Episode Title: “Worried Women in Chaos”

Guest name: Elizabeth “Biz” Cush. Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC), Business Owner, Podcaster and Blogger in Annapolis, Maryland. Biz hosts Woman Worriers, a podcast for anxious women. In her private practice, Progression Counseling, she helps men and women who feel overwhelmed, anxious, and stressed out find more connection with themselves and others, allowing them to live their lives with more ease, intention, and purpose. She’s worked in the mental health field for over 10 years, is a certified clinical trauma professional and she incorporates mindfulness and meditation into her psychotherapy work with individuals and groups.

In this podcast: Biz introduces herself and describes the work she does to help “Women Worriers.” Tracy and Biz discuss the top worries of women in today’s society, and talk about how to help women clear their minds and behave in ways where they are helping their mental wellbeing.

Worry  #1: The Pandemic has changed our way of life

Top worries within the Pandemic include:

• Losing a loved one
• Being perceived as not careful about prevention or being careful enough
• Being excluded by others in social gatherings, being out to the loop
• Getting sick
• Dying…and being responsible for someone’s death
• Doing the right thing for yourself and others

All of this is SO HEAVY!

Worry #2: Our Lifestyles have Changed

• Kids are at home
• We’re working at home
• Online school, and parents aren’t teachers
• Partner coordination

Worry #3: Relationships have Changed

• Families are learning how to cooperate with each other
• Family members make sacrifices
• Silver linings include a mindful consideration of…
• • What I want to keep, hold on to, approach
  • What I want to avoid, discard, move away from

Worry #4: The chaos before the Pandemic – where do we go now?

• Rushing around to accomplish things
• Being forced to shut down
• Finding things to worry about
• Keeping a balance between work and life

Worry #5: Food, Eating and Body Changes

• Are we drifting into complacency, avoiding?
• Are we creating in-sustainability?
• What about self-soothing using chocolate?

Worry #6: Political / Social Worries

• The Capitol Insurrection
• A lot of stress and worry about our future
• People dying
• Governor Hogan

Ways of Coping

• Hope
• Look to each other for strength
• Consider what has gotten us through
• Gratitude
• Looking at the positive
• Consciously bringing in the positive
• Finding joy, being aware of the joy
• Laughter and smiling
• The laugh club (Marsha Linehan and Dawson Church)
• Music to create positive emotions
• Simple Self-Care:

• Ask: What do I need?
• Ask: Who can support me so that I receive what I need?

• Worry and fear: Cognitive reframing tips

• “This will pass”
• This is a part of life”
• This will get better
• I may feel stuck, and it won’t stay that way

Visit Biz on her website at https://www.progressioncounseling.com/

Listen to Biz on her podcast at the following sites:

iTunes / Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/woman-worriers/id1354079086?app=itunes&mt=2

Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93b21hbndvcnJpZXJzLmxpYnN5bi5jb20vcnNz

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/64SRf073AoPVAAg8TEyc4i

Elizabeth Cush has been a featured guest on these podcasts: Sacred Psychology, Women In Depth, The Practice Of Being Seen , and Selling The Couch,  the Soul-filled Sisterhood, The Therapy Show, and Hypnotize Me, and A Therapist Takes Her Own Advice. She’s also an expert contributor for Good Therapy, a guest contributor to the Happily Imperfect Blog on Psych Central and has been quoted in articles for The List, Teen Vogue, Tonic, Best Life, Bustle Thriveworks, UpJourney and The Paper Gown.

Listen to Calming the Chaos!

Main podcast website: calmingthechaos.libsyn.com

YouTube (Playlists): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7qISnLR8T4g-bSDu-pW9LQ/playlists?view_as=subscriber

Main iTunes and Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/calming-the-chaos/id1489271578?ls=1

Podbay: https://podbay.fm/podcast/1489271578

HubHopper: https://hubhopper.com/podcast/calming-the-chaos/102122

Visit Tracy’s Website at www.lokahicounseling.com

Email Tracy at calmingthec@gmail.com