Lesson 1: Introduction and Goals

Welcome to Unwinding Anxiety

Hi there and welcome! I’m Cheryl Mills, your Behavior Change Facilitator, coach, and guide on this journey, and I’m so glad you’re here. If you’re feeling anxious, overwhelmed, distracted, or just plain exhausted…you’re in the right place. You might be a parent trying to hold it all together, a teacher juggling a million things, a performer chasing perfection, or someone with ADHD wondering why your brain keeps hijacking your plans. Trust me – you’re not alone, and nothing’s wrong with you. This course is about learning how to unwind those cycles of anxiety, not by fixing yourself (because you’re not broken), but by getting curious, learning some powerful tools, and building habits that feel supportive, not stressful.

Introduction

Welcome
What to Expect
Your Role
How Unwinding Anxiety Came to Be
What is Anxiety?
What You Will Learn
Goals and Intentions
In this short introduction, we will talk about what to expect, your role in unwinding anxiety, a little bit of background on the program. We’ll cover what anxiety is and isn’t, and how it is different from stress. We will talk about what you will learn, and get ready to set some goals and intentions as a starting point. Ready?

Welcome and Congratulations!

So – welcome and congratulations on taking this very important time for yourself and learning how to unwind your anxiety

Unwinding Anxiety – How the Program Came to Be

(Photo) Dr. Judson Brewer, M.D., Ph.D.
Unwinding Anxiety®, is a program for reducing anxiety developed by Dr. Judson Brewer, M.D., Ph.D., founder of Claritas Mind Sciences and Director of Research and Innovation at the Mindfulness Center and associate professor in psychiatry at the School of Medicine at Brown University.
Dr. Brewer is an addiction psychiatrist and internationally known expert in mindfulness training for addictions. Dr. Brewer has developed and tested novel mindfulness programs for addictions, including both in-person and app-based treatments. Unwinding Anxiety® is one of those treatments.
Unwinding Anxiety® is based in science. This program teaches you how to identify and break the cycle of anxiety. Forcing or willing behavior to change is less effective than paying objective attention to it.
To change behavior, you need to know how the mind works. Then, you can use that knowledge to undo or skillfully change that behavior. Studies show that with mindful awareness, you can learn to change unhealthy reactions to stress and anxiety, which in turn, changes your brain. Instead of unconsciously reacting, you can learn to respond consciously and with more control over anxiety. These new responses form new neural pathways in the brain, leading to new, healthier habits.

What to Expect

Myth busting and why you can do this
What to expect. First of all – drop the expectation. Expectations about how things “should” go can derail your efforts. So just be as present as possible with your experience – that is key. Over the next 30 bite-sized lessons, we’ll explore: Why anxiety is more than just a feeling – it’s a habit loop. How to catch that loop in action and gently shift it. You’ll learn simple tools like curiosity, mindfulness, breath and body awareness, and why trying harder doesn’t work (and what actually does).
Each lesson will include a short video, a simple practice, and sometimes a quiz or reflection to help it stick. You’ll also get downloadable worksheets to personalize what you’re learning.

Top 10 Anxiety Myths

• Anxiety is just stress or worry.
• Anxiety is not a real issue, it’s just in your head.
• If you’re anxious, you should avoid stress.
• Anxiety will go away on its own.
• Anxiety is a sign of weakness or character flaw.
• Medication is the only way to treat anxiety.
• Panic attacks always lead to fainting.
• Social anxiety is the same as being shy.
• People with anxiety can just snap out of it.
• Anxiety disorders are rare.

1. Anxiety is just stress or worry. These three are different things. We will cover the difference between stress and anxiety, and anxiety is an intense form of worry that can be debilitating.
2. Anxiety is a real condition that affects your mental health.
3. Avoiding stress will not necessarily reduce your anxiety. You can learn useful tools (like this program) that will help you skillfully manage your anxiety.
4. Clinical anxiety does not go away on its own.
5. Anxiety is neither a sign of weakness nor a character flaw. It is the result of a variety of factors.
6. Medication is not the only solution to anxiety. It is one way to treat some of the symptoms.
To manage anxiety it is important to recognize it, understand its function in your life, and endeavor to change reactions that are unhelpful and unhealthy.
7. Panic attacks don’t necessarily lead to fainting. I had not heard of this one before. Fainting from anxiety is relatively rare.
8. Social anxiety is more than just being shy and affects the way you interact with others.
9. Anxiety is real and you don’t just “snap out of it.” Depending on your level of anxiety, it may take a variety or combination of approaches to reduce or eliminate anxiety significantly.
10. Anxiety in our society is unfortunately extremely common. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, approximately a third of the adult population (31.1%) in the US has experienced an anxiety disorder. Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) – GAD affects 6.8 million adults or 3.1% of the US population, yet only 43.2% are receiving treatment.

What is Anxiety and is it the same as Stress?

Anxiety is:

• A feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome.
• A habit, or pattern of behavior that is composed of a trigger, a behavior, and a reward.
• Learned behavior to deal with stress
• Like other habits, it can be unlearned
• “On” consistently

Stress is:

• A biological response to a stimulus.
• Triggers the Fight, Flight, Freeze, or Fawn Response.
• When the trigger is removed, the stress goes away
• Reactions can be noticed and modified to become mindful responses.

How You Fit In & Reminders

• This is your journey. It won’t be like anyone else’s.
• That’s why it’s essential to learn about your habits around anxiety and choose your responses.
• Be curious and non-judgmental while going through the program.
• Be patient and kind to yourself throughout this process. It has taken many years in most cases, and it will take some time to undo.
• This isn’t about becoming a Zen master. It’s about being a human, learning to meet yourself with kindness, and knowing you’re allowed to mess up and begin again – 30 times, or more, if needed. We’re building awareness, not pressure. This is your journey. It won’t be like anyone else’s.
• That’s why it’s essential to learn about your habits around anxiety and choose your responses.
• Be curious and non-judgmental while going through the program.
• Be patient and kind to yourself throughout this process. It has taken many years in most cases, and it will take some time to undo.

What You Will Learn

• You will learn about mindfulness and why and how it is effective in helping you change your relationship to anxiety.
• You will learn how to bring a mindful awareness to your patterns of thinking.
• You will learn to tune in to your body and how to listen to the information it is giving you
• You will learn what a habit loop is and how it keeps you trapped in repetitive behaviors and thoughts.
• You will learn to identify your own habit loops. Yours will not necessarily be the same as anyone else’s because of your own personal experiences, beliefs, or conditioning.

Additional Learning Outcomes

• You will learn to explore thoughts, beliefs, and patterns of behavior that could be holding you back.
• You will learn to make choices that are better for your health and well-being.
• You will learn tools that will help you skillfully manage anxiety.
• You will learn to identify how to move forward if you get stuck.
• You will learn to bring kindness and compassion to this process for better results and improved well-being.
• You will learn that you are not alone on this journey. All you need to bring is your curiosity, your breath, and maybe a little willingness to pause and notice. That’s it. This journey is self-paced, with optional weekly live Q&A sessions to connect, ask questions, or just be in community with others walking this same path.

Goals and Intentions

Now it’s time to bring some goals and intentions into the program. Remember, they don’t have to be extravagant or grand. Reasonable is good.
A downloadable worksheet is provided for this purpose. Take your time.
So, take a deep breath. You’re here. That’s already a win.

Ready for Some Calm?

Let’s get started.