Fear Less

In this week's episode of Fear Less, Zack sits down with Bailey Cohen, a former resident of Mountain Valley and now, a thriving member of the organization as residential staff member. Bailey is currently studying forensic psychology at Johnson and Wales College and is employed as a summer intern at Mountain Valley after working this past year as per diem staff on weekends and holidays. In this discussion, Bailey shares about her transformative journey from a resident struggling with severe anxiety and emetophobia to a dedicated member of the treatment team, supporting others who face similar challenges.

Through this candid conversation, Bailey delves into her experience with exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, shedding light on the innovative techniques that helped her regain control over her life. She shares how this transformative experience in the Mountain Valley program inspired her to want to help others and has led her to return to Mountain Valley as a staff and pursue a career in mental health. Bailey's heartfelt narrative offers listeners a profound understanding of the lived experience of someone with anxiety and OCD, the importance of community in mental recovery, and how one's can turn their mental health struggles into their biggest superpower.

Zack's Hack: In this week's anxiety hack Zack discusses interoceptive exposures and how to create exposure exercises at home that can help combat the physical symptoms of anxiety.

Fear Less is sponsored by Mountain Valley Treatment Center.

In this episode Zack interviews Kayte Knower, the co-founder and executive director of Knower Academics. Kayte discusses the origins of her organization, which she started with her husband to fill gaps in traditional academic support systems. She emphasizes the importance of addressing academic anxiety with exposure-based approaches rather than over-accommodation, a method that aligns with the philosophy of Mountain Valley Treatment Center, where her team provides educational support. Kayte highlights the necessity of specialization in education to truly help students with learning differences and anxiety, noting that teachers are often overburdened and unable to provide the individualized support some students need.

Throughout the conversation, Kayte delves into the unique challenges today's students face, such as perfectionism, fear of making mistakes, and the anxiety surrounding academic performance and college admissions. She explains how Knower Academics tackles these issues by offering personalized support and gradually exposing students to their academic fears in a controlled and supportive environment. The discussion also touches on the broader implications of integrating mental health and educational strategies, illustrating how a collaborative approach can unlock students' potential and transform their academic experiences.

Zack's Hack: Zack discusses Polyvagel Theory and how humming can make you Fear Less!

Fear Less is sponsored by Mountain Valley Treatment Center.

In this insightful episode of Fear Less, Zack welcomes Tim Vaughan, the Director of Learning, Leadership, and Employee Programs at Moosilauke Visions. Tim shares his extensive experience in organizational development and leadership training. He highlights the common challenges faced within organizations and the importance of addressing systemic issues within the workplace environment rather than focusing on individual employee problems. He emphasizes how fulfilling three basic human needs—belonging, autonomy, and mastery—can play a huge role in reducing fear and anxiety in the workplace and help foster a healthy environment where both the employees and the organization can thrive.

Throughout the conversation Tim moves beyond discussing the philosophical ideas of good organizational leadership and begins providing practical strategies that can be implemented to improve the workplace. He reviews different ways that organizations that can help fulfill the three core needs and introduces listeners to "A-TIPS", a feedback model that he created to help employees and leaders effectively communicate feedback so they can build a culture of trust and empowerment. This episode dives deep into the principles of fearless leadership and listeners can expect to learn how to transform their workplace into a hub of productivity and well-being.

Zack's Hack: In this week's hack for anxiety Zack talks about how fostering mastery can help address anxiety.

Fear Less is sponsored by Mountain Valley Treatment Center.

In this week's episode of the Fear Less podcast, Zack converses with Everett Logan, who currently oversees Mountain Valley's admissions process and has worn multiple different administrative hats throughout his time in the program. Everett dives deep into the emotional and logistical complexities of helping young people and their families commit and admit to mental health treatment. He highlights how anxiety can misguide families during such a crucial time for intervention and the important role he plays in conquering that fear by building relationships, providing education, and fostering a sense of agency.

Everett's well-rounded experience in the Mountain Valley program has allowed him to gain a wealth of knowledge about the anxiety epidemic and what we can do to help our youth overcome their fears, embrace themselves, and live a meaningful life. Listeners can expect to receive practical wisdom, tangible strategies, and a whole lot of hope for how we can all come together to make fear less in our everyday lives.

Zack's Hack- In this week's hack Zack shares how moving and stretching can help ground in the face of fear!

Fear Less is sponsored by Mountain Valley Treatment Center.

In this episode of Fear Less, Zack sits down with Keeleigh Mahler, a licensed clinical social worker who previously worked at Mountain Valley and currently works at the Anxiety Institute in Washington D.C. In this discussion, Keeleigh shares candid reflections from her first few years of practice, highlighting the parallel process and internal anxiety that many new clinicians experience as they learn and grow alongside their clients.

Despite being in the first few years of her career, Keeleigh is incredibly talented, insightful, and wise. In this conversation she highlights the common insecurities that arise for new clinicians, and the transformative power of leaning into discomfort, embracing vulnerability, and fostering authentic connections with the youth she serves. Her story serves as a reminder that fearlessness is not about erasing doubts or insecurities, but rather about acknowledging them, feeling them, and leveraging them as opportunities for growth. Keeleigh embodies what is means to a "fearless" clinician and the insights she shares in this conversation will help inspire a new generation of therapist to embrace the journey of becoming their best selves in service of others.

Zack's Hack- In this week's anxiety hack Zack shares how being curious can help you fear less!

Fear Less is sponsored by Mountain Valley Treatment Center.

In this week's episode of Fear Less, Zack welcomes Ivy Wydler, a young adult with OCD who graduated from Mountain Valley in the summer of 2023. Ivy shares vulnerability about her journey with OCD, what led her to Mountain Valley, and insight she has gained over her past year of intensive mental health treatment. In this conversation, Ivy discusses her battles with perfectionism, her complicated relationship with OCD, and the profound impact that therapy and a sense of community had on her recovery.

Ivy's story extends beyond struggle, and is one of transformation, growth, and triumph. Through her time at Mountain Valley, Ivy learned how to redefine beyond herself her mental health issues and move towards a place of self-acceptance. This episode and the candid anecdotes that Ivy shares from her personal journey serve as an inspiration for all those living with OCD and provides practical advice for anyone navigating the challenges the mental health recovery.

Zack's Hack: In this week's anxiety hack Zack talks about the power of being alone.

Fear Less is sponsored by Mountain Valley Treatment Center.

In this week's episode of Fear Less, Zack welcomes Meg Paul, a licensed clinical social worker with over a decade of experience working with youth and families in adventure-based programs, therapeutic boarding schools, and now through her new outpatient practice, Crosswinds Counseling.

In this conversation, Meg recounts her journey from direct care staff at an adventure therapy residential treatment program to her current role as a community-based clinician, running her own private practice. She dives deep into the benefits of experiential therapy, emphasizing the importance of a hands-on "practical" approach to therapy that brings therapy into the everyday life of her clients. Through this discussion, Meg and Zack explore the overlap between experiential therapy and Exposure Response Prevention (ERP) therapy, the importance individualizing anxiety treatment, the nuance of creating a strength-based approach to "stretching our comfort zones", and the value of involving families in the therapeutic process to maximize therapeutic outcomes for entire family system. This episode with Meg will be both inspiring and informative for practitioners in the mental health field and consumers in need of mental health support.

Zack's Hack: In this week's anxiety hack Zack talks about comfort zones and how to stretch your comfort zone to grow!

Fear Less is sponsored by Mountain Valley Treatment Center.

In this week's episode of Fear Less, Will and Zack discuss school phobia and the state of youth anxiety with Ira Hayes, a licensed clinical social worker who owns his own outpatient practice and serves as the Director of Programs at the Center for Wellness in New Jersey. Ira is a practitioner, educator, and professional speaker who specializes in the treatment of anxiety and related disorders, with a specific focus on "school phobia." In this discussion, Ira shares his insights on the rise of anxiety disorders among students in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and how he utilizes exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy to help students lean into their fears, build resilience, and find.

This conversation extends beyond the pragmatics of anxiety treatment and highlights social cultural patterns, such as the shift towards comfort and the onset of technology, which have played a role in rising incidence rates of youth anxiety. Ira, Will, and Zack share personal stories and reflect on the importance of providing opportunities for hard work, failure, and a sense of community to help children and adolescents develop a sense of grit and resiliency. Ira is a passionate and knowledgeable professional who offers an invaluable perspective for parents, educators, and mental health professionals to consider when attempting to address the youth anxiety epidemic.

Zack's Hack: In this week's anxiety hack Zack talks about how doing hard work can help our mental health.

Fear Less is sponsored by Mountain Valley Treatment Center.

In this episode Fear Less, co-host Zack Schafer welcomes Dr. Dan Villiers, one of the founding team of Mountain Valley Treatment Center and the co-founder and current president of the Anxiety Institute. In this discussion, Dr. Villiers shares how his personal struggles with anxiety and his own experience with exposure-based treatment led him to spend the last fourteen years creating, owning, and operating innovative anxiety treatment programs across the country. Dr. Villier's discusses the early days of starting Mountain Valley, what he learned through that experience, and how he still applies those same principles to the anxiety treatment he still does today.

A central topic of this interview is Exposure Response Prevention (ERP) therapy, a cornerstone of the Mountain Valley Treatment Center and Anxiety Institute treatment programs. Dr. Villiers details how ERP, an evidence-based approach, is utilized systematically desensitize individuals to their anxiety triggers, helping them learn, adapt, cope more effectively. Pulling from their professional careers, Zack and Dr. Villiers explore important principles to put into practice when optimizing exposure therapy and share insights on the subtle "art" that is incorporated into what some may consider a "scientific" approach to anxiety treatment.

As listeners will see, Dr. Villiers is passionate about the exposure-based approach, not just as a modality to reduce anxiety, but as a modality that can build confidence in our anxious youth and help them thrive in their everyday lives. This conversation is both informative and inspiring, and we hope you enjoy the show!

Zack's Hack: In this week's anxiety hack Zack talks about virtual reality exposures to deal with anxiety.

Fear Less is sponsored by Mountain Valley Treatment Center.

In this episode Zack interviews his colleague and friend, J'Amy Chamberlain, a certified recreational therapist at Mountain Valley Treatment Center. They explore the influential role of recreational therapy in treating anxiety and fostering well-being among youth. J'Amy explains how recreational therapy utilizes fun, connection, and real-life experiences to complement traditional exposure therapy, helping kids to face and overcome their fears. Through activities like rock climbing, swimming, and even video gaming, recreational therapy at Mountain Valley encourages kids to reengage with passions and activities they've shied away from due to anxiety, thus broadening their worlds and enhancing their treatment experience.

The conversation also delves into the specific challenges and successes of implementing recreational therapy, highlighting personal stories of residents who've overcome their fears and reconnected with their passions through carefully designed exposure work and community integration activities. J'Amy and Zach discuss the significance of creating a balanced and holistic treatment approach, that includes rigorous therapeutic work as well as opportunities for leisure, play, and personal growth. By offering a range of clubs and activities that cater to the diverse interests of residents, Mountain Valley fosters a sense of agency, autonomy, and joy in their lives, counteracting the stress of treatment and helping them to rediscover the pleasures of engaging, moving, and exploring in a supportive environment.

Zack's Hack: In this week's anxiety hack Zack shares how water can help you fear less.

Fear Less is sponsored by Mountain Valley Treatment Center.