Recovered & Rambling: Big Wins, Brains That Make No Sense, Food Poisoning, & Doctor's Appointments

Why is it that we can sign up for the adrenaline of a new tattoo, but an unplanned panic attack feels like a 10/10 threat?

Logic doesn’t always live here, does it?

In this month’s episode of Recovered & Rambling, Brittany and I sat down to catch up on a month that was a mix of massive breakthroughs and absolute human chaos. If you’ve ever felt like your brain has a mind of its own, this conversation is for you.

From "Absolutely Not" to "No Big Deal"

Brittany shared a huge win this month: She finally went back to New York. For anyone who has navigated agoraphobia or driving anxiety, you know that a city is a lot—the tunnels, the bridges, the sheer pace of it all. Brittany hadn’t been back since 2019, and after a previous attempt where she had to turn back at the tunnel, this trip was a massive milestone.

But here is the fascinating part: as soon as she did it and realized she was totally fine, her brain tried to "minimize" the win. It told her, "Eh, it’s not a big deal. People do this every day." We spent some time talking about why we do that, why we try to shrink our successes the moment we achieve them, and why we have to start celebrating the things that once felt impossible.

The "Express Oil Change" Doctor

I also had to vent a little about a recent experience at the doctor’s office. Have you ever walked into an appointment and felt like you were being rushed through like an express oil change?

I left feeling dismissed, belittled, and honestly, a little invisible. It was a stark reminder of how it felt to seek help when I was first struggling with anxiety. We talked about the importance of being heard, the frustration of "normal" test results when you feel anything but normal, and how we’re learning to advocate for ourselves even when it’s uncomfortable.

The Paradox of Control: Tattoos and Food Poisoning

We had a realization during this chat: We will happily sign up for the pain of a thigh tattoo or the 80-mph drop of a rollercoaster, but a "butterfly" in the stomach from anxiety? Red alert.

It all comes down to perceived control. I shared the (very messy) story of getting food poisoning right in the middle of a live Panic to Peace session. The "old" version of me would have restricted food for weeks and avoided the car at all costs. The "recovered" version? I was back on the road the next day. Recovery isn't about never having a bad day; it’s about not letting the fear of that bad day keeping you small.

Breaking the "Tough Kid" Cycle

Finally, we got into the heart of parenting. We’re both navigating how to help our girls (Amelia and Gianna) through their own fears, like the dark or flying on a plane.

Many of us grew up in a generation where we were told to "just be tough" or "go back to bed, you're fine." We’re doing things differently now. We’re learning that trauma isn't just about what happened—it’s about the lack of validation and support after it happened. By letting our kids say, "I'm scared," and meeting them with "I hear you," we’re helping them build a foundation we’re still working on as adults.

ready to stop doing it alone?

Inside my 10-week program, Panic to Peace, I’ll guide you through this work step by step and you’ll be surrounded by people who truly get it.

You don’t have to stay stuck. Healing is possible and it’s closer than you think.

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