Fear Less

What does it really feel like to be a teenager struggling with debilitating anxiety, school refusal, and depression—and what happens when residential treatment finally begins to work? In this inspiring episode of Fear Less, Zack sits down with Mountain Valley Treatment Center alum Elizabeth Baker, who courageously shares her personal journey from refusing to attend school and cycling through multiple treatment programs to finding hope through specialized anxiety treatment. Elizabeth offers an honest look at what led her family to seek residential care, why Mountain Valley's focus on anxiety and OCD made a difference, and how exposure therapy helped her face social anxiety, intrusive thoughts, perfectionism, and the fears that had controlled her life for years.

Elizabeth also reflects on the importance of therapeutic community (milieu therapy), the power of vulnerability, and the reality that recovery is rarely a straight line. She speaks candidly about setbacks after treatment, continuing her healing journey, and the life-changing relationships that helped her believe recovery was possible. Whether you're a parent searching for the right treatment program for an anxious teenager, a clinician interested in residential anxiety treatment, or a Mountain Valley alumnus curious to hear another graduate's story, this episode offers practical insight, hope, and a powerful reminder that healing happens one courageous step at a time.

Zack's Hack: In this week's anxiety hack Zack shares a quote from Fallon Goodman, who is a clinical psychologist and an assistant professor at George Washington University.

Fear Less is sponsored by Mountain Valley Treatment Center

Why does OCD make harmless thoughts feel so frightening—and what actually helps people recover? In this episode Zack sits down with OCD specialist, therapist, author, and educator Nathan Peterson to explore how obsessive-compulsive disorder works, why intrusive thoughts affect everyone, and what separates OCD from ordinary anxiety. Nathan explains why OCD is often called the "disorder of doubt," how compulsions unintentionally strengthen the cycle of fear, and why Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) remains the gold-standard treatment for OCD. Drawing from his years of clinical work, popular educational videos, and his new book "Your OCD Will Hate This Book", Nathan breaks down complex concepts into practical, easy-to-understand strategies that listeners can begin applying immediately.

The conversation also explores how OCD changes throughout life, why it often attacks the things we value most, and how embracing uncertainty becomes the foundation for lasting recovery. Nathan discusses building an "exposure lifestyle," overcoming the fear of starting treatment, the importance of family support, and why meaningful change begins with taking action rather than waiting to feel ready. Whether you're living with OCD, supporting a loved one, or simply wanting to better understand obsessive-compulsive disorder, this episode offers compassionate, evidence-based guidance and practical hope that recovery is possible.

Zack's Hack: In this week's anxiety hack Zack shares a quote from Michel del Montaigne, an influential writer of the French Renaissance.

Fear Less is sponsored by Mountain Valley Treatment Center

Suicide assessment is one of the most anxiety-provoking responsibilities in mental health care—but what if clinicians could use the same evidence-based principles they teach their clients to overcome their own fears? In this episode Zack interviews Emily Becker-Haimes, Ph.D., psychologist at the University of Pennsylvania and Clinical Director of the Pediatric Anxiety Treatment Center (PATCH), about groundbreaking research using exposure-based training to help therapists become more confident, competent, and effective when working with suicidal clients. Together they explore why fear can lead clinicians to avoid difficult conversations, over-refer to hospitalization, or struggle with suicide risk assessment, and how carefully designed exposure exercises can improve clinical decision-making while maintaining compassion and safety.

Listeners will learn current best practices for suicide screening, suicide risk assessment, safety planning, means restriction, and working collaboratively with families and support systems. Dr. Becker-Haimes also discusses emerging research showing how exposure-based clinician training may improve the quality of suicide prevention care while reducing provider anxiety and avoidance. This episode is an essential resource for therapists, psychologists, social workers, counselors, graduate students, and anyone interested in suicide prevention, exposure therapy, clinician resilience, and evidence-based mental health treatment.

Zack's Hack- In this week's anxiety hack Zack shares a quote from Tony Robbins, an inspiring motivational speaker and life coach.

Fear Less is sponsored by Mountain Valley Treatment Center

Why do so many therapists hesitate to use one of the most effective treatments for anxiety and OCD? In this episode, Zack sits down with Dr. Emily Bilek, a clinical psychologist at the University of Michigan, to explore an innovative approach to training clinicians in Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). Dr. Bilek shares how her work focuses not only on helping children and adolescents with anxiety and OCD, but also on improving access to evidence-based care by increasing therapist confidence and competency in delivering exposure therapy. Together, they discuss why ERP can feel counterintuitive to clinicians and how fear often becomes a barrier to implementing effective treatment.

The conversation dives into Dr. Bilek's groundbreaking "Exposure to Exposure" training model, which asks therapists to face their own fears as part of learning how to deliver ERP. Drawing from research, adult learning science, and real-world clinical practice, she explains how experiential training can increase clinician confidence, improve treatment fidelity, and ultimately expand access to quality anxiety and OCD care. The episode also explores emerging innovations, including the use of AI and simulated patients to train therapists, and highlights the broader implications of exposure-based learning for suicide risk assessment, clinician development, and the future of mental health treatment. This is a must-listen episode for psychologists, social workers, counselors, trainees, and anyone passionate about evidence-based treatment for anxiety disorders and OCD.

Zack's Hack- In this week's anxiety hack Zack shares a quote from Henry Ford who was an American industrialist.

Fear Less is sponsored by Mountain Valley Treatment Center

What happens when someone you love dies by suicide—and you never saw it coming? In this deeply personal and vulnerable solo episode, Zack shares the story of losing one of his closest friends to suicide during Memorial Day weekend in 2017. Through raw reflection, Zack revisits the shock, confusion, grief, and unanswered questions that followed, while offering an honest look at how that loss shaped his understanding of mental health, fear, and human connection.

This episode is for anyone who has experienced the suicide of a friend, family member, teammate, or loved one, as well as those struggling to make sense of grief and loss. Zack explores the fear that often exists beneath the surface of emotional suffering, the importance of reaching out for support, and how painful experiences can eventually become part of a meaningful life story. While acknowledging the profound tragedy of suicide, he offers a message of hope: that healing is possible, that our stories are still being written, and that even in life's darkest chapters, there can be purpose, connection, and reasons to keep moving forward.

Fear Less is sponsored by Mountain Valley Treatment Center

In this episode Zack speaks with landscape architecture experts Amy Wagenfeld and Daniel Winterbottom about the growing role of therapeutic gardens, healing landscapes, and nature-based environments in supporting mental health. Drawing from work in hospitals, prisons, refugee programs, autism centers, and healthcare campuses, the conversation explores how thoughtfully designed outdoor spaces can reduce anxiety, support trauma recovery, improve emotional regulation, and create opportunities for healing connection.

The episode dives into the science and ancient wisdom behind nature's impact on the nervous system, including the calming effects of green spaces, water, wildlife, sensory design, and gardening itself. Amy and Daniel explain how healing environments can be tailored for individuals struggling with anxiety, PTSD, autism, burnout, and emotional overwhelm, while also offering practical ideas listeners can use in their own homes and communities. For anyone interested in mental health, wellness, gardening, landscape design, trauma healing, or the therapeutic power of nature, this episode offers an inspiring and deeply hopeful look at how reconnecting with the natural world can help people restore balance, meaning, and resilience.

Zack's Hack- In this week's anxiety hack Zack shares a quote from Anne Frank, German-born Jewish Diarist and Holocaust Victim.

Fear Less is sponsored by Mountain Valley Treatment Center.

In this deeply personal and wide-ranging episode Zack welcomes therapist Keeleigh Mahler back to Mountain Valley Treatment Center for a candid conversation about anxiety, loneliness, vulnerability, and identity. After leaving residential treatment work to practice outpatient therapy in Washington D.C., Keeleigh reflects on burnout, personal growth, fear-driven decision making, and the emotional challenges many young adults face while trying to figure out who they really are. Together, Zack and Keeleigh explore how modern culture, social isolation, perfectionism, and fear of being misunderstood are contributing to a growing loneliness epidemic among teens and young adults.

The conversation also dives into exposure therapy, authenticity, relationships, grief, self-compassion, and the courage it takes to embrace change. Keeleigh openly shares her own fears around career transitions, starting a private practice, purpose, belonging, and learning to slow down emotionally and professionally. This episode is an honest and relatable discussion for anyone struggling with anxiety, uncertainty, fear of vulnerability, or the pressure to constantly have life figured out.

Zack's Hack- In this week's anxiety hack Zack shares a quote from Mary Morrissey of the Brave Thinking Institute to help you fear less!

Fear Less is sponsored by Mountain Valley Treatment Center.

What happens when the pressure to succeed in sports quietly turns into anxiety, perfectionism, or OCD? In this powerful episode, Zack talks with elite runner, therapist, and former Olympic Trials marathoner Dr. Cali Werner about her personal journey growing up as a high-achieving athlete while secretly battling OCD and anxiety. From compulsive pre-race rituals and overwhelming fear of failure to intrusive thoughts and perfectionism, Cali shares how mental health struggles can hide behind athletic success for years.

This episode is especially valuable for parents of athletes, coaches, and young people navigating competitive sports. Cali explains the difference between healthy routines and anxiety-driven rituals, how sports pressure can amplify OCD symptoms, and why early support matters. Zack and Cali also explore topics like reassurance seeking, shame, sports psychology, exposure therapy (ERP), identity outside of athletics, and how recovery is possible even after years of struggling. A hopeful and deeply relatable conversation for families trying to support anxious teens and young adults in sports.

Zack's Hack- In this week's anxiety hack Zack shares a quote from mixed martial artist and fighter Ronday Rousey to help you Fear Less!

Fear Less is sponsored by Mountain Valley Treatment Center.

What does it really mean when a young adult receives a late diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder? In this thought-provoking episode, host Zack sits down with clinical psychologist Eric Beaudoin, Psy.D., Executive Director of Cornerstones of Maine, to explore a growing trend in mental health: the rise of late autism diagnoses in teens and young adults. Together, they unpack the complex overlap between autism, developmental delays, anxiety, and social skill deficits—raising important questions about whether some individuals are being misdiagnosed due to limited life experience, environmental factors, or gaps in comprehensive assessment.

More importantly, this episode shifts the focus away from labels and toward what truly matters: helping young people build meaningful, independent lives. Eric shares a powerful, function-first approach that emphasizes identity, purpose, and real-world engagement over diagnostic categories. For parents navigating uncertainty about their child's diagnosis—or wondering how best to support a struggling young adult—this conversation offers both clarity and hope, highlighting that growth, resilience, and capability are often far greater than a label might suggest.

Zack's Hack- In this week's anxiety hack Zack shares a quote from inspiring author, Norman Vincent Peale to help you Fear Less!

Fear Less is sponsored by Mountain Valley Treatment Center.

What if your child's anxiety isn't just a phase—but something more? In this episode, Zack sits down with OCD clinician Victoria Lane of the OCD Institute of Texas to explore how obsessive-compulsive disorder can quietly take hold in teens and young adults. Drawing from both her professional role and lived experience with OCD, Victoria helps parents recognize early warning signs that are often missed and understand when anxiety may have crossed into something more serious.

Together, they break down Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)—the gold-standard treatment for OCD—and explain why it works, even when it feels counterintuitive. Parents will gain practical insight into how to support their child without reinforcing anxiety, what it means when a teen is "half in, half out" of treatment, and how real recovery is possible. This conversation offers both clarity and hope for families navigating OCD.

Zack's Hack- In this week's anxiety hack Zack shares lyrics from a song from Ziggy Alberts, an Australian acoustic artist who's really terrific.

Fear Less is sponsored by Mountain Valley Treatment Center.