granularity, especially via Mark Brackett’s RULER “mood meter,” and how emotions function as information for better leadership, team culture, and…
15 Oct 2026 · 39m · 18 chaptersThis Media Entrepreneur Can't Feel Anxious, Really | Mike Pesca
Mike Pesca (NPR’s The Gist; sports journalism) explains how his unusually high anandamide (“bliss molecule”) affects anxiety/threat perception, how that shaped his career—including being…
13 Oct 2026 · 53m · 14 chaptersManaging Anxiety When Passion Drives Your Work with Poppy Jaman, OBE
How to manage anxiety and maintain positive mental health in mission-driven work, including how to build mentally healthy workplaces, set boundaries, and lead with compassion (not “empathy”) during…
8 Oct 2026 · 36m · 11 chaptersHow to Recenter Yourself With Dr. Liane Davey
Dr. Liane Davey explains “thought load,” the cognitive-emotional “invisible tax” that drains attention, increases threat sensitivity, and triggers anxiety at work—hurting performance and making…
6 Oct 2026 · 1h 3m · 18 chaptersHow to Handle Anxiety About Difficult Conversations with Amy Gallo
How to handle anxiety about difficult workplace conversations by reducing “amygdala hijack,” avoiding conflict avoidance, and using a structured framework to stay collaborative.
1 Oct 2026 · 41m · 13 chaptersAmbition And Motherhood Are a Magic Combination with Dr. Anne Welsh
Motherhood and ambition, challenging the “ambition paradox” that frames work and good mothering as mutually exclusive.
29 Sep 2026 · 1h · 23 chaptersHow To Work And Lead With Intention with Jacqui Brassey & Vivek Bapat
Intentional leadership for volatile times, focusing on mental health, psychological safety, and how toxic workplace behavior drives anxiety and harms performance.
24 Sep 2026 · 1h 1m · 22 chaptersThe Psychology of Leadership With Sébastien Page
How to apply psychology to leadership, emphasizing “both-and” thinking: set direction and earn trust, then adapt communication to people’s personalities; manage stress/anxiety for optimal…
22 Sep 2026 · 1h 1m · 22 chaptersA C-Suite Exec On Finding Growth After Battling Depression with Paul Greenberg
Paul Greenberg, a depression survivor, describes decades of clinical depression and suicidal thoughts while maintaining a high-powered C-suite career, then explains how electroconvulsive therapy…
17 Sep 2026 · 33m · 13 chaptersWhat Is Post Traumatic Growth? with Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman
The episode explores human-centered leadership and “fully human” development, correcting misconceptions about Maslow’s hierarchy (no pyramid; self-actualization as a process/direction, not a…
15 Sep 2026 · 1h 3m · 25 chaptersDepression Can Be So Funny, With John Moe
Depression at work and in life—how it overlaps with anxiety, the “if-only” magical thinking and unreliable negative self-talk it creates, and how to manage disruptive change (including job loss)…
10 Sep 2026 · 39m · 12 chaptersHow To Lead 106,000 People Without Losing Yourself with Dr. John D'Angelo
Dr. John D’Angelo (CEO of Northwell Health) discusses purpose-driven, servant leadership; managing anxiety and imposter feelings; protecting executive time; and reducing burnout caused by admin…
8 Sep 2026 · 53m · 12 chaptersUnderstand Your Family Ghosts At Work with Deborah Ancona
Family systems theory at work—“family ghosts” (attitudes/behaviors from family of origin) that follow people into leadership, relationships, and culture; how to identify, reframe, and change one…
3 Sep 2026 · 49m · 10 chaptersRebranding the Brain With Neurodiversity Expert Dave Thompson
Neurodiversity-informed workplace design, moving from tokenism/superpower narratives to strengths-based, practical accommodations; how to “unlearn” masking and redesign job descriptions/interviews…
1 Sep 2026 · 53m · 13 chaptersPenn and Kim Holderness on Neurodivergence And The Creative Journey
Penn and Kim Holderness discuss neurodivergence (Penn’s ADHD and Kim’s anxiety), emotional dysregulation/shame, and how they built a sustainable creative workflow as entrepreneurs/content creators.
27 Aug 2026 · 39m · 12 chaptersLearn How To Handle Uncertainty With Simone Stolzoff
How to handle uncertainty and reduce anxiety by practicing “not knowing,” diversifying identity beyond work, and using agency, contingency planning, values, and community instead of chasing false…
25 Aug 2026 · 55m · 19 chaptersWe use cookies.They keep VO running smoothly and help us improve it. Privacy policy