On Episode 41 of Mindful Warrior Radio, we welcome Dr. Lisa Firestone — Clinical Psychologist, Director of Research and Education at the Glendon Association, and Senior Editor at PsychAlive.org. Dr. Firestone is the coauthor of numerous articles and book chapters and has written several books with her father, Robert Firestone, including The Self Under Siege, Conquer Your Critical Inner Voice, Creating a Life of Meaning and Compassion, and Sex and Love in Intimate Relationships.

Her extensive clinical training and research in the areas of suicide and violence have led to the development of several widely used assessments, including the Firestone Assessment of Self-Destructive Thoughts (FAST), the Firestone Assessment of Suicide Intent (FASI), and the Firestone Assessment of Violent Thoughts (FAVT), applied with both adults and adolescents.

In this insightful conversation, Dr. Firestone explores how reframing our relationship with stress can transform our quality of life, presence, and performance. If you’ve ever wanted to transform the way you think about stress—and learn how to make it work for you instead of against you—this episode is a must-listen.

She explains that “we’re all going to experience stress in our lives, but when we shift our mindset about it, our entire experience changes. Stress isn’t just one thing—it’s how we perceive it. If we see it as exciting and challenging, our bodies respond very differently than if we see it as overwhelming or life-threatening.”

Dr. Firestone challenges the common misconception that mindset work is simply about “thinking positively.” She notes that “mindset isn’t about tricking ourselves into thinking positively—it’s about changing how our nervous system responds. If you interpret a situation as dangerous, your body goes into fight-or-flight or even shutdown mode. But if you see it as a challenge, you can overcome it. It can be motivating, energizing, and even improve your performance.”

One of her favorite techniques for reframing stress is surprisingly simple. “Replacing the word ‘stress’ with ‘challenge’ can be powerful. A challenge is something you can choose to take on, approach with curiosity, and even decide to walk away from. That simple reframe reminds us that we have agency, and that we can choose how we respond.”

She also shares practical wisdom for building resilience over time. “We can train ourselves to respond differently to stress. That means growing our ability to handle it with self-compassion, preparing where we can, and letting go of what we can’t control. The more flexible and adaptable we are, the more we expand our boundaries—and the better we perform in all areas of life.”

You can learn more about Dr. Lisa Firestone’s work at www.drlisafirestone.com, www.psychalive.org, and www.glendon.org.

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