How to Rewrite the Stories That Make You Anxious, Angry, or Depressed

Learn how the stories you tell yourself fuel anxiety, depression, and triggers—and discover practical skills like cognitive defusion to rewrite your life. Free worksheet: Learn the skills to Regulate your Emotions, join the membership: In this episode, you’ll learn the hidden thought pattern that fuels anxiety, depression, anger, and emotional reactivity — and how to break free from it. Our brains create stories to protect us, but sometimes those stories become prisons. They shape what we notice, how we feel, and the choices we make… often without us realizing it. Looking for affordable online counseling? My sponsor, BetterHelp, connects you to a licensed professional from the comfort of your own home. Try it now for 10% off your first month: FREE Mental Health Resources: Therapy in a Nutshell and the information provided by Emma McAdam are solely intended for informational and entertainment purposes and are not a substitute for advice, diagnosis, or treatment regarding medical or mental health conditions. Although Emma McAdam is a licensed marriage and family therapist, the views expressed on this site or any related content should not be taken for medical or psychiatric advice. Always consult your physician before making any decisions related to your physical or mental health. In therapy I use a combination of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Systems Theory, positive psychology, and a bio-psycho-social approach to treating mental illness and other challenges we all face in life. The ideas from my videos are frequently adapted from multiple sources. Many of them come from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, especially the work of Steven Hayes, Jason Luoma, and Russ Harris. The sections on stress and the mind-body connection derive from the work of Stephen Porges (the Polyvagal theory), Peter Levine (Somatic Experiencing) Francine Shapiro (EMDR), and Bessel Van Der Kolk. I also rely heavily on the work of the Arbinger Institute for my overall understanding of our ability to choose our life's direction. And deeper than all of that, the Gospel of Jesus Christ orients my personal worldview and sense of security, peace, hope, and love If you are in crisis, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at or 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or your local emergency services. Copyright Therapy in a Nutshell, LLC

You can listen to How to Rewrite the Stories That Make You Anxious, Angry, or Depressed online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

How to Rewrite the Stories That Make You Anxious, Angry, or Depressed is an episode from Therapy in a Nutshell by Therapy in a Nutshell -Emma McAdam.

This episode is 21:41 long.

This episode was published on Feb 5, 2026.

Yes. Use the heart button on the episode page to add it to your favorite episodes list.

Yes. This page shows related episodes from Therapy in a Nutshell when more episodes are available from the podcast feed.