Episode Overview

Licensed psychologist Dr. Seth Gillihan returns to discuss his latest book, Your Daily Reset: 366 Practical Exercises to Reduce Anxiety and Manage Stress Using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. In this candid conversation, Dr. Gillihan shares practical strategies for building sustainable mental health habits, explains why mindfulness and CBT work better together, and even opens up about his own parenting anxieties and recent psilocybin journey.

Key Points

Building Daily Practices That Stick

* Brief, consistent practices (40 words average) can create significant change

* Focus on functional analysis: what's actually preventing the habit?

* Small environmental changes (book placement, timing) matter more than willpower

Combining Mindfulness and CBT

* Mindfulness addresses how our minds work (the process)

* CBT addresses what our minds tell us (the content)

* Together they create a more flexible relationship with thoughts

Facing Fear Through Values

* Identify what you value more than your fear

* Use values to guide action even when anxiety is present

* Model courage for children by not avoiding what scares us

Key Quotes

On making room for natural anxiety:

"Of course, of course you're a parent. You're going to feel anxious about these things. And feeling anxious in and of itself is not a bad thing. It's not a problem that we have to get rid of."

On the power of small daily practices:

"If I can just remember that once a day, I think that that can be a big deal... the thoughts that my mind is telling me aren't necessarily true, and they're probably more helpful ways of looking at things."

On self-compassion in mental health:

"I think it's really one of the main things I want to do... it's just really wanting people to go easier on themselves, you know, like to not be overly critical of themselves and especially in the area of their own mental health."

Daily Reset Strategies

* Keep practices brief (1-2 sentences)

* Focus on awareness and perspective shifts

* Make the book/practice visible in your environment

* Don't aim for perfection—consistency matters more

About Dr. Seth Gillihan

Dr. Seth Gillihan is a licensed psychologist, host of the Think Act Be podcast, and author of multiple books on mindfulness and CBT. He completed his doctorate at the University of Pennsylvania and has been in private practice since 2012. His latest book, Your Daily Reset, provides 366 brief exercises combining cognitive behavioral therapy techniques with practical daily applications.

Dr. Reid on Instagram: @jenreidmd and LinkedIn and her upcoming book, Guilt Free.

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