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Health & FitnessMental HealthEducationSelf-Improvement

PLAYING-IT-SAFE

Dr. Z. - Patricia Zurita Ona, Psy.D.

I'm Dr. Z., a clinical psychologist and an author. In PLAYING-IT-SAFE I will share with you research based-skills, interviews, readings, insights, tips, and all types of curated info to get unstuck from worries, anxieties, fears, obsessions, and ineffective playing-it-safe actions. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  • 24 episodes
  • weekly
  • Avg 17 min
  • English

Episodes 24

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  • Jan 17, 2024 · 31 min

    89. Exploring the intersection of perfectionism, procrastination, and performance

    Perfectionism isn’t a personality quirk. It’s a pattern of reinforced behaviors that can seep into every aspect of your life. You may set certain standards for yourself, certain rules about how things are supposed to be or how you are supposed to behave; while you may meet those standards for a while, they eventually - and inevitably - fall short. Then, you feel crushed. Then, you criticize yourself. And then, to drown out the negativity, you set new goals, standards, and expectations for yourself. The cycle of ineffective perfectionistic actions repeats and maintains itself. There is nothing wrong with striving to do things right and perfectly - that’s natural when you deeply care about things and what matters to you. And, as you have heard me say before, it’s extremely important that you learn to harness the power of perfectionistic actions without losing yourself. In this podcast episode, I chat with Monica Basco, Ph.D. We discuss specific topics related to perfectionism in detail: (a) A large part of the conversation clarifies how having high standards and being perfectionistic can be both, beneficial and detrimental, and finding the balance between the two is crucial. (b) We also discussed the interplay between perfectionistic behaviors and procrastination as two sides of the same coin. (c) Monica and I highlighted the fact that setting high-goals is productive when one can tolerate failure. However, learning to pursue what matters and learning to let things go - as the right thing to do - is also important. (d) Finally, we discuss ideas for you to conduct a functional analysis, or in other words, we discuss key questions for you to understand your drive to engage in perfectionistic actions (e.g., what is my mind trying to protect me from right now?) Key Takeaways Discussing perfectionism and high-achieving behaviors Understanding the impact of high goals The role of confidence in goal setting The intersection of perfectionism and procrastination Show notes with time-stamps 01:00 Understanding Fear and Perfectionism 01:31 Dealing with Perfectionism and High-Achieving Behaviors 02:35 Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Perfectionism 04:14 Setting Goals and Dealing with Failure 05:12 Understanding Overachievement and Expectations 08:37 Dealing with Rejection and Pursuing Goals 20:43 Understanding the Intersection of Perfectionism and Procrastination (*) Show notes and resources of this episode (*) Receive free weekly science-based, compassionate, and actionable skills to stop ineffective playing-it-safe (*) Figure out your playing-it-safe profile in 5 minutes and identify the key thinking strategies that keep you living in your head (*) Learn ACT skills for anxious achievers by taking Dr. Z. ACT courses Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Jan 3, 2024 · 34 min

    88. Harnessing the power of values-based exposures

    Today’s episode takes off with discussing fears of driving. This is the starting point to discuss a key process within acceptance commitment therapy: values-based exposures. In this episode, you will learn the principles to approach your fears, worries, and anxieties in a flexible way and in the service of your values. Brian Thompson, Ph.D. and I covered different ACT skills such as defusion, values, willingness and what you can do if you’re getting stuck in conquering your fears or you’re afraid of starting the process of facing your anxieties. Key Takeaways What is willingness How to deal with uncertainty What to do when you’re powering through a fearful situation What is exposure Understanding fear-based reactions and safe behaviors Exploring the concept of exposure in overcoming fear Dealing with physical sensations during fearful situations The role of acceptance and commitment therapy in overcoming fear Understanding the concept of willingness in therapy Addressing fear of uncertainty and unpredictability Introduction to the upcoming book on act-informed exposure for anxiety Understanding act and exposure Dealing with chronic worry Effective problem solving vs. worry Show notes with time stamps 00:31 Understanding Fear-Based Reactions and Safe Behaviors 01:00 Exploring Exposure Therapy and Anxiety 01:09 Dealing with Physical Sensations During Panic Attacks 02:44 Strategies to Manage Anxiety and Fear 03:39 Addressing Intrusive Thoughts and Fears 04:16 Understanding Acceptance and Commitment Therapy 07:33 Exploring Willingness in Therapy 14:28 Addressing Fear of Uncertainty 17:28 Introduction to ACT-Informed Exposure for Anxiety 19:19 Discussing the Book and Its Approach 19:44 Recommendations for Approaching the Book 19:45 Understanding the Process of Exposure 20:38 The Role of Repetition in Exposure 21:37 Handling Chronic Worries and Ruminations 22:12 Using ACT for Chronic Worry 23:11 Writing Imaginal Scripts for Worries 26:13 Effective Problem Solving vs. Worry 26:50 Distinguishing Between Productive and Unproductive Worry (*) Show notes and resources of this episode (*) Receive free weekly science-based, compassionate, and actionable skills to stop ineffective playing-it-safe (*) Figure out your playing-it-safe profile in 5 minutes and identify the key thinking strategies that keep you living in your head (*) Learn ACT skills for anxious achievers by taking Dr. Z. ACT courses Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Dec 20, 2023 · 22 min

    87. How to perform your best when it matters most

    Ever catch yourself engaging in incessant mind chatter in a high-stakes situation? The kind that fills your head with self-doubt, comparisons, and anticipations of failure? You're not alone. We all do it. But what if there was a way to overcome these self-limiting beliefs and embrace life's challenges with confidence? I had a chance to talk to Dr. Mitchell Greene, Ph.D. regarding performance anxiety, managing self-doubt, and comparison thoughts among athletes or overthinkers. If you have been following the podcast, you know by now that by making room for your thoughts, rather than struggling against them, you can redirect your focus towards the present moment and towards what matters. In today’s episode, we discussed other micro-skills to manage mental chatter with curiosity and courage. Key Takeaways The pitfalls of positive thinking Managing mind chatter How to shift your attention from hypothetical worries to the present moment Redirecting your attention from “what if” to “what is” How to manage lapses in confidence A useful mindset to perform challenging tasks Exploring the concept of positive thinking Understanding mind chatter and its impact Strategies for managing mind chatter Applying mind chatter management in real-life scenarios (*) Show notes and resources of this episode (*) Receive free weekly science-based, compassionate, and actionable skills to stop ineffective playing-it-safe (*) Figure out your playing-it-safe profile in 5 minutes and identify the key thinking strategies that keep you living in your head (*) Learn ACT skills for anxious achievers by taking Dr. Z. ACT courses Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • Dec 6, 2023 · 41 min

    86. Breaking free from worry loops

    Picture this scenario: you encounter an ambiguous and uncertain situation, and then, of course, you quickly try to solve it. You anticipate all types of scenarios and try to prepare for each one of them, without realizing you are worrying and consumed with anxiety. Worry is primarily a thought-based process, and that’s what makes it tricky. Unpacking worry thoughts and distinguishing the unhelpful from the helpful ones are crucial. We all worry from time to time, that’s unavoidable. But playing-it-safe by worrying all the time takes a hefty toll on your well-being, happiness, and relationships. In this episode, I interview Dr. Chad Lejeune, Ph.D. We discussed the subtleties of worrying, what keeps worry cycles, and the importance of developing a new relationship with your mind. In the second part of the interview, I shared with Chad an unexpected situation I encountered when traveling, and we used that as an opportunity to discuss micro-skills to manage uncertainty, what-if thoughts, and reassurance-seeking and information-seeking behaviors. Key Takeaways How to develop a new relationship with thinking How to distinguish effective problem-solving from ineffective one Understanding fear and anxiety Defining worry and its impact The role of thoughts in worry Distinguishing between productive and nonproductive worry The consequences of worry Addressing beliefs about worry Changing our relationship with our thoughts Dealing with unexpected situations Embracing uncertainty and ambiguity The anxious brain and uncertainty Productive thoughts and problem-solving The power of narratives and storytelling The distinction between problem-solving and creating narratives The danger of excessive information-seeking The power of accepting uncertainty The importance of learning from the past Show notes with time stamps 00:27 Understanding Fear and Anxiety 01:26 Defining Worry and Its Impact 02:27 Distinguishing Between Worry and Problem-Solving 05:50 The Consequences of Worry 06:43 Addressing Beliefs About Worry 11:27 Changing Our Relationship with Our Thoughts 17:41 Practical Example: Dealing with Unexpected Situations 22:59 The Power of Productive Thoughts 23:56 The Mind's Narratives and Their Impact 25:46 The Distinction Between Problem Solving and Worrying 28:15 The Power of Acceptance and Living in the Present 28:20 The Pitfalls of Excessive Information Seeking 29:12 The Role of Google in Reassurance Seeking 32:29 The Importance of Embracing Uncertainty (*) Show notes and resources of this episode (*) Receive free weekly science-based, compassionate, and actionable skills to stop ineffective playing-it-safe (*) Figure out your playing-it-safe profile in 5 minutes and identify the key thinking strategies that keep you living in your head (*) Learn ACT skills for anxious achievers by taking Dr. Z. ACT courses Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Showing 21–24 of 24 episodes